Vaporesso LUXE XR MAX
We are used to seeing upgraded kits, but few get it as right as Vaporesso have with the brand new LUXE XR Max Kit
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by Si Davies
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Supplied by Vaporesso for review
https://www.vaporesso.com/vape-kits/luxe-xr-max
RRP $54.90
Vaporesso’s team have clearly put all their experience into creating the all new LUXE XR Max, with ‘Max’ being the operative word as they have maxed out the original LUXE XR in almost every way. Spoiler alert, THIS is one of Vaporesso’s finest products. Bear in mind I wasn’t too fussed with the old XR and it soon went back into its box, read on to find out why this version won me over.
At a glance
- Dimensions: 106.5 x 32.1 x 26 mm
- Battery: 2800mAh
- Max Power: 80W
- Charging Current: DC 5V/2A USB-C
- Display: 0.54’’ OLED screen / 2 x RGB LED light
- Adjustable Airflow
- Weight: 123g
- Backwards compatible XR Pods
- Replaceable GTX Coils
- Touch-screen Wattage Adjustment
- DL & RDL Pods included
I usually write a bit more on the highlights but I snatched this screengrab as it sums it up perfectly:
Unboxing
The LUXE XR Max comes in the now traditional green/black packaging; the outer sleeve displays the chosen colour with all the specs and contents on the back.
With the outer sleeve removed, you are greeted with the complete LUXE XR Max with a pod preinstalled. To the side is a wallet with the docs, and underneath that is the second pod and a teenie-weenie charging cable.
The bundle doesn’t look all that much, but trust me; that second pod with two different coils makes this a generous bundle in my eyes. The two coils included are 1 x GTX 0.2Ω Mesh Coil preinstalled in the ‘DTL’ pod and 1 x GTX 0.4Ω Mesh Coil preinstalled in the ‘RDL’ pod.
First Impressions and Overview
I have to be honest, I really wasn’t too fussed about reviewing yet another pod/mod and I had wondered why Vaporesso would bother upgrading the existing LUXE XR. That soon changed as I got my grubby mitts on one, and it only got better when it came down to vaping on this refined piece of excellence.
You can immediately feel the difference in the size but in a good way, it feels a much better fit in your hand and is less dainty, it somehow led me to find multiple firing positions more, if that makes sense? I could always intuitively find the fire button however I held it.
I much prefer the styling over the original also, Vaporesso have now made it an all metal chassis with clear plastic panels making it more durable, and just feels better in your hand. You can still clearly see the XR’s original influence where you can see the electronics, but this time around we get a screen and adjustment ‘buttons’, well they aren’t really buttons as it is a touch panel (more on that later).
As a photographer by trade, I feel I haven’t done the LUXE XR Max justice as it looks a little bland in the photos, part of that is the semi-matt finish but trust me, it looks superb in your hand and as you rotate it. I really liked the cream colour too as it’s a bit different to anything else I own.
There’s quite a bit of branding but Vaporesso have made it an asset and it adds to the style. The embossed logo on the rear and the embossed ‘VAPORESSO’ on the side are discreet and that usual legal bumf is printed on the very bottom.
The weight feels nice, at 123g it isn’t the lightest pod/mod out there but considering it has a huge 2800mAh internal battery and goes up to 80 watts with a screen, I would still class it as light. That extra weight and metal chassis just make it feel better for me.
You start to notice the attention to detail of the XR Max with the charging screen with the time remaining and decent 5V/2A fast charging, I was slightly disappointed with the itty-bitty USB-C cable but then again I have tons of the bloody things so this little one can go into my bag with a portable charger.
Controls
This is the main difference over the original, the XR Max has adjustable wattage and a screen. The navigation and adjustments were surprisingly easy and fast to navigate. The screen isn’t overly bright but is clear enough indoors or in low light, it also times out quite quickly which consumes less battery power, a bit too fast for me to photograph the menu but there’s not too much to do there:
- 5 x Fire = Turns device On/Off
- 3 x Fire = Enables Wattage adjustment (Touch Up or Down arrows to adjust and Fire to confirm)
- 4 x Fire = Enters Options Menu (Up/Down to navigate & Fire to confirm):
- LED – Turns LED’s On/Off
- SMART – Enable/Disable SMART wattage function (Trust me, just leave it On)
- PUFF – Resets puff counter
- EXIT – Device leaps out of your hand and runs for the exit
Dead simple overall but I loved using the touch-screen arrows, they are responsive and far apart enough to distinguish without looking. There’s a hidden advantage to the wattage adjustment method as it automatically locks the adjustment arrows so there zero chance of accidental changes.
The ability to adjust the wattage turned out to be a huge pro over the original, even simple 5 watt increments changed the vape quality to suit my tastes more, decreasing a few watts will also prolong the coils lifespan.
The LED lighting is possibly one of the best implemented lights I have seen, it is actually quite discreet and not overly bright, and it just compliments the screen. I love LED lighting in mods but most are often too flashy and bright, this one is classy.
Moving onto to the pod, I already loved the hardware but these pods completed the XR Max perfectly. They are backwards compatible with previous LUXE XR and GTX coils, but the included pods are tailored for this kit, with an RDL and a DTL (DL) pod with suitable GTX coils.
The two pods are subtly different, the RDL one is slightly shorter and has a smaller air inlet port, it accepts the skinnier GTX top coils: 0.6ohm and 0.4ohm
The DTL (DL) one has a larger air inlet port and is clearly more airy for a proper DL draw and takes the wider bore GTX coils: 0.15ohm, 0.2ohm & 0.3ohm
I love that Vaporesso have done this as it makes the LUXE XR Max far more versatile, it is also backwards compatible so you can even shove in the MTL pod with a higher ohms GTX coil (0.8ohm – 1.2ohm for example).
I still very much love Vaporesso’s GTX coils, they are a couple of years old but have subtly improved their cotton over time and they still stand out amongst the best. They also last ages.
Filling the pods is simple and mess free (especially the 5ml versions), the filling bung is easy to pry open and you can swivel it out of the way. The filling port is generous and accepts stock bottle tips. Although the pods are darkened, it is still easy to see your e-liquid so I found it mess free to fill, though I did find thicker 70VG/30PG e-liquid took a little longer to wrap around the coil if you get my drift?
Onto the final and possibly one of the most important improvements; the adjustable airflow. The lack of this on the original was one of the reasons I no longer use it, so I was extra happy to see Vaporesso include it. It is also very effective as it closes off properly for a tighter draw and opens up for a DL draw.
LUXE XR vs LUXE XR Max
Just about everything is better on the Max, everything that the original lacked has now been added and makes it a far more versatile vape kit. The XR had a smaller 1800mAh battery, fixed airflow (well, a poor two-way airflow) and an all plastic base made it fragile if dropped, but it was just VERY basic. While that makes it good for beginners, the simple adjustments of the XR Max still makes it suitable for beginners.
Obviously, the Max is larger and a little heavier, but not as much as you would expect. Vaporesso have crammed a lot more into the Max but still managed to keep it very compact and simple to use. The absolute winning differences for me are the 2800mAh battery and the adjustable airflow, the other features feel like a bonus.
Performance
Considering that I have reviewed so many Vaporesso devices that use these GTX coils, I was still surprised by the superior vape quality the LUXE XR Max gave, the ability to tweak the airflow and wattage made all the difference.
RDL Pod 0.4ohm GTX
I decided to be brave in my e-liquid choice on the RDL pod and threw some 10mg nic salts into it. Smart wattage for the 0.4ohm coil was 30 watts, apart from it knocking me sideways with such a high nicotine hit, I found the vape flavour and draw to be excellent. By the time I dialled it in with the airflow and decreased wattage, I was more than impressed. But to give it a fair go at its intended use, I popped some 3mg 70VG/30PG e-liquid in and tooted it through until the old e-liquid vanished. Back at the SMART 30 watts, it hit the spot nicely, that adjustable airflow really made it one of the best RDL vapes I’ve experienced in a while. I crept the wattage up to 35 watts for a more intense vape and the coil handled it well.
DTL (DL) Pod 0.2ohm GTX
I went straight for the airflow fully open and let SMART set the wattage to 55 watts, damn that flavour is might fine! The airflow was airy enough to class as a full DL (Direct Lung) but there was still some restriction compared to a tank. I was fine with that and I still class it as a DL vape, but if you like a super airy draw then you might find this too tight. I upped the wattage to 60 watts and loved it even more, I was getting a warmish but fully saturated vape and the flavour was insane. By this time I was proper impressed with the whole bundle.
As for using the device, that was also a pleasure. I loved how it felt in my hand and the intuitive shape meant I could vape it in several different positions. That 2800mAh battery made it one of the few pod/mods I could trust for a working days vaping even with the 0.2ohm coil at 55 watts, using the 0.4ohm RDL pod at 25 watts lasted me almost two days, and with the 2 Amp fast charging, the battery life and charging impressed me a fair bit.
I felt comfortable when stashed in my trouser pocket but I had to be careful how it sat as it had the potential of making it look like I had a boner! But it just about squeezed into a coin pocket on some jeans. I would say it is a bit too heavy for a lanyard.
Conclusion
The Vaporesso LUXE XR Max is the mutts nuts as far as I’m concerned, I just couldn’t find anything that Vaporesso got wrong or omitted, this is the complete package for a compact pod/mod kit. The two different pods actually gave a very different vape, which ever pod you use, you will still get a high quality vape and ‘max’ flavour from those GTX coils.
I have reviewed hundreds of kits over the years and not many really stand out as this impressive all over. The last time I can remember a Vaporesso kit pleasing me this much was the PM80, but it had a bed wetting problem and no adjustable airflow unfortunately, but I still loved it despite this, but the LUXE XR Max is everything the PM80 should have been and some.
Pros
- Awesome flavour
- RDL and DL pods included
- Two completely different vape experiences in one bundle
- GTX coil platform (still amongst the very best coils)
- Backwards compatible XR pods
- Effective airflow control
- Groovy touchscreen adjustments
- Whopping 2800mAh battery
- More sturdy construction
- Pleasingly subtle LED backlit
- Ergonomic & intuitive.
- Leak-resistant
Cons
Naff all! I know there are quite a few con-free kits these days but this one is clearly faultless and only personal preferences in styling will decide if this one’s for you. If you go for it then I can guarantee you a mighty fine vape.
Final thoughts and Score
I expected an average token ‘upgrade’ but the Vaporesso LUXE XR Max is the best pod/mod Vaporesso have produced so far, it ticks all the boxes for a compact kit and will suit new and experienced vapers alike. This one will stay in my permanent rotation for a while, a genuine pleasure to review and a welcome change from cheap and nasty disposables.
Score: I’m going for a 9.9/10 here – Max Verstappen
Si Davies
Reviewer at POTVMy background is Engineering and Professional Photography. Mostly from POTV users knowledge I learned so much about pretty much all styles of vaping and equipment, Cloud Chasing, Squonking, Mouth To Lung, Direct To Lung, Pods, Mechs, Rebuild-able tanks and atomisers etc, and have experience with many many devices and atomisers, it's become a hobby and enjoy trying out the latest gear. I like to think my reviews are plain speaking and informative without getting too technical, if I have to resort to reading the manual then I don't consider it user friendly!
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