Today we are reviewing the soon to be released Freemax Maxpod 3, a 15W adaptive pod kit. I can’t say it’s hot off the press (at the time of writing anyway) as it’s still not hit the shops yet. We are lucky enough to get our hands on the pre-production model to put it through its paces.
It was nearly 2 years ago now that we reviewed the original Maxpod from Freemax and at that time it was one of the forerunners in the newly emerging pod market. Just for reference, I still own it and yes it still works.
Strangely enough we never heard about an upgraded Maxpod 2 but then that’s not surprising because it appears one didn’t exist. Anyway, fast-forward 2 years; here we have the Maxpod 3 ready for reviewing.
Overview
The Freemax Maxpod 3 pod kit has an adaptive power level of 15W max, although non-adjustable, the wattage is dependent on the coil resistance of the fitted pod. It’s an auto draw activated Mouth to Lung (MTL) pod device powered by an internal 480mAh re-chargeable battery.
Charging the Maxpod 3 is carried out via the Type-C USB port on the bottom of the device and is specified as having a charging current of 5V/0.5A. Full charge is achieved within 1 hour.
Airflow control is restricted to 2 fixed air intake pin holes, one each side of the Maxpod 3 battery casing which provides a MTL and RDL (Restricted Direct to Lung) vaping style.
The MD Mesh pod that’s supplied with the Maxpod 3 has an e-liquid capacity of 2ml and is re-fillable via the top fill port that’s hidden under the duckbill style mouthpiece. It incorporates an integrated 0.8 ohm mesh coil which means the coil is not replaceable, when the coil degrades the pod is disposed of and a new pod fitted.
An additional 1.2 ohm MD mesh pod is available but has to be purchased separately, it’s not included in the kit. Both these pods utilize Freemax’s FM SaltCoilTech 4.0 Mesh coils so the flavor and performance is as we would expect, second to none.
There is a small single color LED in the center of the front panel that illuminates when you draw on the pod. It also illuminates while the Maxpod 3 is being charged and extinguishes when full charge is achieved.
This new Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod kit comes in 6 different colors and uses double color injection moulding which combines 2 high end plastics creating an inner textured color with a crystal clear outer hard shell finish which won’t fade. It’s very well made, very lightweight and very simple to use.
I would like to thank Tina at Freemax for sending me the two Maxpod 3 Pod kits, together with the additional MD Mesh 1.2 ohm pods for the purpose of this review. As always this review is completely unbiased and is my honest opinion based during our time using the Maxpod 3 Pod Kit. We may receive a small affiliate commission if you click on any of the buy buttons but at no extra cost to you.
Freemax Maxpod 3 15W Kit Review
Contents
- Overview
- Features and Specifications
- What’s In The Box?
- Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Design and Appearance
- – Freemax Maxpod Body/Battery
- – Freemax MD Mesh Pod
- Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Functionality
- Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Performance
- Freemax Maxpod 3 Battery Performance
- How do I Fill the Freemax Maxpod MD Mesh Pod?
- When and How do I Change the Freemax Maxpod MD Mesh Pod?
- How do I Charge the Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit?
- Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Price
- Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Verdict
- Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Summary
Features and Specifications
- Dimensions: 99.5mm x 26.7mm x 18.2mm
- Weight: 39 grams
- Construction: PC+ABS
- Pod Material: PCTG
- Charging: Type-C USB 5V/0.5A
- Output Wattage: Adaptive 9W-15W max
- Output Voltage: 3.3V-3.6V
- E-liquid Capacity: 2.0ml Pod
- Pod Type: Refillable, Non-replaceable 0.8/1.2 ohm Coil
- Coil Material: SS904L Mesh
- Filling Method: Top Fill Port
- Battery Specification: Internal 480mAh
- Display: Single color LED
- Airflow: 2 fixed side case intake holes
- Firing: Auto draw activation
- Mouthpiece: Removable Duckbill
What’s In The Box?
- Freemax Maxpod 3 Device
- Maxpod MD Mesh Pod – 0.8 ohm Mesh Coil
- User Manual
The packaging is pretty standard; a cardboard box with a clear window to highlight the color of the device. Inside the box is a plastic tray housing the device and the MD 0.8 ohm mesh pod and user manual.
On the reverse side of the cardboard box are the basic specifications of the Maxpod 3 together with the kit contents.
Note: The Maxpod 3 pod kit doesn’t include a charging cable but you will require one to charge the device. Any standard Type-C USB charging cable will suffice.
MD Mesh 1.2 Ohm Pod
If you want to use the 1.2 ohm MD Mesh pod or buy additional 0.8 ohm pods, they can be purchased separately and come in packs of 3 with the MD Mesh pods individually sealed in a blister pack.
Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Design and Appearance
The Maxpod 3 Body/Battery
The Freemax Maxpod 3 is a compact and stylish auto draw activated 15W pod constructed out of polycarbonate and ABS. Its shape is a slim rectangular design with curved edges measuring 80mm tall (99.5mm including the pod), 26.7mm wide by 18.2mm deep and weighs in at an extremely lightweight 39 grams.
There are no menu controls or variable wattage adjustments, it’s a very simple no fuss easy to operate pod kit. The Maxpod 3 has a fixed 15W max adaptive power which is derived from the coil resistance of the selected pod that’s fitted.
When the 0.8 ohm MD mesh pod is fitted, the wattage will operate between 13.5W-16W and the 1.2 ohm MD mesh pod will operate between 9W and 10.8W.
The Maxpod 3 incorporates an internal 480mAh internal battery and is charged, using a charging cable (not supplied), via the Type-C USB port on the bottom of the Maxpod 3 body, specified as 5V/0.5A. Charging time will take approximately 1 hour to fully charge the battery and the single color white LED in the center of the Maxpod 3 body illuminates while charging and extinguishes when charged.
Safety features and protection are included, such as:
- Overtime Protection
- Low Battery Protection
- Over Charge Protection
- Atomizer Short-Circuit Protection
There are 6 different color options available in the Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit range and we’ve highlighted the two colors we received which are seen within this review:
- Grey
- Light Blue
- White
- Yellow
- Orange
- Purple
The color surface finishes on the Maxpod 3 are achieved by the dual color injection moulding process where the color and textured pattern, which looks like sand ripples in a desert, is encapsulated with a clear glass like finish. The inner color stops 15mm short of the top of the device providing a clear window when the pod is fitted so you can clearly see the level of e-liquid in the pod without removing it.
I quite like that the description of the pod “MD Mesh Pod” and “Min” e-liquid level that’s printed on the pod itself can be seen through this clear window on the Maxpod 3 when the pod is fitted.
Branding is not overpowering and limited to the words “Maxpod 3” on the front face below the white LED and “FreeMax” on the reverse face. The screen printing is silver in color and appears to be underneath the outer hard clear shell so won’t scratch off or fade.
The small white oval LED is positioned in the center of the Maxpod 3 body and illuminates when you draw on the pod and while it’s being charged. It will also highlight the levels of protection by different flashing sequences (see functionality section). Strangely enough, the LED doesn’t illuminate when the pod is inserted.
Airflow control is not adjustable but fixed with two small airflow intake holes (approx. 2mm in diameter), one on each side of the casing. They sit just above the bottom of the pod recess which you can see when the pod is removed.
The airflow restriction provides a reasonably tight MTL draw but if you wish you can place your thumb/finger over one or both of the airflow pin holes to further restrict the airflow.
On the base of the Maxpod 3 are the usual printed CE and do not dispose markings with “Made in China” together with the Type-C charging port specified as 5V/0.5A. The bottom of the Maxpod 3 has a very slightly raised oval flat clear ring therefore will stand upright on a flat surface.
The top of the Maxpod 3 has a deep (17mm) oval recessed opening which is symmetrical so the pod can be inserted either way round. This recess houses the two gold plated spring loaded coil contact pins, two outer round magnets that connect and secure the pod when it’s fitted and two auto draw sensor ports.
The MD Mesh Pod
The Freemax MD Mesh pod is re-fillable with a 2ml e-liquid capacity and has an integrated 0.8 ohm mesh coil. The coil is sealed into the pod and is not replaceable so once the coil degrades the whole pod will need replacing.
Manufactured out of clear opaque PCTG material, you can clearly see the level of e-liquid through it. The pod has a removable duck bill type mouthpiece which tapers down to an oval opening with a circular 3.5mm centre section leading down onto the coil. This provides the ideal MTL vape style.
The MD Mesh pod is a top filling design with the fill port opening concealed under the duck bill type mouthpiece. To gain access to the fill port, the duckbill mouthpiece has to be removed from the pod body BUT firstly you have to remove the pod from the Maxpod 3.
Simply grasp the duckbill mouthpiece while holding the pod body, lever the flat side of the mouthpiece to one side and it will release from its locking lugs. Once released, pull the mouthpiece away from the pod body. Bear in mind the mouthpiece is a tight fit against the locking lugs so does take a bit of pressure to remove it.
When the mouthpiece is removed there are two circular holes in the top of the pod body. The centre hole is the top of the coil, do NOT put e-liquid down this hole.
The filling port is the second hole located to one side with the red silicone rubber membrane below the black surround top.
The filling hole is only about 4mm in diameter so take care when using short stubby e-liquid tips, we found a needle tip easier to use. When filling with e-liquid, lightly press the bottle tip against the red silicone rubber membrane. It will slightly flex and the e-liquid will enter the pod. Once the pod has been filled with your e-liquid, replace the duck bill style mouthpiece ensuring it snaps in place.
On the underside of the pod are the two gold plated coil contacts, two small air intake ports and two small magnets. The pod can be fitted either way round and simply slides into the recessed opening of the Maxpod 3 body and is secured and held in place by the magnetic contacts.
Identification of the coil resistance is written on the side of the pod, in this case “0.8 ohm mesh”. As we’ve already mentioned, Freemax have an additional pod that incorporates a 1.2 ohm coil but is not included in the kit, you will have to purchase this separately. The words “MD Mesh Pod” are also written on this side with a “Min” e-liquid level line on the reverse side.
During the time I’ve been using the Maxpod 3 pod kit, NO leaks or condensation on the base of the pod or around the recessed contact pins were observed. The pod also fits securely and doesn’t rattle or wobble.
Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Functionality
The Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod kit really is very simple and straightforward to use. There is nothing to worry about other than making sure you keep the pod topped up with your favorite e-liquid and that the battery is charged.
If it’s simplicity you’re after with great performance then this is it. No variable airflow control, no wattage adjustments, even the LED status from the little white LED is basically on or off. It will illuminate while you draw on the pod and illuminate while it’s on charge.
Each function/prompt is highlighted as a sequence of flashes on the white LED as follows:
- Charging – LED remains illuminated
- Full charge – LED extinguishes
- Power cable removed – LED flashes 3 times
- Low battery (<3.3V) – LED flashes 10 times
- Overtime protection (10S) – LED flashes 2 times
Insertion or removal of the pod doesn’t illuminate the LED. There is no pass-thru so you can’t vape and charge at the same time. There is no current battery status warning, when the battery level reaches <3.3V it will stop functioning and require charging.
Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Performance
As with most MTL vape pods, freebase or nicotine salts with a PG/VG ratio of 50/50 is recommended because of the smaller wicking ports and lower power. Using high VG e-liquid is likely to clog up the wicking ports in the coil leading to dry hits which will destroy the coil.
When first using a new pod, I would recommend filling the pod with your e-liquid and leave it to stand for 10-15 minutes to allow the e-liquid to saturate into the wick before vaping. This will improve the longevity of the pod before it needs replacing.
Performance from the included 0.8 ohm mesh pod and the 1.2 ohm mesh pod that was kindly supplied to me for testing was nothing short of brilliant. I tried 3mg and 6mg freebase, 20mg nic salts, 70/30 VG/PG and with no exception, the flavor was crisp, clean, sharp and strong. The throat hit was perfect and the vapor was dense, much more than expected.
Even with the higher VG e-liquid no dry hits were detected. No e-liquid seepage or condensation was evident in the pod recess. Auto draw worked every time and the fixed airflow gave an airy MTL on the 0.8ohm pod and a tighter MTL draw on the 1.2ohm pod.
A full pod of e-liquid lasted on average around 3 hours of vaping, slightly longer for the 1.2ohm pod. At the time of writing this review, I’ve cycled approximately 30ml of e-liquid through the 0.8ohm pod, 20ml through the 1.2ohm pod and the coils are showing no signs of faltering and no loss of flavor or vapor.
I did accidently let the 0.8ohm pod run too low once and this resulted in a slight burnt taste. I filled the pod up again, took a few draws with the pod removed to pull the e-liquid through the coil/pod, fitted the pod and took a draw and the flavor was spot on again.
I’ve said it before when reviewing Freemax stuff and these two pods are no exception, the flavor and vapor really is incredible.
Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Battery Performance
The Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod kit is powered by an internal 480mAh battery. Charging time is pretty impressive, taking approximately 60 minutes (1hr) to fully charge via the on board 0.5 amp Type-C USB charger/cable.
I was achieving a good 8 hours vaping while using the 0.8 ohm pod from a fully charged battery. This is dependent on your vaping style i.e. length and frequency of your draw. Using the 1.2 ohm pod does increase the vaping time slightly between charges.
The white LED will illuminate while you’re drawing on the Maxpod 3 and then slowly fade out within 2 seconds. There is no visual indication of the remaining battery status, once the white LED flashes 10 times (low battery cut-off), the Maxpod 3 will shut down and you will no longer be able to vape. At this point you will have to re-charge the battery.
The Maxpod 3 doesn’t have pass-thru so while it’s being charged you WON’T be able to vape; definitely a good enough excuse to buy more than one!
How Do I Fill The Maxpod MD Mesh Pod?
The Freemax MD Mesh pod is a concealed top fill design. You’ll have to firstly remove the pod from the Maxpod 3 body, then remove the duck bill styled mouthpiece from the top of the pod in order to fill with e-liquid.
Simply hold the pod body with one hand and grasp the mouthpiece with your other hand, prize the mouthpiece to one side and it will release from the pod body.
The fill port is located on the top of the pod. There are two holes; the center hole is the coil/chimney, do NOT fill this hole with e-liquid. The fill port is the other off center hole marked with the red silicone membrane.
Gently press your e-liquid bottle tip against this membrane and fill the pod up with your e-liquid. We did find that short stubby e-liquid bottle tips was a little fiddly and had to be pressed firmly against the fill port hole for no e-liquid spillage to occur.
Do NOT overfill the pod. Once filled, replace the duck bill styled mouthpiece ensuring it snaps into place and is securely fitted.
Quick Tip: If you are filling the pod for the first time, once filled, leave to stand for approx. 10-15 minutes before you start to vape. This will help saturate the wick fully in e-liquid and help prolong the life of the coil/pod.
When and How Do I Change The MD Mesh Pod?
Because the Freemax Maxpod 3 MD Mesh pod has a fixed 0.8/1.2 ohm coil and is NOT replaceable, when the coil starts to degrade after a couple of weeks use (hopefully longer), the pod will need to be discarded and a new pod fitted.
An indication of the coil degrading will show by either a loss of flavor or a lack of vapor or in worst case, a nasty burnt e-liquid taste. At this stage, discard the pod and fit a new one.
Pull the pod away from the Maxpod 3 body, discard appropriately and fit a new pod. Unfortunately if you still have e-liquid in the pod, this will have to be discarded as well.
When fitting a new pod, follow the procedure for How Do I Fill The MD Mesh Pod.
How Do I Charge The Freemax Maxpod 3?
Because the Maxpod 3 kit doesn’t include a charging cable, you will need to have a Type-C USB cable to hand. Any Type-C USB cable will suffice, one from another vape kit or a mobile phone charging cable.
Plug the cable into the USB port on the bottom of the Maxpod 3 and connect the other end into a suitable power source (typically 5V/1A). The Type-C charge port on the Maxpod 3 is specified as 5V/0.5A.
Whilst charging, the LED will illuminate white and remain illuminated while the battery remains on charge.
Once fully charged, the white LED will extinguish indicating the charge cycle has completed. Charging time takes approximately 60 minutes to fully charge the battery. Removing the charging cable once the LED extinguishes will make the white LED flash 3 times highlighting that the Maxpod 3 is ready to use again.
The Maxpod 3 doesn’t have a ‘pass-through” so you won’t be able to vape and charge at the same time.
One plus point worth mentioning is during the charging cycle the device remained cool to the touch. However, we always recommend charging your device on a non-flammable surface.
As always, NEVER leave your vape device unattended while on charge.
Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Price
If you’re after a no fuss hassle free pod kit and not interested in replaceable coils but want the benefit of being able to re-fill the pods with your own e-liquid, the Freemax Maxpod 3 pod kit ticks all the boxes. The other plus point being the performance of the pods/coils, they produce really good results.
The following buy links will take you directly to Freemax’s store.
Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Verdict
Pros
- Great design and build quality
- Simple to use
- Very good flavor and vapor
- Re-fillable
- Clear pod so e-liquid is visible
- Auto draw activation
- Impressive in-built coil(s)
- Good battery performance
- Quick 1 hour charge (Type-C)
- MTL and RDL
- Extremely lightweight
Cons
- Shame 1.2 ohm pod isn’t included in the kit
- No Type-C charging cable in the kit
- No diminishing battery status
Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit Summary
The Freemax Maxpod 3 looks good, feels solid and is very lightweight and comfortable to hold. The dual injection moulding finish means the body will remain looking good and won’t fade or damage.
Its 480 internal battery is quite small but did a great job of powering the device for an average 8 hours vaping time. Charging time was good at 1 hour from the Type-C charging port although as the Maxpod doesn’t have pass-thru, you do have to wait till it’s charged before you can vape again. A perfect excuse to buy more than 1!
Flavor and vapor, including the throat hit from the re-fillable 0.8/1.2 ohm MD mesh pods is excellent and auto draw activation was always responsive.
Because of its simplicity in terms of fixed wattage and non-replaceable coils, the Maxpod 3 Pod kit is aimed more as a new user’s vape pod kit or someone looking at switching from smoking. Saying this, because of the incredible flavor and vapor performance from the MD mesh pods, I am using this more and more on a daily basis.
I would most definitely recommend this kit to anyone, be that a new or experienced vaper. I’m really enjoying using the Maxpod 3; to the point my high power sub ohm kits are talking a back seat for now.
Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed this review and found it useful and helpful. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave us a comment below.
If you do purchase one, please do drop us a comment with your thoughts of what you liked or disliked about it.