Freemax Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit Review / A Dual Battery Pod Mod With A BIG Difference

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We are pleased to bring you our in-depth review on the Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit from Freemax. We aim to cover as much detail in this review as possible and answer any questions you may have about it. Sit back, read and enjoy.

Freemax’s latest release, the Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod kit, has been born from their earlier flagship range of both the Marvos and Maxus series of pods and mods but with some major differences.

Update 11th April 2022: Freemax have just released a 510 adaptor for the Maxus Max 168W pod mod which turns a really good pod mod kit into a fantastic stand alone mod. This allows the Maxus Max to be used with ANY tank.

The earlier Maxus 50W kit, Maxus 100W kit and the Maxus 200W kit were terrific high tech mods incorporating the Fireluke 22, Fireluke 3 and the M Pro 2 tanks respectively. In addition to this range of Maxus mods, Freemax alongside these produced the equally impressive Marvos pod mod kits, including the Marvos 60W, Marvos T 80W and the Marvos S 80W all using the interchangeable Marvos DTL pod.

Freemax are renowned for producing really great performing mods, tanks, pods and coils providing intense flavor from their Mesh coil industry leading FM Coiltech 4.0 technology using Tea Fibre Cotton Formula. Having reviewed the majority of their devices over the last year or so, I really can say with all honesty we’ve been so impressed with the performance of all their products.

Now onto the Maxus Max 168W pod mod kit, will it tick all the boxes, will it take our breath away… I have high hopes; especially as soon as I opened the package the Maxus Max 168W looked so striking. I will give my usual brief overview and then dive straight into the detail, performance and what it has to offer.

Before we get into the detail, the Maxus Max 168W pod mod is aimed at the more experienced vaper. It’s a full function high powered DTL power house pod mod and as such new vapers should be bearing this in mind.

The Maxus Max 168W pod mod kit is powered by dual external 18650 batteries (yes a pod mod with dual batteries) and boasts a 1.3inch IML selectable color changing screen. For a dual battery pod mod it’s not big or bulky at all.

When looking at the Maxus Max 168W kit, you would be forgiven for thinking it’s a mod, as the dual Cyclops airflow ring housed below the magnetic pod and physically fixed to the Maxus body looks like a standard 510 threaded tank. Actually is resembles the 510 adaptor supplied and used on the Marvos S 80W pod mod. Hard to explain but you will see what I mean from the photos throughout this review.

A 2A Type-C USB fast charging port is located on the front panel just below the + and – control buttons and the fire button is NOT a button but a side firing bar running nearly the length of the mod.

Control of the Maxus Max 168W is carried out by the FM Chip 2.0, providing accurate power levels, ultra-fast firing speed and the usual host of safety features. Its operating modes follow that of a full feature mod including Power (wattage), Variable Power Control, Bypass, Temperature Control and TCR.

The Maxus pod has an e-liquid capacity of 5ml, is re-fillable via a side fill silicone rubber bung that sits flush against the PCTG pod and accepts the new MX Mesh series of push fit coils. These coils utilize Freemax’s FM COILTECH 4.0 (Tea Fibre Cotton Formula and Military Grade Mesh) so the flavor and performance is as you would expect, really impressive.

Exceeding the boundaries, Freemax are again pioneers with developing and being the worlds first to implement dual and triple mesh coils in a pod.

Fixing of the Maxus pod is slightly different to the norm; this being a single magnetic ring around the bottom circumference of the pod that makes contact with a circular plate inside the airflow housing. A gold plated spring loaded contact pin/plate in the center of the airflow housing attaches to the bottom surface of the MX coil in the pod. Be warned….these coils are BIG. The Maxus Max pod is semi-transparent and has a fixed mouthpiece i.e. it’s NOT removable.

Overall, the Maxus Max 168W pod mod is pretty compact considering it takes dual 18650 batteries, is very stylish and a very impressive looking pod mod kit. Combining the two designs of the Marvos and Maxus range into one pod mod is bound to be another winner for Freemax.

I would like to thank the guys and girls, especially Tina at Freemax for sending me the Freemax Maxus Max 168W pod mod kit to review. As always this review is completely unbiased and is my honest opinion based on my findings. We may receive a small affiliate fee if you click on any of the buy links but at no extra cost to you.

In addition to the Maxus Max 168W kit, Freemax kindly sent me a pack of the MX3 0.15ohm coils which I will also detail how they perform in the pod mod Performance section of this review.

Freemax Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit Review

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Contents

• Features and Specifications
• What’s in the Box?
• Maxus Max 168W Mod Design and Appearance
• Maxus Max 168W Pod Design and Appearance
• Maxus Max 168W Mod Functionality
• Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Performance
• Maxus Max 168W Battery Performance
• How do I Fill the Maxus Max 168W Pod?
• How do I Change the Coil in the Maxus Max 168W Pod?
• How do I Charge the Maxus Max 168W?
• Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit Price
• Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit Verdict
• Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit Summary

Features and Specifications

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Maxus Max 168W Mod

• Dimensions: 43mm x 30.9mm x 94.8mm
• Weight: 168 grams
• Construction: Zinc Alloy and Stainless Steel
• Charging: Type-C USB (5V/2A)
• Output Wattage: 5W – 168W
• Input Voltage: 6.6V – 8.4V
• Output Voltage: 0.7V – 8.4V
• Resistance Range: 0.1ohm-3ohm
• Battery Specification: External Dual 18650 Batteries
• Display: 1.3inch IML Color Changing Screen
• Firing Mechanism: Sidebar Fire Activated
• Output Modes: Power/VPC/Bypass/TC SS316/Ni/Ti/TCR
• Airflow: Dual Slot Fully Adjustable Cyclops
• Chip Set: FM Chip 2.0

Maxus DTL Pod

• Dimensions: 27.8mm x 39mm:
• Weight: 13 grams
• Construction: PCTG
• E-liquid Capacity: 5ml Pod
• Pods: Refillable and Replaceable Coils
• Filling Method: Side Fill
• Coil Resistance: 0.15 / 0.2 ohm
• Coil Type: MX Mesh

The combined height of the mod and pod is 128.5mm with the combined weight being 200 grams.

What’s in the box?

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• Freemax Maxus Max 168W Mod Body
• Freemax Maxus DTL Pod 5ml
• Freemax MX2 Mesh Coil 0.2 ohm (pre-installed)
• Freemax MX1 Mesh Coil 0.15 ohm
• Type-C USB Cable
• User Manual
• Warranty Card
• Warning Card

Freemax Maxus Max 168W Mod Design and Appearance

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The dimensions of the Maxus Max 168W mod is 30.9mm depth x 43mm width x 94.8mm tall and weighs in at 168grams. The shape of the Maxus Max 168 mod has no square cut edges, instead it’s rectangular with its two side ends semi-circular (oval) making this extremely tactile and very comfortable to hold.

Dual external 18650 batteries power the mod with the battery sliding latch door located at the bottom of the Maxus Max 168W. The battery door has 3 slightly raised lines to provide finger resistance when sliding the door towards the back of the mod to open.

Once un-latched and opened, the battery terminals have a clearly identified + and – stamped out of the connecting plate to highlight which way round the two batteries are to be inserted. There are also 2 lines of 3 reasonably sized battery venting holes just in case there are any issues with the battery overheating or venting.

Closing the battery door is simply carried out by closing the door and sliding back towards the front of the mod to latch and lock into position. With or without batteries inserted, the battery door feels secure and there is no rattle or movement.

One observation we noticed is when the batteries are inserted, the Maxus Max 168W powers-up straight away. Not an issue, as it can be powered on and off using 5 clicks of the fire bar.

The Maxus Max 168W mod is constructed out of Zinc-Alloy and Stainless Steel making it pretty lightweight with a smoked black tinted screen covering the front of the mod. The available 5 color options are Silver, Gunmetal, Black, Blue and Gold. The one I received from Freemax and shown in the photos is the silver variant.

Now its appearance without the pod fitted really does look like a mod but with an airflow control ring fitted, or as I touched on earlier, a base of a tank or a 510 adaptor. It looks like the 30mm diameter airflow control ring would unscrew from the top but it doesn’t, it’s fixed.

At the top of the Maxus Max 168W mod is the large dual slot fully adjustable airflow control ring which is raised and forms the housing where the pod is attached to. In this housing is a circular plate which makes contact with the magnetic ring on the base of the pod to secure it in place.

In the center of this ring is a sunken large gold plated spring loaded center pin/plate that makes contact with the bottom surface of the MX coil when the pod is fitted.

Airflow control is carried out by rotating the quarter turn knurled ring which opens and closes the two fully adjustable airflow rectangular Cyclops slots. The resistance of the airflow control ring is very positive so there is no fear of it moving accidentally.

On the left side (when looking at the front) of the Maxus Max 168W is a full length semi-flush colored fire bar which has a nice positive touch feel response. Even though this fire bar runs the length of the mod, it’s more responsive when pressing it above the half way up position.

The front of the Maxus Max 168W has a full length smoked black face plate with the 1.3inch IML colored display screen centrally imbedded beneath. The + and – oval shaped hexagon control buttons are positioned towards the bottom of the mod and below these is the Type-C USB fast charging port specified as 5V/2A.

Again the two + and – control buttons have a very positive “click” feel to them with NO button rattle at all.

All of the user information is clearly visible on the display, even in pretty bright sunlight. 4 available screen color options are selectable via the fire bar and – button to customize your display.

The information on the main display includes the following:

• Selected mode (Power/VPC/Bypass/TC/TCR)
• Dual Battery level indicator
• Wattage / Voltage levels
• Lock / Unlock
• Coil resistance reading
• Background theme color

Surprisingly, the Puff counter reading isn’t displayed on the main screen, you have to go into the “Set” menu to look what the puff counter is reading.

Branding is pretty discrete and limited to the words “Freemax” screen printed on the front smoked black screen in between the display and the Type-C USB port. On the reverse side is an embossed double “XX” inside an embossed hexagonal shape emblem and the words “Maxus Max Designed by Freemax” printed in small lettering towards the base of the mod.

The Smart FM 2.0 Chipset in the Maxus Max 168W mod provides all the necessary protection and will display these notifications on the 1.3inch IML display screen:

• Time Out (5s-15s)
• No Atomizer (no resistance detected)
• High Temperature Protection
• Low Battery
• Atomizer Short

My one complaint has to be that it’s a pod mod and cannot be used as a stand-alone mod, there is no 510 threaded connector to allow for this. Because the Maxus Max 168W is extremely powerful and is fully loaded with features, I see it as a bit of a downfall.

Apart from this, overall, I’m impressed with the design and appearance of the Maxus Max 168W mod, the build quality looks and feels really good. It’s straightforward to use and it really is compact for a dual battery device.

Freemax Maxus Pod Design and Appearance

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Whereas the Marvos DTL pods were interchangeable across the Marvos range of pod mods, this new Maxus DTL pod is a different beast and in comparison really is a beast. The diameter of the pod is approximately 28mm and has to be that size to accommodate the very large MX coils.

The Marvos pod is circular in shape, has an e-liquid capacity 5ml and is very lightly tinted black semi-opaque in color. The tint is pretty much transparent so the e-liquid is clearly visible through it. I’m assuming the pod will be limited to 2ml for the TPD market.

Manufactured out of PCTG material, it’s specifically designed for DTL vaping with increased airflow. The mouthpiece resembles a wide bore 810 drip tip but unfortunately is NOT removable. The base of the pod doesn’t have the normal 4 little magnets, instead the outer base has a magnetic ring which makes a very secure contact with the Maxus Max 168W mod.

One very noticeable difference is the filling method. The Maxus pod is a side-fill design located on the side of the PCTG glass so doesn’t have to be removed from the mod in order to fill.

The fill port is located behind a black oval silicone rubber flap that sits flush with the side of the pod measuring approx. 16mm in length. There are no markings on the rubber flap donating which side is to be removed. When looking at it head on, the right hand side of the rubber flap is the side that’s lifted away. You fingernail biters will have an issue in opening this flap!

The rubber flap remains fixed to the pod by the left hand side and can be swiveled around given hands free access to the fill port. This fill port is circular in shape measuring approx. 5mm in diameter so if you’re using stubby tip e-liquid bottles you will have to be cautious.

The Maxus DTL pod accepts the MX range of push fit replaceable coils and are simply pushed into place into the circular opening from the bottom of the pod. When I say simply, these coils are a very secure snug fit due to the large O-Ring on the coil itself. Removing the coil does require quite a bit of force. Fingernail biters beware again.

One positive outcome hopefully will be there shouldn’t be any e-liquid seepage from the pod although at this stage I am a little confused because I can visibly see the dual coils and wick through the bottom of the MX2 coil.

Branding is very minimal with the words “Made In China” below the fill port and on the reverse side “Maxus DTL Pod”. When the pod is in situ, the branding is not visible as it sits inside the airflow control ring housing.

Inserting the Maxus DTL pod is straight-forward, simply place the pod into the raised airflow control ring housing and it will be locked and held into place by the large circular magnet on the bottom of the pod. Removing the pod is carried out by simply pulling the pod body up and away from the Maxus Max 168W mod body.

The magnetic catch does a very good job of securing the Maxus DTL pod to the Maxus Max 168W pod mod. The whole device can be picked up by the pod without fear of it becoming detached.

Freemax Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Functionality

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The Maxus Max 168W pod mod is fully loaded with features which include Power (wattage) mode, Temperature control modes which include SS, NI, TI and TCR 1/2/3. There are also modes for Variable Power Curve (VCR) and Bypass.

Accessing all these different functions is carried out using the fire bar and the + and – buttons.

It’s worth having a read of the manual to familiarize yourself with the structure of the menus. The manual is pretty good as it shows and explains all of the available options. The menu structure is straight forward and easy to follow but I would recommend for the first time having a play with the different menu’s before you fit the Maxus DTL pod.

The Maxus Max 168W pod mod uses a 1.3inch colored IML display to show all of the set parameters and changes to these are carried out by sequential presses of the fire bar and the +/- buttons.

A quick start guide of the basic function are:

• Fire bar pressed 5 times turns the device on or off
• Fire bar pressed 3 times will switch to the Mode, Set, Info and Exit screen.
• + button will increment the wattage in 0.5W steps
• – button will decrease the wattage in 0.5W steps
• Fire bar and – button will switch between the 4 color themes
• Fire bar and + button has no effect
• + and – buttons together will Lock/Unlock the device

Included on the 1.3inch IML colored display is all of the read-out information as follows:

• Selected mode (Power/VPC/Bypass/TC)
• Dual Battery level indicator
• Wattage / Voltage levels
• Lock / Unlock
• Coil resistance reading
• Background theme color

Also the safety read-outs for the protection of the Maxus Max 168W are:

• Overtime Protection (10s default; 5s-15s adjustable )
• No Atomizer (open circuit protection)
• High Temperature Protection
• Low Battery (low voltage protection)
• Atomizer Short (short circuit protection)
• Over Charge Protection
• Over Discharge Protection
• Overload Protection

Detailed Functions

Turning the Maxus Max 168W pod mod on and off is carried out by pressing the fire bar 5 times in quick succession. When initially turning on, the screen will display “X” with “Freemax” underneath and then the control chip version “FMOS 2”.  After that, the display shows the mode you are in, displaying the coil resistance, volts, wattage or temperature, screen lock and battery status of the 2 individual batteries.

Pressing the fire bar and – button together for one second will alter the color of the display. 4 color options are available, these being Blue, Orange, Green and Red.

Switching between the different modes is very straight-forward and the display with its different color modes is very crisp and clear. The display is not cluttered and the size of the numerical information is a good size making it easy to read. Brightness of the display is nice and bright so will be no trouble seeing in direct sunlight.

In-activity of any button presses after a period of 1 minute will put the display into standby mode (blank).

Locking and unlocking the device is carried out by pressing the + and – buttons simultaneously for 1 second. The lock/unlock symbol (padlock) in the top left hand corner of the display will close and turn red when locked or the padlock symbol will show open and turn green when unlocked.

When in the “Set” menu, there is an option under Comb.Keys to select the type of lock you want to achieve. Two options are available, either locking the + and – buttons only or locking the + and – buttons together with the fire bar.

When in TC mode, pressing the + button and fire bar together will highlight the wattage on the display and allow you to adjust the wattage over its entire range of 5W to 168W.

Top Level Menu Structure

To get into the top level menu structure, press the fire bar 3 times in quick succession. This will display the first level menu settings as follows:

• Mode
• Set
• Info
• Exit

Use the + and – buttons to scroll through each of the 4 settings. As you scroll through each one, the one that can be selected will be highlighted. Pressing the fire button on the selected menu will take you to that particular menu. To leave the menu, simply press and hold the fire bar. This will take you back to the main display screen.

Mode Menu

With the Mode menu highlighted, press the fire button. This will bring up the next level of available modes of operation.

• Power: (standard Wattage mode, 5W-168W)
• VPC: (Variable Power Curve; adjustable over 10 increments)
• Bypass (power mode derived from the batteries voltage
• TC SS316 (Stainless Steel)
• TC NI (Nickel)
• TC TI (Titanium)
• TCR 1 2 3 (Temperature Coefficient Resistance)

Use the + or – buttons to scroll through each of the 9 settings. As you scroll through each one, the one that’s highlighted can be selected. Pressing the fire button on the selected menu will take you to that particular menu and put the Maxus Max 168W pod mod in that mode of operation.

Variable Power Curve (VPC) Adjustment

Setting the VPC mode is very straight-forward, simply highlight that option and press the fire bar. A graphical display will be shown with 10 separate increments numbered 0-9 (x-axis) with the range of wattage adjustment for each numbered setting from 5W-168W (y-axis). Underneath each selected increment number (x-axis) will be a small display showing the actual wattage value that it’s set to.

With 0 highlighted, use the + or – button to increase or decrease the wattage you want for the first second. Once you’ve set the wattage you want, press the fire bar to take you to the next level (1).

Repeat the procedure for each level until you’ve set the power curve for all the 0-9 settings. Press and hold the fire bar to save your settings. This power curve you’ve set will be displayed in graphical format in the middle of the top level main operating display.

This power curve will remain at the parameters you’ve specified until you go back into the VPC mode and change the settings.

Set Menu

Going back to the first level menu, scroll down to highlight the Set menu and press the fire bar. This will take you into the next level of adjustable parameters as outlined below:

• Timeout (10 seconds, adjustable from 5-15 seconds)
• Coil (lock or unlock resistance in TC mode) Note1
• Coil Test (Automatic coil detection on or off)
• Puff (reset the puff counter)
• Time (records your overall vaping time)
• ⁰C/⁰F (select Centigrade or Fahrenheit)
• Reset (factory reset)
• Comb. Keys (allows you to select what is locked)
• Exit

Note 1. The Coil setting will only be available in the Set menu when you’re working in Temperature Control mode. When using any other mode, this will not be shown as an option.

Info Menu

Going back to the first level menu, scroll down to highlight the Info menu and press the fire bar. This will take you into the next level of information regarding the status of the Maxus Max 168W mod as outlined below:

• Battery (identifies the real time voltage of the 2 batteries)
• Version (current version of the software)
• Temperature (temperature of the control board in ⁰C and ⁰F)
• Exit

Unfortunately, the user manual doesn’t really tell you much about the different setting and what they do. To give a little insight to what the different options mean, we’ve included a brief description below:

Power Mode:

Standard wattage mode. The device will operate between 5W all the way up to 168W in 0.5W increments. Holding the + or – button will scroll through the increments faster in 1W increments. There is no round robin when scrolling, once you reach the maximum you will have to press the – button to go back down. Equally when at minimum you will have to press the + button to go back up.

Variable Temperature Control (TC):

Select either Stainless Steel 316L (SS), Titanium (Ti), Nickel 200 (Ni) or Temperature Coefficient  Resistance (TCR). The 3 pre-set wire types have fixed pre-programmed values, whereas TCR allows you to set the TCR value when using other temperature heating wires. The variable range for TCR is 0010 to 999.

Variable Power Curve (VPC):

This function will allow you to specify different wattages that can be applied to your coil over a vape cycle to fully customize your vaping experience. There are 10 variable wattage settings, each adjustable from 5W to 168W with each setting being fixed for a 1 second time period. If you want to further understand how VPC works, take a look at our VPC Explained Guide.

Bypass Mode (BP):

Provides a direct output voltage from the battery, simulating the feel and style of a Mech mod.

Coil Test:

When this is set to ON, the mod will detect the type of coil fitted and automatically select the desired wattage. If you’re fitting a TC coil, it will automatically suggest TC mode. Equally if you’re using a Kanthal coil, it will suggest Power mode.

I think that covers the functionality and what the Maxus Max 168W pod mod does. It really does have high end spec functions for a pod mod. The menu structure is very intuitive to navigate though and once you’ve familiarized yourself with the options, it’s a fantastic device.

The 1.3inch IML screen really is a pleasure to use and see. All of the detailed information is very clearly visible and each parameter is large enough to see without using a magnifying glass (I’m showing my age now)!

Freemax Maxus Max 168W Kit Performance

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Composition of both the included coils that come with the Maxus Max 168W pod mod kit are Mesh and Tea Fibre Cotton and use the FM Coiltech 4.0 technology. There are several different coils available in the MX Mesh range but the two included in the kit are the MX1 single mesh coil and MX2 dual mesh coil.

Freemax very kindly sent me a box of the MX3 triple mesh 0.15ohm coils so I will include those in this performance section too.

MX1 Single Mesh 0.15 ohm Coil

Freemax specify the minimum and maximum wattage range for this coil is 50W-80W, best at 70W.

Switching from initially using the MX2 coil as it came pre-fitted, I used the same juice in the MX1 coil to get a direct comparison between the two. After setting the wattage to a mere 30W, I left the airflow to half open; the draw with this coil was pretty much on par with the M2 coil.

The flavor and vapor production at this wattage was limited but to be expected. Increasing the wattage to 50W made a noticeable difference in terms of flavor and vapor wise it again was very thick and dense.

Incrementing the wattage up to 70W just improved the flavor no end and vapor remained equally as intense. Airflow half open suited my vaping style giving enough restriction even though the vape still remained pretty cool.

Reducing the wattage back down to 55W seemed to be my sweet spot and was happy vaping at this power level. I’ve gone through about 50ml of e liquid without any dry hits or decrease in flavor.

MX2 Dual Mesh 0.2 ohm Coil

Freemax specify the minimum and maximum wattage range for this coil is 60W-90W, best at 80W.

The MX2 coil is one of the biggest coils I’ve seen and the wicking ports are equally as big. Definitely won’t be any issues with wicking!

After priming and filling with my Mango Ice (70VG/30PG ratio) and leaving to stand for 15 minutes, I set the wattage to a pretty low 40W to allow the coil to slowly bed in. After a few draws, I increased the wattage in increments of 5W to the minimum recommended 60W.

Flavor and vapor production kicked in producing a pure crisp taste. The vapor was pretty cool with the airflow wide open and the draw was very airy. Reducing the airflow to half way increased the draw restriction to a nice RDL style vape. Irrespective of airflow, the intake when drawing is a little noisy and did always remain a cool vape.

Increasing the wattage to 80W produced really nice flavor and the amount of vapor produced was insane. This coil certainly needs to be vaped outdoors. Turning the wattage up to 90W brought the flavor to another level and the vape became a little warmer.

Decreasing the wattage back down to a manageable 65W was perfect for me in terms of flavor even though still produced clouds of vapor. I’ve used this coil for approx. 9 tank fills before I moved on to the MX1 coil with no leaks or dry burns and no loss of flavor or vapor.

MX3 Triple Mesh 0.15 ohm Coil

Freemax specify the minimum and maximum wattage range for this coil is 80W-110W, best at 100W.

The MX3 coil again is really big, being similar in size to the MX2 coil.

Without repeating myself, I used the same e-liquid as per the other two coils and once I reached 70W I found the flavor was perfect for me while the vapor really was producing massive thick dense clouds.

Obviously I had to increase the wattage to 80W, 90W and 100W just because I could. Way to powerful for me but can say the vape still remained cool. I usually vape indoors while working or watching the television but at these wattages I couldn’t see 2 inches in front of my face!

Coil Summary

Hardly surprising, all three of the coils produced incredible flavor and vapor. I’ve yet to come across a Freemax coil that I don’t like.

The MX2 and MX3 are massive size coils and do work at very high wattages. Even though being used at 80W+, the vape remains cool, something I’ve not come across before.

Vaping on these coils at lower wattages can be done with decent results but they do scream out to be taken to their limit.

Freemax Maxus Max 168W Battery Performance

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The Maxus Max 168W pod mod is powered by dual external 18650 batteries, which because of the size of the coils and the power required to achieve the flavor and vapor we’ve come to expect from all of Freemax’s coils, were needed to achieve an acceptable run time.

On average I was getting approximately 7hrs of vaping on the MX1 Mesh 0.15 ohm coil before I had to re-charge. Obviously this is very subjective and depends on your vaping style, the coil type you’re using, the capacity and age of your batteries and the wattage you’ve selected to vape at.

Increasing the wattage slightly while using the MX2 Mesh 0.25 ohm coil with average vaping, gave me approximately 6hrs of vaping before the batteries cut out and needed re-charging.

When vaping at high wattage in excess of 80W, I would recommend using a high capacity battery with at least a 25A CDR value, if not err on the side of caution and use 30A CDR value batteries.

Good to see that Freemax have again included the option of “Pass-Through”, meaning that if you do decide to charge your batteries using the Type-C charging port, you can still vape the Maxus Max 168W pod mod while it’s being charged.

Again I would strongly recommend having a spare set (or two) of matched batteries and charging these in a reputable smart charger and simply swap the batteries out when needed.

Please use our Battery Amp Draw/Drain Calculator to determine the correct value CDR value battery you should use for the wattage you plan to vape at.

How do I Fill the Freemax Maxus Pod?

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Because the Maxus DTL pod has a side fill port it doesn’t have to be removed from the Maxus Max 168W mod body, it can be filled in situ. Alternatively, if you’re like me, I always prefer to remove it from the mod in case of any e-liquid spillage.

Either way, gently pull the right hand side of the black silicone rubber flap open to gain access to the circular fill port. Because the rubber flap remains secured to the PCTG pod, gently twist the flap around to gain hands-free access to the port.

Tilt the Maxus pod on its side then place your e-liquid bottle tip into this opening and squeeze the bottle until the pod is nearly full.

Once complete, replace the black silicone rubber flap making sure it’s fully located back into the pod and if you’ve removed the pod from the mod body, re-insert the pod back into the Maxus Max 168W body.

Quick Tip: If you are filling the pod for the first time, drip a few drops of e liquid onto the wick of the coil first. Push the coil into the pod then fill the pod and 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 your coil.

How do I Change the Coil in the Freemax Maxus Pod?

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Remove the Maxus DTL pod by grasping any part of it and pulling up and away to release its magnetic connection from the Maxus Max 168W mod body.

Because the coils are a push fit type, simply pull the old coil out from the bottom of the pod and replace with a new one. These MX coils are a secure fit so quite a lot of force will be required to prize the coil out from the base of the Maxus pod.

Do note if the pod has e-liquid in it while you’re removing the coil, e-liquid will spill from the pod. The best method to avoid this or to keep e-liquid spillage to a minimum is to hold the pod upside down (drip tip pointing downwards), place your finger tightly over the opening of the drip tip and then remove the coil.

Replace with a new coil while still holding your finger over the drip tip. Turn the pod the right way up and take your finger off the drip tip.

As always, when replacing a new coil, follow the procedure as outlined in the quick tip above under “How Do I fill?”.

How do I Charge the Freemax Maxus Max 168W Mod?

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As with most external battery mods, there are always 2 ways which you can charge the battery(s). Either in the mod itself or using an external charger (recommended).

Because the Freemax Maxus Max 168W pod mod uses dual 18650 batteries, I really would only ever charge my batteries using an external charger. Most importantly, ALWAYS only use a matched pair of batteries i.e. the same type and capacity and keep them throughout their life as a matched pair. Please read out guide on Should You Pair Your Vape Batteries for further information.

The Maxus Max 168W has a front panel located Type-C USB port just below the + and – buttons. A Type-C USB charging cable comes supplied with the kit. Simply connect the cable into the USB port on the front of the Maxus Max 168W mod and the other end into a suitable USB power source. The specified charging circuit of the Maxus Max is 5V/2A.

When the Maxus Max 168W mod is charging, it shows the dual batteries icon (A and B) with a cycling scale indicating the status charge of the batteries. After approximately 3 minutes, the screen dims down to half brightness. After a further couple of minutes the screen goes blank and you can’t tell if the batteries are still charging or not.

Pressing any button once the screen has blanked brings up the charging screen again showing the batteries are still being charged.

I’ve observed this condition on other Freemax pods/mods and is obviously the way the software handles the charging display. Personally I like the display to remain illuminated throughout the charging cycle so I can glance over to see if it’s finished charging. This is not really an issue as I would always charge my batteries, especially dual matched pairs, in an external charger.

A Pass-Through function is included allowing you to charge and vape at the same time.

Charging time from full discharge to fully charged will take approximately 4 hours when using a 5V/2A source. This time will vary depending on the capacity of the batteries you’re using.

As with any vape device, NEVER leave your mod unattended whilst charging.

If you prefer to charge your batteries externally and I really would recommend doing this, please take a look at our guide on the Best 18650 Battery Chargers.

Freemax Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit Price

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The Maxus Max 168W is a very high powered dual battery pod mod kit having all of the functionality you’re ever likely to need. Coupled with the performance of the new MX range of coils, this really is one impressive pod mod kit and is worth investing in.    

Expect to pay around the £45/$65 mark for the complete kit.

Freemax Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit Verdict

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Freemax Maxus Max 168W Pod Mod Kit Summary

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Having used the Freemax Maxus Max 168W pod mod kit for a couple of weeks now, I really do like it. It IS a very high powered pod mod requiring dual external 18650 batteries with advanced operating functions therefore more suited to experienced and advanced vapers whose vaping style is DTL.  

The flavor and vapor from the included MX coils really are outstanding with the coil life being very good too. Freemax continue producing some of the best coils around. The design and build quality is very good, the operation and menu structure is straight-forward and simple to use and the 1.3inch IML colored display is very crisp and clear.

I can’t think of a pod mod that even comes close to this one. Dual batteries, temperature control, variable power curve, bypass, 168W, single dual and triple mesh coils; the Maxus Max 168W is more advanced than the majority of mods. The barrier between a pod and a mod has certainly now been shattered.

Freemax continue to think outside the box and the results can be clearly seen with this their new release. I definitely recommend this device and am really enjoying using it. I don’t think anyone that decides to purchase one will be disappointed.

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Hope you enjoyed this review on the Freemax Maxus Max 168W pod mod kit and found it informative and useful. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave us a comment below.

If you do decide to buy one, please do drop us a line and let us know what you think of it.