TL;DR: our XMax V3 Pro verdict
The XMax V3 Pro (£78.99) is the vaporizer that made the UK take budget devices seriously, and it still earns its place. Convection heating, a fully isolated ceramic vapour path, both session and on-demand modes, precise temperature control and a swappable 18650 battery, for under £80. It has since been joined by the V4 Pro, which adds adjustable airflow and a glass mouthpiece for £11 more, but if you want the cheapest properly good dry herb vaporizer with a replaceable battery, this is it. Rating: 4 out of 5. In stock in black, blue, silver and very peri at the time of writing.
On this page
Before the V3 Pro, "budget dry herb vaporizer" usually meant a conduction pen that scorched the herb and tasted of plastic. XMax changed that with a device that borrowed the convection heating, the isolated air path and the on-demand mode from vaporizers costing three times as much. We have sold and used a lot of them, so this review is about how it holds up in the hand, at UK prices, against what you can buy today.
XMax V3 Pro specs at a glance
- Price: £78.99, in black, blue, silver and very peri
- Heating: convection, fully isolated ceramic vapour path
- Temperature: 100°C to 220°C, five presets plus manual control to the degree
- Modes: session (4 or 6 minutes) and on-demand
- Heat-up: 15 to 25 seconds depending on mode and temperature
- Chamber: roughly 0.1 to 0.15 g
- Battery: removable 18650, USB-C charging, pass-through use
- Display: OLED, showing set and actual temperature, battery and timer
- Size and weight: 16.5 cm long, around 105 g
- In the box: vaporizer, 18650 battery, wax cup, USB-C cable, cleaning brush, three mesh screens, three cotton swabs, four alcohol pads, manual
Design and build
The V3 Pro is shaped like a fat pen: an aluminium tube 16.5 cm long that fits in a jeans pocket or the side of a bag without announcing itself. The build is solid for the price, with a magnetic battery door that has held up on every unit we have handled, a clear OLED screen and three buttons: one large power button and two small ones for temperature. There is no app and nothing to pair, which for a lot of people is exactly the point.
The chamber sits under the mouthpiece and the vapour travels through a ceramic path that is completely separated from the electronics, so there is no plastic or electrical taste, which was the giveaway with older budget pens. The standard mouthpiece works fine; the XMax glass mouthpiece (£16.99) is the first upgrade most owners make, and it comes in a 2-in-1 version that doubles as a water pipe adapter.
Vapour quality and heating
This is a convection device, so the heat comes from air drawn through the herb rather than from the chamber walls. Flavour in the first few draws at 175°C to 185°C is clean and clear, well beyond what the price suggests, and the vapour builds into dense clouds at 200°C and above. The trick with any convection vaporizer is the draw: slow and long, eight to ten seconds, rather than short sharp puffs. Owners who complain the V3 Pro is weak are almost always drawing on it like a cigarette. Draw on it like a straw and it delivers. Our guide to how dry herb vaporizers work explains why convection behaves this way.
The chamber holds around 0.1 to 0.15 g, which is a solo-session size. It makes your herb go a long way and gives a fresh, even bowl each time, but if you share regularly you will be reloading, and that is the main reason to look at a bigger device. A wax cup for concentrates is included; it works, but this is a dry herb vaporizer first and concentrate performance is a bonus rather than a reason to buy.
Session mode vs on-demand mode
Having both modes is what set the V3 Pro apart when it launched, and it still does at this price.
Session mode heats the chamber to your set temperature and holds it for four or six minutes while you take repeated draws. It is the familiar way to use a portable and the right choice for a sit-down session at home.
On-demand mode only fires the heater while you hold the power button. It reaches temperature in around fifteen seconds, you draw, you let go, and the herb stops cooking. Nothing is wasted between draws, the device stays cooler and the battery lasts longer. For a quick one or two draws on the go, or for anyone who wants to make a small amount of herb last, it is the mode you will use most. Switching between the two is a button combination and takes a second.
Battery and charging
The V3 Pro runs on a single removable 18650 cell, and this is the feature that makes it a long-term buy rather than a disposable one. When the battery fades after a year or two, you swap in a new cell for around £10 instead of replacing the vaporizer, and a charged spare in your pocket means you never run out mid-day. Expect around seven to ten bowls per charge in session mode, more in on-demand. Charging is over USB-C and takes roughly an hour and a half to two hours depending on your charger, and you can keep using the device while it charges. Use unprotected flat-top 18650 cells from a reputable seller, and check the type before you buy spares.
Accessories worth adding
Two upgrades turn a good V3 Pro into a great one. The XMax dosing capsules and carry tube (£23.99) gives you five stainless steel capsules you fill in advance and drop into the chamber, which means quick reloads when you are out and a chamber that stays almost spotless. The glass mouthpiece (£16.99) cools the vapour and removes the last bit of plastic from the path. Both fit the V4 Pro as well, so they carry over if you upgrade later. Everything else for the range is in our XMax parts and accessories collection.
Cleaning and maintenance
The ceramic path makes this one of the easiest vaporizers to keep clean. Empty and brush the chamber after each session while it is warm. Every few sessions, wipe the chamber and vapour path with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab (the box includes swabs and alcohol pads to get you started), and soak the mouthpiece and screen in isopropyl for twenty minutes, rinse and dry. Swap the screen when it clogs; three spares are included. Five minutes a week keeps the flavour and the draw where they were on day one.
XMax V3 Pro vs V4 Pro
The V4 Pro (£89.99) is the newer device and, for most buyers, the better one. It adds three-stage adjustable airflow, a colour display, a faster heat-up and a glass mouthpiece with a 14 mm and 18 mm water pipe adapter built in. The V3 Pro keeps the ceramic path, includes the wax cup and costs £11 less. If you want the cheapest good vaporizer with a replaceable battery, buy the V3 Pro. If you can find the extra £11, the airflow control and glass mouthpiece on the V4 Pro are worth it. We wrote a full XMax V4 Pro review if you want the detail.
| XMax V3 Pro | XMax V4 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| UK price | £78.99 | £89.99 |
| Heating | Convection, ceramic path | Full convection, stainless path |
| Airflow | Fixed | Three-stage adjustable |
| Modes | Session and on-demand | Session and on-demand |
| Heat-up | 15 to 25 seconds | About 10 seconds |
| Mouthpiece | Standard, glass upgrade available | Glass, water pipe adapter built in |
| Concentrates | Wax cup included | Dosing capsule included |
| Battery | Removable 18650 | Removable 18650 |
| Weight | About 105 g | About 90 g |
Verdict: 4 out of 5
The XMax V3 Pro is still one of the best-value dry herb vaporizers you can buy in the UK. Convection flavour, on-demand mode, precise temperature control and a replaceable battery for £78.99 is a combination nothing else at the price matches. It loses a point to its own successor: the V4 Pro's adjustable airflow and glass mouthpiece are real improvements for £11 more. But if you want the cheapest route to a proper vaporizer that will last, or a knockabout second device, the V3 Pro is an easy recommendation. It also anchors our dry herb vaporizers under £100 collection.
Pros: convection flavour at a budget price, session and on-demand modes, 1°C control with presets, isolated ceramic path, swappable battery, pocket-sized, no app needed, wax cup included.
Cons: small chamber, fixed airflow, needs a slow draw to shine, glass mouthpiece sold separately, weak with concentrates.
FAQs
Is the XMax V3 Pro convection or conduction?
Convection. Hot air is drawn through the herb, which is why it needs a slow, steady draw and why the flavour is so much cleaner than a conduction pen at the same price.
How long does the XMax V3 Pro battery last?
Around seven to ten sessions per charge in session mode, and more in on-demand mode. Because the 18650 cell is removable, a charged spare gives you unlimited use and you can replace the cell when it eventually wears out.
What temperature should I use on the XMax V3 Pro?
Start at 180°C. Lower, around 175°C, gives the best flavour; 195°C to 210°C gives thicker vapour and a stronger effect; the top of the range finishes a bowl. Five presets are built in and you can set any temperature manually.
Should I buy the XMax V3 Pro or the V4 Pro?
The V4 Pro if you can stretch £11 further, for the adjustable airflow, glass mouthpiece and faster heat-up. The V3 Pro if you want the cheapest good vaporizer with a replaceable battery, or you want the included wax cup.
Prices and stock were checked on 11 September 2026 and are updated whenever this review is refreshed. Ready to buy? The XMax V3 Pro is in stock now, or browse the full XMax collection.