IVG Smart Max Vape Kit

Overview

The IVG Smart Max Vape Kit by IVG delivers up to 10,000 puffs across 36 flavours at 10mg and 20mg. Pick up the BUY 3 FOR £23 multibuy — free UK delivery over £20 and same-day dispatch on weekday orders before 4pm.

IVG Smart Max Vape Kit: what you are buying

The IVG Smart Max Vape Kit is a prefilled, rechargeable big-puff kit from IVG, priced at £7.99 and rated for up to 10,000 puffs. It uses nicotine salt e-liquid, is offered in 10mg and 20mg strengths, and arrives ready to use: there is no tank to fill, no bottle of e-liquid to buy alongside it and no coil to fit. Across the wider Smart Max family on this site there are 37 flavour listings, covering fruit, ice, menthol and soft-drink styles, so one system stretches across quite different tastes.

IVG is a long-established name on the UK vape shelf and we stock 540 of its products. The Smart Max sits in the big-puff end of that range. It is aimed at adults who want a single device to keep going for weeks rather than days, but who do not want to move to a refillable setup with separate liquid, coils and spare parts. If you have used small prefilled kits before and found yourself reordering every few days, this is the format designed to ease that particular annoyance.

The format also matters for a legal reason. Since 1 June 2025, single-use vapes, meaning devices that cannot be recharged or refilled, can no longer be supplied in Great Britain. The Smart Max is built the opposite way round: a device you charge, with a prefilled pod you swap out when it is finished. That makes it a different proposition from the throwaway bars that filled shelves a couple of years ago, and it changes how you should think about running costs, which we cover later on this page.

This guide is written for adults in the UK who already smoke or vape. It covers how the system works, how to read the 10,000 puff rating, what the flavours are like, how to choose between 10mg and 20mg, who the kit suits and who should leave it alone, what to do when something misbehaves, and how it compares on value. Nicotine is addictive. Sales are strictly 18+, and if you have never smoked or vaped there is no reason to start.

A note on specifications. Where this page states a number, it comes from the product data for this kit: the price, the puff rating, the nicotine strengths, the nicotine salt formulation and the prefilled format. Where a detail is not part of that data, such as battery capacity or coil resistance, we say so rather than guess. The box and insert in your parcel carry the full specification for the unit you receive.

How the kit and refill pack system works

The Smart Max is a two-part system, and understanding the split saves money. The kit you buy here is the device plus a first prefilled pod. When that pod is spent, you do not buy a whole new vape. You buy a Smart Max Refill Pack, which is the sealed consumable half, and swap it into the device you already own. The refill packs are listed separately on this site at £5.99, with a BUY 4 FOR £23 offer at the time of writing, against £7.99 for the complete kit.

That gap of £2 is the price of the hardware: the battery body, the charging port and the housing. It is paid once. Every later pod is the cheaper number, which is why the refill route is the economical way to carry on with the system once you have settled on it.

It helps to see where this sits against the other formats available in the UK now.

• Single-use bars: no longer legal to supply in Great Britain, so you will not find them here.
• Refillable pod or tank kits: the lowest cost per millilitre, because you buy e-liquid in bottles, but they ask for more effort: filling, priming, replacing coils and wiping up spills.
• Closed prefilled systems like this one: a little more expensive per puff than bottled liquid, with almost no effort. You click a sealed pod in and carry on.

What you gain. Cleanliness and consistency. The liquid, wick and airflow were designed together at the factory, so the flavour on the last day of a pod is the flavour the maker intended, and you never handle liquid. What you give up. Choice during a session. You cannot mix your own blend or top up from whatever bottle is nearby, and you are tied to the flavours IVG makes for this system.

Two practical points. First, pods are not universal. Even inside one brand, different product families use different fittings, so check that a refill pack names the Smart Max before ordering. Second, the pack you buy next does not have to match the flavour that came in the kit. Because it is the same system, you can treat the device as a constant and rotate flavours through it, which is a cheap way to fight flavour fatigue. Keeping one spare sealed pack in a drawer also means you are never caught out when a pod finishes midweek.

What a 10,000 puff rating actually tells you

The headline number on this kit is 10,000 puffs, and it is worth being clear about what that figure is. It is a manufacturer's estimate of total puffs available under standardised test conditions, using a set draw length and a fixed interval between draws. It is useful as a size marker for comparing one product with another inside the same convention. It is not a measurement of how much liquid sits in the pod, and it is not a guarantee about your own usage.

The legal backdrop makes that distinction important. UK rules cap prefilled pods and tanks at 2ml of e-liquid, so every prefilled pod sold here sits inside that limit. A large puff rating therefore says more about test method and a manufacturer's chosen puff size than about volume. Read it as an upper bound and judge the real figure by how long your first pack lasts you.

Three things drive your own result more than anything else.

• Draw length. A two-second pull and a four-second pull count the same on paper but use very different amounts of liquid.
• Draw frequency. Chaining several draws back to back uses liquid faster than spacing them out, and it leaves the wick less time to resaturate.
• Nicotine strength. Users of 10mg tend to take more draws than users of 20mg to reach the same level of satisfaction, so a milder pod can run down sooner in practice.

To put the arithmetic in perspective, here is what the rated figure would mean at different habits, purely as an illustration. At 200 draws a day, 10,000 puffs is 50 days. At 300 a day it is about 33 days. At 500 a day it is 20 days. Real life will come in below the rating, so treat those as a ceiling rather than a forecast. A sensible approach is to note the date you start a pod and the date it finishes, then use that as your personal figure when planning how many packs to keep in stock.

The rating is most useful when you compare like with like. Within the 10,000 puff tier, the Smart Max can be set against other kits at a similar rating and price, and against smaller tiers such as IVG's own 2400 puff kits. Between tiers, a larger number generally means a longer run for a modest rise in price, which is why the big-puff format has become the default for adults who dislike reordering constantly. Across brands, though, remember the rating is a comparison tool, not a promise.

The flavour range: fruit, ice, menthol and sweet

The Smart Max line covers a wide flavour spread, with 37 flavour listings across the kit and refill pack range on this site. Availability shifts with stock, so use the flavour selector on the page for the current list. Here is how the range breaks down by character, using names that appear across the line. Descriptions are the general style each name signals, not a tasting guarantee, since sweetness and cooling levels vary between brands.

• Berry and razz: Blue Raspberry Ice, Blue Razz Lemonade, Blue Sour Raspberry and Blueberry Raspberry. Blue raspberry styles usually pair a sweet, slightly sharp berry note with a cooling finish. The lemonade and sour versions push further towards tartness.
• Red fruit and melon: Frozen Watermelon, Watermelon Strawberry, Strawberry Raspberry Cherry and Fizzy Cherry. Expect juicy, candy-leaning fruit rather than a fresh-picked taste, with the frozen versions adding a distinct chill.
• Tropical and sweet: Triple Mango, Tropical Fruits, Pineapple Ice and Banana Ice. Mango and pineapple tend to read as rich and syrupy, and a cooling layer keeps them from becoming heavy over a long session.
• Soft drink and sweet shop: Cola Ice, Retro Orange, Grape and Green Apple. These lean towards fizzy drink and boiled sweet territory.
• Menthol and mint: Classic Menthol and Polar Mint. These are for adults who want cooling without fruit. Menthol styles tend to be clean and cool with little sweetness, while mint styles are brighter and fresher.

What ice means. In this category an ice or frozen label means a cooling agent has been added to the e-liquid. The cooling is usually felt on the exhale and across the throat. It does two jobs: it adds a refreshing sensation, and it stops sweet profiles building up and cloying on the palate. If you dislike cold sensations, look at the plain fruit names such as Grape, Green Apple or Retro Orange.

Choosing your first flavour. If you are unsure, pick a flavour in a family you already enjoy outside vaping. Someone who likes fizzy sweets will probably settle with Fizzy Cherry or Cola Ice faster than with a menthol. Adults who like a sharp, clean throat feel often prefer Classic Menthol or Polar Mint.

Flavour fatigue. Vaping a single sweet flavour for days dulls the palate, and the pod then seems weaker than it is. Rotating between two contrasting profiles, say a berry ice and a mint, usually resets taste. This is where the swappable pod system earns its place: you keep one device and alternate packs.

Design, build and what to check on arrival

A prefilled pod kit of this kind is built from a small number of parts: a body that holds the battery and electronics, a sealed pod that carries the e-liquid, wick and coil together, a mouthpiece, and a charging port. The Smart Max follows that logic, which is why swapping to a fresh refill pack is a matter of seconds. We do not quote dimensions, weight or shell materials here because they are not part of the product data we hold, and an invented figure helps nobody. The product images and the packaging show the physical design, and the insert covers anything particular to your unit.

What matters about build quality in this format is mostly about fit and finish rather than specifications. When your parcel arrives, it is worth a thirty second inspection.

• Pod seating. The pod should sit fully and firmly in the body with no wobble. A pod that is not fully seated is a common cause of a device that appears dead.
• Seals and mouthpiece. Check there is no liquid pooled on the mouthpiece or around the pod seam. A trace of condensation is normal. A wet pod is not.
• Charging port. It should be clean and undamaged. Debris here prevents charging.
• Packaging. Seals and printed batch information should be intact. Counterfeit big-puff kits are common across the wider market, which is one reason we only sell genuine stock sourced through legitimate UK supply.

Handling matters more than most people expect. Dropping a device on a hard floor can crack the pod housing or loosen internal connections, and a pod with a hairline crack will leak even if it looks fine. Keep it upright when not in use, away from heat, and out of pockets where keys and coins can scratch the body. Lint and pocket debris in the mouthpiece or port are the usual cause of fiddly faults, so a quick wipe with a dry tissue now and then is enough.

Carry and storage are straightforward. Because there is no open fill port, the system is far less prone to spills than refillable setups, but pressure changes can still push liquid past seals. If you fly, store the device upright in a bag instead of loose in a pocket, and keep it out of anywhere that reaches high temperatures, such as a parked car or a sunny windowsill. Finally, store it out of reach of children and pets. The pod holds nicotine e-liquid and the battery body is not a toy.

Battery and charging

The Smart Max is rechargeable, which is the biggest difference from the throwaway bars that used to define this category. The battery stays with the device while pods come and go, so the battery has to last through many pods. Treating it sensibly is the difference between a device that works for months and one that sulks after weeks.

We do not publish a battery capacity or a charge time for this kit because neither is part of the product data we hold, and approximate figures borrowed from other devices would mislead you. What we can do is describe how batteries of this type behave and how to look after them. The insert in the box gives the specifics for your unit.

• Charge before you need to, not after. Lithium batteries cope better when they are topped up in sensible increments. Running a device flat every time and then charging it fully is harder on the cell than regular top ups.
• Use the cable that came with it, or a reputable replacement. A cheap, damaged or mismatched cable is a common cause of slow charging or a device that will not charge at all. Plug into a standard phone-style adapter or a computer port rather than an unknown fast charger.
• Do not charge unattended overnight or on soft furnishings. Batteries get warm while charging. Put the device on a hard, non-flammable surface where you can see it, and unplug once it is full.
• Keep it cool. Heat degrades lithium cells and thins e-liquid. Avoid dashboards, radiators and direct sun, and avoid charging a device that already feels hot to touch.
• Stop using it if it is damaged. A swollen, dented, hot or smelly device should go out of use immediately and be taken to a recycling point, not charged again.

Using it while it charges. Many people do, but it is worth avoiding where you can. Drawing while charging adds heat, and heat shortens battery life. A short charge is usually enough to get you through an evening, so it is better to plug in during a break and leave the device alone.

Battery versus pod life. Because the battery is built to outlive several pods, a flat device does not mean a spent pod, and a weak flavour on a charged device may mean the pod is nearly finished rather than the battery being at fault. A simple test is to charge fully, wait, and try again. If the taste is still thin and the device is full, the pod is probably what is running low.

Long term. Rechargeable cells lose some capacity over time. After many months of heavy use you may notice you are charging more often. That is normal wear, not a fault, and it is one of the reasons the device should be recycled responsibly at the end of its life rather than thrown away.

Coil, e-liquid and how the vapour is delivered

In a sealed pod system the coil, wick and e-liquid travel together in the pod. You never see the coil, fit it or clean it, and when you replace the pod you replace the coil with it. That is a large part of why the format is so low maintenance, and why the flavour tends to stay consistent from the first puff of a pod to the last.

IVG does not give us a coil specification for the Smart Max, so we are not going to claim a resistance or a coil type. What is useful is understanding how coil design works in this category generally. Many big-puff prefilled systems use mesh coils, a flat sheet of fine metal with a large surface area, in preference to a traditional round wire coil. The advantages of mesh are usually even heating, quicker warm up and cleaner flavour at modest power. The trade-off is that mesh is sensitive to being fired dry, which is why the habits below matter. Check your insert if you want the precise coil type of your unit.

Nicotine salt. The e-liquid is nicotine salt, not freebase. Salt nicotine is formulated to feel smoother in the throat at higher strengths, which is why a 20mg salt can be comfortable where 20mg of freebase would be harsh. Many users find it satisfying quickly, which suits adults used to cigarettes, and it is also why salts can be easy to overuse without noticing.

Vapour and throat feel. Prefilled kits in this class are generally designed for a mouth-to-lung draw: you draw into your mouth first and then inhale. That is the same rhythm as a cigarette and it suits nicotine salts. Expect a modest cloud rather than the large plumes of a sub-ohm setup. If you want dense clouds, this is not the format.

Priming. A fresh pod needs a short wait. The wick must soak up e-liquid before the coil is fired, otherwise the first few draws taste scorched, and a scorched wick cannot be recovered. A minute after seating a new pod is enough.

Habits that protect the coil.

• Space out your draws. Ten or fifteen in quick succession will outpace the wick.
• Take steady draws of a few seconds, not long hard pulls.
• If you taste burning, stop and leave the device for a few minutes.
• Do not keep drawing on a pod that tastes burnt, because the damage compounds.

The end of a pod. A pod nearing its end usually shows it with gradually thinner flavour, more throat and less sweetness, and eventually a dry or hot taste. When that appears on a charged device, replace the pod rather than pushing on.

Choosing between 10mg and 20mg nicotine

The Smart Max is available in two strengths, 10mg and 20mg, both in nicotine salt. Twenty milligrams per millilitre (2%) is the UK legal maximum for nicotine e-liquid, so the 20mg option sits at the ceiling and nothing sold here can go above it. Picking the right one is the biggest factor in whether the kit feels satisfying or disappointing.

A rough framework, which is a starting point and not medical advice:

• 20mg suits adults who smoked regularly, roughly a pack or more of cigarettes a day, or anyone who has tried lower strengths and found cravings returning. It gives the firmest throat sensation and the quickest feeling of satisfaction from each draw.
• 10mg suits lighter smokers, social smokers, adults who already vape and want to step down, and anyone who finds 20mg harsh or too strong. The flavour often reads slightly cleaner because less nicotine is competing with it.

Signs the strength is too high. Light-headedness, nausea, headache, a racing feeling or a throat that feels raw after a few draws. Stop, drink some water, and consider a lower strength. Signs it is too low. Constant draws, chain vaping, lingering cravings, or a vape that never quite feels like enough. That usually means a step up is worth trying, since going too low tends to make people draw more, which runs through a pod quickly.

Strength interacts with puff life. A 10mg pod tends to be drawn more often than a 20mg pod, so for the same rating the pod can run down sooner. If you choose 10mg to be gentler, do not be surprised to go through packs slightly quicker.

Because the kit and the refill packs both come in 10mg and 20mg, you can run two strengths if that suits your day. A common routine is 20mg early on, when cravings are strongest, and 10mg in the evening. If you do that, keep the pods visibly separate and label the spare so you do not mix them up.

Nicotine is addictive and habit forming. These products are for adult smokers and existing vapers only. If your goal is to cut down or stop using nicotine altogether, free local NHS stop smoking services can offer support and are worth asking about. Anyone who is pregnant, has a heart condition or takes regular medication should speak to a GP or pharmacist before using nicotine products.

Who the Smart Max suits, and who should skip it

No product suits everyone, and a purchase that does not match your habits is wasted money. Here is a straight view.

The Smart Max is a good fit if you:

• Are an adult smoker or existing vaper who wants one device to run for a long time between purchases.
• Prefer something simple, with no filling, no coil changes and no bottles.
• Want a flavour range wide enough to rotate through without changing device.
• Care about cost per puff more than the lowest possible spend today.
• Like a draw that feels similar to a cigarette, in the sense of a mouth-to-lung rhythm with a firm throat feel.
• Are happy to plug a device in regularly.

You may want to skip it if you:

• Have never smoked or vaped. Nicotine products are for adults who already use nicotine, and 18+ means adults, not an invitation to start.
• Want large clouds or a direct-to-lung experience. A sealed pod system is not built for that.
• Want to mix your own e-liquid, choose your own coils, or tune power and airflow. A refillable kit is the right tool.
• Want the lowest possible running cost per millilitre. Bottled liquid in a refillable device usually costs less over time, in return for more effort.
• Need the smallest, lightest device you can find. Big-puff kits tend to be larger than low-puff ones, and smaller kits at a lower price are easier to carry. IVG's own 2400 series is the obvious comparison.
• Dislike cooling sensations. There are plain fruit and soft-drink choices, but many flavours in the range carry an ice label, so check the listing first.

There is also an honest middle case: occasional vapers. A person who takes only a few draws a day will get a very long time out of one pod, and may prefer the smaller commitment of a lower-puff kit, or a single kit rather than a multibuy. If that sounds like you, start with one kit, see how long it lasts, and only then stock up.

Finally, think about where you will use it. Individual venues, employers, train operators and airlines set their own rules on vaping, and a compact prefilled device is easy to use discreetly in places where you should not. Check the rules wherever you are, and be considerate of people around you, particularly children and anyone who has not chosen to breathe vapour.

Setting up and using the kit

The Smart Max is designed to need very little setup. The steps below are the general sequence for a prefilled pod kit. If your insert says anything different, the insert wins.

• 1. Unpack and inspect. Remove the device and pod from the packaging, take off any protective film or caps, and give both a quick check using the points in the design section above.
• 2. Seat the pod. If the pod is not already fitted, push it firmly into the body until it sits flush. It should feel secure.
• 3. Charge it. If the battery is low, or you want a full charge from the start, plug it in using the supplied cable on a hard surface and unplug when full.
• 4. Wait a minute. Let the wick soak up e-liquid. This is the step most people skip and the reason new pods sometimes taste burnt.
• 5. Take gentle first draws. Two or three short, easy draws, then settle into your usual rhythm.
• 6. Pace yourself. Leave a few seconds between draws. Rapid repeated draws overheat the coil.
• 7. Store it upright. Keep the device upright and away from heat between sessions.

Swapping to a new refill pack. When flavour thins on a charged device, remove the spent pod and seat a new Smart Max Refill Pack. Choose the strength you want, wait a minute for it to wet, and carry on. Do not try to refill a spent pod or force a pack from a different product family into the device.

Rhythm of use. Because it is a sealed system, there is nothing to adjust. Draw style still matters. Take steady, moderate draws of two to three seconds rather than long hard pulls, which use more liquid for little benefit. If the device has an indicator light, learn what its colours and flashes mean from the insert rather than guessing, as brands use similar patterns for different warnings.

Everyday carrying. Keep the mouthpiece clean and the port clear. If you carry the device in a bag, keep a spare pack nearby so a pod finishing does not leave you without. Never leave it somewhere hot, and never leave it where children or pets could get at it.

Age and responsibility. This is an 18+ product and it must never be passed to anyone under 18. Proxy purchasing for a minor is an offence and we refuse orders where we suspect it.

Troubleshooting common problems

Most faults with prefilled pod kits come down to handling, charge, or a pod near the end of its life rather than a defective device. Work through the likely cause before assuming it is broken.

• Nothing happens when you draw. First check the pod is fully seated, since a loose pod is the commonest cause. Then plug the device in for a while in case the battery is flat. Wipe the mouthpiece and airway with a dry tissue. If it is still dead after a full charge and a reseat, contact us.
• Burnt or scorched taste. Normally caused by drawing before the wick had soaked, or by too many draws in a row. Leave it alone for a few minutes. If a burnt taste appears on a charged device that has been resting properly, the pod is probably near the end and should be replaced.
• Weak or fading flavour. Check the charge, wipe the mouthpiece, drink some water and try again. Palate fatigue from vaping one flavour for days is common, so switch to a different profile for a day. If nothing helps, the pod is likely spent.
• Leaking. Heat and pressure change are the usual causes. Keep the device upright and cool, check the pod seat, and wipe any liquid from the body and port before charging. A pod that keeps leaking should be replaced, and a cracked pod should not be used at all.
• Gurgling or crackling. Usually condensation in the airway. Wipe the mouthpiece with a tissue and take a couple of gentle draws with the device held away from your mouth.
• Will not charge. Try a different cable and adapter, check the port is clear of lint, and make sure the connector is pushed in fully. A device that gets hot while charging should be unplugged immediately.
• Cuts out mid-draw or flashes. Often a low battery. Charge fully, then check the insert for what the indicator pattern means.
• Dizziness or nausea. This is a sign of too much nicotine. Stop, get fresh air and water, and consider 10mg next time.

When to contact us. If a faulty device or a picking error arrives, get in touch with your order number and a clear photo of the problem and we will deal with it. Because opened nicotine products cannot be resold for hygiene reasons, our returns handling focuses on faults and incorrect items rather than change-of-mind returns. For anything involving a damaged battery, a hot device or a swollen body, stop using it, do not charge it, and keep it somewhere safe away from flammable items until it can be disposed of properly.

Prevention beats cure. Prime, pace, keep it cool, keep it upright and charge sensibly. Those five habits prevent most of the problems above.

Value for money, fair alternatives and recycling

Value is easier to judge when you do the sums. The figures below come from current pricing on this site and the rated puff counts, so they show cost per 1,000 rated puffs, which is a comparison tool and not a promise of real-world output.

• Smart Max kit, single: £7.99 for 10,000 rated puffs, about 80p per 1,000.
• Smart Max kit, BUY 3 FOR £23: about £7.67 each, or roughly 77p per 1,000.
• Smart Max Refill Pack, single: £5.99, about 60p per 1,000.
• Smart Max Refill Pack, BUY 4 FOR £23: £5.75 each, or about 58p per 1,000.
• IVG 2400 Rechargeable Vape Kit: £6.99 for 2,400 rated puffs, about £2.91 per 1,000.
• Lost Mary BM600 Prefilled Pod Kit: £3.99 for 600 rated puffs, about £6.65 per 1,000.

Two things stand out. First, within the Smart Max system the refill route is the cheaper way to carry on once you own the device, and it gets cheaper again at the multibuy. Second, the big-puff format costs a fraction per rated puff compared with small kits, though you pay more on the day you buy. Both comparisons come with the earlier caveat that ratings differ between brands, so they are guides rather than guarantees. Orders over £20 qualify for free UK delivery, a threshold that a BUY 3 FOR £23 kit order or a BUY 4 FOR £23 refill order both clear.

Fair alternatives.

• Aura Bar 10k Vape Kit by Crystal Prime: the same £7.99 and 10,000 rated puffs with the same BUY 3 FOR £23 offer. On paper it is a like-for-like rival, so the decision comes down to flavour preference, brand familiarity and which refill system you want to stay with.
• Crystal Galaxy Focus 2 30K Vape Kit: £11.99 for 30,000 rated puffs, about 40p per 1,000. Lower on paper for cost per puff, but a bigger spend up front and a bigger commitment to one flavour.
• Smaller IVG kits: cheaper today and easier to carry, with a shorter run.
• Refillable pod or tank kits: lower long-term cost per millilitre and full control of flavour and strength, at the cost of time and mess.

Disposal and recycling. A vape is electrical waste and contains a lithium battery, so it must never go in household bins or kerbside recycling, where crushed batteries have started fires in collection vehicles and waste sites. When a device reaches the end of its life, or you have removed a spent pod, take it to a drop-off point. Many household waste recycling centres accept vapes and small electricals, and many shops that sell vapes offer take-back bins. Do not try to take a device apart. If a battery is damaged, swollen or hot, keep it somewhere safe, away from anything flammable, and tell the staff about the damage before you hand it over. Spent pods still hold residual liquid, so they should go to the same drop-off point as the device rather than into the bin.