XMAX Tunke

The Tunke draws air downwards through the concentrate sitting in the quartz cup and out through a thin spring loaded stem that dips into the water tank, so residue builds in that narrow first channel long before anything else looks dirty. The return path up to the glass mouthpiece is wide by comparison and stays fairly clean, which is why the cotton swabs and pipe cleaners in the box are meant to be used every couple of loads rather than once a month.

1. Empty the tank after every session: The stretchable water tank detaches from the bottom of the device. Tip the water out, rinse it in warm water and let it dry rather than leaving it standing full between uses, which is easy to forget if you only reach for the Tunke occasionally. When you refill, stop at the top of the XMAX and TUNKE logos.

2. Swab the quartz cup while it is warm: Rotate the metal top cover clear of the chamber and wipe the 0.3ml cup with one of the supplied cotton swabs and a little isopropyl. If residue has already hardened, run one empty 15 second cycle at the top 380°C setting to soften it, then swab once the cup has cooled. Keep alcohol inside the cup and off the threads underneath it.

3. Clear the bubbler stem: This is the part that clogs. Run one of the supplied pipe cleaners, damp with isopropyl, through the thin metal stem every few loads or as soon as the draw tightens. Nothing else in the kit fits it, so keep a pack of ordinary pipe cleaners on hand.

4. Clean the glass mouthpiece: The mouthpiece is glass, retractable and lifts out of its o-ring. Soak it in isopropyl until it runs clear, rinse under warm water and dry it fully before pushing it back in.

5. Replace the atomizer rather than scrubbing it: The quartz atomizer is the heating element and unscrews like a screw, so a fresh one rotates straight in. Expect it to be stiff the first time. Do not submerge it: it carries the element and its contacts, so swab the outside only and keep liquid out of it.

6. Watch the seals: Two spare o-rings come in the box and the waterproofing relies on a food grade silicone seal. Swap an o-ring as soon as the mouthpiece or top cover starts to feel loose.

7. Battery and charging port: The 650mAh internal battery charges over USB-C behind a rubber gasket cover. Reseat that cover after charging, keep the port dry after washing the tank, and stay within 5V/1A, as XMAX warns that anything higher will damage the device.