Product Description

Aimed squarely at young men, Maxim is a glossy magazine focused on beautiful women, slick gadgets, fast cars, sports, entertainment, and other male obsessions. In addition to scantily clad cover models and plenty of revealing photo layouts, issues include reviews of the latest movies, CDs, DVDs, and video games; articles on how to successfully seduce women; the latest styles and trends; and interviews with celebrities. Other regular features include jokes, trivia, a sex column, practical advice, a sports column, and more.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26 in Magazine Subscriptions
• Formats: Magazine Subscription, Print

Customer Reviews

Used to be better
I've been reading Maxim since about issue #3. I used to really enjoy the magazine: their witty remarks and interviews with the monthly babes and product reviews were both entertaining and interesting. However, I'm now letting my subscription run out. Maxim has went through something like 3 editors since I've been reading and the magazine is getting progressively worse.

Maxim used to taste test microwave and fast food-type items and give them real, insightful ratings/reviews...things like pizza rolls, pizza pockets, etc. Now there's a fictional person named Hiroki, who does tests on stupid foods. So instead of "One tester said, 'Red Barron pizza had a crispy crust, but was a bit greasy,'" we're left with "Hiroki said the edible panties, 'Taste like chicken. Yum.'"

Another area where Maxim disappoints is in the number of advertisements. The magazine is now significantly thicker and stuffed with ads. In fact, I have ripped the first 10 pages or so out of my last several issues because those first 10 pages are all advertisements!

Maxim also puts a lot of emphasis on their women, who have decreased in quality (read: not as good looking). They do some heavy duty tweaking on the computer too; all of the models look like their skin is made of polished copper.

Maxim has called me no less than 4 times to get me to renew my subscription...I HATE telemarketers! The last time they called I finally asked to be removed from their calling list. They have been sending me "this is your last chance to renew letters" for about 4 months. Great, more junk mail.

Don't get me wrong, Maxim isn't a terrible magazine, but I don't think it's worth subscribing to anymore. You might want to stick to buying it on an issue-by-issue basis, or get the old issues from your friend. Save your subscription money for something else.

Don't do it! -- Pick one of these magazines instead
Maxim rode the men's magazine gold rush in the late 1990s, leading Stuff, FHM and a host of other PG-13 fare that filled the convenience store racks as Playboy, Penthouse and the hard cores were either dropped completely or were tucked behind the clerk hidden behind individual black plastic wrappers.

Maxim is the last Laddie still in print in the U.S., having witnessed the print burials for FHM (1996 to 2007) and Stuff (1998 to 2007). Maxim's putrefaction is evident to its subscribers, hence the heavily discounted subscriber rates available today. If you were unfortunate enough to receive a gift subscription to Maxim or, worse yet, bought one for yourself, you can no doubt bear witness to the decay. The magazine simply isn't interesting or compelling to read. You could find more of everything - women, entertainment, food and fashion - in a 10-minute Google search.

Ask yourself, why are you buying a men's magazine?

Want to admire beautiful women? Choose Playboy or Penthouse.

Want to stay healthy and fit? Choose Men's Health (preferred) or Men's Fitness (for younger audiences).

Want to peruse fashion and lifestyle? Choose Esquire or GQ (beware the cologne samples though).

Want a little of everything? Choose Details or Men's Journal.

Pick any of the above options, especially if you are buying a gift subscription. Just avoid Maxim.

Is Maxim worth the time?
I honestly can't find a better magazine for men. Maxim takes into account the third-grade like attention span of most men, and combines it with the imaturity of what seems to be an all-men publishing force. While it may seem Maxim is marketed to the single man, I've found that most girlfriends and wives enjoy this magazine as well. The pictorials are decent enough not to embarass you on and airplane, and the articles contain enough substance to make you laugh, and intrigue you. In reality, if your life consists of middle-management, beer, and an interest in the pursuit of meaningless information, this magazine is for you!