Pax Mini 2 Review

Background

Pax just released a new version of the Pax Mini, which is practically identical to the Pax Plus, which seems to have been discontinued now..? So yeah, Pax is going through something. They released the Pax Flow a few months ago, but it doesn’t seem to have gotten the traction they hoped for. And now they discontinued both the Pax Plus and the Plus Mini, and released the Pax Mini 2, which is basically a Pax Plus.

The good news is—the price stayed the same: $150. So now you get the complete kit of the Pax Plus for the price of the Pax Mini! This is what this is—the Pax Mini 2. Confused? Me too. I don’t know if there is some strategy behind the renaming of the entire line, but I don’t see it right now.

The Pax Mini retails for $150 from VGEAR and Vape-Smart, and coupon code VG10 will save you 10% at both stores for a final price of $135. That’s incredible value.

Design

As far as the design, it’s a Pax. Iconic, minimalistic, and very slim, has an aluminum body that is dense and durable. I’ve been using Pax since the first generation and one thing is for sure—they are built like tanks. I’ve dropped them numerous times, used and abused them, and never had a device die on me. At least not from accidental damage. I did have one where the battery died, and they replaced it under warranty.

The mouthpiece is on top, and the kit comes with options—flat or raised mouthpiece. I go through periods where my favorite will be this or that, but generally I mostly use the flat.

The chamber is on the opposite side, and it is a conduction oven made of stainless steel. It has a capacity of 0.5g, or 0.25g using the included “half oven” lid.

The narrow vapor path runs through the middle of the device and is isolated from the battery and the electronics.

Usage

The usage is pretty simple. Once loaded, press and hold to turn on, and the Pax vibrates, shows the battery level, and starts heating up. Another press toggles through the four temperature settings, and the Pax vibrates once one is selected.

One pro tip here—the Pax uses conduction heating. This means that heat transfers into the herb via direct contact with the surface of the bowl. So the herb should be packed fairly tight to allow for efficient heat transfer.

Smart features

The vape has sensors that will detect when the device is being used or put down and will trigger standby mode (indicated by a Blue wavy “X”).  

So the vape adapts to your vaping style. If you're holding the vape and taking back-to-back draws, it will keep heating active. But if you take your time between inhales and lay it on the table occasionally, it will enter standby mode and optimize the temperature to preserve battery and flower. 

Moving the device or starting to inhale will exit standby mode and bring it back up to the set temperature. There is also haptic feedback to communicate statuses such as “ready to vape.”

Performance

As far as performance, some people love Pax and some people hate it—but I think it comes down to having the right expectations. I love it and it’s my most-used device out of the house. Since it is a conduction device, it works slowly. The extraction happens over a session of around five minutes, where heat stays engaged and you can inhale as much as you want.

Pax is not the device to “down” a whole bowl in one or two inhales. There is the Tinymight for that. And it won’t finish the bowl in 4–5 hits like the Venty or the Solo 3 will. I easily get 6–9 good inhales in my sessions, sometimes more.

And just as a reminder, I have full reviews and coupon codes for all these products. Just google “vape guy” and the name of any of these to find the review page.

Drawbacks

Much like other small-form vapes, Pax gets warm towards the end of the session as heat has nowhere to dissipate. Vapes such as the Venty use fins to keep your fingers away from the hot body and allow air to pass through and cool the vape. Small vapes get warm a lot more quickly.

There are a few ways to combat this warming issue:

• The oven is at the bottom, so try holding the vape from the top half, not the bottom half.
• During warmup, hold the Pax in your hand, so the heat can dissipate into your hand instead of staying trapped inside the device.
• Reduce temperature or intensity of use. But who wants to do that?! 

The second issue I have with this vape is its charger. I think there is no excuse for not making this vape charge with a USB-C. I mean, the magnetic charger is great, but it has to be in addition, not instead of a plug-in. Even the charger plug of the magnetic charger is a regular USB connection and not a USB-C. I think this doesn't fit the “technology forward” mentality of the brand. Having a proprietary charger means that if you are traveling and forget that charger at a hotel room, your Pax is pretty much worthless. 

Pax Mini vs. Pax Flow

It’s worth taking a second to compare the Pax Mini 2 to the Pax Flow.

• First, it’s cheaper—$100 cheaper at the time of recording.
• Second, it is larger. Not by a lot, but that little bit makes a difference in how hefty it feels in your pocket—for sure.
• Third, the Flow works by a combo of convection and conduction. So:
  A. the packing should be looser
  B. the sessions are shorter with the Flow

Both devices get super hot, but somehow it seems that the larger device—the Flow—gets hotter than the Mini, and therefore is less comfortable to hold.

Honestly—I’d take the “regular” Pax, meaning the Mini 2, over the Flow. There is something very satisfying about it. I know many people that love their Pax Pluses, Pax 3’s, etc.

Bottom line

I think Pax has the best size-to-performance ratio. And while the naming choice of the Pax lineup is questionable, this release merges the Mini and the Plus while keeping the package at a Mini price. At $150, this is incredible value. 

Pax doesn't do one thing perfectly, but it's very good at everything. It doesn't have the best flavor, and it doesn't have the best efficiency, but it is the best and most premium small-form vape available today. It produces consistent results and is durable and long-lasting. 

If you vape mostly in the house, consider larger vapes such as the Venty or Solo 3. They are a little more powerful and will get better extraction. 

But if you vape mostly out of the house and need something discreet and portable, the Pax is easily your best bet. Check out my top 10 dry herb vapes of 2026 here.