Pax Plus Review

Background 

The original Pax was released in 2012 by two friends- Monsees and Adam Bowen, that were looking for a high-tech way to consume dry cannabis. Since the original Pax, two more iterations have been released, keeping the same general form and significantly improving its functionality in each release. The latest one was the Pax 3 (read review), which was released in 2016.

In late 2022 Pax introduced their latest dry herb lineup- the Pax Plus (visit store) and the Pax Mini (review | visit store)- the first major releases from Pax in the last five years. Not a lot has changed between the Pax 3 and the Pax Plus, and the devices are built on the same platform.  

The Pax Plus is a dual-use (herb & concentrate), and it retails for $250 directly from Pax, or check out Vape-Smart, which bundles up the Pax with some useful accessories. 

In the Box

Pax Plus is available with an all-inclusive kit, which contains-

• The Pax Plus vaporizer unit
• Two mouthpieces- flat & raised
• Two oven lids- “full oven” or “half oven.”
• A concentrate insert
• A USB-C Charger
• A cleaning brush, replacement screens, and an oven tool.

Since the Pax Plus and the Pax 3 have the same exact body, the oven lids, mouthpieces, and charging accessories are cross-compatible between the two (and the Pax Mini as well.)

Design & Features

The Pax Plus keeps the same iconic and minimalistic design the brand is known for. Seriously. The exact same design. It is simple and stylish and feels much like an “Apple” product. Pax has been called “the iPhone of vaporizers” many times in the past, and it's easy to see why. The finish of the Pax Plus feels the same as an iPhone or a Macbook. 

There are no buttons on its surface, only the four iconic petal-shaped LEDs at the front and the magnetic charging connector in the back. 

The vape is just under 4 inches tall and shaped like a rounded rectangle. Feels good and balanced while holding and easily conceals in my palm or fits in my pocket. 

Pax Plus Oven 

The oven is at the bottom of the vape, and it is covered with a magnetic lid. It is made from stainless steel and has a capacity of nearly half a gram or a quarter gram when using the half oven lid. 

Pax also comes with a concentrate insert, which can be used with dabs and extract. But, extract typically creates a mess of residue and stickiness. So I recommend using the Pax exclusively with flower and using a separate vape pen for extracts. I linked my favorite wax pens below. 

Pax Plus Mouthpiece options

The mouthpiece is on the opposite side of the oven, and again a very familiar design of flat and raised mouthpiece options. 

• The Flat mouthpiece is flush with the top of the vape and has a little slit where you'd put your lips. 
• The raised mouthpiece is a little more comfortable to use, but it will reduce vapor production. The draw is a little more restricted with the flat mouthpiece, which reduces airflow. When air moves slower, the heat builds up in the oven, creating better extraction and more potent vapor. That is why it's recommended to take slow, and steady inhales when using a dry herb vape, or in other words- “sip, don't rip.” Fast-moving air cools down the oven.

So I like the raised mouthpiece in terms of convenience, but I like the flat one in terms of performance. I usually go for the flat one.

Clean Airpath

The vapor path runs between the oven and the mouthpiece and is made from medical-grade stainless steel. It is sealed and separated from the rest of the internal components, such as the battery and the heating element. This creates a clean airpath that keeps the vapor pure and flavorful. 

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.”

Usage & Interface

Pack an oven

Pax is a conduction vaporizer, so it works best with a tightly packed oven. When packed correctly, it can fit around .5 a gram. You can use the oven tool to tamp it down and create a little brick from the flower. This will transfer heat efficiently and improve the extraction. 

To micro-dose, use the included half-oven lid. But either way, the key to good vapor is to pack it nice and tight, so if you wiggle the device, nothing falls out. 

Interface

One quick press on the mouthpiece to turn the Pax on, and it starts heating up immediately, which is indicated by a wavy Purple X. 

The Plus comes with four activation modes. To toggle between them, I'll hold the power button for two seconds and then single-click to toggle. 

• Blue is the lowest, and it's also called “stealth mode.” It minimizes visible vapor and dims LEDs. 
• Then Green & Yellow, which I typically use.
• And Red which is the highest setting, aka Boost mode. This is also the setting used with concentrates. 

Long press again, or a shake will confirm the new setting and heat up to that setting. When the “X” turns green, it's time to vape.

View the official manual here.

Tips:

• Empty and clean the oven at the end of every session. It'll make cleaning easier and keep your Pax Plus in good shape. 
• Check out our Pax Vaporizer Tips & Tricks.
• Not getting enough vapor? Here are 7 dry herb vaping tips to up your game and get more from your dry weed.
• Wondering how to know when to replace herb in the oven? This article will explain everything you need to know.

Cleaning & Maintenance 

Cleaning the Pax Plus can be an involved process compared to other vapes. Here is why-

You need to clean the three main parts- the mouthpiece, oven, and vapor path. The process will include alcohol wipes, pipe cleaners (which Pax includes in the kit), and other accessories. Now, sure, you don't need to do that after every use, but every 10-15 uses, you'll want to give it a good clean.

Vapes such as the Crafty+, Mighty+, or Arizer Air Max have a much more “maintenance-free” design. The mouthpiece is the vapor path. And with Air Max, it's also the oven. You can read the individual reviews for more info, but basically, they are typically easier to clean/maintain

Performance & Vapor Quality

I've been using the Pax Plus for a couple of months now, and I did notice an improvement in vapor production and extraction efficiency over the Pax 3. 

The first couple of hits are usually excellent. Very reach and flavorful. Then the flavor and vapor quality slowly degrade, as is the case with all other dry herb vapes. Toward the end of the session, the vapor becomes a little warm and harsh. 

While the vapor quality is very good, it is still not as good as a larger vape such as the Mighty+ can produce. But hey, Pax is a fifth the Mighty's size and almost half its price. Pax easily has the best vapor quality of vapes it's size. 

The heat-up time is 20-30 seconds, and the battery lasts 6-8 sessions on a full charge. This is impressive, considering the size of the Pax, and the battery life is better than expected.  

What could have been better

Much like other small-form vapes such as the IQ or the Firefly 2, Pax gets warm towards the end of the session as heat has nowhere to dissipate. Vapes such as the Crafty or Mighty 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 much more quickly. 

There are a few ways to combat this warming issue:

1. The oven is at the bottom, so try holding the vape from the top half, not the bottom half.
2. During warmup, hold the Pax in your hand, so the heat can dissipate into your hand instead of staying trapped inside the device.
3. 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 Plus vs. Pax 3- 

So as I mentioned, almost everything is identical. Here are the few changes I noticed-

• Pax 3 had a smartphone app. It looks like that functionality has been removed with the Pax Plus.
• Pax changed the bottom screen to a 3D screen, which just means that the edges are raised, so it is easier to remove. 
• Pax doesn't disclose any info about what changed internally, but I noticed a slightly better extraction, so I believe improvements have been made to the heating element. 

Pax Plus vs. Pax Mini

With the Pax Plus, Pax also released a smaller, trimmed-down version of the Pax. Here is what's the same and what is different between the versions- 

Same:

• Heat-up time: around 30 seconds
• Run time: 6-8 sessions
• Materials & Finish
• Magnetic charging

Different:

• Mini is $100 cheaper
• Mini is slightly smaller
• Mini is only compatible with flower. Plus can be used with concentrates as well. 
• Oven size .25 on the Mini vs. .5 gr with the Plus (or .25 with the “half oven lid.”
• Warranty term- 10 years Plus vs. 2 years Mini
• Plus has more accessories 
• Mini has only one heat setting vs. four with the Plus

Bottom line

So not a lot has changed from the Pax 3, but Pax has always offered the best performance-to-size ratio of any small form dry herb vape, and this Plus is no different.  

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 Mighty+ or the Crafty+. 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 our top 10 dry herb vapes of 2024 here.