Pax Plus Review

Is the Pax Plus worth it?

Since the release of the famous Pax 3 portable vaporizer in 2016, the Portable Vaporizer industry has come a long way – So, we ask ourselves, is the release of the Pax Plus seven years later worth a praising review, or a critical one?

• At face value, Pax Labs has not changed much between the Pax 3 and the Pax Plus, they even got rid of the smartphone app.

Read on as we go over all of the differences between the models, as well as who we think the kit is best for at the end of our review – Let’s get into it.

Pax Plus Specs

Pax Plus Key Features

• Upgraded Oven Screens
• Removed Smartphone Application
• Matte Exterior Coating
• Available in colors: Black, Periwinkle, Elderberry, Sage Green
• Four pre-set temperature modes
• Accessory compatible with Pax 3, Pax 2, and Pax Mini
• 0.5g capacity conduction oven

What’s in the kit?

• Pax Plus Vaporizer
• Flat & Raised Mouthpiece
• Half-Pack Oven Lid
• x3 3D Oven Screens
• Oven Lid
• Concentrate Insert
• Multi-Tool
• Wire Brush
• Dock Charger

Conduction Heating System

The Pax Plus uses a conduction oven identical to the Pax 3, with just one difference being the Pax 3D screen which sits better in the oven and allows for better airflow compared to the previous Pax 3 Screens.

The old Pax screen had a flat design but was quick to clog which badly affected the performance of the vape. With the new screens being curved and having larger cutouts, the Pax Plus is overall easier to inhale from and won’t clog as easily, which also means less cleaning and replacing them over time.

The metal walls of the Plus are going to heat the flower & best with a fine grind

Smooth Vapor Quality

The Pax Plus uses a stainless steel oven air path and oven which are separate from the electronics, which is what is known as an isolated air path. This means that there are no off-gases or funky added tastes to your dry herb or concentrates, just the terpenes from the product you’re using are what you’ll be tasting.

There’s a lot of variation in how the Pax Plus performs though because of its different oven chamber inserts, as well as how its four pre-set temperatures perform.

I’ll start by explaining the differences in the four temperature pre-sets before I get into the chamber inserts.

One thing to know is that you can still expect a bit of draw resistance, so it still doesn’t compare to something like the Mighty Plus in that category!

How to use the Pax+?

Just like the older models, there is still a button on the middle of the mouthpieces which you will press to turn the power on and off.

After that, pressing and holding for a few seconds will let you cycle between the four pre-set temperatures with single taps of the power button. Once you’re on the pre-set you’d like, you can either shake your Pax Plus or press and hold the power button again to lock it in.

Before all of that though, you’ll have to pack the oven chamber. To lift the oven lid, just press from one end, and then gently tug it away from its magnetic securing. The capacity is quite large, so you’ll need a bit of herb to be ground up before you place it into the oven.

Once you get it loaded full, you can give your flower a good tapping to compact it down before you place the lid down again.

Pax Plus Temperature Pre-Sets

When PAX Plus is heating, the LED petals will pulse purple. Once it’s ready to vape, the petals flicker in the same color as the mode that’s been set.

• One Petal – Stealth mode – 370°F / 188°C  – This is the temperature you’ll be using if you want discretion or more flavor from your cannabis
• Two Petals – Efficiency Mode – 380°F / 193°C  – A decent combination of flavor and cloud production & saves your chamber for longer
• Three Petals – Flavor mode – 400°F / 204°C  –  A  good setting for those looking for big clouds
• Four Petals – Boost Mode – 420°F / 216°C – This setting will be harsh to most users, but works great for the concentrate oven insert to melt and vape dabs

You’ll notice that when you’re taking an inhale, the light will change on the Pax. This is what they call lip-sensing technology, and works by knowing when you are inhaling to make adjustments to the temperatures in the oven.

All four pre-sets are based on rough temperature estimations, as they will all change slightly during the duration of your session.

Half-Pack Oven

The Pax half-pack oven allows for better microdosing or sessions from lighter users as it takes the 0.5g oven down to 0.25g.

Some people on past models have even stated that it offers better performance because the herb left in the conduction chamber will be better compacted for very fast and even cooking. If you’ve lost your Pax half-pack lid, or have an older version of a Pax without this accessory, you can pick one up for around $15.

Concentrate Oven

Just like the half-pack chamber lid, the concentrate chamber goes in place of the normal lid The concentrate oven itself has a lid which you’ll be removing before placing about a rice-sized grain of dab into the oven. Simply replace the oven lid, and then place it oven-side up back into the chamber.

Removing the lid to load in a dab

On the plus side, it will work with all kinds of concentrates including melt and dry hash that you normally wouldn’t be able to place into the oven. However, on the downside, its performance will never be as good as a dedicated wax pen, and the concentrate splashing and melting can get annoying to clean. Make sure to use the highest temperature when using the concentrate oven!

Flat & Raised Mouthpiece

On the top of the Pax+ is your choice of medical-grade silicone mouthpieces in either a flat or raised design.

• With the flat mouthpiece, it’s sort of like sipping from a cup due to the slit being on one side With the raised mouthpiece, it’s on the top and sort of like a juice box style of inhaling.

Online, some people will say that the raised mouthpiece is easier to inhale from, but the choice is really up to you on what style you’d like to use

Good Extraction Efficiency

Overall, the Pax+ does a great job of extracting the THC from your cannabis and cooking your weed to a nice brown color at the end of your session, no matter what pre-set you were using.

Since it uses lip-sensing technology, it can try and conserve your herb, especially on the second ‘efficiency’ mode where it can extend your sessions to over ten minutes. Maybe only on the first pre-set is where you can expect to have some lighter ABV which will be good for another session.

More of an on-demand type of extraction, we can recommend checking out either the DynaVap M Plus or the AirVape Legacy Pro. Both of these options will be able to clear their bowls much quicker than the Pax+.

Super Portable Design

In terms of portability, there’s never been a much better an option to carry with you in your pocket than the Pax+.

The vape itself comes in at just over four inches tall, and with the matte black color that I tested, and when on the first pre-set which slightly dims the light, produces less odor, and less haptic feedback, it’s a very subtly vape and most people won’t think twice if they see you using it.

Pax Plus Battery Life

While the Pax Plus offers personalized sessions based on how you use it, the consensus is that you’ll be able to get about an hour of uptime, which will be about 8-10 sessions for most people, or even less if you’re a heavy user taking bigger draws.

• You’ll know that your Pax Plus needs a recharge when the LED lights begin flashing red & A full charge will take about two hours on the charging dock.

There is one major con here, and that’s that they stuck with the dock charger design.

This charger design needs to be abandoned in future iterations.

More and more modern Vaporizers are upgrading to swappable batteries and USB-C charging which is a design where the user ends up winning. For example, on the Arizer Air MAX, you’ll be able to charge it via USB-C, and you can also choose to swap its 26650 battery if you have a spare lying around.

Pax Plus vs Pax 3

The Pax 3 over time came to acquire a reputation as being the AK-47 of portable vaporizers. You could drop them accidentally without worry, put them through the wash, etc. without ever having internal damage aside from just a small scratch or dent to the exterior. Seeing as the shell appears to be the same as the Pax 3, we hope the Pax Plus does just as well with longevity.

Pax 3 sheen (left) vs Pax Plus matte (right)

Overall, the Pax 3 had more room for customization thanks to its smartphone app. On the Pax 3, the app allowed you to customize your temperature precisely.

The Pax 3D oven screens on the other hand are pretty nice and allow for bigger hits because the airflow is much less restricted.

Pax 3 flat screens vs. Pax Plus 3D screens

Tips and Tricks

• Don’t forget your charger while you travel, as it’s the only way to charge it up
• By holding the whole Pax+ in the palm of your hand, you’ll prevent it from getting overly hot near the end of a session
• Don’t neglect cleaning the oven screens
• Use the keychain pick tool included in the kit to knock out the herb after every session
• Pax suggests inhales of three seconds for best results
• Use a good grinder like the Zeus Bolt 2, which will work well for its conduction oven

How to Clean the Pax+?

For the oven lid and chamber, you’ll be able to use a vape cleaning wipe a few minutes after a session. Once you remove the screen and wipe it clean as well, you’ll be able to clean the vapor air path tube with the bristle brush. You can also pop open the mouthpiece and wipe it if you want.

Using the plunger on the airpath

If you’re a heavy user, especially if you use concentrates, the screens will be the number one thing to keep clean. You may choose to just swap in a new one and wait to clean all three of them at the same time in 99% isopropyl alcohol for about an hour before a hot water rinse-off. If there’s any resin left over after the soak, just repeat the process.

Pax Plus Community Consensus

Most of the feedback on forums is just users being surprised at how little was changed about the kit. While I’ve seen some people quoting ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, almost everyone is surprised that all they did was call it a new name without making any notable changes after six years between the Plus and the 3 models.

10 Year Warranty

One of the nice features that Pax didn’t touch was the 10-year warranty on this device. In our experience, Pax has been very good to customers when upholding warranties.

Pax Plus Pros

• Slightly faster heat-up times
• Slightly improved airflow
• Good amount of accessories to choose from
• Portable design

Pax Plus Cons

• Same dock charger as opposed to upgrading to USB-C
• Lack of overall updates to the kit
• Removal of app compatibility

Who’s it for?

The Pax Plus is for anyone looking for an easy-to-use vaporizer with room to customize their sessions with easy-to-use accessories such as the half-pack or concentrate oven lids. Just like the Pax 3, it will produce more vapor smell than other portable vaporizers,

If you don’t mind the 4 pre-set temperatures as opposed to the more customization the Pax 3 had, it’s the same model and performance for the same price, so why not?

Who’s it not for?

The Pax Plus is not for people that are experienced with dry herb vapes. In other words, this won’t ever be considered an upgrade if you already own a middle-tier portable vaporizer. While it has a good amount of customization, its performance will never be as good as the Best Weed Vapes.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a little disappointing to see Pax take a step backward with their new model. It isn’t even quite a new model, all they did was slap a new oven screen on and change the ‘3’ to a ‘+’. While you’ll still get the same durable kit that grew its popularity, this model was 100% unnecessary.

On the bright side, there wasn’t a price gouge, so you won’t be expecting to pay more than you did for the Pax 3. But overall, it’s still disappointing not seeing the USB-C upgrades or the app returning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best temperature on the Pax Plus?

Most people will find the second or third pre-set temperature to be the most comfortable to use.

How do I know when my Pax Plus is done charging?

You’ll know that it’s done charging when all four petals turn a solid white color, which will take about 2.5 hours from dead.

How does the Pax Plus compare to the Crafty Plus?

The Crafty Plus offers smoother vapor quality, but fewer accessories in its kit than the Pax Plus for the same price. However, the Crafty Plus has a smartphone app that will let you precisely control its temperature.

How do you remove the oven screen?

To remove your 3D oven screen, remove the mouthpiece and use the plunger to push the screen out.