Pax 3 Vaporizer Review – Has it aged well?

Updated: March 26, 2024

The Pax 3 is one of the latest releases from Pax Labs and is the successor of the very pretty Pax 2 vaporizer. The Pax 3 heats in 30 seconds or less, features 4 pre-set temperatures, a bigger battery, and possesses Bluetooth connectivity to customize your settings through the app. The stainless steel oven and vapor path have not changed much from the Pax 2 and still tend to mute the overall flavor of your herb. Though not much has changed on the outside (it still looks like a stick of lipstick) the changes on the inside are fairly significant. So let’s jump right in.

Editors Note: For those looking for a dry herb vaporizer that has the portability of the Pax but the powerful vapor of the Mighty, be sure to check out the Zeus Arc GT3, a high-powered portable vaporizer that puts powerful draws in the palm of your hand.

If you happen to still be on the fence about whether vaporizing is healthier than smoking, check out our inside scoop with a bonus video demonstration of how these two methods of heating dry herbs differ inside your lungs!

Pax 3 vaporizer heating coils

How It Works

If you have seen or used a Pax 2, you pretty much have an idea how to use the Pax 3. They certainly did not reinvent the wheel. For those who haven’t, remove the magnet cap at the bottom of the device to expose the heating chamber, fill it with your favorite material and snap the bottom back on the unit to start vaporizing medical cannabis.

Turn the device on by pressing the center of the Pax 3 flat mouthpiece on top of the unit. To select your temperature press and hold the power button while the device is on to enter the temperature “menu”, a short press on the power button will cycle through the 5 temperature settings, the first 4 are the same as the Pax 2, but the 5th is a custom temperature which can be set through the app.

Once you have selected your desired temperature setting, press and hold the power button again to set the temperature and exit the temperature select menu. The device will now begin to automatically heat up to your set temperature. Heat up time has been improved on the Pax 3 and should only take about 15 seconds to reach the set temperature. Once it has reached temperature the device will vibrate, the lights will turn green and you can begin to take draws from the mouthpiece.

To use the Pax 3 vaporizer with concentrates use the included concentrate container, fill it with your favorite wax or concentrate and pop it into the oven of the Pax 3. It will stick out a bit at the bottom so you can easily remove it, this is completely normal. For concentrates, we recommend setting the Pax 3 vaporizer to the highest heat setting (setting 4).

For those users who enjoy wax and want a premium experience, we recommend the Tronian Gammatron or the Utillian 8. Both of these devices feature built-in tools.

Pax 3 vaporizer parts

Pax 3 App

Not only does the Pax 3 app allow you to set a custom temperature with the app, but it also offers different heating modes which will drastically change how you interact with your unit. The following modes are currently available through the app:

  1. Standard – This is the basic setting used for the Pax 3, it will boost the oven temperature by 5 degrees Celsius as you take your draw to help maintain temperature and then drop back down until you draw again.
  2. Flavor – This setting works similarly to the Standard mode but provides more on-demand heat. What this means is once the unit has done its initial heat-up, as soon as you begin to draw, the temperature will ramp up more quickly to maintain temperature and will immediately begin to cool down after your draw. This profile does a better job at preserving flavor between draws because of the rapid cool down and will waste less herb if you forget to keep drawing from the unit.
  3. Boost – This heating mode works by increasing the aggressiveness of the heating while drawing from the unit and decreasing the cooldown time when you are not drawing. This setting is best for people who want to get in quick sessions or are in a session with more dense vapor.
  4. Efficiency Mode – This mode will slowly increase your temperature by 1 degree over the course of your session while using the Standard Mode heating algorithms.
  5. Stealth Profile – This mode is how it sounds, it dims the light and has a more aggressive cool down between draws to help keep odor to a minimum.
 

Pax 3 vaporizer power control

Temperature Flexibility

The Pax 3 like the Pax 2 comes with 4 pre-set temperatures; 182°C, 193°C, 204°C, and 215°C, but now also includes a 5th temperature setting which can be customized between 182 Celsius to 215°C.

While I like the idea of being able to set a custom temperature similar to what can be done on the Mighty Vaporizer, I would have liked to have been offered a couple of temperatures outside of the already determined range. The Zeus Arc GT3 goes up to 225°C and the Firefly 2+ can reach 235°C with the power tuning option for a more full extraction. This setting is meant more for the user who would prefer to vape right at temperatures between the 4 pre-set temperatures.

Pax 3 vaporizer mouth piece

Vapor Quality

The vapor quality of the Pax 3 is on par with what was offered with the Pax 2, which is to be expected as not much has changed with the heating oven and vapor path. Make sure you dry your cannabis using a de-humidor box for the best results.

Vapor from the Pax 3 is smooth and satisfying and can be modified slightly by selecting a different temperature and heating mode as described above.

However, the Pax 3 is still conduction heating, which will never provide the purest flavour like with convection, if you are in the market for a convection style vaporizer that won’t break the bank we highly suggest checking out the Utillian 722.

The heating modes are definitely what set the Pax 3 kit apart from the Pax 2 especially when it comes to vapor quality. Those who enjoy denser vapor and quicker sessions can opt to use the boost mode for a more punchy session.

Those who like more flavour will love the aptly named “Flavour” profile, which increases cooling between draws to help maintain the flavour of your cannabis.

Pax 3 vaporizer front display

Manufacturing Quality

Upon initial inspection, you will immediately recognize that the Pax 3 dry herb vaporizer bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor, the Pax 2. The device retains a sophisticated and sleek appearance, reminiscent of a high-end accessory one might find in a woman’s purse or among her beauty products. In terms of dimensions, heating chamber, vapor path, and mouthpiece, there have been no significant changes, preserving the device’s iconic design and functionality.

The only real big difference from an aesthetics standpoint is the finish of the Pax 3 which has been changed from a brushed aluminum finish to a gloss finish. To be honest, we are not big fans of this change, it may make the unit look more flashy from a distance, but up close it shows fingerprints like a crime scene on CSI. Pretty much once you remove the Pax 3 from the packaging you have ruined the pretty aesthetic forever and will be constantly reaching for a microfiber cloth to clean up your vaporizer.

In response to customer feedback, Pax Labs has included a half-pack lid in the package, allowing users to operate the device with smaller amounts of herbs. This is a noteworthy addition, enhancing the device’s versatility and user experience.

The Pax 3 also now comes with a concentrate canister similar to the Crafty + for use with wax and concentrates. In our opinion, we see this as a half-hearted attempt to make their unit seem multi-functional. The Pax 3’s oven does not get nearly hot enough to properly vaporize concentrates and we have already heard from a few other reviewers that it left a sticky mess inside their unit so we did not even want to try it. Not to mention that the wax attachment doesn’t even sit flush against the unit when inserted it sticks out slightly which is another weird choice.

pax3 vaporizer coils

There is nothing really wrong with the Pax 3 from a manufacturing standpoint besides the annoying gloss finish, it operates exactly like the Pax 2 with added Bluetooth support for further customization. We would have liked to see a least a small change to the looks of the unit besides a different coating as it makes it difficult for users who already have the Pax 2 to make the upgrade.  It almost reminds us of how Apple has approached iPhone updates in recent history, you could almost call this unit the “Pax 2 S”.

Pax 3 vaporizer battery

Battery Life

One thing we were happy to see was that Pax somehow was able to increase the battery capacity without changing the size of the unit. The Pax 2 contained a 3000mah non-removable 18650 and the Pax 3 vaporizer now includes a 3500mah non-removable 18650, giving you 500mah more power.

While this does not seem that significant, it will definitely get you an extra session or 2 which can be a big difference if you are out for the day without a charger. We found the unit lasted roughly an hour and a half now which is pretty great for a unit this size.

The Pax 3 also charges really quickly as well, we have found we can get a full charge in about 100 minutes when it is fully depleted.

Pax 3 vaporizer in pocket

Portability

As was the case with the Pax 2, the Pax 3 is one of the most portable vaporizers similar to the Tronian Milatron. It measures a mere 3.87” tall and 1.2” wide, just larger than a stick of lipstick. It can be easily slipped into a  purse or pocket and chances are you won’t even notice it is in there.

The increased battery capacity makes the unit more portable as well and won’t have you as worried about finding a place to charge your device mid-day.

 

Pax 3 vaporizer in hand

Ease of Use

The Pax 3 is fairly straightforward like the LITL1 to use when not using it with the app. It functions exactly the same as the Pax 2 so if you are making the switch it will feel virtually seamless.

Where the learning curve kicks in is with interacting with the Bluetooth app. It will take some playing around to understand how to change all the available settings and to learn what certain modes actually do.

If you really don’t see yourself ever pulling out your phone to use your vaporizer we really suggest getting the Pax 2 instead, because without the use of the Bluetooth app, this unit is just a glossy Pax 2.

We also wish Pax would have changed their screen setup in the heating chamber to promote easier cleaning, but it appears it is exactly the same as the Pax 2. Which means you really have to keep on top of cleaning or you will notice a significant reduction in performance over time. Also the longer you leave the unit without cleaning, the harder it is to clean when you want to clean it.

Pax 3 vaporizer in another hand

Discreetness

Because of the size Pax 3 is a very discreet unit and can easily be concealed in your hand or slipped into a purse, pocket or put into a vaporizer case. With its glossy finish, it can easily pass as a feminine beauty product. The Pax 3 also features a stealth mode which is meant to help keep your session on the down-low by dimming the logo light and aggressively cooling the chamber between draws to minimize the smell.

If you mix this mode with a low temperature setting you should be able to get a decently discreet session in with minimal odor.

With most units nowadays geared towards putting out big clouds of vapor, we are glad to see some companies still realize some customers prefer to be a bit more discreet.

Pax 3 vaporizer full kit

Overall Experience

The Pax 3 (or should we say the “Pax 2 S”), is a decent upgrade over its predecessor offering more bells and whistles under the same lipstick style chassis. We really liked the ability to change the heating modes through the included App as it allows you to really customize how you use your Pax 3 and is the main difference between the Pax 2 & 3.

While we liked that they added a 5th temperature option which can be custom set, we feel they missed the boat by not offering temperatures that were outside the pre-set range and ultimately would have liked to see a slightly higher max temperature.

We really did not like the new glossy finish of the Pax 3 and found it to be a fingerprint magnet that will never look as good as when you first pulled it from the box. In terms of aesthetics, the Pax 3 probably comes close to the likes of Grenco Science’s products. But if you’ve read our G Pro vaporizer review, you might be a bit hesitant to pull the trigger on one of those.

In fact, those who are looking for a unit that is of similar size but is able to output more powerful vapor and an innovative approach to vaporizing, you may want to check out the Zeus Arc GT3 which offers much better vapor production and higher maximum temperature for efficient extraction.

If you already have the Pax 2 it is really hard to recommend upgrading to the Pax 3 because the differences are not enough to justify the price and we would recommend you check out the Firefly 2 which will offer you something a little more unique. Nevertheless, if you do decide to pick up the Pax 3, don’t forget to get an extra pack of Pax 3 screens for the long haul!

If you are looking for a unit that offers phenomenal vapor quality is still fairly portable and is over $100 cheaper definitely check out the Utillian 722, the world’s most affordable convection vaporizer. For those looking for a handy vaporizer that’s easy to pocket but doesn’t scrimp on build quality and costs less, you should definitely check out our Tronian Milatron review.

We hope you enjoyed reading our Pax 3 vaporizer review! We would love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment in the section below, you can do so anonymously. Thanks for reading and as always, keep vapin’! 

Score 8.0 Pretty Good
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About Author
Avatar for Alex Karakatsanis

Alex is a cannabis enthusiast, long time vaporizer lover, writer and filmmaker. He is also a board and video game nerd with a penchant for hosting a weekly board game night. Partygoers have been heard saying things like “is anyone else going to show up?” and “I don’t think I can make it next week”. He strives to make people laugh at every opportunity and sees cannabis as a helpful tool in doing so.

The reviews and ratings are based on personal and decade-plus of industry experience. Such content is based on the opinion of the Editor/Author. They are solely provided as a basis for research and should be used only as guidance. We encourage thorough research by all visitors to attain the most objective viewpoint before purchasing.