Pax Plus Portable Vaporizer Review – The Ultimate Dual-Use Design

Pax Labs has been hailed for its widespread appeal and even wider color options. Their latest offering, the Pax Plus, proves they are keen on providing a seamless feature-rich experience. We could easily name this article Pax 4 Review, as this device includes features that are made to beat its predecessor – the Pax 3 vaporizer. Let’s dive deeper into this review and uncover the performance of the newest Pax unit! 

The Pax Plus offers herb and concentrate capability and various experience modes. While overall, the Pax Plus seems like the same old everything, it has to be pointed out that Pax is really attempting a BIG gambit. It is pushing into the 3rd Generation of Vaporizers, but not like other major devices like the ZEUS Arc are doing. The Pax Plus is not a 3rd gen out of the box, but read along as we explain why Pax’s attempt is respectable. 

Have the California Kings at Pax Labs dropped some duds, or have they done their duuude-diligence? If you are fresh into the portable vaporizer world, take a glance at your Best Portable Vaporizer ranking page where we show the most prominent portable vaporizers on the market.

Table of contents

1. How it Works
2. Temperature Flexibility
3. Vapor Quality
4. Manufacturing Quality
5. Battery Life
6. Portability
7. Ease of Use
8. Discreetness
9. Conclusion

Pax Plus

Rating:

100%

7  Reviews

CAD 231.99

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How it Works

Much like the Pax 3 and even the Pax 2, the functionality of this device remains similar to previous models. For the uninitiated, you remove the magnetic lid at the bottom to reveal your heating chamber. Fill with your material of choice and snap the lid back into place. 

Turn the device on by pressing the center of the flat mouthpiece. Select your temperature by long-pressing the top button to enter the temperature menu, then short-press to cycle through temperature settings. 

Once you have your desired temperature set, press the top button to exit the temperature menu. When the device is heated, the lights will turn green, and you can begin pulling from the device. 

To use the concentrate chamber:

1. Find the small notch in the steel bucket, and lift it to open the concentrate bucket.
2. Fill with your material of choice, and replace the thin steel lid.
3. Place the concentrate container into the empty heating chamber, and you are good to go!

The concentrate chamber will stick out slightly from the bottom of the device, which is normal. We recommend using this container with the highest temperature setting (setting 4) for the best results, but nothing comparable to dedicated wax vaporizers. Dry herb vaporizers with dual compatibility give good flavor, but dab pens are not dense if the temperature is below 220 degrees Celsius. If you want the best flavor and density from your concentrates, check out the best E Rigs available, as those are the next level of dedicated beasts for concentrates. 

Between sessions, the Pax’s wide heating chamber is very easy to access but will need a little break to allow the unit to cool down. This is generally unnecessary with other conduction devices with narrower heating chambers, like the Arc series.

Temperature Flexibility

The lowest setting (Temperature 1) is around 182 C (360 F), which is a good floor for temperature. I can’t find any precise information about what temperature each mode represents. While no specific temperatures are listed, it’s safe to assume they didn’t stray too far from what was on the Pax 2 or Pax 3. We’ll use those here as rough estimates for each mode’s temperature. 

The four temperature modes of the Pax Plus are:

One Petal is Stealth mode (182 C): Minimal cloud production for more incognito sessions.
Two Petals are Efficiency Mode (193 C): Relaxed and slow-paced sessions.
Three Petals are Flavor Mode (204 C): Emphasizes tastes and flavor.
Four Petals are Boost Mode (215 C): Prioritize power, great for both flower and concentrates. 

While this temperature range is solid for a casual user, it is odd that Pax did not list the details that would explain these modes. The ceiling of these temperatures leaves the device bottom hotter than its closest comparison, the Arc GTS but stops short of producing equivalently dense vapor. We are unsure why Pax’s marketing team decided to withhold this type of information. In perspective, it is like a smartphone not telling you what kind of display resolution you have. 

Vapor Quality

Each mode performs as advertised, offering a wide array of experiences for various situations. The vapor quality is surprisingly smooth, even in ‘boost mode,’ I found the extraction to be decent, though it still does not fully extract herb right at the lid’s center. As a former Pax 2 owner, I liked my session with this device. The heat-up time is also improved, heating up in under 30 seconds. This area is something that other devices, like the Arc, can certainly improve on.  

While the device performed decently, it pales compared to similarly priced units, like the AirVape Legacy Pro. Even mid-range convection units on the market, such as the Utillian 722 and 620, offer better vapor quality than the Pax.

Manufacturing Quality

Manufacturing quality is typically where Pax Labs shines. They haven’t made many adjustments to the device’s appearance for a good reason. The initial Pax 2 design has aged very well among the other devices available in 2016, and the Pax Plus follows a similar path. The Pax devices are solid dry herb vaporizers when it comes to quality. 

The body is constructed with a stainless steel exterior, giving the device a slick look. It feels wonderful and makes plastic units feel inferior, but that does not come with a tradeoff.

The downside is that the body can run very hot because of the wide bottom loading heating chamber. Especially around the heating chamber, the units get hot, which also explains why the Pax’s max temperature is relatively low at 215 degrees Celsius. I prefer metal bodies to plastics, but now you know the tradeoff when you feel something hot in your pocket and wonder if that is normal.

The material of the bottom lid used to be plastic in the original Pax models, and while it was safe, it just didn’t give the best taste. Over the years, the inner part has changed into a material that I think is zirconia which is great for flavor. There is really no detail on the exact material available right now, but it is hard as glass, so it leaves me to conclude that it is no longer plastic.

This is great and preferable, in my opinion, but be aware that it makes the lid feel hotter, and handling it is harder. You can’t touch the lid of the Pax Plus when it’s fresh from a session. If you like to have back-to-back sessions, remember that you’ll need to wait for the lid to cool down before emptying your spent herb. This is not the end of the world and is a well-chosen tradeoff.

Including a half bowl and wax container is indelible, giving this device a bit of range. The internal components of the Pax Plus have also been upgraded, as the sessions start faster and hit harder than they have on previous models. If you’re looking to take this device around on your commute, you can put the device upside down in your pocket to avoid the lid from coming off and spilling in your pocket.

I would not recommend throwing the Pax Plus in a bag or purse, as the lid comes off sometimes and the preloaded herb unloads by itself. I eventually got it a dedicated pouch or case, similar to the Armor case, to solve the problem. However the lid coming off, will certainly dock the portability of the Pax Plus despite its amazing form factor to be portable. 

The mouthpiece uses medical-grade high heat-resistant silicone in flat and raised styles. In my testing, I found it to be an effective choice, as it didn’t react to heat while keeping the flavor as decent as possible with silicone. In our testing, we have found that most people can tell the smell/taste of silicone. The unpleasant taste of silicone is usually attributable to non-medical silicone or silicone that has been treated with oils that most low end devices use. Still, even medical grade is not nearly as good as the glass used in the Utillian 620. 

While much of the Pax’s design appears unchanged, it’s for good reason. The Pax continues to be a great option for users who view electronics as an extension of their fashion sense and style. Its sleek and minimal form factor gives couture and vapor all in the same breath. It seems as if Pax Labs has stuck to the age-old adage: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

Battery Life

Pax claims you can get up to two and a half hours, or about 8-10 sessions, with the Pax Plus. In my testing I didn’t even get 2 hours. I could not find a mAh number for this either, though all gadget manufacturers list this detail. Despite its claims of an improved battery, the unchanged body leads me to believe otherwise. I think they just changed their battery life testing to a lower temperature to get a better battery performance in minutes. Similar to how some car manufacturers quote their fuel economy, driving the car at snail pace and with no breaking. 

The pocketable size of the Pax Plus rules out the possibility of a battery that is larger than an 18650, which is capped at 3500mAh. As per our information the last Pax models already had the biggest and baddest battery inside. The unit size did not increase to house a 20 series battery, like the great Air Max does.

Also thermal efficiency in premium vaporizers is generally capped at the laws of thermodynamics. With that in mind, I welcome Pax to leave us a comment on our YouTube review, if we are wrong and this isn’t just a “marketing claim.” I believe the increased number of sessions per charge is highly unlikely.

The included proprietary charger has the same magnetic design as the Pax 2 charger, with zero USB-C to be found. The lack of USBC saves internal space on this relatively small device, which is a good thing. But even Apple is seriously considering switching to USBC and in Europe, there are laws that smartphones have to use USBC in the future. Yes, you won’t believe it.

The Europeans have made laws for that too. Don’t get me wrong, this charger looks good and is super convenient when you have it around, but when you don’t, your Pax is like a Corvette in the bronze age. For a conduction device that is primarily made to be portable, this was not the most optimal decision, as you have to take the charger with you.

Portability

The Pax Plus’s fast heat up time makes it a great option for users looking to take their device on the go, and sneak in an extra session throughout their commute. This device offers options out of the box that are designed to improve the portability of this device. The keyring packing tool allows you to tamp your ground herb down wherever you go, but one has to seriously keep that in mind if you have car keys on the same chain. You should make sure you tab it down and avoid any smell buildup on the tool as that would just invite problems. 

Pax also offers “Infused Pax Pucks“, likely a response to the growing demand for third generation vaporizers. These chamber sized pucks are essentially ground and compacted dry herb, held together by small amounts of concentrate. These offer a convenient option for users who would like a truly hands free experience with their vape, with the added potency of concentrates. The only downside is that these are limited to certain jurisdictions, but we highly recommend trying them out if they are available at your local retailers. If you’re seeking an all-in-one dry herb experience and Pax’s Pucks aren’t available where you live, we recommend the more affordable Zeus Arc GTS that streamlines the grinding and filling process.

One potential issue is the chamber lid being slightly loose, as it runs the risk of detaching when carried in a pocket or purse. This can be remedied by using a carrying case, such as the Zeus Armor kit.

Ease of Use

As many manufacturers have, Pax has done away with their iOS app controls. This is due to Apple’s unwillingness to play nice with vaporizer brands on the App Store. I’m glad it’s gone, to be honest. Not only did it probably add a host of complexities for Pax to keep the App updated, but based on our surveys, it got minimal use. 

The single-button operation of the Pax Plus creates a level of ease that’s hard to find. Switching between the modes is very intuitive, creating appeal for enthusiasts who don’t want to be bogged down by terpene-specific gaseous state extraction. People who simply want their dry herb vaped will be more than satiated by the options provided by the Pax Plus. While the Pax Plus’s minimal settings create a minimal learning curve, searching for temperature settings is slightly inconvenient.

The aforementioned Pax Pucks offer another element of convenience, if you live in an applicable jurisdiction. It’s safe to assume that Pax wants to widen the availability of these pucks, and I can see this idea taking off as a convenient option for users on the go. This is a very refreshing innovation I find, that Pax deserves credit for. It is a monster of a business model to pull off, and only really applies to consumers in select US jurisdictions that they can bring pucks to market in, but for this undertaking we must applaud them.

Discreetness

The Pax Plus offers a high level of discreteness through their minimal design and pre-built modes. The slick design can be easily hidden, or mistaken for a high end portable battery. 

The Pax Plus also offers ‘stealth mode’, which advertises minimal odor and cloud production. Any dry herb vape will create odor, as the herb needs to enter a gaseous state for extraction to occur. However, stealth mode will greatly reduce the time the smell lingers, as particulates created by smoking will bind to fabrics in furniture and clothing. 

While the discreteness offered by the Pax Plus is a far cry from what’s achieved with a concentrate based session, it offers a lot for users who want dry herb exclusivity as one of the few dry herb vapes with a built-in discrete mode.

Conclusion

The Pax Plus creates solid value by providing a combination of range, convenience, and aesthetics. The sleek build quality, impressive mode variety, and speedy heat-up satisfy the metrics of a great vaporizer. This device particularly appeals to fashion enthusiasts who incorporate their personal electronics into their style. Much like headphones and smartphones, there is a wide market of people who view their vaporizer as something they can use to accessorize an outfit. 

Users won’t need to endure a lengthy learning curve or read a terpene extraction chart to get this device to work, resulting from careful execution on Pax Lab’s part. This convenience is paramount to people’s interest in this device, and that will only increase if their Pax Pod system becomes widely available. 

The best way to view it is in the classic Apple vs. Android sense. One provides max convenience and little fuss by trading off customizability. The latter provides the opposite, offering customizability at the expense of a learning curve. While more seasoned enthusiasts will appreciate precision temperature flexibility, a wider range of people are looking for a device that vaporizes herbs while staying out of their way. 

If you’re looking for a device that will blend effortlessly into your outfit and perform when needed, the Pax Plus is the way to go.