PAX Plus vs PAX Mini: Which PAX Vaporizer Is Right for You?

The PAX Plus and PAX Mini are two of PAX's most popular pocket-sized dry herb vaporizers. They share the classic PAX shape and one-button design, but they're built for slightly different users.

The PAX Mini in this comparison is the current model, sometimes called the PAX Mini 2. It's a big upgrade over the original Mini, adding four heat modes and a larger oven, which closes most of the gap with the Plus. Here's how the two compare, and which one makes the most sense to buy today.

What they have in common: Both keep the familiar PAX shape with a single button, flat and raised mouthpieces, and stainless steel ovens. Both offer four heat settings, a half-pack oven lid for smaller sessions, haptic feedback and a shake-to-check battery indicator.

Where they differ: The PAX Plus works with both dry herb and concentrates, and comes with a 10-year warranty. The PAX Mini is slightly smaller and lighter, heats up faster and is designed for dry herb only.

Size and Design

At a quick glance, the two look almost identical. Side by side, the PAX Mini is slightly shorter.

• PAX Plus: About 98mm tall and 91g
• PAX Mini: About 93mm tall and 90g

Both are truly pocket-sized, with aluminum bodies and the signature PAX petal LEDs. The difference in size is small enough that neither is noticeably easier to carry than the other.

Oven Size

Both hold up to about 0.5g of herb with the standard oven lid. Each also includes a half-pack lid for smaller, quicker sessions, which drops the Mini to about 0.25g.

The original PAX Mini had a much smaller oven of around 0.17g, so this is one of the biggest improvements in the new Mini.

Heat Settings

PAX Plus: Four Experience Modes, selected with the button and shown by the LED petals:

• Stealth Mode (1 petal): Minimal vapor for discreet sessions.
• Efficiency Mode (2 petals): A slow, relaxed session that stretches your herb.
• Flavor Mode (3 petals): Focused on taste with solid vapor.
• Boost Mode (4 petals): Maximum vapor and extraction, and best for concentrates.

PAX doesn't list exact temperatures for the Plus modes, but they're estimated at roughly 356°F to 419°F.

PAX Mini: Four heat modes with listed temperatures:

• Petal 1: 356°F / 180°C
• Petal 2: 374°F / 190°C
• Petal 3: 392°F / 200°C
• Petal 4: 420°F / 215°C

The original Mini had just one setting, so the new Mini now matches the Plus for flexibility.

PAX Plus: Vapor ranges from light and flavorful in Stealth and Flavor Mode to thick and punchy in Boost Mode. Flavor is strongest early in a session and fades as you go.

PAX Mini: Light, tasty vapor that's easy to take in. Lip-sensing technology adjusts the heat as you draw, and the top mode delivers noticeably denser clouds. Slow, steady draws give the best results.

Both are conduction vaporizers, so they perform best with short, relaxed sips rather than big pulls.

Features Side by Side

• Haptic feedback: Both vibrate when turning on, when ready and when turning off.
• Shake to check battery: Both. The petals show your remaining charge.
• Shake to confirm mode: Both.
• Concentrate use: PAX Plus only, with the included concentrate insert.
• Adjustable LED brightness: PAX Mini.

Heat up: The PAX Mini is faster, ready in about 22 seconds. The PAX Plus takes about 30 seconds, depending on the mode.

Battery: Both last around an hour or a little more per charge, depending on your mode and how long you draw. Expect about 75 minutes from the Plus and about 60 minutes from the Mini.

Warranty

• PAX Plus: 10-year limited warranty
• PAX Mini: 2-year warranty, plus 1 more year when you register

The Plus's 10-year warranty is one of the longest in the industry and remains one of its biggest advantages.

PAX Plus Pros

• Ultra-pocketable
• Fast heat up
• Four preset Experience Modes
• Thick, punchy vapor in Boost Mode
• Large oven, with a half-pack lid
• Works with dry herb and concentrates
• 10-year warranty

PAX Mini Pros

• Ultra-pocketable and slightly smaller
• Even faster 22-second heat up
• Four heat modes with listed temperatures
• Light, tasty vapor
• Large 0.5g oven, with a half lid
• Easy to use, great for beginners
• Up to 3 years of warranty with registration

Choose the PAX Mini if you want the simplest, most compact PAX for dry herb. With four heat modes and a bigger oven, the current Mini offers nearly everything the Plus does, and it's easy for beginners and daily users alike. Read our full PAX Mini review or shop the PAX Mini.

Choose the PAX Plus if you want one device for both dry herb and concentrates, or if the 10-year warranty is a priority. Keep in mind the PAX Plus is being phased out, so availability is limited. See our full PAX Plus review.

Want more power? The PAX 4 brings hybrid heating to the classic PAX shape for stronger vapor, and the PAX Flow is the most powerful PAX yet.

Both the Plus and Mini work with the PAX Charging Tray and PAX Water Pipe Adapter. Browse all PAX vaporizers or compare the full lineup in our PAX vaporizer comparisons.

Review Written By: Riley Heinrichs

Riley Heinrichs is the owner and founder of Canadian Vaporizers. He started working in the vaporizer industry at 19 and has spent more than 10 years running online vaporizer and cannabis accessory stores. In that time, he has personally tested almost every vaporizer on the market, from pocket-sized pens to full desktop units.

Riley is a daily cannabis user who uses it to stay focused and motivated, not to slow down. That hands-on, everyday experience shapes every review he writes. He knows what matters when you're actually using a device day after day: how it hits, how long the battery lasts, how easy it is to clean and whether it's worth the money. His goal is to give Canadians honest, straightforward advice so they can choose the right vaporizer the first time.

Our reviews and ratings are based on personal testing and over a decade of industry experience. They reflect the opinion of the author and are meant as a helpful starting point for your research. We encourage every reader to compare options before making a purchase.