- Pax 2 Vaporizer ($280)
When we heard their was a new Pax in the works, we were super excited. Not that we don’t love the 1.0 version, but it was clear that there were several user experience issues that needed to be addressed, and with the Pax 2, they most certainly were.
Let’s start with the mouthpiece. The original mouthpiece on the Pax 1.0 is a unique design in that it doubles as a mouthpiece and a power switch to easily turn the device on and off. Simply press down on the mouthpiece to pop it out and the device powers on and begins heating up. However, as many users will tell you, if you miss a few cleanings or, like some folks we spoke to, don’t really clean it at all (not recommended), you’re more than likely to encounter a jam. The mouthpiece tends to get stuck in the off position due to resin buildup and no matter how much you push, pry, and press, it refuses to pop out and turn on. While Pax support and other sites suggest applying heat to the unit via a hairdryer to loosen up the mouthpiece, it doesn’t always seem to work. Not to mention that many of the guys we spoke to don’t really own said beauty device, so figuring out a way to pop the mouthpiece open and turn the damn thing on can often prove to be quite a hassle.
Thankfully the folks at Pax realized all this and made a vast improvement to the overall design of the mouthpiece that fixes the issue and makes operation smoother than your latest batch of cannabis butter (which, regrettably, you cannot smoke with your Pax).
The new design features a small rubber pad with a tiny vent where the vapor is drawn from. Pushing a small circular button in the center of the pad powers the device on and holding your finger on the button controls the temperature settings. Although this seems like a minor tweak, it solves a major issue—no more jamming. And the Pax team didn’t stop there. They also added a sensor to the mouthpiece that actually senses when your lips touch the device and uses this information to automatically adjust your heat settings accordingly. This provides a smooth, consistent draw and ensures the device doesn’t overcook your nugs when you’re not actually pulling from it.
Beyond the new mouthpiece, the Pax 2 also features several other innovative improvements that truly separate it from the competition. It comes with an intelligent heating and cooling system for greater efficiency, motion sensing that lets you shake the device to display up to 4 different battery levels, 4 different controllable heat settings, an integrated LED indicator that serves double-duty as a no-frills gaming device (insert appropriate WTF here), and a deeper oven to pack in more buds. Amazingly, all this is housed in a smaller, slimmer, and lighter overall design that’s topped off with a new and very sexy brushed aluminum finish, making what we can confidently say is one of the better, if not the best looking, portable vaporizers out on the market today.
Plus just like with the original Pax, the new Pax 2 comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty, so you can rest easy knowing your $280 investment is well protected. Happy vaping.
