The PAX Mini 2 beats the PAX Plus, 8.4 to 7.9. Both list at $150 in the US and vape almost the same, so the Mini 2's smaller body and stronger value score decide it. Pick the Plus if a 10-year warranty or a bigger battery matters more to you than size.
Key differences
- Size: the Mini 2 is 93 mm tall and weighs 89 g. The Plus is 98 mm and 93 g.
- Battery: the Plus carries 3300 mAh against the Mini 2's 2000 mAh.
- Warranty: 10 years on the Plus. The Mini 2 gets 2 years, plus a bonus year if you register within 30 days.
- Oven: both hold up to 0.5 g of firmly packed cannabis, and both take a half-pack lid for solo sessions of up to 0.25 g.
- Concentrates: the Plus Complete Kit includes the concentrate insert. The Mini 2 takes the same insert, sold separately.
- Price: $150 US list price for both. Deals move, so check the live prices above, and look at kit contents before you jump on a cheap Plus.
Vapor: nearly a coin flip
Both heat by conduction through a stainless steel oven, with four heat modes on one button. The Mini 2 shows them as colors, from Purple, the coolest and most discreet, up to Orange for the thickest clouds. The Plus names them Stealth, Efficiency, Flavor and Boost. Start low for taste and step up as the bowl browns.
In side-by-side testing we found very little difference in vapor or session length. The Mini 2 edged our vapor score, 7.2 to 7.0.
The Plus adds a lip sensor that adjusts heating when it detects contact. In practice, it gave only a marginal boost. The Mini 2's draw is tight and the Plus's is moderate, so pack firmly and pull slowly on either. Our convection vs conduction guide explains why packing matters so much with these ovens.
Size, controls and daily carry
The Mini 2 scored 9.2 for ease of use against 8.8 for the Plus. Hold the mouthpiece to power on, tap to cycle modes, then shake or wait to confirm. The Plus works almost the same way, with its named modes behind a two-second hold.
Portability ties at 9.5 and build ties at 8.5. Five millimeters sounds trivial, yet the Mini 2 disappears into a closed fist more easily. One catch: its body gets warm toward the end of longer sessions, so hold it by the top half.
The PAX Mini 2 (left) standing beside the taller PAX Plus on a wooden table
Battery and charging
PAX rates the Plus at over two hours of use per charge, and we got about 10 sessions from it. PAX rates the Mini 2 at 45 to 60 minutes, or 3 to 4 full sessions. If you vape all day away from home, that gap is the Plus's second big argument.
Neither vape has a USB-C port on the body. Both clip onto a proprietary magnetic cable, which leaves you stuck if you lose it. The Mini 2 recharges in about 90 minutes and the Plus in about 2.5 hours. Neither battery is user-replaceable.
Warranty, kits and value
The warranty is the Plus's trump card. PAX covers it for 10 years, though normal battery wear is excluded on both vapes. At the same $150 US list price, that long cover costs nothing extra, and a discounted Starter Kit makes the Plus cheaper still.
Value still goes to the Mini 2, 8.5 to 6.8. It ships with a half-pack lid, both mouthpieces, a multi-tool and spare screens. The Plus Starter Kit skips the half-pack lid, multi-tool and insert, so compare kits, not just prices. The Mini 2 is also the discreet pick in our best budget vaporizers ranking.
Upgrading from an older PAX
Coming from the original Mini? The Mini 2 adds four heat modes, a bigger oven with a half-pack lid and haptic feedback. It gives up battery, though: PAX rates it at 45 to 60 minutes per charge against about 150 minutes on the original.
Coming from a PAX 2 or PAX 3? The Plus is the natural step, since your PAX 2 and PAX 3 accessories carry over. The Mini 2 takes the Plus half-pack lid and concentrate insert too.
Want better vapor than either? The PAX Flow moves to hybrid heating at $350 US list price.
Which should you buy?
- Pocket carry above all: the Mini 2, the smaller of two tiny vapes.
- Beginners: the Mini 2, with the simplest one-button routine.
- Long-term owners: the Plus, for its 10-year warranty.
- Flower plus concentrates: the Plus Complete Kit, with the insert in the box.
- Long days away from a charger: the Plus, with its larger battery.
