Our pick
Pax 3 Complete Kit
A great choice for newbies and experienced cannabis users alike, the Pax 3 can last several sessions, tucks neatly into a purse or pocket, and is relatively simple to clean. We don’t love its mouthpiece or charger, though.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $200.
Pax is discontinuing the 3 we recommend and replacing it with two new models, the Pax Plus and the Pax Mini. We’re testing the Plus and Mini and will update this review with our findings.
Budtenders we spoke with unanimously recommended the Pax 3, and our test panel agreed: It’s the portable vaporizer they’d buy for themselves. It’s easy to load and intuitive to use. It heats quickly (in about 20 seconds), pulls well, produces vapors with great flavor, and is easy enough to clean, with no impossible-to-reach parts. And it lasted about two of our test sessions on a single charge. Although this model can connect to the Pax app, which lets you tinker with the temperature and other device settings, the Pax 3 is fully functional even without using the app. We don’t love this model’s proprietary charger, non-replaceable battery, and oddly shaped mouthpiece, though.
Runner-up
AirVape Legacy Pro
The AirVape Legacy Pro is just as easy to load as the Pax 3 and has a nicer mouthpiece. But it doesn’t last quite as long on a single charge, and its vapors are slightly lacking in flavor.
The AirVape Legacy Pro is about as intuitive to use and as easy to load as the Pax 3, and it heats up just as quickly (in about 15 seconds). Unlike the Pax 3 (and Apollo’s original Legacy), the Legacy Pro has a door that snaps shut, so you can feel solid your product is safe inside. The Legacy Pro lasts about a session on a single charge, compared with the Pax 3’s two sessions. But we much prefer the Legacy Pro’s longer, flatter mouthpiece to that of the Pax model. There’s no app to nerd out on: You adjust the temperature with straightforward up and down arrows on the device itself. In our experience, the Legacy Pro’s vapor flavor came off a bit more thin, with more waifish plumage (although it’s still plenty tasty and milky). You can charge the Legacy Pro via USB-C or wirelessly, so you will stress less about possibly losing a proprietary cable.
Also great
Storz & Bickel Mighty
The Mighty is less portable than all of our other picks, and it takes longer to heat up. But it dependably produces the tastiest vapors.
The Storz & Bickel Mighty is far bulkier than the Pax 3 and AirVape Legacy, but it produces the best-tasting vapors of any portable vaporizer we’ve tested. Because of its size, this model is likely to appeal to someone who plans to use it mainly at home. Its heat-up time hits closer to 90 seconds, which can be a slog in comparison with those of our other picks. There’s no app to mess with (you control all temperature and other settings on the device itself). But we dislike this model’s reliance on a proprietary power adapter.
Also great
Firefly 2+
The high-capacity Firefly 2+ quickly produces intense, tasty vapor. And with its visible heating chamber, it’s super easy to clean.
Unlike the chambers on our other picks, the Firefly 2+’s chamber is visible, so you can see how much viable material is packed and better gauge when it’s time to re-up. In use, it feels similar to the type of bowl you might smoke cannabis with—only no lighter is required. The fastest of all our picks to heat up (2 seconds quicker than the speedy Magic Flight Launch Box), the Firefly 2+ takes around 3 to 5 seconds to be ready for use. Like the Pax 3, the Firefly 2+ can sync to an app for fine-tuning temperature and other settings. Like the Pax 3 and the AirVape Legacy, the Firefly 2+ has a proprietary charger. This vape is a worthwhile addition to an existing vape collection, but we don’t recommend relying on it as your primary (or only) option.
