PAX 3 vs FireFly 2 Plus - Which one is better?
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated for accuracy, freshness and comprehensiveness.
Table of Content:
Meet the PAX 3 and the Firefly 2+
The PAX 3 and Firefly 2+ are two of the most popular portable vaporizers on the market today, and itâs not hard to see whyâliterally. These slim, lightweight devices are both top contenders for the âWhich vaporizer gives off the strongest iPhone vibesâ award, and they back up their good looks with high level performance.Â
Jokes aside, both of these devices have won numerous real awards thanks to their premium design and superior vapour quality.
Both of them are dual use vaporizersâmeaning theyâre equally well suited to meeting the needs of dry herb lovers and concentrate aficionadosâand both come with warranties that are among the best in the vape world.Â
In fact, the PAX 3 and Firefly 2+ are so evenly matched that itâs hard to say, at first glance, which one of these vapes is âbetterâ (always a highly subjective question in any case, but bear with us).
However, by digging into both the quantitative and qualitative criteria, we can get a reasonable idea of which vape offers a more attractive bargain.
Letâs begin:
PAX 3 vs. Firefly 2+: A Quick Comparison
Hereâs a brief rundown of all the key stats you should know about each of these vapes:Â
 | ||
Price: |
ÂŁ154.99 |
ÂŁ219.89 |
Compatible With:Â |
Dry Herb and Concentrates |
Dry Herb and Concentrates |
Dimensions: |
9.8 cm x 3.1 cm x 2.2 cm |
13 cm x 3.5 cm x 2.4 cm |
Weight: |
93 g |
140 g |
Chamber Capacity: |
0.35 g |
0.2 g |
Heating System: |
Conduction |
Convection |
Battery: |
3500mAh Lithium Ion |
770mAh Lithium Ion |
Battery Life: |
8-10 Sessions |
5-6 Sessions |
Charging Time: |
2.5 Hours USB / 90 Minutes AC Adapter |
45 Minutes |
Temperature Range: |
182° C â 215° C |
140° - 220° C |
Temperature Display: |
LED Notification Lights |
LED Screen |
Auto Shut Off: |
Yes |
Yes |
Smartphone Compatibility: |
Yes |
Yes |
Notable Functions: |
|
|
Whatâs in the Box: |
|
|
Warranty: |
10 Years |
2 Years |
1. Design: PAX 3 vs. Firefly 2+
The PAX 3 is a vape that delights both the eyes and the handsâthe sleek, polished metal body gives a feeling of solidity and power whilst still fitting comfortably in your palm.
And PAX have recently announced that the device is available in a wide range of new colours (including sand, sage, and burgundy), which is always a welcome touch for the aesthetically inclined.
Checkout: The In-depth Pax 3 Review Here
The Firefly 2+ might be one of the only portable vaporizers that can compete with the PAX 3 when it comes to the eye test.
Like its competitor, the body of the Firefly 2+ is fashioned from handsome metal, and itâs also available in multiple colours.
Itâs slightly heavier than the PAX 3, but to be honest the total weights of the two devices are so low that most people wonât notice much of a difference.
Checkout: The In-depth Firefly 2 Plus Review Here
In terms of design, itâs hard to go wrong with either vaporizer. The biggest deciding factor would probably be the colour (even in this regard, thereâs quite a bit of overlap). Theyâre both well-made and stylish, though, so itâs really a tossup.Â
Winner: Tie
2. Ease of Use: PAX 3 vs. Firefly 2+
The designers of the PAX 3 took a minimalist approach when building this vape, which results in a device thatâs intuitive and user friendly.
Loading the device is as simple as popping off the magnetic chamber lid at the bottom and adding your dry herb or concentrate (for the latter, make sure to use the special insert included in the kit to prevent a mess).
A single button near the mouthpiece controls functions like power, temperature control, and taking hits. You can also use the smartphone app to tweak your session settings even more precisely.Â
Loading the Firefly 2+ is slightly more of a processâyou have to remove the lid from the top of the device to reveal the oven chamber, which then allows you to load your material (again, remember to use the concentrate pods if you donât want to spend a long time scrubbing out the chamber).
Instead of one button controls like the PAX 3, the Firefly 2+ features two touch sensors near the bottom of the device, which can be used in much the same way.
Once again, itâs tough to pick a winner between the two. However, since the PAX 3 is a little easier to load (and thereâs something reassuring about a physical button), it gets the nod in our opinion.
Winner: PAX 3
3. Temperature Options: PAX 3 vs. Firefly 2+
The PAX 3 has a fairly impressive range of temperatures: 182° C â 215° C, which lets you unlock a variety of âsensationsâ from your vape material (pro tip: choose higher temps for more intensity).
While you can exert rudimentary control over the temperature using the controls on the device itself, downloading the PAX Mobile App will allow you to choose between âDynamic Modesâ like Boost or Stealth.
The Firefly 2+ also comes with a smartphone app, but the temperature range you can choose on it is considerably wider than that of the PAX 3: 140° - 220° C.
This can be a welcome touch if youâre looking for especially potent (or mellow) effects from your session.
The Firefly 2+ also features a âdynamic heating systemâ that gradually raises the temperature of your material as you inhale, which unlocks a fuller flavour profile.
Whilst itâs nice that both devices come with smartphone apps, thereâs not a whole lot of differentiation in this regard.
In our opinion, the superior temperature range and versatile heating system of the Firefly 2+ outweighs the PAX 3âs Dynamic Modes.Â
Winner: Firefly 2+
4. Vapour Quality: PAX 3 vs. Firefly 2+
The PAX 3 is known for producing surprisingly robust clouds of vapour for such a small device.
It uses a conduction heating systemâin which the material is heated by direct physical contact with the oven chamberâbut it also has an isolated air path, which helps keep your vapour from acquiring that unpleasant metallic taste.
Plus, the Stealth mode can be a godsend when youâre vaping in public and want to keep a low profile.
The Firefly 2+ has also gained legions of loyal fans who appreciate its thick, satisfying clouds of vapour. Unlike the PAX 3, it uses a convection heating system (in which superheated air is used to vaporize your material), which gives the Firefly 2+âs vapour a âcleanerâ taste to some people.
Also, the dynamic heating modes mean that your materialâs terpenesâthe molecules that give the material its smell and tasteâare released gradually, resulting in a more developed flavour.Â
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, itâs hard to choose between the two! But once again, the Firefly 2+ gets the thumbs up from us, thanks to its contactless convection heating method and the prospect of preserving more tasty terpenes.Â
Winner: Firefly 2+
5. Cleaning and Maintenance: PAX 3 vs. Firefly 2+
The PAX 3 could easily (and aptly) be described as the lazy personâs vape.
Cleaning takes just a few moments: pop off the bottom lid, scrape out any excess material, and give it a quick wipe with a cotton swab and some isopropyl alcohol.
Youâll also want to wipe down the mouthpiece with the aforementioned cotton swab/alcohol mixture, or just some warm water and a paper towel, Do this after every six sessions or so and your PAX 3 will stay in tip top shape.
The Firefly 2+ is also a breeze to clean and maintain, though thereâs a little more work to get to the oven chamber.
Once you pop off the lid, the process is pretty much the same: pick out any residue, then give the oven chamber a quick rub down with some isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab.
A moderate user can clean the Firefly 2+ once a week and be in good shape, though if youâre a more frequent vaper youâll probably want to do this every few days.
Both devices are decidedly low maintenance, and cleaning doesnât take much more than a minute in either case. However, since the PAX 3 makes it a bit easier to get at the bits that need tidying, it wins the prize here.
Winner: PAX 3
Final Verdict: Which Is Better, PAX 3 or Firefly 2+?
No matter which device you pick, youâre getting a stylish and pocket-friendly portable vape that lets you customise your sessions to a remarkable degree.
Both the PAX 3 and the Firefly 2+ are durable as well, thanks to those shiny metal bodies, and they both feature a nice mix of high end features (regardless of the occasional hiccups with the apps) and simple, user-friendly interfaces.Â
They have their downsides as well, of course. As mentioned before, sometimes you just donât feel like fiddling with an app.
And whilst sometimes the discreteness of the LED notification lights suits your purposes perfectly, in other cases you might prefer having an old fashioned display screen on the device so you can check the temperature or battery life at a momentâs notice.
In the end, though, these are two of the best portable vaporizers money can buyâand the PAX 3 costs considerably less money.
Throw in the mammoth 10 year manufacturerâs warranty, and youâre getting quite a lot of bang for your metaphorical (or literal) buck. The PAX 3 gets our pick here, but if you beg to differ, we certainly wonât argue.Â