The Best PAX Flow and PAX Four Accessories: Sleeves, Mouthpieces, Docks, Water Pipe Adapters, the Puck Press, and What Still Fits a PAX 3

PAX sells more accessories than any other portable vaporizer brand, and almost none of them fit every PAX. That is the whole problem with shopping for one. The PAX Flow arrived in mid-2025 with a sideways oven and a door instead of a lid, so it needs its own screens, its own mouthpieces, its own sleeve, and its own charging dock. The PAX Four followed in March 2026 with a new oven lid and a new body, so it needs its own mouthpieces and sleeve too, but it shares its screens with the older models and its water pipe adapter with the Flow. Underneath both sits a decade of parts built for the PAX Plus, the PAX Mini, and the PAX 3, most of which still fit each other and none of which fit the Flow.

This guide maps all of it: what each accessory changes about a session, which PAX it actually fits, and what it costs at PAX.com, The Stash Shack, Headshop.com, To The Cloud, Mind Vapes, Smoke Cartel, DankStop and Daily High Club, with prices and stock checked in September 2026 at the time of writing. PAX ovens reward a fine grind and a firm pack more than most, so read our guide to packing a dry herb vaporizer alongside this one; two of the best accessories here exist purely to make that pack repeatable. For where each model sits in the range, see our PAX vaporizers collection.

Contents16 sections

1. Quick Picks
2. Which PAX Do You Own? The Three Platforms
3. Grip Sleeves: The First Thing to Buy for a Flow
4. Mouthpieces: Flat Versus Raised, and What They Change
5. Charging: Two Flow Docks, One Fast Charger, and the Classic Cable
6. Oven Parts: Screens, Lids, and the Flow Door
7. Loading Tools: The Puck Press, Multi-Tool, Tongs, and Tray
8. Water Pipe Adapters and Bong Mode
9. Concentrates: The Insert for the Plus and PAX 3
10. Cleaning and Maintenance
11. Grinders, Storage, and Carry
12. Build Your Kit by Budget
13. What to Skip, or at Least Buy Last
14. Compatibility Cheat Sheet
15. Frequently Asked Questions
16. The Bottom Line

Quick Picks

If you only buy a few things, buy these:

Which PAX Do You Own? The Three Platforms

Every purchase gets easier once you know that PAX currently makes three families of parts, and that the names on the boxes do not always tell you which family you are in.

• The Flow platform. The PAX Flow is the only PAX with a side-mounted oven that loads through a detachable door. PAX's own note says the Flow "has limited cross compatibility with other PAX device accessories," and in practice nothing from the older models fits it. Its grip sleeve, oven screens, oven door, mouthpieces and both charging docks are Flow-only; it shares the water pipe adapter and the fast wall charger with the Four; and it charges through a USB-C port in the base, so the older magnetic cable and wooden tray are useless to it.
• The Four platform. The PAX Four has a redesigned oven with a lift-off lid, and PAX states plainly that the "PAX Four oven lid, mouthpieces and grip sleeve are not compatible with any other device." The oven itself takes the same 3D screen as the Plus and Mini, so the Premium Maintenance Kit fits, and it shares the Flow's water pipe adapter and 20W fast wall charger. It charges through a USB-C port on the side, and it does not take the concentrate insert, the half-pack lid or the Puck Press.
• The classic platform. The PAX Plus, the current PAX Mini (PAX calls it the Mini Gen 2, stores call it the Mini 2), the PAX 3, and the PAX 2 share a magnetic oven lid, a half-pack lid, flat and raised mouthpieces, flat and 3D oven screens, the magnetic charging cable, the wooden charging tray, the Puck Press, and their own water pipe adapter. The Plus and PAX 3 also share the concentrate insert. The Mini has its own grip sleeves; the Plus, PAX 3 and PAX 2 share another.

The one trap inside the classic family is the original PAX Mini. The Gen 1 Mini has a smaller oven of about 0.2g that PAX says does not take the half-pack lid, and its own grip sleeve; the current Mini takes the same lids as the Plus. If your Mini shipped with a magnetic USB-C cable and four heat modes, it is the current one.

The compatibility table

How the ovens and the half-pack system work

The classic PAX oven is a rectangular steel chamber in the base of the device, closed by a magnetic lid that is also the bottom of the unit, with a screen at the top where the vapor path begins. The original screens are flat discs; the newer 3D oven screen snaps in and pops out with the multi-tool or a push of the wire brush from the mouthpiece end, and it is what the Plus, current Mini and Four ship with. PAX puts the Plus and PAX 3 oven at about 0.35g to 0.5g of ground flower, which is a lot for a solo session.

The half-pack lid fixes that. It is a deeper lid that pushes up into the oven and fills the space you did not, so a 0.17g to 0.25g load still sits pressed against the conduction walls instead of rattling above them. That matters on a PAX because the classic oven heats by contact, and a half-empty oven gives thin, uneven vapor. It is the single most useful part for anyone who vapes alone on a Plus, current Mini or PAX 3, and our guide to microdosing with a dry herb vaporizer explains why smaller loads are worth the effort.

The Four keeps the classic oven size, about 0.3g, but reshapes it with a funnel entry and a lid that lifts from a side tab, and its hybrid heater adds convection airflow to the conduction walls. PAX's advice is to "lightly tamp down the material in the oven until it's full." There is no half-pack lid for it.

The Flow is different again. Its oven sits sideways in the body and loads through a door you open by pressing the circle on its face; the door detaches completely and the whole airpath opens for cleaning. PAX rates the oven at up to 0.4g, though reviewers consistently land on about 0.3g as the load that draws best, and the hybrid heater prefers a lighter pack than the classic ovens. There is no half-pack lid or Puck Press for the Flow, so a smaller load means a gentler tamp rather than a spacer.

The PAX app, and why most owners never see it

The PAX app is not an accessory, but it decides how much control you have over a PAX 3, and it is the first thing new Flow and Four owners go looking for. It runs on Android and as a web app in Chrome on a computer; iPhone users install the Connect Browser and open the web app inside it, because Apple removed vaporizer apps from its store in 2019. On a PAX 3 it sets the temperature in single degree steps from 360°F to 420°F instead of four fixed petals, switches between the Standard, Boost, Efficiency, Stealth and Flavor profiles, locks the device, changes the LED color and brightness, sets the haptics, and can help find a lost device.

None of that reaches the newer models. PAX built the app's profiles into the Plus as its four Experience Modes and dropped Bluetooth, the current Mini has no app, and the Flow and Four are deliberately app-free: five heat modes on the Flow and four on the Four, chosen with the button, with no firmware updates and no fine temperature control. Our guide to what temperature to vape flower will help you pick the closest petal; if the app matters to you, the PAX 3 is the only PAX that still talks to it.

Grip Sleeves: The First Thing to Buy for a Flow

A silicone sleeve sounds cosmetic until you run a Flow through a full session. Its hybrid heater runs the oven at 180°C to 215°C in normal modes and 225°C in Bong Mode, and the aluminum shell carries that heat to your hand. PAX's product page says outright that "it is recommended to use PAX Flow only with a grip sleeve," the sleeve listing adds "recommended for long high-heat sessions," and reviewers agree that the Flow gets uncomfortably hot with extended use. PAX has been including a sleeve free with every Flow while supplies last, so check the box before you buy a second.

PAX Flow Grip Sleeve, $15

A custom-fit silicone jacket for the Flow with a soft-touch surface and a pattern of cutouts. It adds grip, takes the edge off the shell temperature, and protects the anodized finish from pocket scratches. Two things to know: it is Flow only, and the original Flow charging dock does not accept a sleeved device, so if you own that dock you will be pulling the sleeve off to charge, which is why PAX released a second dock, covered below. Buy it from Headshop.com for $12.99, where it is one option on the PAX Flow Accessories page, or direct from PAX for $15 in Onyx. The Stash Shack has it for $15, Mind Vapes for $18.99, and To The Cloud for $19.99. If you are buying the device itself, The Stash Shack's Flow with Grip Sleeve bundle was $315 at the time of writing against PAX's $350.

PAX Four Grip Sleeve, $15

The Four runs cooler than the Flow and its shell is already textured, so its sleeve is less a necessity than a case that stays on: a slim silicone wrap with cutouts for the petals and the USB-C port, Four only, and bundled at half price with a stash tube and multi-tool if you buy the Aurora Burst Four. PAX sells it for $15 in Onyx and Headshop.com for $15.99. To The Cloud lists it at $14.99 but was sold out when we checked.

Sleeves for the Plus, PAX 3, and Mini

The classic PAX Grip Sleeve fits the Plus, PAX 3 and PAX 2, costs $15, and PAX has all four colors (Onyx, Periwinkle, Sage, Lavender) in stock at the time of writing with the note that it is "available while supplies last," which usually means it will not be replaced once it sells through. It leaves the magnetic charging contacts exposed so the device charges with it on. The Mini needs its own: the PAX Mini Grip Sleeve for the current Mini is $15, and the Gen 1 Mini sleeve is a separate $15 part that only fits the original. Check which Mini you own before ordering.

Mouthpieces: Flat Versus Raised, and What They Change

Every PAX ships with two silicone mouthpieces, and the difference is bigger than it looks. The flat mouthpiece sits flush with the top of the device, keeps the profile clean enough to pass as a phone battery, and puts your lips against the shell. The raised mouthpiece stands proud of the body, lifts your lips off the aluminum, and opens the draw. On the Flow and Four, whose whole pitch is a freer airpath, PAX says the raised piece lets you "unlock the full airflow potential" of the device, and its vapor advice for the Four is to swap mouthpieces to change the airflow. Most owners settle on raised at home and flat in a pocket. All are sold in two-packs, and all are platform-specific.

Tip: The mouthpiece is also the button on every PAX. If the device stops registering presses or the lip sensor becomes erratic, a worn or dirty mouthpiece is the usual reason, which is why a spare pair is the cheapest troubleshooting step you can buy. Our guide to blinking lights and error codes covers what the petals are trying to tell you.

PAX Flow Raised and Flat Mouthpieces, $15 a pair

Flow mouthpieces are shaped for the Flow's wider airpath, and The Stash Shack's listing is blunt that "they are not intended for other PAX models." The raised pair is the one to buy if your Flow shipped with the flat piece installed and you have been fighting the draw; it opens the path, keeps your lips off the hot shell, and leaves a spare for the wash. Headshop.com has Onyx and Greenstone raised pairs at $12.99 on its PAX Flow Replacement Parts page, and PAX's own raised two-pack is $15 with only Greenstone in stock when we checked, while The Stash Shack has both colors for $15. The flat pair is $12.99 at Headshop.com, $15 at PAX in both colors, and $15 at The Stash Shack; To The Cloud lists both from $13.99.

PAX Four Raised and Flat Mouthpieces, $15 a pair

The Four's mouthpieces are a third shape again and fit only the Four. PAX sells the raised pair for $15 and the flat pair for $15, both in Onyx, and Headshop.com has either pair for $15.99 in Onyx or Greenstone on its PAX Four Replacement Parts page. Buy the raised pair first: the Four is the hardest-hitting PAX and its biggest clouds come from the orange petal at 220°C, exactly when you want your lips off the shell.

Mouthpieces for the Plus, Mini, PAX 3 and PAX 2

The classic mouthpieces fit all four older devices, which is why they are the easiest PAX part to find. PAX sells the raised two-pack for $15 and the flat two-pack for $15, and stock is the thing to watch: black is in stock for both, sage is in for the flat only, and the periwinkle and elderberry pairs were sold out in both styles when we checked. Headshop.com has a flat pair for $11.99 and a mixed pack for $12, and Daily High Club's $16.99 pack is one flat and one raised, which is the sensible spare set if you switch between the two.

Charging: Two Flow Docks, One Fast Charger, and the Classic Cable

PAX changed how its devices charge twice in two years, and the accessories only make sense once you know which system you have.

The Flow and the Four have a plain USB-C port on the body, the Flow's in the base and the Four's on the side, and ship with a cable and no dock. Both charge from any USB-C source, but the Flow's headline "100% in less than 40 minutes" needs a supply of at least 1.5A; PAX says a standard source takes about 90 minutes. The Four takes about 90 minutes either way, and PAX rates it at roughly 50 minutes or up to five sessions per charge against about 30 minutes or three sessions for the Flow, so the Flow owner is the one who feels the difference between a fast and a slow charger. Our guide to vaporizer battery life has the habits that stretch both.

The Plus, Mini, PAX 3 and PAX 2 charge through magnetic contacts on the bottom of the device. The current charger is a magnetic puck on a USB-C cable that replaced the old USB-A cable and the PAX 2 and 3 cradle dock, which PAX no longer sells.

The New PAX Flow Charging Dock, $30

PAX has sold two Flow docks. The original, at $24, is a weighted base the Flow stands in so its USB-C port meets the connector, with one flaw: "a device with a grip sleeve installed will not fit on this charging dock," in PAX's words, so owners were peeling the sleeve off every night. The new dock fixes that with a removable inner silicone cup. Leave the cup in and it holds a bare Flow; take it out and a sleeved Flow drops in and charges. Neither dock includes a cable, so pair it with the fast wall charger below and a USB-C cable you already own. Buy the new dock from PAX for $30, where all four colors were in stock at the time of writing. The Stash Shack and Mind Vapes list a Flow dock at around $30 without saying which version it is, so if the sleeve matters, buy from PAX and look for "now compatible with the PAX Flow Grip Sleeve" in the listing.

The original PAX Flow Charging Dock, $24

If you run your Flow bare, the original dock does the same job for less: it looks better than a loose cable, keeps the Flow upright with the mouthpiece clear of the table, and charges through USB-C at full speed. PAX has the Onyx version for $24 with Greenstone and Blue Haze sold out, and Headshop.com lists Onyx and Greenstone at $24.99. Just remember the sleeve rule before you buy.

PAX USB-C Fast-Charging Wall Charger, $20

A compact 20W USB-C wall adapter with folding prongs that PAX describes as "designed specifically for the latest generation of PAX devices," meaning the Flow and the Four. It clears the 1.5A the Flow needs for its 40 minute charge, it is the supply to put behind either dock, and it ships without a cable. Any good 20W USB-C phone charger does the same job, so buy this one for a matching, known-safe brick rather than because it is unique; it also drives the classic magnetic cable if you own a mixed collection. Buy it from PAX for $20.

PAX USB-C Magnetic Charging Cable, $15

The charger for everything older: a magnetic puck that snaps onto the contacts under a Plus, current Mini, PAX 3 or PAX 2, on a cable that ends in USB-C. PAX lists it for "PAX 2, PAX 3, PAX MINI, PAX MINI (Gen 2) and PAX PLUS," it drops into the wooden charging tray, and it pairs with the fast wall charger. If your PAX 3 still charges from the original cradle this is the upgrade PAX points you to, and if you have lost a Plus or Mini cable it is the only official replacement. Buy it from PAX for $15. Third-party listings for the older USB-A "mini charger" were all sold out, so treat those as gone; if only the wall plug on a PAX 2 or 3 cradle has died, the $5 PAX 2/3 AC adaptor is still sold.

PAX Plus and Mini Desktop Charging Tray, $35

A block of solid walnut, maple or white oak with a slot for the magnetic cable and a no-slip base, so the device stands upright to charge and the puck stays where you left it. It fits the Plus, current Mini, PAX 3 and PAX 2 and "works exclusively with the PAX USB Charger," meaning the magnetic cable above, not the old cradle. It is a desk luxury, but charging a PAX upright is also what our PAX 3 review recommends to stop residue creeping into the mouthpiece. PAX had walnut in stock at $35 with maple and white oak sold out, and every third-party listing was sold out too.

Note: Register a new Flow or Four on PAX's site within 30 days of purchase. PAX extends the Flow's two year warranty by another two years and the Four's by one year when you do, which is a better deal than any accessory on this page.

Oven Parts: Screens, Lids, and the Flow Door

Screens are the consumable on a PAX. They clog with resin, the draw tightens and vapor thins long before the device looks dirty, which is why PAX says to clean every three to five sessions and why a spare screen is the first maintenance part to keep in a drawer. Lids and doors are not consumables, but they are small, magnetic, and easy to lose in a car.

PAX Flow Oven Screens, from $8.99

The Flow's sideways oven takes a screen shaped for it and nothing else. It drops flat onto the oven floor and lifts out by an edge once cool, and PAX sells it in a three-pack for $10. Keep a rotation: one in the device, one soaking, one clean. Headshop.com has the three-pack for $8.99 on its PAX Flow Replacement Parts page, PAX has it for $10, The Stash Shack for $10, and To The Cloud for $9.99.

PAX Flow Replacement Door, $20

The Flow's oven door makes the design work, and PAX calls it "a critical piece in the all new design." It seals the oven, carries the press-to-open circle, and comes off completely for loading, which is also how it ends up on the floor of a car. A spare is $20 and worth buying before you need it, because a Flow without its door is a paperweight. Buy it from PAX in Onyx or Greenstone; nobody else stocks it.

PAX Four Oven Lid, $15

The Four's lid is the redesigned piece with the side tab and the airflow channel, and PAX confirms it fits no other device. Like every PAX lid it is magnetic and it is the bottom of the device, so if it goes missing the Four will not run. PAX sells it for $15 and no other store carried it when we checked.

PAX Premium Maintenance Kit, $15: the 3D screens for the Four, Plus and Mini

The Four uses the same 3D oven screen as the Plus and current Mini, and PAX's help center lists that screen for the "PAX 2, PAX 3, PAX Mini, PAX Mini (2), PAX Plus and PAX Four." The cheapest way to buy it from PAX is the Premium Maintenance Kit: three 3D screens and a wire brush for $15, and the only PAX kit whose listing names the Four. The 3D screen is worth having on a PAX 2 or 3 as well, because it pops out with the multi-tool or a push of the brush from the mouthpiece end instead of being pried loose. Buy the kit from PAX. Standalone 3D three-packs at The Stash Shack, Headshop.com, DankStop, Daily High Club and Smoke Cartel were all sold out; Mind Vapes had one for $17.99, listed for the Plus, Mini and PAX 3.

Flat screens, oven lids, and the half-pack lid for the classic ovens

The original flat oven screens are $7 for three at PAX and fit the PAX 2, PAX 3, both Minis and the Plus, but not the Four. A spare standard oven lid is $15 at PAX for the same four devices, and cheaper elsewhere: $11.95 at Smoke Cartel, $11.95 at Daily High Club, $12 at Headshop.com, and $12.99 at The Stash Shack.

The half-pack lid is the one to actually go out and buy. PAX describes it as "a deeper lid that allows for a half-filled oven, equivalent to a .25g bowl," lists it for the PAX 2, PAX 3, current Mini and Plus, and rules out the Gen 1 Mini. It ships with the Plus and the current Mini, so check the box before ordering; PAX 3 owners with the basic kit will want it. PAX has it for $15, and it was sold out at every third-party store we checked, which tells you how useful owners find it.

Loading Tools: The Puck Press, Multi-Tool, Tongs, and Tray

A conduction oven only works when the herb is pressed against its walls, and a hybrid oven only works when air can still get through. Both want a consistent pack, and the three PAX tools here exist to make that pack the same every time. Our guide to choosing the right grind covers the other half of the equation.

PAX Puck Press, $19: why it exists

The Puck Press is a small aluminum cylinder with a plunger. Fill it with ground herb, use the "half" and "full" marks to set the amount, press the plunger to compact the load, click the base onto the bottom of the PAX where the oven lid normally sits, and push the plunger to slide the puck straight into the oven. It works because the classic oven is a rectangular pocket with a magnetic opening, so a puck the same shape drops in and lands already tamped. Every puck is the same density and size, there is no loose herb around the oven walls to scorch, and a half puck sits correctly under the half-pack lid. If you have ever had an inconsistent PAX session and could not work out why, the answer is usually the pack, and this fixes it.

Compatibility is the catch. PAX says it makes pucks that "fit perfectly in your PAX oven, and can be used with the standard and half pack oven lids," and every retailer spells out which ovens that means: the Mini, Plus, PAX 2 and PAX 3. The Four's funnel oven and the Flow's side door do not take it, and PAX lists neither device for it. Buy it for $19 at DankStop, Smoke Cartel, Daily High Club or Headshop.com, or for $20 at PAX and The Stash Shack. If you would rather pre-load doses than press them, read our guide to dosing capsules; PAX makes none, but the puck does the same job of making a session repeatable.

PAX Rounded Multi-Tool, $15

Every PAX ships with a multi-tool, and this is the current version: a curved steel blade in a silicone housing on a keychain, rounded so it packs and scrapes the oven without scratching it. PAX lists it as "compatible with all PAX vaporizers," the rare accessory that fits the Flow, the Four and everything before them. It tamps a load, lifts a mouthpiece, and pops a 3D screen out, and a second one belongs in a bag or a car. It is $15 at PAX, Smoke Cartel, DankStop, Daily High Club and Headshop.com, and $15.99 at To The Cloud.

PAX Prep Tongs, $15, and the Prep Tray, $35

The tongs are the more useful of the two: stainless steel, sized for lifting ground herb from a jar into an oven without spilling, with a silicone tamp on top that fits a PAX oven and a scraper hidden under the silicone for emptying it. For a Flow or Four owner who cannot use the Puck Press, tongs plus multi-tool are the loading kit. PAX sells them for $15; the third-party listings were sold out when we checked. The Prep Tray is a 7.6 by 5.6 inch walnut board with a debossed X and a recess for the device, $35 at PAX, pleasant to own, and no help to a session.

Water Pipe Adapters and Bong Mode

A PAX through water is a different device. The harshness that puts people off the hottest petals disappears, and on the Flow it unlocks a fifth heat mode built for exactly this. Both PAX adapters are the same idea: a funnel that replaces the bowl in a 14mm or 18mm female joint, with a socket on top that the PAX stands in mouthpiece-down, so you inhale through the pipe and the device's own airpath does the rest. Our guide to vaping with a water pipe covers joint sizes, water levels and which pieces work best; these are the PAX-specific rules.

There are two adapters and they do not cross over. The PAX Flow and Four Water Pipe Adapter fits the Flow, the Four and the Era pod. The PAX Plus and Mini Water Pipe Adapter fits the Plus, the Mini and the Era, and PAX's listing says in so many words that "this version is not compatible with PAX Flow." PAX does not name the PAX 3 for either adapter; the third-party silicone adapters our PAX 3 review mentions are still the safe route for that device.

Bong Mode on the Flow, and why the Four behaves differently

Every PAX uses lip sensing and motion detection to throttle the heater between draws, and both work against you in a water pipe, where your lips are on glass and the device sits still. The Flow's Bong Mode is the answer. In PAX's words it "deactivates lip sensing and maintains a higher oven temperature for up to 5 minutes," and that temperature is 225°C, a step above the Flow's hottest normal petal. Tap through the petals to the multi-color mode, seat the Flow in the adapter, and draw as hard as you like. PAX warns that Bong Mode drains the battery faster, worth planning around on a device rated for about three sessions per charge.

The Four has no Bong Mode. PAX's compatibility note is explicit: the adapter "does fit PAX Four, but PAX Four doesn't have Bong Heat Mode so it may go into Stand By Mode and shut off if left installed with the Water Pipe Adapter." It still works, and the Four's 220°C orange petal through water is a big, smooth hit, but you will be waking the device between draws. If water pipe use is why you are choosing between the two, that is the deciding difference, and our list of the best water pipe compatible vaporizers shows how both compare with devices built around glass.

Warning: The oven and screen on a Flow or Four stay hot for around ten minutes after a Bong Mode session. Let the device cool in the adapter before you lift it out and go anywhere near the oven door or lid.

PAX Flow and Four Water Pipe Adapter, from $12.99

The current adapter fits 14mm and 18mm glass and forms what PAX calls "a secure, airtight seal." The cheapest in-stock listing is Headshop.com at $12.99, where it appears as "Water Pipe Adapter 2" on the PAX Flow Accessories page. The Stash Shack has it for $15, PAX for $15, and Mind Vapes sells the same part as the PAX Four Bong Adapter for $29.99, which is the one to skip unless you are already ordering there.

PAX Plus and Mini Water Pipe Adapter, $15

The same funnel design for the classic body, in black or sage, for 14mm and 18mm joints. There is no Bong Mode on the Plus or Mini either, so the same stand-by caveat applies, and the Plus should be set to Boost, its hottest Experience Mode, before you seat it. PAX has both colors for $15. Headshop.com lists a $12.99 PAX water pipe adapter that does not say which model it fits, so buy that one only if you can confirm the version.

Concentrates: The Insert for the Plus and PAX 3

One steel part turns a Plus or PAX 3 into a dual-use device. The PAX Concentrate Insert is a small steel cup with its own lid that replaces the oven lid: load a little concentrate inside, snap it into the oven, and run the device on its hottest setting, which on the Plus is Boost. It ships in the Plus and PAX 3 Complete Kits and is the only reason to pay for either over the starter version. It fits the PAX 3 and the Plus and nothing else: The Stash Shack's listing rules out the PAX 1, PAX 2 and Mini, and PAX's Four page says the Four is "not compatible with the PAX Concentrate Insert." Read our guide to vaping concentrates in a dry herb vaporizer first, because a PAX runs hotter than most dedicated concentrate devices and the insert holds very little.

Warning: Load the insert with a rice-grain amount and no more. It sits directly on the conduction heater, so anything that overflows the cup ends up in the oven and the airpath, and a PAX 3 or Plus with concentrate in its vapor path is a long cleaning job.

PAX no longer sells the insert on its own, but The Stash Shack has it for $49.99 and Headshop.com for $64. PAX still sells the consumable parts: the Concentrate Lid and O-Rings kit is $10 for a replacement insert lid and five o-rings, which you will need when the seal stops holding. Every third-party listing for the lid kit was sold out.

Cleaning and Maintenance

A PAX is easy to clean and unforgiving if you do not. The airpath runs from the oven screen up through the body to the mouthpiece, and resin narrows it session by session until the draw feels tight and the lip sensor turns flaky. PAX's own interval is every three to five sessions on the Flow and "every handful of oven loads" on the others. Our complete cleaning guide has the routine; these are the PAX-specific supplies, though pharmacy isopropyl and cotton swabs do most of the same work.

PAX Cleaning Swabs, $10

Seventy-five single-use swabs with a wooden point on one end for dislodging baked-on residue and a cotton tip on the other for wiping the oven with alcohol. PAX lists them for "all PAX devices," and the Flow ships with a handful. They are a convenience, not a necessity, but the pointed end beats a plain cotton bud in the corners of a classic oven. PAX has them for $10; Headshop.com's listing was sold out.

Tip: Soak the oven screen in isopropyl for fifteen minutes and wipe the airpath while the screen is out, then let everything dry fully before you reassemble. Do not soak the mouthpiece, the Flow door, or any lid with a magnet in it for long; they wipe clean in seconds and the magnets and silicone do not like a bath. The classic wire brush from the maintenance kit is also the quickest way to push a 3D screen out from the mouthpiece end.

Grinders, Storage, and Carry

PAX makes a grinder, a stash tube, two stash jars and two smell proof bags, all in the same anodized colors as the devices. None of them are required, one of them is excellent, and the rest are good products at brand prices.

PAX Stash Tube, $20

The best of PAX's storage line and the one accessory here that improves a session on every model. It is a slim aluminum tube, 3.8 inches long, that holds 1.5g of ground herb, seals smell proof, pours through an angled top, and has a silicone tamp molded into the base. Grind at home, fill the tube, and you can load and tamp a Flow, Four, Plus or Mini anywhere without a grinder or a tool. PAX sells it for $20 in Greenstone, Black, Blue Haze and Champagne Mist, with Oxblood sold out. Headshop.com listed it at $14 but was out of stock.

PAX Grinder, $50

A three-piece aluminum grinder with a threadless magnetic closure and a rounded shape that is easy to twist, producing what PAX calls "an even, medium grind." Medium is right for a PAX oven, which packs best with a consistent grind that is neither dust nor chunks, and the magnetic lid means no cross-threading. It is 2.5 inches across and nests inside the Large Stash Jar and the Stash Box. It is also $50 for a three-piece grinder with no kief catch, and a good $25 grinder gives the same result; buy it for the matching color. PAX had Greenstone in stock at $50 with Black and Blue Haze sold out; Headshop.com has Black for $59.99, and Daily High Club and Smoke Cartel have Black for $60.

PAX Smell Proof Case, $35, and Smell Proof Bag, $50

The pocket case is 5.5 by 3 by 1.25 inches of recycled ripstop nylon with an odor barrier, a water-resistant shell and stretch pockets inside, sized for a device, a stash tube and a couple of small parts, which is the whole kit for a day out in a jacket pocket. The medium bag is the 2.5 liter version at 8.75 by 4.75 by 5.5 inches with compartments and dividers for a device, a grinder, jars and a charger, better for travel than daily carry. Neither hides a device from a determined nose if you pack it hot; let the oven cool and empty it first, as our guides to whether dry herb vaporizers smell and traveling with a vaporizer explain. PAX had the case in stock at $35 when every third-party listing was sold out, and the bag at $50, also $50 at Headshop.com, Smoke Cartel and Daily High Club.

Stash jars

The Small Stash Jar is $35 for a quarter ounce in airtight aluminum that blocks light, and the Large is $45 for an ounce, sized so the small jar and the grinder nest inside. They are handsome and they work, but our stash jar guide shows glass jars with humidity control for a third of the money, and properly kept herb matters more to a PAX than the logo on the jar. The $75 Stash Box that holds all of it was sold out at PAX and Headshop.com.

Build Your Kit by Budget

Under $35, the Flow essentials. A Flow Grip Sleeve ($12.99) if yours did not come with one, Flow Oven Screens ($8.99), and a raised mouthpiece pair ($12.99) from the same Headshop.com order. Nothing here is exciting; all of it keeps a Flow running.

Under $35, the Four essentials. The Premium Maintenance Kit ($15) for three 3D screens and the brush, plus Four Raised Mouthpieces ($15). Add the Four Grip Sleeve ($15) if the Four lives in a pocket.

Around $75, the desk setup for a Flow. The New Flow Charging Dock ($30), the Fast-Charging Wall Charger ($20), a Stash Tube ($20) and a spare door ($20) in the drawer. A Flow charged in 40 minutes every night with the sleeve on stops feeling like a three-session device.

Around $60, the water pipe kit. A Flow and Four Water Pipe Adapter ($12.99) or the Plus and Mini version ($15), the Prep Tongs ($15) for loading over a table, and Cleaning Swabs ($10) because Bong Mode sessions leave more behind, and spend the change on a small bubbler with a 14mm joint.

Around $80, the Plus, Mini, or PAX 3 refresh. A Half Pack Oven Lid ($15), the Puck Press ($19), the USB-C Magnetic Charging Cable ($15) if you are still on the old cradle, the Premium Maintenance Kit ($15) for 3D screens, and a raised mouthpiece pair ($15). This is the kit that makes an older PAX feel new; the Puck Press and half-pack lid together are the closest thing the platform has to a performance upgrade.

Around $135, the concentrate route. The Concentrate Insert ($49.99), the Concentrate Lid and O-Rings kit ($10), the Grinder ($50) and a Small Stash Jar ($35), for Plus and PAX 3 owners only. Compare it with a budget concentrate portable first; the insert is convenient, not brilliant.

What to Skip, or at Least Buy Last

• The Prep Tray. Thirty-five dollars of walnut that changes nothing about a session. Buy it after everything else on this page if the desk still looks bare.
• The original Flow dock if you use the sleeve. Six dollars saved against a nightly wrestle with silicone. PAX recommends the sleeve, so buy the dock that fits it.
• The PAX Grinder at full price. It is a good grinder. It is not a $50 grinder, and the Greenstone is the only color PAX had in stock.
• Mind Vapes' $29.99 Four Bong Adapter. It is the same $12.99 to $15 water pipe adapter with a different name.
• The classic mouthpieces, sleeve, or Puck Press for a Flow or Four. Nothing from the older platform fits either device except the multi-tool, the swabs, the stash tube and, for the Four, the 3D screens. Check the table before you order.
• A second stash jar. One tube and one jar cover most people. The Stash Box that holds the whole collection was sold out anyway.
• The concentrate insert for anything but a Plus or PAX 3. PAX rules the Four out by name and the Mini and PAX 2 never took it.

Compatibility Cheat Sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

Do PAX 3 accessories fit the PAX Flow or PAX Four?

Almost none. The Flow shares nothing with the PAX 3 except the multi-tool, cleaning swabs and stash tube. The Four adds the 3D oven screen and the Premium Maintenance Kit, but its mouthpieces, grip sleeve and oven lid are unique and PAX says so directly. Everything else a PAX 3 owner has, from the half-pack lid to the magnetic charger, stays with the classic platform.

Does the PAX Four work with the water pipe adapter?

Yes, with a caveat. It uses the same Flow and Four Water Pipe Adapter for 14mm and 18mm joints, but the Four has no Bong Mode, so its lip and motion sensing may put it into stand-by while it sits in the adapter and you will be waking it between draws. The Flow's Bong Mode exists to solve exactly that.

Which Flow charging dock should I buy?

The new one at $30 if you use the grip sleeve, which PAX recommends. Its removable silicone cup lets a sleeved Flow dock and charge. The original $24 dock only accepts a bare Flow. Neither includes a cable, and both charge at full speed from the 20W fast wall charger.

Does the PAX Flow or Four connect to the PAX app?

No. Neither has Bluetooth. The Flow has five heat modes and the Four has four, all chosen with the button, with no fine temperature control or firmware updates. The PAX app works with the PAX 3 and the Era pods, on Android, in a Chrome web app, or on iPhone through the Connect Browser; the Plus and Mini do not use it either.

Does the Puck Press work with the PAX Four?

No. The Puck Press is shaped for the classic rectangular oven and clicks onto the magnetic lid opening of a Plus, Mini, PAX 3 or PAX 2. The Four's funnel oven and the Flow's side door are different shapes, and PAX lists neither for it; for those two, the Prep Tongs and multi-tool are the loading kit.

Is there a half-pack lid for the Flow or Four?

No. The half-pack lid fits the PAX 2, PAX 3, current Mini and Plus, and PAX notes it does not fit the Gen 1 Mini. On a Flow or Four, a smaller load means a lighter tamp of about 0.2g rather than a spacer, and both hybrid ovens tolerate that better than the pure conduction ovens do.

What is the difference between the PAX oven screens?

The flat screen is the original for the PAX 2 and 3 and also fits both Minis and the Plus, at $7 for three. The 3D screen is a shaped version that pops in and out for cleaning and fits the PAX 2, PAX 3, both Minis, the Plus and the Four; PAX sells it in the $15 Premium Maintenance Kit with a wire brush. The Flow uses its own screen and neither of the others fits it.

Which grip sleeve fits my PAX?

There are five. The Flow sleeve fits only the Flow, the Four sleeve only the Four, the classic PAX Grip Sleeve fits the Plus, PAX 3 and PAX 2, and the two Mini sleeves fit the current Mini and the Gen 1 Mini respectively. The classic sleeve stays on to charge; the Flow sleeve needs the new dock to do the same.

The Bottom Line

Buy for the platform you own, not for the logo. A Flow needs its sleeve, its screens, a raised mouthpiece and, if it lives on a desk, the new dock and the fast charger; nothing else here fits it. A Four needs the maintenance kit for screens, a raised mouthpiece, and the water pipe adapter if you have glass, with the sleeve as a case. Owners of a Plus, Mini or PAX 3 have the deepest catalog, and the half-pack lid and Puck Press together are the closest thing any PAX has to a real performance upgrade, because they fix the pack a conduction oven depends on.

The Flow and Four are the first PAX devices in a decade to change what fits, and the PAX lineup will keep splitting along those lines as older parts sell through; PAX already marks the classic grip sleeve as available while supplies last. Buy the consumables you know you will use, check our deals page before you order because PAX and The Stash Shack both run regular discounts on these parts, and remember that registering a new Flow or Four within 30 days is worth more than any accessory here.