Discontinued Pax Vaporizer by Ploom

[willieR]

Hey Dammit. Good luck! I happen to agree with the resin levels thought as well as the bent pipe cleaner. I did that once, before the dental brushes arrived.

I will agree this sucks. If mine was a problem for me, I'd absolutely send it back.

One thing is for sure. There are an awful lot of these units selling. Dealers are pre-selling their next delivery. If you're selling thousands or even tens of thousands of something there are going to be problems. When a consumer has problems, they turn to internet forums looking for other similarly afflicted owners and see what they did to resolve the problem. I think that's partly why we see a disproportionately large number of people posting complaints. If you were happy with your product you're much less likely to join FC and post. I myself first found and joined FC because of a problem with my iolite, and then my problem with my NO2.

I bought the Pax fully aware of the list of potential issues, but I was (and still am) convinced that most issues can be remedied with cleaning. If not, Ploom has been clearly performing admirably replacing units and sending mouthpieces. I bought one despite issues because I just like the damn thing and felt able to correct the issues. I'm glad I bought it and if I lost it tomorrow morning, by tomorrow afternoon I'd have a new one on order.

 

[pakalolo]

One thing is for sure. There are an awful lot of these units selling. Dealers are pre-selling their next delivery. If you're selling thousands or even tens of thousands of something there are going to be problems. When a consumer has problems, they turn to internet forums looking for other similarly afflicted owners and see what they did to resolve the problem. I think that's partly why we see a disproportionately large number of people posting complaints. If you were happy with your product you're much less likely to join FC and post. I myself first found and joined FC because of a problem with my iolite, and then my problem with my NO2.

This is an accurate assessment in my opinion. One vendor remarked to me that the Pax has been tremendously popular and that they'd had to add staff recently. He didn't say the Pax was the reason but in context that seems like a reasonable assumption. We know that they are back-ordered everywhere. Your theory, which I think is valid, is supported if the reports of failures and complaints tend to be from new posters as opposed to veteran members. A quick look at the last 10 pages put the ratio of newbs to vets at about two to one.

Many of the strange temperature and light issues can be traced back to resin accumulating on the mouthpiece tube and around the spring. It seems obvious to me that you have to be more careful with the Pax. I keep mine clean and I have no issues. Coincidence? I don't think so.

 

[Vitolo]

I just got my RMA # for my package that will be sent out in morning for a replacement Pax.
My Pax came out of the box, with light issues, and temperature issues... never having been used.
In the community in which I live, 8 patients bought a Pax, and 5 had to return them before getting to actually use the unit. The 3 that did not have to return their units love them.
It was one of those that I borrowed to make my video, and I am still using it now, so that I can at least have used it for a solid day before deciding if the unit has a niche in my life.

 

[willieR]

With respect to the resin issue, is the cold resin affecting the dropping of that little collar? Or is the resin acting as a weak electrical insulator? Or what? Any theories?

 

[ats314]

Yeah, I think it's wrong to think the failure rate is high because of my comment... it didn't fail. Just turned itself off, and I turned it back on. I just think the company is really banking on customer satisfaction, so they recommended the return.

Oh, I'm not basing it off yours alone. I'm basing it off the multitude of people that have reported returns throughout this entire thread, including myself, who was shipped a broken unit out of the box. A personal friend just returned his as well.

I just got my RMA # for my package that will be sent out in morning for a replacement Pax.
My Pax came out of the box, with light issues, and temperature issues... never having been used.
In the community in which I live, 8 patients bought a Pax, and 5 had to return them before getting to actually use the unit. The 3 that did not have to return their units love them.
It was one of those that I borrowed to make my video, and I am still using it now, so that I can at least have used it for a solid day before deciding if the unit has a niche in my life.

wow. Straight from the horses mouth right there. Pax isn't even on my consideration list anymore. Thanks for the info everyone.

edit: I may have misunderstood, Vitolo. Are you saying the new Pax they sent is also broken?

mod note: Don't make posts back to back, use the Edit feature.

 

[willieR]

ats, there have been plenty of returns on this thread. No one is arguing that. Hell, Ploom isn't arguing, either, as they manufactured a new mouthpiece. Not sure if that's a definitive fix for all issues.

 

[jambandphan03]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but a lot more people go to forums to complain, than the ones who don't have issues, so it's hard to say how many Pax are out there, working, not having any issues. I see this same thing happen time and again in each product thread. All the complaints are focused on the forums, people looking for answers, or looking to vent.

I am not arguing the fact that the Pax has some minor issues, and some just simply don't work right out of the box, but it really is hard to compare how many people are NOT having any trouble, since we don't usually hear much from them.

It would be ideal for Ploom to try to correct this issue some how, but for now I am happy enough with using mine.

 

[ats314]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but a lot more people go to forums to complain, than the ones who don't have issues, so it's hard to say how many Pax are out there, working, not having any issues. I see this same thing happen time and again in each product thread. All the complaints are focused on the forums, people looking for answers, or looking to vent.

I am not arguing the fact that the Pax has some minor issues, and some just simply don't work right out of the box, but it really is hard to compare how many people are NOT having any trouble, since we don't usually hear much from them.

It would be ideal for Ploom to try to correct this issue some how, but for now I am happy enough with using mine.

I find it a little odd that everytime someone says something slightly negative, 3 or 4 people immediately come in praising the Pax with the same thing they've already said 5 times over, usually the same 3 or 4 people. I haven't reported speculation or anything. I was shipped a broken unit. As was Vitolo. As was my friend Jon. We're not making this stuff up. If someone wants to change the title of the thread to "Praise for the Pax", then I'll stop reporting and talking to other people about problems.

 

[willieR]

ats, maybe chill a bit. No one is saying there aren't issues or returns.

 

[pakalolo]

I find it a little odd that everytime someone says something slightly negative, 3 or 4 people immediately come in praising the Pax with the same thing they've already said 5 times over, usually the same 3 or 4 people. I haven't reported speculation or anything. I was shipped a broken unit. As was Vitolo. As was my friend Jon. We're not making this stuff up. If someone wants to change the title of the thread to "Praise for the Pax", then I'll stop reporting and talking to other people about problems.

Have you considered that perhaps the comments offering an explanation of why the complaints and returns are mentioned more often might actually be true? jambandphan03 has been an active member for a long time and she does have insight on how the forum works. So does willieR. Some people here think I hate the Pax (I don't) and that I look for every opportunity to make it look bad (I don't) yet I think that's the right explanation. No one has said that you or Vito or anyone else is making it up. All that has been pointed out is that if you use the complaints in this thread to judge the Pax, then you'd better understand how threads like this work.

Every new electronic product has some DOAs. Every new product is prone to problems that can't be detected until it is in the field. We have no way of knowing whether the failure/problem rate for the Pax is abnormal, but we do know that they've been sold out everywhere as soon as the vendors get stock. If the Pax has higher sales than other vapourizers (and as far as I know it does) then it will quite likely have a higher number of problem units. The Arizer Solo had a much rougher start than the Pax, and its thread was filled with complaints for a while. Arizer sorted out the issues and the Solo today is a respected unit that sells quite well.

If some Pax fans are in denial of its flaws, take that into consideration, ignore their comments, and move on. Posting innuendo about "the same 3 or 4 people" is inflammatory and you should avoid it.

 

[Futuretvowner]

Some people here think I hate the Pax (I don't) and that I look for every opportunity to make it look bad (I don't) yet I think that's the right explanation.

Is there any worse insult than making a thread comparing it to the MFLB?

 

[saywhat??]

Just wanted to post that I ordered mine Friday and received it today. So far so good here! Let it charge, put it on medium, and it worked like a champ. I was worried about the draw after reading some post here, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. It's not any worse than packing the elbow of the extreme q or burnina j.

I'm not sure if it's been posted, but they are shipping with the new mouthpiece now. Will see how it goes from here, but out of the box I'm 100% pleased.

 

[Deadshort480]

Pictures of the new mouthpiece if anyone has time, please? Thanks.

 

[saywhat??]

I'm a noob with the pics, but it's posted on page 134.

 

[pakalolo]

Is there any worse insult than making a thread comparing it to the MFLB?

Yes there is. I could have compared it to, say, the BC Vaporizer, or a lightbulb. The insult here is not my thread comparing it to a well respected and extremely popular and successful vapourizer, it's you implying that the comparison is a huge insult that couldn't be topped--unless perhaps you forgot the ?

The Pax vs MFLB comparison, for those who haven't read the thread, was not a putdown of the Pax. It was a list of reasons why I would buy the LB instead of the Pax if I were choosing between them.

 

[Futuretvowner]

just took this one, received my unit last week

 

[ats314]

ats, maybe chill a bit. No one is saying there aren't issues or returns.

why are you telling me to chill for reporting problems on the Pax?

 

[stickstones]

why are you telling me to chill for reporting problems on the Pax?

let's just stop this one before it starts and end it here.

 

[ats314]

No one has said that you or Vito or anyone else is making it up. All that has been pointed out is that if you use the complaints in this thread to judge the Pax, then you'd better understand how threads like this work.

Which is exactly why I posed it as a question.

"Another recommended return, reported on this forum alone? Am I wrong in thinking the failure rate on this product is extremely high for a $250 item? Seems like just about daily someone reporting a new return."

This is a question asking the community if they feel like the Pax has a high return rate given the vast number of returns listed here. Right now, Ploom is holding my money and I am deciding on whether or not to accept a return or exchange, so I am going to ask questions that lead me to a better answer.

 

[stickstones]

I think this thread has more complaints than any other thread I can remember, but it also looks like there are a lot more of them out there...making the percentages a possible even out.

 

[ats314]

The Pax vs MFLB comparison, for those who haven't read the thread, was not a putdown of the Pax. It was a list of reasons why I would buy the LB instead of the Pax if I were choosing between them.

So what if it was a putdown on the Pax? Is that not allowed in here?

 

[Vitolo]

pakalolo, your comment was appreciated, and accepted as 'voice of reason".
I do not want anyone to misunderstand..... and think I am down on the Pax.
I am just not having luck with my new unit, but I do care enough about learning and the Pax itself to borrow a functioning one.
I got my Pax from a distributer, but my friends that have difficulty got theirs from Ploom.
Both Ploom and my dealer were fast to acknowledge the problem , and fast to arrange to fix it.
By morning, I will have used a working Pax for a full 24 hours, and will have a more well rounded opinion.
BTW- I can see a comparative area between MFLB and Pax.
They are both battery powered portables that require a bit of shaking and finesse to get a good hit... and both require a specific breathing technique!

 

[HSIHP]

This is an accurate assessment in my opinion. One vendor remarked to me that the Pax has been tremendously popular and that they'd had to add staff recently. He didn't say the Pax was the reason but in context that seems like a reasonable assumption. We know that they are back-ordered everywhere. Your theory, which I think is valid, is supported if the reports of failures and complaints tend to be from new posters as opposed to veteran members. A quick look at the last 10 pages put the ratio of newbs to vets at about two to one.

This is just skepticism but I think I may know a reason why so many people wanted Pax as soon as they came out and why they are selling so many. I know personally that I first saw the Pax in an add that popped up first on another message board and then on just about every website after I first researched it. Now, I have never seen a vape add before and remember thinking how strange this was, but after looking it up and finding this thread it was inevitable I bought one.

Perhaps this bit advertising push was just what they needed to sell pretty much every unit they had on hand?

 

[pakalolo]

Which is exactly why I posed it as a question.

"Another recommended return, reported on this forum alone? Am I wrong in thinking the failure rate on this product is extremely high for a $250 item? Seems like just about daily someone reporting a new return."

This is a question asking the community if they feel like the Pax has a high return rate given the vast number of returns listed here. Right now, Ploom is holding my money and I am deciding on whether or not to accept a return or exchange, so I am going to ask questions that lead me to a better answer.

Apparently it needs to be stated in simple terms. Yes, you are wrong to conclude that the failure rate is extremely high. You don't have enough data and you are sampling a biased source.

It's been explained three or four times now why this is so, but you won't accept the answer. You are tipping your hand when you refer to the "vast number" of returns. Compared to the Pax sales, the number of returns mentioned here is statistically insignificant. You're fishing for someone to tell you yes, you are right, but you'd be better off casting your line elsewhere. The community here has already spoken. You just don't like the answer.

 

[Futuretvowner]

BTW- I can see a comparative area between MFLB and Pax.
They are both battery powered portables that require a bit of shaking and finesse to get a good hit... and both require a specific breathing technique!

The Pax by no means requires and shaking or finesse or specific breathing technique to get a good hit. If you pack that thing down as tight as you can any air you breath in will draw a ton of vapor. The same cannot be said for the MFLB.


Honestly comparing the Pax to the MFLB is like comparing a Ferarri to a Honda... yes they both have four wheels and take you from point a to point b but .......