Boveda Butler - Yea or Nay

[Toothpick]

Boveda Butler for Tobacco

Currently only available to Boveda customers in North America and the European Union. Be away and be confident. Know what's going on inside your humidor 24/7. Boveda Butler, the most precise smart hygrometer, catches moisture and temperature problems before they damage cigars. Then alerts you if...

bovedainc.com

Worth it?

I really like knowing what’s going on in there...anyone use it?

 

[Kentos]

For 40 bucks it’s worth a try. I have total trust in Bovedas and being that the humidity here is almost always in the minimum 60’s or so failure of humidification isn’t as bad as for you guys in the 0% areas.

 

[Columbo]

It's amazing that some of us were even able to keep cigars 40 or 50 years ago, not having all this stuff to protect us from ourselves.

Years before my time in the hobby, I'm told the Cuban locals used to keep their sticks by throwing them in a common nightstand drawer, with a wet sea sponge on a saucer for humidity. No hygrometers, coolers, humidistats, bluetooth, wi-fi, or digital anything. Who knows what the humidity was. And they smoked great. I poop you not.

Keeping a humidor closed up for an extended time is not a good idea. They need some fresh air exchange from time to time. That's a fine time to peek at a direct-reading hydrometer or two in there ... and the sticks themselves.

A wireless monitoring system is of little value if the core readings are faulty and/or it can't hold a calibration. I'd invest in two better grade direct display devices, and crack it open every so often to see what's going on.

I know others may feel differently, and some tech does make things easier.

 

[Kentos]

It's amazing that some of us were even to keep cigars 40 or 50 years ago, not having all this stuff to protect us from ourselves.

Years before my time in the hobby, I'm told the Cuban locals used to keep their sticks by throwing them in a common nightstand drawer, with a wet sea sponge on a saucer for humidity. No hygrometers, coolers, humidistats, bluetooth, wi-fi, or digital anything. Who knows what the humidity was. And they smoked great. I poop you not.

Keeping a humidor closed up for an extended time is not a good idea. They need some fresh air exchange from time to time. That's a fine time to peek at a direct-reading hydrometer or two in there ... and the sticks themselves.

A wireless monitoring system is of little value if the core readings are faulty and/or it can't hold a calibration. I'd invest in two better grade direct display devices, and crack it open every so often to see what's going on.

I know others may feel differently, and some tech does make things easier.

I agree with you, but, I remember first starting out with the analog hygrometer and sticking it in a bag with wet down salt to calibrate it, bugging all the pharmacists at the drug store looking for propylene glycol, buying florist foam, agonizing over high or low readings, getting moldy sticks. Smoking sticks and wondering if they were too wet or too dry, yadda yadda yadda .

I think anything to help the new guy rest a little easier or to stop obsessing over the minutiae and just enjoy the darn cigar without trying to raise the humidity 2% for that optimal aging condition is great. I wish they something similar for my kettle grill to monitor temperatures when smoking.

 

[Champion of Capua]

$40 is nothing compared to what you’re paying for cigars. I’ve got a fourth on the way for one of my newer humidors. Matter of fact the only humidor I don’t keep a Butler in is my see thru Boveda humidor. Butlers aren’t just for new guys, I’ve been smoking and aging cigars regularly for over 30 yrs and I love’m

 

[Columbo]

I agree with you, but, I remember first starting out with the analog hygrometer and sticking it in a bag with wet down salt to calibrate it, bugging all the pharmacists at the drug store looking for propylene glycol, buying florist foam, agonizing over high or low readings, getting moldy sticks. Smoking sticks and wondering if they were too wet or too dry, yadda yadda yadda .

I think anything to help the new guy rest a little easier or to stop obsessing over the minutiae and just enjoy the darn cigar without trying to raise the humidity 2% for that optimal aging condition is great. I wish they something similar for my kettle grill to monitor temperatures when smoking.

I hear you, Kentos. I really do. We were all careful beginners once.

I do get concerned that the increasing industry focus on faux precision, and the implied fear and worry it fosters, creates an impossible climate to enjoy what the hobby is really all about: pleasure and relaxation.

This is a far less precise hobby than the industry will admit in their campaign to sell more and more gadgets, gizmos and equipment. Most of it doesn't even do a very good job.

It's all too easy for a beginner to get consumed by the hype, and be set loose on a maniacal quest for the magical 70/70 that some cigar magazine nerd told them is gospel.

And like you implied, it all turns into far more work and worry -- and expense -- than is required or deserved.

The margins for keeping cigars is so much wider than is commonly appreciated. They won't explode into dust or instantly be devoured by mold if it's not exactly 70/70 in there all the time. Once in a well-stocked humidor, it takes a lot to ruin a stick. Letting the RH drift down to 60% won't do it. But some very low-tech things can do it ... like camping a putrid flavored stick on top of a straight Connecticut wrapper.

Sometimes, I like to crack open the cabinet for a time just to smell 'em. And they smell mighty good. I don't worry if the RH drops 4 or 5 points for five minutes for that simple pleasure. And for the beginners, neither should you. If I started getting cell phone nags over that, I would yank the gadget right out of there.

 

[Toothpick]

I'm not worried about the 70/70 rule. I've watched several YouTube videos that say don't worry about that
And I can't keep it 70 anyway. Right now it's 61.5 in the room with 47% humidity. The humidity/temp fluctuates a lot where I keep them.

I'm mainly worried about the Summer. I'd like to know what's going on in there without opening it every day to check it out. And mainly because it looks like a cool gadget.

 

[Champion of Capua]

I agree with you, but, I remember first starting out with the analog hygrometer and sticking it in a bag with wet down salt to calibrate it, bugging all the pharmacists at the drug store looking for propylene glycol, buying florist foam, agonizing over high or low readings, getting moldy sticks. Smoking sticks and wondering if they were too wet or too dry, yadda yadda yadda .

I think anything to help the new guy rest a little easier or to stop obsessing over the minutiae and just enjoy the darn cigar without trying to raise the humidity 2% for that optimal aging condition is great. I wish they something similar for my kettle grill to monitor temperatures when smoking.

Ah man that green foam was the worst, and I know you used an apple core once in a while, we all did. But you’re right, a new guy can rest a little easier knowing exactly what his humidity is. This is the one exception that I would never go back to the old days. To start out with a top notch humidor like Toothpick just did and be able to throw a couple 320g Bovedas in it and not have to worry for a year!! I have to admit I’m more than a little Jealous of that. Hell I use them because I live in a desert and travel full time, I can keep an eye on them from across the country if need be. I’ve split/cracked way too many good sticks in the past to ever go back. Now if I can go back and just talk myself out of selling that ‘69 fastback.....

 

[Toothpick]

I seem to have trouble with humidors anyway. IDK what my problem is. Maybe it's the cheap ones I buy, the cheap hygrometers, or just me obsessing over it. I ruined one by wiping it with a wet towel, so learned that lesson. I've calibrated several hygrometers with the salt in the water lid and plastic bag but they still are way off. Even with a 69 Boveda my readings would be 5-8% off. I tried digital and analog hygrometers and just never could get a consistent reading.

Now that I'm "getting back in to it" with all the new technology available I'm willing use whatever may help. And obviously with a more expensive investment this time around I don't want to take chances.

 

[Champion of Capua]

I'm not worried about the 70/70 rule. I've watched several YouTube videos that say don't worry about that
And I can't keep it 70 anyway. Right now it's 61.5 in the room with 47% humidity. The humidity/temp fluctuates a lot where I keep them.

I'm mainly worried about the Summer. I'd like to know what's going on in there without opening it every day to check it out. And mainly because it looks like a cool gadget.

You’ve got a tank of a humidor, set it up like Joel said and you’ll have no worries. Like you mentioned, the Boveda will keep you from peeking as well. You have a great setup, enjoy

 

[Champion of Capua]

I seem to have trouble with humidors anyway. IDK what my problem is. Maybe it's the cheap ones I buy, the cheap hygrometers, or just me obsessing over it. I ruined one by wiping it with a wet towel, so learned that lesson. I've calibrated several hygrometers with the salt in the water lid and plastic bag but they still are way off. Even with a 69 Boveda my readings would be 5-8% off. I tried digital and analog hygrometers and just never could get a consistent reading.

Now that I'm "getting back in to it" with all the new technology available I'm willing use whatever may help. And obviously with a more expensive investment this time around I don't want to take chances.

I saw your old glass top, that things good for holding your lighter & cutters, that’s about it. You can put the best humidifiers in that thing and it won’t work if it can’t hold humidity. Don’t even compare what you have now to what you had in the past. You’re going to be a very happy man!

 

[Toothpick]

I saw your old glass top, that things good for holding your lighter & cutters, that’s about it. You can put the best humidifiers in that thing and it won’t work if it can’t hold humidity. Don’t even compare what you have now to what you had in the past. You’re going to be a very happy man!

I was going to use it for the flavored cigars but I think I'm just going to toss it and get a nicer 50ct for the flavored sticks. Damn thing has a staple sticking out along the seal anyway.

 

[Champion of Capua]

I was going to use it for the flavored cigars but I think I'm just going to toss it and get a nicer 50ct for the flavored sticks. Damn thing has a staple sticking out along the seal anyway.

Damn, that thing sounds worse than I thought!! Definitely repurpose it for something else, I keep my old razors and such in mine. Acrylic tub and a Boveda pack would be perfect for flavored cigars I would think.

 

[Toothpick]

 

[Champion of Capua]

 

[Toothpick]

I didn’t buy this one though. Got it as a gift. And I was like “ohh wow this is nice!! Thank you so much!!” All while staring at that staple like “what a piece of $&%#@!”

 

[Columbo]

View attachment 1054685

Just curious, but why don’t you just pull out that stray staple? It looks like a pretty simple fix.

 

[Toothpick]

Just curious, but why don’t you just pull out that stray staple? It looks like a pretty simple fix.

hmmm...I guess I never considered that. It’s a cheap humidor so I figured it just comes with the territory and never really worried about it. Plus i need something to blame for it’s poor performance.

 

[Toothpick]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I got 2 on the way. 40 bucks worth of peace of mind. It’s worth it to me.

 

[Toothpick]

Got both of them in today. And they are going through the calibration now. Really could not be easier.

I also read folks using an old unused phone that stays by the humidor permanently to receive the Bluetooth data from. Then they just sign in from the app on another device from anywhere to check out the data. Probably what I will end up doing.

Although...I don’t know what good that would do if I check it out while I’m away from the home and it tells me something is screwed up and I can’t fix it until I’m home anyway.

But anyway.

I’ve read reports of the batteries lasting 3 weeks - 3 months.