The good batteries last much longer
Boveda Butler - Yea or Nay
- Thread starter Toothpick
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Keeping cigars is an art. One must learn how to keep them for one's self and no amount of high tech is going to change that.
Chris
Chris
With advent of active humidification that can add or take away humidity in a closed environment I will respectably disagree with you. You can chuck a Boveda into a quality humidor and it will be maintenance free for as long as the Boveda stays hydrated. For someone in an environment that stays above 50% humidity the majority of the time that time span can be months.
Mystifying the practice of keeping cigars in an optimal environment only serves to discourage people from taking up the hobby. I don’t disagree that one needs to learn the basics of cigar storage, but I feel “new technology” has significantly lessened the learning curve.
Of course if you are unable to procure active humidification and must resort to florist’s foam, silicone gels and propolyne glycol, and rolling the cigar between the fingers to ascertain proper humidity, then yes it can be an art.
I find most ppl who struggle maintaining proper humidification is because they have a cheap humidor. Like you said, chuck a Boveda pack in a quality humidor and bam, you’re done. You don’t need a Butler, nobody needs a Butler, but you do need a quality hygrometer, so why not get one you can monitor with your phone without having to open up your humidor? Pretty sure I paid more for my Diamond Crown hygrometer than I did my Butler.
I hear ya, I bought mine because most of my humidors just came with that crappy analog hygrometer, and I had to buy one anyway. Glad I did, they are pretty cool, not necessary, but cool.
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- #27
I should have got a Diamond Crown!? I thought I’ve established money isn’t a concern? ....
Until I’m in the poor house, which at this rate will be any day now.
Until I’m in the poor house, which at this rate will be any day now.
Yeah man, you need redundancy for humidity monitoring.
For sure in the bigger boxes, Kentos. I keep four in my cabinet (five if you include the one on the cigar oasis). Multiples solve lots of issues, including when the battery poops out on one of them. And including technology issues. They tell me lots of things. Mainly that the RH and temp across the entire cabinet stays fairly even (no wet spots/no hot spots).
And at least one should have a SELF DISPLAY. I mentioned this above.
I don’t believe this wireless butler has one, and there is no way to just look at it for a reading if all the wireless tech isn’t working. So if the bluetooth, or the phone, or the app, fails, you are blind.
But in a smaller tabletop humidor, where space is much more at a premium, a fleet of sensors can quickly start eating up the room for the sticks. When I used to keep these tabletops, we would get by on a single gauge (first mechanical and later digital). But you could always read a display on it.
A Caliber 4R is under $20 with many vendors and displays at a glance, and is designed as a direct drop in for the garbage freebies that are included with cheaper boxes. It’s also pretty accurate and holds calibration well. This is one I would be happy with in any tabletop box.
I’m certainly not tech-averse. The Govee models do everything this butler does (including a Wi-Fi uplink, not BT), runs on replaceable aaa lithiums for years — and has a very fast-refresh direct display. It is probably a little too big for a tabletop humidor. But it is the fastest refresh rate and most precise sensor in this genre for under $100. That is also a good option to consider in the bigger cabinets.
https://www.amazon.com/MINGER-Temperature-Humidity-Hygrometer-Thermometer/dp/B07FBCTQ3L
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Getting back to your original question, I find the Butlers to be inconsistent and at this point for me, not worth it. I purchased 2 about 3 weeks ago, 1 for each of my 2 plastic/acrylic tupperdor's. I calibrated both at the same time and both calibrated similarly with the 1 point calibration and the accuracy of each was similar, +/- 2.4%RH. One Butler is in my larger Tupperdor is about 80% full with 85 cigars and 3-60g 69% Boveda packs and that Butler registers a RH between 69 - 70% which is perfect. My other tupperdor is a small "dry box", currently is 2/3's full with 8 cigars and 1-60g 62% Boveda pack. After getting acclimated in the box, the butler consistently registers a RH between 68 - 70% which is way high. I also have a Bovee bluetooth monitor in this small tupperdor and that registers between 62 - 63% RH so I know the cigars are ok - it's just the Butler that's whacked. This morning I started a recalibration on this Butler and if I can't get it calibrated and working properly, I'll contact Boveda and see what can be done.
I presume you meant Govee. They are quite good once dialed in, and use a Swiss-made sensor package. Once first powered up, they typically take about 36-48 hours for the sensor circuit to fully settle in. Then you can dial in the correct RH level in 0.1% increments (same for temp in 0.1 degree increments). Next to a pre-calibrated control reference, it is child's play to set them up.
The design accuracy is +/- 3%, which is fine for this application. As I mentioned above, the recent obsession with high monitoring precision is simply not that big a deal in a cigar humidor. But I have found the Govees track both RH and temp spot on relative to a control reference.
Again, they are perhaps too big for a tabletop box. But they are a great choice for a larger cabinet.
Alongside several others, I use a Wi-Fi Govee in our cabinet, for when I am out-of-town. And about four other Bluetooth-only models elsewhere around the house for monitoring Mrs. Columbo's wine closet, some utility rooms and other areas we like to keep an eye on. Never a problem with them. A set of lithium aaa batteries lasts forever. Big, clear displays, too.
The data logging feature can track and chart as the RH slowly tapers between humidifier recharges, if you like that stuff. But again, as long as the RH doesn't fall below 60% or above 78%, I don't get too bothered or interested anymore. If it falls outside those limits, I get an alert. And the alert thresholds are adjustable, too.
This past week there was a 'lightning deal' on the Wi-Fi/BT model for only $25, which was a steal. There are always coupons and deals on them. And the BT-only model now routinely sells for under $15. Add a few bucks for a 4-pack of lithiums, and you are good to go.
My only recommendation with the Wi-Fi models is to use it on a separate 2.4 ghz guest network, segregated from your primary local network. Most decent routers can accommodate that.
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- #32
I’m doing a test on the Butlers now. Well...not so much a test on the Butlers, but rather seeing if increasing the room temperature would affect the humidity in the humidors. Been seasoning with 5 packs for 6 days and has not gone above 72% while the temp has been between 61-64.
Temperature always impacts RH. Those temps are a little cool, but perfectly acceptable.
I find most hygrometers takes a while to record swings, couple hours at least
That kinda makes sense to me. I don't think I care to see a swing when I open the humidor and take out a cigar.
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- #36
Well, still not convinced the Butlers are all that accurate. I calibrated them both with the Boveda 75% calibration pack. When I calibrated them they were reading OVER 75%. IIRC one was reading 77% and another 76%. I put them in the humidors for 24 hours. Then took them both out and set them next to 2 other devices for 24 hours.
Temperatures are in line. I’m fine with that. I even took the laser temp to them and it was reading right around 66-67 (depending on where you shine the laser).
But the darn RH is off. Butlers reading roughly the same, and the other 2 devices reading the same.
Why the heck are the temps fine but not the RH! Ugghhh!!! Next I’m going to put the other devices in the humidors with the Butlers and see what I get.
Temperatures are in line. I’m fine with that. I even took the laser temp to them and it was reading right around 66-67 (depending on where you shine the laser).
But the darn RH is off. Butlers reading roughly the same, and the other 2 devices reading the same.
Why the heck are the temps fine but not the RH! Ugghhh!!! Next I’m going to put the other devices in the humidors with the Butlers and see what I get.
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?
Cooladors are the way to go! I use an old Igloo 124Qt. that has no plastic smell to it. I have about 20 or so 62% Boveda packs with two calibrated hygrometer's, always right around 62% when I open it. If the humidity stars to drop, I just buy a new block of Boveda's and replace the ones that are starting to crystalize. Boveda pack's last a long time! It keeps about 25 boxes or so of Cubans perfect! I try to open the lid at least once a week to exchange the air inside. You really don't need that butler system IMO. When I lived back east, I would keep the coolador in the basement in the summer/fall, and bring it upstairs in the winter/spring.
What are the resolution of the Boveda’s? If it’s 2% then 70% can read 72 or 68.
Calibrating out +/- 2% is perfectly fine. Don’t lose sight of the arena; you are talking about home tobacco keeping, not incandescent lamp manufacturing.
I would not pull your hair out in the pursuit of absolute precision. The cigar is not going to know the difference over 2% RH. But it will invariably turn your hobby into a laborious chore if you let it.
As I mentioned previously, as long as the box keeps between 60 and around 75% RH, you will have happy cigars. The extremes are where the worry arises. If you are setting limit alarms, just adjust for the 2 points.
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- #40
