My first humidor

[Texican]

I have thought about purchasing a humidor for myself.

I'm not a very heavy cigar smoker. I will have a cigar maybe once or two times a week and I am still very new to this hobby. With that in mind, where might be some good places to look for one? Sizes? And does anyone have any other suggestions as to what I should look for?

 

[Not A Nice Person]

Online companies like Cheaphumidors.com and Bargainhumidors.com do a lot of business and offer frequent sales, decent quality, and reasonable prices.

What you should look for in a humidor is a genuine Spanish cedar lining (not just "cedar," which is a different wood entirely) a good seal (if you close the lid on a dollar bill, you should feel resistance when pulling it out) and about 2-3X more capacity than you think you'll ever need. I recommend a 150-count+ double-decker, so that you've got a top tray for singles, and room underneath for at least two boxes. Once you've got storage, this hobby tends to "grow" on you.

You'll want to replace the humidifier puck with 65% beads from Heartfelt Industries, which sells them loose, in tubes, and in various sizes of replacement pucks, one of which should fit right in the spot for it in your new humidor.

You'll also want to replace the analog gauge with a digital one that can be salt-tested and calibrated.

Figure on spending about $150 for everything.

NANP™

 

[Texican]

Oh my. I don't think I could ever smoke 150 cigars in a year. Whoo!

But, there are some good deals on here. And 150 USD isn't that bad to start out with. Hmm...I just don't have a lot of cigars to fill it up.

Online companies like Cheaphumidors.com and Bargainhumidors.com do a lot of business and offer frequent sales, decent quality, and reasonable prices.

What you should look for in a humidor is a genuine Spanish cedar lining (not just "cedar," which is a different wood entirely) a good seal (if you close the lid on a dollar bill, you should feel resistance when pulling it out) and about 2-3X more capacity than you think you'll ever need. I recommend a 150-count+ double-decker, so that you've got a top tray for singles, and room underneath for at least two boxes. Once you've got storage, this hobby tends to "grow" on you.

You'll want to replace the humidifier puck with 65% beads from Heartfelt Industries, which sells them loose, in tubes, and in various sizes of replacement pucks, one of which should fit right in the spot for it in your new humidor.

You'll also want to replace the analog gauge with a digital one that can be salt-tested and calibrated.

Figure on spending about $150 for everything.

NANP™

 

[Thelonius1]

I picked up this bad (yet oooh so good) activity in college. Nothing better than a good stick after a successful or hard-working day. I currently have two humidors. My first is a diamond crown that has served me well since 1999 (literally). It holds about 75 individual cigars and was priced very well. I keep distilled water in my fridge and soak the element in it once a month. I have smokes that I placed in it the first day I brought it and they are still just as good as the day they were placed.

Enjoy a good smoke, its a beatutiful thing.

 

[cricky101]

Oh my. I don't think I could ever smoke 150 cigars in a year. Whoo!

Ah, memories. I remember saying that about a decade ago.

Now I've got a 28-bottle wine refrigerator re-purposed as a temperature-controlled humidor.

 

[Not A Nice Person]

Oh my. I don't think I could ever smoke 150 cigars in a year. Whoo!

Heh. Yeah, I used to think like that too.

Really, though, it's not about how many you smoke. A little bit bigger humidor, half to two thirds full, holds humidity better than a 30-50 count with a fiver rattling around in it.

Plus, what happens when you luck across a killer dealer on a box of cigars you already know you love? Doesn't matter how long it's going to take you to smoke the whole box . . . you know that eventually you're going to. The question is, where will you put them if all you have is a little travel humidor or a tupperware container?

Happy smoking!

NANP™

 

[Not A Nice Person]

This is what I have, more or less. Mine's a glass top version of the same model:

http://www.cheaphumidors.com/HUM-300GR.html

I can tell you right now that "300 count" is pretty optimistic. 300 juniors or petite coronas, maybe---I can fit two to four boxes underneath, depending on the size of the boxes, and 50-75 cigars in the top tray.

NANP™

 

[40boy]

Another good place to get one of the Imported (China) humidors that were referenced in previous posts is the Merchandise section of Cigarbid.com.
It's like eBay for cigars and accessories.

You can sometimes "steal" one that retails for $75-80 for $30-40 if you're a patient sort of guy. I will caution you to STAY AWAY from the cigar portion of the site, if you want your wallet to remain relatively full

I agree with the previous posters about the beads and a digital hygrometer that is capable of being calibrated. This will save you immeasurable time and aggravation.

If you dont' mind spending the bucks for a handcrafted made in USA model, Google Daniel Marshall Humidors. They make some damn fine humidors that can be passed down to your children.
If you decide to pursue the DM humidor, call their toll-free number and ask them about their "seconds" on hand. They usually have some great discounts available on items that they have deemed unacceptable for some minor imperfection. I've seen a few of them and you cannot tell the difference between the "seconds" and the "firsts".
A nice way to get a premium product at a significant savings.

Good Luck in your quest and enjoy your cigars!

 

[garyg]

Then there is the "Coolerdor", which is any sized cooler you want, using the beads from Heartfelt mentioned earlier ..

 

[Commander Quan]

Lots of good info in these threads. Here's my two cents,

Get a bigger one than you think you will need. Even though you only smoke 1 or 2 a week you will acquire more.

A humidor will never hold as many cigars as they claim it will. A 100 count will hold about 50 unless your smoking the smallest cigars.

Get the 65% beads either from Heartfelt Industries or Cigarmony (they are the same thing) They are expensive at first but distilled water is cheap and hydro solution isn't.

If it comes with an analog hydrometer throw it away, they are junk. Get an adjustable digital one.

If you don't have one get a good cutter either an Xikar or Palio, a cheap one will rip to many wrappers a good will pay for it's self.

Have fun.

 

[Lynchmeister]

I also have a coolidor and couldn't endorse it enough. If money is an object and looks are not, then look no further than the Igloo. Spend that money on cigars, not storage!

 

[krevo]

I'm currently rocking two Igloos chock-filled. At the rate I smoke I have enough to smoke for a few years. I've slowed down alot in the last few months.

 

[joelnmich]

Pick up a humidor with at least double the capacity you think you'll need/want. Capacity is usually measured in Rubusto size (5x50) but sometimes in lonsdale (4.5 to 5.5 x 42)...if you like anything bigger you'll have less than advertized capacity (length is the usual issue I've had in capacity).

I got mine from tampahumidor.com but I'm local to them.

Remember, new cigars need to be aged at least a couple of weeks in a well-seasoned humidor for best burn and taste. I've got cigars that are good at two weeks; better at 6; and freaking magnificent at a year.

 

[langod]

I started smoking cigars last year. I started with a 50 count humidor, and within 3 months had a 150 count. And I only smoke maybe one or two a week. As NANP says, it's not how many you do smoke, it's being able to keep all the cigars that will be traded to you (and once other cigar smokers find out YOU smoke, they become very generous), or that good deal you find on your favorite sticks. I find that with my 150 count about 40-50% full, it hold humidity much better than the 50 count did at 75% capacity.

And remember a good humidor will keep a quality cigar for YEARS if not decades, and the cigars will get better. A few of the smoothest smokes I've had were from a friend and were sticks that he'd been aging for 8 or 10 years.

 

[AndritVoor]

One derivative of the tuppadore that I am currently working on, which seems easy, is with a latching kitchen canister I found at goodwill. The latch and the o-ring keep it nearly airtight, and I plan on adding a drymistat or something similar for humidity. So there is probably a lot you can improvise with.

 

[Jwolf24601]

If you want a good humidor...
http://www.aristocrathumidors.com/

 

[Mr. Clean]

Pick up a humidor with at least double the capacity you think you'll need/want. Capacity is usually measured in Rubusto size (5x50) but sometimes in lonsdale (4.5 to 5.5 x 42)...if you like anything bigger you'll have less than advertized capacity (length is the usual issue I've had in capacity).

I got mine from tampahumidor.com but I'm local to them.

Remember, new cigars need to be aged at least a couple of weeks in a well-seasoned humidor for best burn and taste. I've got cigars that are good at two weeks; better at 6; and freaking magnificent at a year.

Are there any "new" cigars? Don't most receive some seasoning in the humidors of the B&M retailers?

I started smoking cigars last year. I started with a 50 count humidor, and within 3 months had a 150 count. And I only smoke maybe one or two a week. As NANP says, it's not how many you do smoke, it's being able to keep all the cigars that will be traded to you (and once other cigar smokers find out YOU smoke, they become very generous), or that good deal you find on your favorite sticks. I find that with my 150 count about 40-50% full, it hold humidity much better than the 50 count did at 75% capacity.
And remember a good humidor will keep a quality cigar for YEARS if not decades, and the cigars will get better. A few of the smoothest smokes I've had were from a friend and were sticks that he'd been aging for 8 or 10 years.

Very interesting observation, and certainly something to consider.

If you want a good humidor...
http://www.aristocrathumidors.com/

Wow! Those folks are right in my backyard. Too bad their price points are way beyond anything I would remotely consider paying. I still may drop by their store just to check them out.

That mesquite wood desktop (discontinued) is a beauty.

On the coolidors, what is the smallest unit that would be considered effective and efficient.

 

[Mazeman]

I have a Coolerdor in which I store my "on deck" cigars-- those that have not made it into my table top humidor yet. I find that it's much more air tight than a regular wooden humidor (which is supposed to breathe a bit). This means that you need to add water less frequently (I use heartfelt beads and a humistat), but you still need to open it up frequently and let a little air circulate. Otherwise, the cigars will get a little funky.

My table top humidor is a Savoy "Cigar Top". I'm very happy with it, but I don't think they make that style anymore. I keep about 50 cigars in it; those that I'm about to smoke. A wooden humidor is a much more stylish way of offering someone a cigar or grabbing your evening smoke.

 

[wld87stang]

TEX......I said the same thing about a week ago and let me tell you all the posts left by other members are TRUE!!!!!!!

Yiu start searching cigar forums and you will be overwhelmed by the info out there...

Def. purchase a piece of furniture,Vinotemp or Cooleridor that you will grow into....

Good luck and enjoy your sticks...

 

[Not A Nice Person]

Are there any "new" cigars? Don't most receive some seasoning in the humidors of the B&M retailers?

Quoted to bring up an important point new smokers seldom realize---cigar stores keep their walkin humidors at 70% humidity, and frequently it can run a little higher.

This is done because it keeps the cigars more pliable, and less likely to be damaged by handling. Most cigars smoke a lot better at 65%, which is where you should keep your humidor. Smokers who prefer (and have access to) Habanos frequently keep their humidity even lower, in fact---63% or so.

It takes anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks for a cigar to settle down to 65% inside and out. The more time you give it to do so, the better it's going to be when you light up.

NANP™