Humidors

A cigar humidor, also known as a cigar cooler, can store, age, and preserve the flavor of your cigars by storing them at the required temperature and humidity, around 60-75 percent. Additionally, humidors protect cigars from insects and harmful conditions. They also act as furniture and decoration. Many use a see-through glass door to showcase your cigar collection and use finishes such as stainless steel that match and enhance the décor of the room.

The highest quality humidors feature a Spanish cedar drawer, which ensures ideal insulation and protects the cigars from tobacco beetles and other insects. Spanish cedar holds more moisture than most woods, which allows the humidification system to work even with frequent opening and closing.

When purchasing a humidor, first consider the cigar storage capacity. An overcrowded humidor effects the temperature and humidity inside the unit. Purchase a humidor larger than the number of cigars that you plan to store keep the humidor half-full. For example, to store 50 cigars, get a humidor that stores up to 100 cigars.

Consider the variety of cigars. If you want to store different types of cigars, keep them in separate drawers to prevent the flavors from mixing, so look for a humidor with multiple drawers.

Next, consider where to want to keep it. Humidors can go in many locations and come in options such as cabinet humidors or freestanding. Electronic humidors must install near an outlet since they need to be plugged in all the time.

Humidors require a bit of regular maintenance to keep them running properly. When setting up your humidor, you need to season it properly. This helps seal the humidor and keep in moisture while also keeping water from damaging the unit.

Calibrate the hygrometer before seasoning the humidor. A hygrometer measures the humidity level of the unit.

To season the humidor, wipe it down with distilled water or soak the cigar humidifiers in distilled water and keep it locked in the humidor until the humidity reads 70%.

Humidors require other regular maintenance after seasoning. Rotate the cigars each month to ensure they get equal exposure to the humidity. Add distilled water to the humidor as needed and never use tap water since it has impurities and can damage the unit. Regularly calibrate the hygrometer to make sure it stays working properly.

A properly sealed humidor keeps your cigars at the right temperature and humidity without interference from your heating and cooling system. To test your seal, use the “dollar bill test.” Put a dollar bill halfway through the lid of the humidor. Try to pull the bill out. If you feel resistance, the seal works. If it slides out easily, get a new humidor.