Shopping for cigar humidors can ensure that you have a safe place to store your cigars while ensuring they stay fresh. There are many different sizes and options, so it’s important to know what to look for when you are ready to buy a humidor.
Size
One of the first considerations when buying a humidor is the size. Consider how many cigars you want to store at any given time. Some are designed to hold less than a dozen while others can hold 10 or more.
If you set up your humidor properly with the correct humidity level, a cigar has the ability to last for up to five years. This means that if you smoke a cigar with any frequency, you could easily buy a large unit so that you always have a wide selection.
Selection
Think about the different types of cigars you like to smoke. There are all sorts of different flavor profiles and aromas that you have the ability to choose from. While you may like a mild smoke on a regular basis, you may like a medium or full-bodied one on special occasions.
The types of cigars you plan on storing matter to ensure you’re able to keep them properly separated. If you place all of the cigars into a single compartment, the flavors and aromas will be altered – and this could destroy the profile you had intended for a particular cigar. Many humidors have divided compartments to help you keep different profiles apart from one another.
Style
It’s important to remember that a humidor is, essentially, a piece of furniture. As such, it should have a style that coordinates with the room that it will go into.
You can find a number of different styles:
- Cabinets
- Desktop
- Travel
- End-table
Beyond the basic style, you’ll also want to look at the colors, the details, and more. Do you want a walnut or mahogany finish? Do you want any ornate decoration across the top? Do you want it to lock so that you can add some security to your cigar collection?
By knowing a bit more about what you want, it will be easier to navigate the different cigar humidors that are available.
Humidity
The way that a humidor works is by maintaining a certain level of humidity. The moisture in the air keeps the cigars from drying out. For the most part, you want to achieve an internal humidity level between 70 and 75 percent. If the humidity climbs above that, your cigars may gain too much moisture, damaging the fibers. Similarly, if the humidity drops, the cigars can dry out and begin crumbling apart.
There are various technologies that can be used to help you achieve the desired humidity level. You can stay with a basic system and dampen a towel in distilled water. You can also use a moisture pack. Many of the new cigar humidors offer built-in hygrometers and thermometers. The hygrometer will measure the humidity level while the thermometer tells you about the temperature. These can be analog or digital. Some of the more advanced ones can even provide you with sensors so you know if the temperature or humidity changes too dramatically.
A Final Look
Humidors tend to be a significant investment because they’re designed to protect another investment of yours – your cigars. Especially if you’re buying high-end cigars by the box, you’ll want a spacious humidor that has plenty of bells and whistles. It will keep your cigars from drying out while providing you with complete control of the storage environment.
There are humidors of every price point. Consider how much you want to spend so that you can navigate the selection with ease. Ultimately, there are a few things you’ll want to decide on:
- Size
- Aesthetic
- Humidity controls
- Materials
- Level of maintenance
Once you’ve reviewed all of these things, you can buy a humidor with confidence. You’ll be able to reach into your humidor at any time to pull out a cigar that you can enjoy. It won’t be dry, moldy, or mushy. And with the right amount of maintenance, you can keep cigars in storage for years.
