Cigar Humidifiers

The cigar humidifier is the most important part of your cigar storage system. The maintenance of proper humidity is the most important element to maintaining your cigar quality, taste, and aroma.

How many types of cigar humidifiers are there?
There are active and passive humidifiers.

Active cigar humidifiers are powered by electricity and normally use a built in sensor to determine if they should humidify the air. Most are made for larger cabinet humidors, but there are some on the market for smaller humidors. The good thing about active humidifiers is that most can be set to a low level of relative humidity if necessary.

Passive humidifiers do not use electricity. They feature a very simple design and use vapor conduction to regulate humidity. This means they put moisture into the air when the relative humidity falls below a certain percentage, and they take water out of the air when it rises above this percentage. They are much less expensive than their active equivalents. They can be used in both desktop cigar humidors and in cabinet humidors.

Do all cigar humidors come with a built -in humidifier?
No. You need to check the specifications on the humidor you buy to see how it is constructed. That’s why you also need to know the basics of humidifiers in case you need to buy one. You can better select a model that is most suited to your humidor.

What are they made of?
Cigar humidifiers are made of green foam that is encased in plastic. This foam is very much like that which you find at the bottom of flowers you buy in an arrangement. It has an excellent ability to retain moisture.

Can I use regular water in my humidifier?
No. You should never use regular water because there are too many minerals in it that will clog it up and render it ineffective. You need to use a 50/50 solution of PG and distilled water and the chemical propylene glycol (PG).

How often should I apply this solution?
You need to apply it once every three to six months. The rule of thumb here is to apply new solution every time there is a major seasonal change. This varies in different parts of the world, so check with your cigar retailer about how often to change the solution in your area, and go with their recommendation.

When applying the solution itself, let it thoroughly absorb first. Then, turn it over and very gently shake out all of the excess. Wipe the sides dry, place it in its tube container, and attach it to the humidor

How do I attach my cigar humidifier?
You attach the device to the inside of the lid. You can also attach it to the side in some humidors. There should be either Velcro or a magnetic strip and metal strip that you can use to attach the two. These attachment tools come with the device.

Cigar Storage

What is the best method for cigar storage?
A cigar humidor is by far the best form of cigar storage. A humidor is a climate-controlled box with a cedar-lined interior. It maintains optimal temperature and humidity levels that prevent cigars from drying out. This is important, because a dry cigar will burn very quickly and taste bitter. A cigar that is too moist, on the other hand, will not stay lit.

Cigar taste itself in part depends on the cedar wood inside the humidor. The cedar contributes aroma and flavor uniquely its own.

Is a humidor the only way to store cigars?
No. A cigar humidor is the best method for storing cigars, but it is not the only method. You can use other inexpensive methods for again and maintaining them. Three of the most common are "Tupperdors", "Igloodors", and "Fridgadors."

We do not recommend storing premium and expensive fine cigars in anything other than a fine quality humidor. However, these alternative cigar storage options are good for cigar sampler packs and cheaper cigars that you want to store temporarily.

What are Tupperdors?
A tupperdor is a plastic, resealable food container that you use for cigar storage. Any Tupperware™ brand name or similar product will do. You can even go to the dollar store and buy some of these plastic storage containers and save a bundle on costs. All you need then is a humidifier. You can also take the cigar separator sheets that come in cigar boxes and use them to add a cedar smell to your tupperdor.

If you do not have a humidifier and only need to store your cigars for a short period of time, a damp cloth or sponge will work, provided you do not allow it to actually touch the cigars. Store the container in a cool, dry place.

What is a Coolerdor?
It is a large ice cooler like those you see workers carry to the jobsite. They range in size from 48 qt. to 128 qt. They are not recommended for individual cigar storage, but they are ideal for storing entire boxes of cigars. Like Tupperdors, they can be lined with Spanish cedar or Spanish Cedar dividers can be added. You also need a humidifier.

What is a Fridgador?
A Fridgadors is the best choice for alternative cigar storage. Simply use an unplugged refrigerator or freezer to store large quantities of cigars. It is best to use the stand up kind with shelves that you can stack boxes of cigars on. You will need a humidifier for this setup as well.

Are there drawbacks to using this type of cigar storage?
They are more likely to become overly humidified because the plastic walls of these containers do not buffer relative humidity. Make sure if you are using alternative storage that you do not overcharge your humidifier. Make sure you lookout for mold as well which forms easily in higher moisture levels.

The second drawback is that they trap gases within them because they cannot breathe like Spanish cedar humidors. The worst gas they trap is ammonia. Open them at least once a month to let this escape and get an exchange of fresh air.

Cigar Humidifiers

What is the difference between a cigar humidor and a cigar humidifier?
A cigar humidor is a container, normally shaped like a box, in which cigars are stored to keep them humid.

A cigar humidifier is the device that maintains the desired humidity level within the humidor.

It is important to know this, because not every humidor comes with a built-in cigar. You need to know the basics of how these devices work and how to choose the one that is best-suited to your humidor.

Why are they important?
Without cigar humidifiers, there would be no way to maintain the humidity levels with a humidor that are needed to keeping the cigar collection in prime physical condition.

How do these devices actually work?
A humidifier is charged with a 50/50 mixture of propylene glycol solution and distilled water. The device must be properly charged in order to achieve the 65 to 70 percent humidity.

What does a cigar humidifier look like?
It can any shape, size or color. Common shapes include square, rectangular, round, and stick shaped

These can be in various shapes, sizes, and colors. There are square ones, rectangular, round, stick shaped, etc.

How do you choose the right type and size of cigar humidifier?
Choosing the right shape and size depends on the size of the humidor or traveling case, and on the number of cigars in the container.

Where in the humidor is the humidifier attached?
It goes on the inside of the lid of the humidor, or it attaches to the side by means of either Velcro or a thin piece of metal held in place by a magnet.

These attachment devices normally come with the humidifier itself.

How do you maintain your humidifier?
When it comes time to use your cigar humidifier for the first time, you need to completely moisten it with a propylene glycol solution. This is also called a humidification solution, and it consists of 50% propylene glycol and 50% distilled water. A Germicide agent should also be used in this to help prevent the growth of bacteria and to allow you to better control the environment.

Allow the device the thoroughly absorb the solution before you turn it over. Gently shake out any excess, wipe it dry, and then attach it to the appropriate place within the humidor.

How often should I apply the humidification solution?
You should not use it more than once every 3-6 months. A good rule to follow is to use this solution only when you notice a dramatic change in seasonal temperatures?

What happens if I choose to use more than that?
You will diminish the capacity of your humidifier to properly maintain humidity levels within your humidor.

Can I use regular water instead?
No. Regular water contains too many minerals and will render your cigar humidifier useless by clogging it.

Cigar Humidors

What is a cigar humidor?
It is a box or a room that maintains constant humidity and is used to store cigars, cigarettes, and pipe tobacco.

What is a humidor made from?
Cigar humidors are made from three types of wood.

1. Spanish cedar
2. American red cedar
3. Honduran Mahogany

Spanish cedar does not come from Spain. It comes from the Rain Forests of Brazil and Central America. As a rain forest species it has a number of remarkable qualities. It holds humidity more than other types of wood and has a scent that repels beetles—including tobacco beetles. It also does not warp like other types of wood do. Because it is a species of cedar, it has that same wonderful smell that other cedar species have which imparts an additional hint of aroma to cigars.

How is a humidor designed?
Some humidors are made from a case that is made out of solid wood. The interior is lined by with Spanish cedar. Some humidors are made entirely of Spanish cedar and require not interior lining. Other humidors are based on what is called an MDF (medium density fiberboard) design. The exterior is a veneer made from a species of hardwood, such as cherry, and the interior is lined with a veneer of Spanish cedar.

How does a cigar humidor work?
Within the humidor there is a humidification system consisting of 1:1 ratio of distilled water and Propylene Glycol. The PG keeps the relative humidity balanced. All cigar humidors use a hygrometer to keep track of humidity levels. The hygrometer measures RH to make certain the interior of the cigar humidor maintains the correct humidity level. Correct calibration of the hygrometer is a must to ensure proper operation of the humidification system.

What benefit does a humidor offer?
A cigar humidor is necessary to keep the flavor and burn rate of the cigar at an optimal level. When a cigar is too dry, it is fragile and burns too fast. When it is too damp, it burns unevenly and has a heavy, acidic taste. In order to burn at just the right rate, and in order for it to taste as intended, the cigar must absorb humidity at 14% of its own rate. To achieve this rate of absorption, the interior of the humidor must have a relative humidity of 68%-74%.

What types of cigar humidors are there?
There are four different types of humidors, listed as follows:
1. Table humidor- This type of humidor is common in cigar stores and remains in one place. It can hold up to a few thousand cigars
2. Travel humidor- This is the smallest type of humidor. It is portable and can hold 10-40 cigars
3. Personal humidor- This type is slightly larger than the travel size, holds 30-100 cigars, and is kept in the home or in the office.
4. Room humidor- This is an entire room that has been converted into a humidor and is found in larger cigar stores and cigar smoking bars.