Cigar Humidor Misconceptions

This is a companion to the “Cigar Myths Exposed” guide previously posted.

I wrote a guide in September entitled Cigar Humidor Myths exposed. It has created a firestorm of responses. Most of them appear to come from those who disagree with my opinions about humidors.

The first thing I wish to discuss is size. A cigar lover needs to be realistic and honest with him/herself as to how many cigars he/she is going to keep on hand at one time. The biggest mistake people can make is to buy that huge, fancy humidor because of the perception that size is a good thing. I have learned from hard experience that it is very difficult to properly humidify cigars or tobacco in a large void. Any humidor a person buys should be kept at least one half to three quarters full. If your budget and ego demand a larger box, the excess empty space should be filled with something. Many people will fill this space with their cigar boxes or hardwood blocks. I am big on using the minimalist approach. I may be all wet here, but I would rather enjoy $300.00 worth of high quality cigars and store them in an appropriately sized box than have two cigars rolling around inside a $300.00 box capable of holding 150-200 cigars.

The second thing to consider is liner material. Spanish Cedar appears to be the material of choice these days. So much so, that importers of cheap humidors are lining their boxes with various materials that look like Spanish Cedar but are actually cheaper woods such as maple. Bear in mind, that these materials will not harm the cigars in the slightest, but will not stand the test of time as well as a cedar lined, or better yet, a solid Spanish Cedar box, will.

Do not be concerned about lining material if your decor demands a change in wood finish every couple of years. Even the cheapest humidor will properly humidify cigars if the owner uses the humidifier and hygrometer, if present, effectively. Do not make the mistake of trusting that gauge, no matter how much you paid for the box. The secret to long-term cigar storage is monitoring the cigars, not the reading on the hygrometer. The gauge is a useful aid, but even the most sophisticated of them is not accurate at all temperatures.

If a humidor is made in the Orient, be very sure that the liner is of good quality. Many are not. Many humidor importers will sell humidors with a designer label that are actually Chinese imports made to be sold at a much lower price than the “designer label” importer sells them for. An effective humidor should have a “Tongue and Groove” overlapping closure on the lid. Even if warpage occurs, the seal will be enough to keep the humidor effective in cigar storage. Many humidors are sold with very inadequate humidifiers. If your cigars dry out in that new humidor, the first thing to do is to increase the amount of surface area of the humidifier in the box. This can be done by adding additional humidifiers. There are many types of humidifiers. I sell several on this site as do other vendors. All of these products will work if used in keeping with their instructions and with a modicum of common sense. Avoid overspending on a humidifier. If the humidifier is rated to handle X number of cigars, it will be fine for that number of cigars. Some of the $80.00, $90.00 and $100.00 electric humidifier toys are cool, but the cigars will be no better for it. At best, they will minimize the need to check your cigars as often. If you are actually smoking your cigars, rather than collecting them, you can effortlessly check your cigars’ condition each time you open the box to reward yourself with a fine smoke.

Remember, a humidor is a furniture accessory designed to store cigars. My cheap sofa is as comfortable as any expensive hardwood and leather one made. I know full well it won’t last as long. Does this make the cheaper item undesirable? Not necessarily. It does its job. A low price humidor will do its job as well. It may not last as long as an expensive one. I know of no humidor maker that guarantees its boxes for longevity. Like any item that adorns your home, it should be a comfortable match with your decor. If you have the very finest furniture, a cheap humidor may look silly. On the other hand, a top-of-the-line humidor would look out of place with bricks and boards decor. If your aim is only cigar storage, you can do that with a Tupperware type container. Although these have a very low “wife acceptance factor,” Keep the idea of a temporary humidor in mind until you find the right box you can live with. Let your budget and common sense be your guide, not the sales pitch of an overpriced Chinese box importer. In case you haven’t guessed, I am not in the humidor business. I am, however, in the cigar business. My focus is on what storage is effective rather than how good it looks with someone’s Ethan Allen decor. I am not knocking high-end products. Far from it! Just keep price into proper perspective. In any event, have fun with this and don’t overspend on that new humidor. Spend your hard-earned money on better cigars. Zino Davidoff said, “Smoke less, smoke better.” He was most wise.