Recommend a humidor?

June 5, 2006 10:08 AM

Can you recommend a nice, small to medium sized humidor for around $50?

It's our 2nd anniversary. Wonderful husband enjoys a cigar maybe once a month. He's mentioned that he'd like a humidor, but I haven't the faintest how to pick one. Any suggestions? Online shopping is preferred, but not mandatory.

posted by orangemiles to Shopping (4 answers total)

To begin: A good newbie guide. I have no affiliation with that or any other web page listed other than knowledge.

A humidor is essentially two pieces: a box to hold the cigars, and device for maintaining proper humidity. The boxes range in size from "fits in a pocket and holds three" to "bigger than your closet" and the humidity devices range from a damp sponge in a can to a full-room humidifier.
I imagine, given your husband's low intake and your low budget, that you are looking for a tabletop humidor. It will be a bit of a stretch to get something nice for $50, but it is not impossible.

On the subject of the box: A good humidor will be made of hardwood, usually lacquered on the outside. It should be crafted as a piece of fine furniture and should not show any gaps in the construction. It should be a combination of artwork and utility. Some will have a window in the top or side. A window is purely cosmetic, and direct sunlight can damage fine cigars. Consider carefully where it will be placed within the home, so as not to clash with the decor of the room. It will be in your home for years, if not decades to come, so consider carefully how it goes with the furniture. The box should not have an air-tight seal because the cigars must breathe to develop full character as they age. The humidifier will provide sufficient moisture to overcome any losses due to incomplete seal.

Humidors should always be lined on the inside with either Spanish Cedar or Poplar. This liner should never be lacquered or painted but should be plain bare wood. Spanish Cedar will repel insects and will impart a spicy character to the cigars inside. Cigars are said to age better in a Spanish Cedar humidor. Poplar lining will not affect the flavor of the cigars, and is considered the second best choice. Some manufacturers now are using American Red Cedar to line inexpensive humidors-- I recommend to avoid these as it will damage the flavor of the cigars. Spanish cedar does have a tendency to release sticky natural resin as it ages- for this reason you should use some popsicle sticks or baking parchment to keep the cigars off of the bare wood.

A humidor is sized based on the number of cigars it will theoretically hold, but that number depends on the size of the cigars in question-- a 50 count humidor will probably hold around 70 short panatellas or 40 double coronas. A 50 count humidor is a typical size for the causal smoker. Do keep in mind, though, that your cigars will suffer if your humidor is less than half full.

The humidifier does not need to be anything fancy; For a small humidor, a floral sponge in a small container is generally sufficient. Most humidors in your price range will come with a built-in unit. Most tabletop humidors will either use a floral sponge (yes, the same material used in flower arrangements) or a water-absorbing polymer to hold the water and gradually release it into the air inside the box. Use distilled or filtered water to fill the humidifier to avoid calcium deposits and chlorine odors from the tap water.

A hygrometer (moisture indicator) is often included with a humidor. They are typically unreliable and uncalibrated and may not accurately represent the health of the humidor. I have seen cheap hygrometers get stuck, reading a constant humidity when the inside of the box was dry as a bone. The true judge of humidity inside the humidor is the smell and taste of the cigar itself. If your humidifier is working properly, you will know as soon as you open the lid. I consider hygrometers to be unnecessary, but others consider them essential. For me, it is enough that my cigars smell and taste right. If you are planning to store very expensive cigars for a long time, invest in a quality hygrometer and throw out the cheap one that came with the humidor. Over the long term, the quality of the construction of the humidor will far outweigh and outlast the gizmos and gadgets that come with it.

As for online shopping, I've had good luck with the Knoxville Cigar Company, but their selection is probably going to be a little more high end than what you're looking for.

A final thought-- a humidor for a cigar smoking gentleman fills the same sort of spot that a jewelry box fills for his lady. It is something practical, yes, but if it is a well-made, quality item, it will also be something treasured. Something like this or this would work well for him but still stay in your budget.

Good luck, and I hope Mr. Orangemiles enjoys his gift.
posted by leapfrog at 3:15 PM on June 5, 2006

Great answer leapfrog! I have been looking for a cheap humidor too. I am an occasional smoker so I didn't want to invest so much money, but dry cigars are worthless. I have been using a humi pouch or just adding a wet sponge to my boxes for far too long. I think I will purchase the Bally 2. Thanks again.
posted by vronsky at 4:02 PM on June 5, 2006

When I was looking for a humidor, I was surprised to discover just how expensive a wooden box could be. I ended up paying $300 for a green leather-covered box lined with really delicious-smelling Spanish cedar. I saw some nice humidors in the $150 price range, but nothing I liked much below that.

I would recommend avoiding red cedar at all costs.
posted by ikkyu2 at 6:59 PM on June 5, 2006

Did you try Wal-Mart? I saw one not too long ago at that price range.
posted by teapot at 10:58 AM on June 11, 2006