Want my first humidor - any advice?

[Ansel]

Thinking about getting a humidor - just a basic one. Can i get one that works well for around £50? What sort of brands should i look out for? Looking for something basic but that works well.

[Ansel]

And would it be worth getting one if i don't smoke so many cigars? Or am i best just smoking the odd cigar as and when fresh from the tobacconist? Thanks.

[GN Tobacco Sweden AB]

Thinking about getting a humidor - just a basic one. Can i get one that works well for around £50? What sort of brands should i look out for? Looking for something basic but that works well.

well you not going to belive but our sister company Gayane has the bigest range of cigars in Sweden from all countris i will ask tomorow a guy ta send you some idias
Yours GN

[Ansel]

Oh thanks GN that is very kind of you! I hope you are well. I'm looking forward to trying some of your products.

[Roo]

50 pounds should be plenty. I bought a small one for about 35 USD a few years back, and while I don't use it much and it's currently empty, I'm glad I have it. Not sure of the brand and I'm at work at the moment. I've been thinking about buying a cigar or two with each paycheck to build up a collection. As for advice I would say spend a few extra quid on a decent humidity gauge; mine doesn't work and it's unsettling to put a cigar worth more than $8-$10 in a box for long-term storage without knowing that the damn thing is properly juiced up.

[Ansel]

Thanks Roo... if i'm honest i haven't a clue about humidors, guages, and things... a humidor would come with a guage right? Or is that something i buy separately?! :-s

A small humidor would suit me well as i wouldn't be looking to store a huge amount.

And what i don't understand is, if i get a Cuban cigar for example from the supermarket... it is not in a humidor and just comes in a tube - so are these dry cured Cuban cigars?! :-s

[Roo]

As I understand it the tubes are for short-term consumption and the store probably sells them within a couple weeks. At least that is the idea. And yeah the humidor will come with a guage, mine was just really crappy and stopped working very soon after. It comes with instructions on how to calibrate it; basically you wrap it in a damp towel for a few hours until it reads the correct humidity then it's good to go. ? actually never mind that, it's been a few years, you're better off with the instructions lol.

[Ansel]

lol thanks mate... ;-)

[sirloot]

i find small humidors a pain in the ass .. as you have to check them about once a week and wet the stick in whatever its called. I have a small one with 10-20 nice dried cigars now .. some cubans .. if i feel like i want one i will wet a papertowel and stick in the top for 12-24 hrs.. its a hassle if yer not a regular smoker IMO make sure its cedar lined and if you can get one with some kinda gasket tight seal thats the best ... on 2nd thought if you are gunna keep around 10 or less a nice cylindrical jar might be the thing. they usualy have a rubber gasket in the lid for an airtight seal. prolly only cost 10-15 quid

[whalen]

Yeah, get one that holds about twenty pounds of tobacco like this one- Works great for "Bulk"! Best humidor ever! (petco, vittles)

[nicodude]

You have to season the humidor before you put cigars in it or they will dry out. Read the instructions or search how to season a humidor on google.

Your better off with a digital hygrometer for a little extra cash if you want to ensure perfect RH. I use a water/propylene glycol solution to automatically maintain RH at 70%. I prefer the solution to just plain distilled water. If you are using the solution, you really don't need a digital hygrometer as the solution will regulate the RH for you automatically.

[wayner123]

Thanks Roo... if i'm honest i haven't a clue about humidors, guages, and things... a humidor would come with a guage right? Or is that something i buy separately?! :-s

A small humidor would suit me well as i wouldn't be looking to store a huge amount.

And what i don't understand is, if i get a Cuban cigar for example from the supermarket... it is not in a humidor and just comes in a tube - so are these dry cured Cuban cigars?! :-s

The best advice I can give you is to determine what you want to do with cigars and go from there. If it's for the occasional 1 or 2 you might pick up from the local B&M, then something as simple as an airtight tupperware bowl/jar would work well. If you plan on getting a bundle or box worth, then your storage space would need to increase.

Not to be rude, but the advice above about the cigars in tubo's is outrageously misleading. Tubo's are simply another way of packaging. They are not made to be bought within a few weeks. They also are not a humidor. They can and will dry just like any other cigar.

If you can determine how many cigars you want to store, then I give more information.

[Roo]

See Ansel, I'm completely full of shit! lol I'm glad someone else chimed in who knows what they're talking about. Good luck

[Ansel]

Thanks Wayner (and everyone) - in answer to your question, i would only really be smoking one a week. I'm starting to think i'd be better off just buying the tubed ones from the store and smoking them that day. As much as i'd like a humidor that's money i could spend on some snus for my freezer. Though Gajane sent me a link showing me the nicest one i've seen yet.

[nicodude]

One more thing, if you do decide to buy one.
A humidor is not meant to be 100% airtight. It should have a good seal, but not be completely air tight. There needs to be some exchange of fresh air into the humidor so the cigars can 'breath'. If you use a 'tupperdor' you need to open it atleast once a week to cycle in some fresh air (providing you are using a humidifier in the tupperware container) or you will get mold growth.

Make sure you get one lined with kiln dried spanish cedar, and has a heavy lid. A good test is to hold the lid open an inch or two and let it fall, as it is closing you should hear a "whoosh" type sound, which is the air inside the humidor being pushed out as the lid closes, if it does not do this the humidor doesn't have an adequate seal.