Humidor 101: 8 Insights Before Making Your Purchase

Humidors are the best way to protect and preserve your cigars so they are ready and in excellent smoking condition when you want them. They provide the ideal environment so your favorite smokes don’t dry out, become damp or degrade in any way. In fact, many cigar aficionados would tell you keeping your cigars in a quality humidor is the only way to ensure the integrity of your stogie collection.

Having a passion for cigars is much like nurturing an interest in fine wines. For true oenophiles enjoyment comes from sampling, tasting and the knowledge you gain along the way. Your palate becomes better attuned to what you like as well as those flavors and that mouth feel that that don’t really add to your experience. As you hone your interest you collect different vintages and try offerings from different parts of the world to dive deeper into your newfound passion.

It’s really quite similar for cigar lovers. And just as you wouldn’t allow a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape to sit on the kitchen counter, exposed to temperature extremes and the like, neither should you leave your collection of fine cigars exposed to the elements.

Insight You Can Use to Decide on The Best Humidor for You

If your passion for cigars is something you only recently discovered, or if you’ve been a long-time lover of the leaf but just started to amass more than a few of your favorites to keep on hand, you need a humidor. There are so many good quality humidors on the market at all different price points and we’re sure we have just the right one for you. Let us help you find the perfect humidor to fit your needs and your budget. Here we offer eight insights you can use before making your purchase.

1. Consider The Size of Your Collection

To ensure you’ll get many years of use out of your investment in a humidor, always purchase one that is larger than your current collection of cigars. By having room in your humidor you aid in the air flow within your humidor and that prevents your collection from degradation. Overcrowded humidors may become more humid and crowding your cigar collection may actually interfere with the temperature and condition of your stogies. Nobody wants to reach into their humidor and pull out a cigar that no longer tastes as stellar as expected because it has developed mold.

Humidors are sized by their cigar capacity. So if you need to store 30-50 cigars we recommend you go for the 100 capacity humidor. Besides helping with the circulation of air this gives you room for just a few more stogies.

2. Consider Your Cigars

Variety is the spice of life, so they say. However if you like variety in your collection consider a humidor with different compartments or drawers. Mild, medium and full-bodied smokes all have a different taste. You don’t want these flavor palates to mingle and ruin your experience.

3. Consider Where You Plan to Keep You Humidor

What’s your climate like? Are you in a humid environment like the southeastern U.S.? Or a desert dry environment? Do you live in an area of temperature extremes-frigid winters and blistering summers? These variances in temperature and humidity affect the performance of your humidor. This is why its very important to make sure you have a precision hygrometer and electronic humidification system. Then you can monitor your humidor’s environment and make adjustments as you need to.

4. Consider Your Placement

Now this does sound like a no-brainer but you would be amazed by the number of people who invest in a beautiful humidor that doesn’t go with their decor style or they have nowhere to put it. Humidors are all about function, yes, but form is very important as well. Invest in a humidor that matches your sense of style and consider the decor of the room where you plan to place it. Also there is space for your stunning and stylish new humidor? You want it in full view as you have earned the cigar aficionado’s bragging rights.

5. Make Sure Your Humidor is Well-Sealed

One of the top reasons humidors fail is an inadequate seal. In order to maintain the inside environment to a perfect 70/70 (the recommended 70% relative humidity and 70° Fahrenheit).

The seal must provide excellent insulation. Read the reviews, chat with us or send us an email and we can help you if you’re unsure.

6. Quality Makes a Difference

Humidors come in a variety of wood and other materials and they are certainly not just for show. The wood makes a difference in the ability of your humidor to do what it’s supposed to-keep your cigars in pristine condition. All the very best humidors, no matter their price, are lined with a wood called Spanish cedar (cedrela odorata). While this may add a little to the cost it offers the maximum protection against the horrid tobacco beetle and other insects as well as maintaining the insulation properties of your humidor.

7. For Precision and Convenience Go With a Built-In Hygrometer and Thermometer

Your hygrometer and thermometer measure relative humidity and temperature, respectively. These instruments offer the most clear way to detect the environment in which your stogies are stored. When these instruments are built in it's much easier to monitor your humidor and ensure the inside air is perfect for your cigars.

The hygrometer and thermometer are not to be confused with the humidification system. We offer a selection of different humidification systems and recommend you invest in the best one you can afford. This along with your hygrometer and thermometer is the guts of your humidor. You absolutely want the very best to keep your collection in tip-top smoking shape.

8. Consider Your Budget

Humidors come in all shapes, sizes, styles and price points. You can purchase a small humidor with a good humidification system or an heirloom quality piece that is nearly museum-worthy. It just depends on your budget. Choose wisely but remember your humidor is an investment and making your purchase requires your time, attention and, yes, money.

If you're looking for premium humidors or accessories, check our Elie Bleu selection.

Trust Our Expertise

Fortunately Northwoods Humidors considers our customers' budget. In addition to our amazing sales we also offer our expertise. Before you make an investment in a humidor trust Northwoods Humidors to answer any questions you have and provide the finest in customer care.