Buying A Humidor? Here’s How To Choose A Good One

As someone who’s a cigar connoisseur, you must be aware of how delicate cigars are and the importance of keeping them fresh. Moreover, cigars require some time ranging from months to years before they can achieve their optimum flavors. However, improper storage can have a negative effect on the tobacco’s aging process and, thus, damage your cigars. To preserve the quality and taste of tobacco, it’s essential to invest in a cigar humidor that meets all your requirements. A good humidor will protect your exquisite stogies from drying up or molding by maintaining the temperature and humidity levels.

If you’re new to all this, here are some things you need to remember before purchasing a humidor that works best for you:

Choose the Right Size

Depending upon how large your cigar collection is, pick a humidor that accommodates your collection. Additionally, from the wide variety of shapes and sizes available, it’s better to buy one that has slightly more storage room than you need for proper airflow. Its size plays a significant role since choosing the wrong size means the risk of ruining your expensive cigars. Thus, purchase a humidor that can keep your cigars in optimal condition.

Check if the Seal is Tight

If your humidor is not adequately insulated and humidified, it won’t be protected from outside climate since air will easily seep in. That is why it’s crucial to ensure that it is tight and secure before making a purchase. A good humidor will make a “whoosh” sound upon closing it, which indicates that it is well-sealed. Moreover, the dollar bill test is also a great way to check if the lid shuts completely to maximize insulation. Thus, testing its seal should be the first and foremost thing to do when selecting a humidor.

Consider Installation Space

There are a lot of categories when it comes to choosing a humidor that suits your space and environment. Whether you choose a cabinet or a coffee table type of humidor, opt for the one that is functional. Moreover, if you have one that is electrically operated, you’ll need to place it close to a socket. However, if your cigar collection doesn’t require much space or if you travel a lot, you should go for those that are portable since they are lightweight and can accommodate a few dozen cigars. Additionally, you can move your cigars to different rooms because a portable humidor can be easily carried around.

Opt for Built-In Accessories

Even though humidors with built-in accessories like a hygrometer or thermometer are expensive, they can make your life easier. If you’re not aware of a hygrometer and its benefits, it’s a device used to measure humidity levels. You also have an option of separately purchasing a Visol hygrometer, whether it’s digital or analog, depending on your budget. These tools act as indicators of the changing levels of temperature or humidity. By having these features built into your humidor, you’d know the environmental condition your cigars are stored in.

Pay Attention to Quality

The quality of the humidor’s interior should also be considered since it impacts the freshness of your cigars. Additionally, the type of wood that it is constructed from can make a huge difference in its ability to retain moisture. Thus, when buying one, make sure it’s lined with Spanish cedar, a material that has outstanding properties and offers many advantages. Although there are humidors constructed from oak, maple, mahogany, and other wood types, most of those being sold in the market have Spanish cedar lining. This is because other woods don’t offer the same protection against insects and insulation for preserving humidity.

Divide Your Cigars in Compartments

If you’re in the habit of collecting various luxury cigars, the kind of cigars you’ve collected is also a factor you need to consider before purchasing a humidor. This is because if those different types of cigars are not separated, their aroma can get altered, which will ruin the flavor and, thus, your smoking experience. Therefore, depending upon your smoking needs and collection of stogies, choose the type that has compartments or drawers for each kind of cigar.

Since all of these aspects play a role in the quality and durability of a humidor, you should keep them in mind when you’re choosing a model. Thus, if you’re serious about collecting and storing cigars, spend some extra money to invest in a quality unit that can last for a long time. This is because a cheap humidor with low-quality internal hardware and poor design elements will ruin the freshness and flavor of the tobacco and, thus, damage your entire collection.