Whether you’re an occasional cigar smoker or an aficionado, you need appropriate storage to ensure they stay at their best and mature well. Enter the cigar Humidor, commonly miscalled a cigar humidifier. The humidifier is actually part of the cigar humidor that keeps it dry.
Once a cigar is crafted it needs to kept at a steady humidity and temperature for the best experience. Stability is key. A good quality humidor will allow you to check the temperature and maintain relative humidity to your personal preference or to the manufacturer’s recommendation. It should be able to keep your cigars in that environment constantly and only fluctuate slightly when you open the door to take one out.
A cigar is like a living thing; it ages, dries, and emits and absorbs aromas to and from its surroundings. Like a fine wine, you need to care for them so sit back, relax and we hope this guide will help you choose the right humidor for your needs!
Contents
Cigar Humidor Construction and design
The key to maintaining a stable humidity and temperature is a well-sealed unit with reliable components and solid build quality. Thicker walls help insulate and shield the contents from the external environment. Robust brass hinges prolong the life of your humidor over many openings and closings.
They also are generally cast to be very tight fitting to maintain the internal air seal. The third aspect to consider is the presence of a glass door – light can alter the appearance of your cigars and also influences the interior’s temperature with more than just transient effects. If you like the look of a glass windowed model then we advise keeping it away from direct sunlight so you can benefit from the classy looks without risking your smokes.
Cigar humidor best humidity and temperature Settings
We recommend a relative humidity of 65% to 72% and a temperature of 65°F to 70°F. If you opt for settings in the center of these ranges then the internal environment should remain in the range when you open the door. Some humidors come with a moisture, or humidifying, gel. If your chosen model doesn’t, all you need is distilled water rather than mineral or tap water.
Should I leave the cigars’ cellophane on?
As a rule of a thumb, if your cigars came wrapped then leave them wrapped. Cellophane is waterproof but allows vapor to pass through which helps regulate the ideal humidity for your cigars in the humidor. If you place cellophaned cigars in contact with each other you can benefit from the aromas ‘marrying’ through the wrappers. If you have a variety of different cigars in your humidor, leaving them in their cellophane wrappers will prevent them from absorbing their neighbors’ flavors.
Is cedar wood the best for my cigar humidor?
Many humidors use Spanish cedar wood for liners or drawers. This wood is neither Spanish nor a true cedar but it has three important benefits going for it. Spanish cedar wood is absorbent which helps maintain a stable humidity level, its oleoresins help repel tobacco beetles, and the woody aroma can elevate the flavors of your cigars.
Best Cigar Humidor Boxes 2019
Case Elegance Renzo glass top handcrafted cedar humidor
Our first entry is this great value electronic cigar humidifier by Case Elegance. With a capacity of between 25 and 50 cigars depending on ring size this is an ideal gift for someone starting out.
Design-wise, it features a lid with a large, tempered glass window that gives you a perfect view of your collection. The lid fits the case well and we are confident it will maintain a stable environment provided that you don’t let sunlight fall on the glass. Case Elegance is one of the few manufacturers who magnetize their lids to ensure a secure seal every time.
We love the accessory drawer that houses your cigar cutter and lighter with space besides. The built-in digital hygrometer is accurate and makes it easy to keep on top of the humidity levels. Speaking of which, the Case Elegance comes complete with its own humidifying solution.
With the inclusion of Spanish cedar coaming and lining you get a fine combination that promotes moisture retention and stability. The Case Elegance measures some 9” x 8.5” x 5.4”.
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- Lovely glass lid
- Digital hygrometer
- Accessory draw
- Magnetically sealed
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Megacra Desktop Cigar Humidor Box
This is a handsome-looking cigar humidifier box. The Megacra humidor is well-finished in PU leather and it has a good weight to it. These are hand-made with cedar wood linings and have a feel of luxury to them. The Well Seal design ensures a stable environment while the rectangle humidifier and hygrometer enable you to manage conditions with accuracy.
In use, this humidor has a good selection of storage options with its tray and versatile divider. Both are cedar wood and your smokes will pick up the special aroma through their contact. The Megacra can accommodate between 25 and 50 cigars depending on ring size. It’s interior measures a spacious 9.25” x 7.87” x 3.15”.
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- Handmade cigar humidor
- Large box holding upto 50 cigards
- Easy temperature maintenace with hygrometer
- Perfectly sealed
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Giantex Desktop Walnut Finished Cigar Humidor
Giantex is one of those companies that constantly produce good-looking and well-performing humidors. This one is no exception. It features a tempered glass window that shows off your cigars but we also have no mention the usual caveat of keeping it out of direct sunlight. The glass is tough and will survive most typical impacts in a home setting. The walnut finish looks very attractive especially in real life and really showcases your collection. The humidor itself has a pleasing weight and durable feel to it.
The Giantex is our first humidor with a lock and we like the decorative way its silver plated face has been incorporated into the design. It comes with two keys, one with flamboyant black tassels. We particularly like the strong hinges that we’re reliably informed are rust and corrosion resistant. The lid opens easily and cleanly to 90 degrees and we think it’ll last a good few years at least of opening and closing. We can’t stress enough how important the hinge mechanisms are to good quality humidors.
The tray and dividers are cedar and so too is the interior. It can hold 50 – 100 cigars depending on ring size. The hygrometer has a lower and upper humidity range marked on in green so you can tell with a glance if your smokes are at the right levels. With the touch of a button you can also view the internal temperature. The humidor measures 15” x 10.2” x 7.1”.
[amazon box=”B077NZC25C” title=”Giantex Cigar Humidor”]
- Tempered glass lid
- Can hold 100 cigars on two levels
- Accurate hygrometer
- Quality build with walnut finish
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Deauville Cigar Humidor Box with Tobacco Leaf Inlay
Deauville’s gorgeous humidor elevates any room you place it in. Auditioning for you as a chic study accessory, the Deauville excites with its high gloss maple wood finish and its inlaid tobacco leaf motif. This solid feeling humidor uses the brand’s SureSeal technology to ensure a tight fitting seal time after time. This is partially due to the hinges being of the hidden quadrant type which sit flush with the frame.
The base of the humidor is described as being scratch resistant which we wouldn’t recommend anyone putting to the test but ours certainly seemed to ward off the usual dings from everyday use.
The internal layout comprises two a tray that sits on top of a lower level. This features a pair of dividers to keep your collection organised and separated to avoid unwanted flavour marrying. The whole of the interior is veneered with kiln-dried Spanish cedar and the tray and dividers are solid cedar wood.
The rectangle humidifier is of good quality and the stunning analog glass hygrometer is mounted on an attractive brass frame that will look great for years to come. You get a pair of keys, one with golden tassels for the gold-plated lock. We like the added feature of an ornate carrying handle on the side of the humidor. It helps reinforce the premium image and is practical too. Another nice touch is the engravable brass nameplate that you can use if you wish to give this as a gift (or drop a few hints to have one gifted to you!)
This humidor can accommodate 100 – 150 cigars depending on ring size. It measures 13.5” x 9.5” x 6.25”.
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Basel Maddox Piano Gloss Finish Cigar Humidor
For a little extra cash you could choose the elegant and premium-looking Basel Maddox cigar humidor. Professionally made, this hand-crafted wooden creation is beautifully crafted and suits any decor. It opens and closes with a satisfying movement, brass quadrant hinges and a piano hinges working seamlessly together. The Basel Maddox uses their own environment system they call Humilock and it certainly seems to perform well, the fantastic-looking analog hygrometer giving accurate readings.
Internally we have Spanish cedar throughout and on first opening the aroma is tremendous! With a multitude of dividers and trays you can store around 150 cigars. There is a neat drawer which is spacious enough for your cigar cutter and lighter and it slides easily in and out.
The attractive Basel Maddox measures 15.75” x 9.75” x 8.75”.
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Once you have your cigar humidor, we recommend buying some humidifiers to help keep your cigars perfect. Here’s a selection of the best available on Amazon.com
>> See also our guide to the best whisky decanters to perfectly pair your cigars
Best Cigar Humidifiers for your Humidor Box
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