What is a Cigar Humidor? How Does it Work?
By Mariana HerediaA humidor is an elegant wooden box or room with constant humidity where you are able to store cigars. Proper cigar storage is vital to keep your stogie intact as this can affect its flavor in the future. Cigars rely deeply on specific temperature and moisture levels to ensure top conditions. If exposed to overly dry conditions, hot, cold, or excess humidity your prized stogie will soon taste like ash. Above all the ideal temperature inside a humidor encourages and keeps the freshness steady of cigars in the long run. If you are curious about how a cigar humidifier works inside the humidor or are unsure of how to use them this article is just for you.
When taking proper care of your cigar collection a humidor is a must-have for storage longer than 2 weeks. This cedar box may seem unnecessary or difficult to operate. In reality, they are cigar aficionados’ best friends. In addition, it helps keep your stogie at the peak of flavor for an extended period of time. What a relief!
What does a cigar humidifier do?
A humidor is a storage container that’s designed to help keep and maintain a cigar’s humidity level. When cigars are too dry they can lose their alluring aroma and flavor. This is because the tobacco leaves naturally expand and contract based on the humidity of air levels. Extreme humidity conditions can lead to mold and produce tobacco beetles. Additionally, it affects the cigars’ smoking conditions. Consequently, it produces the cigar to burn too hot and becomes hard to smoke properly. A humidor’s size can vary, they can be as small as a box and on some occasions a walk-in room. The humidor’s main feature is a good seal to help maintain the desired temperature inside. As well as provide a thermostat and hygrometer to help you maintain conditions for your cigar collection. Let’s see how they work.
How does a cigar humidifier work?
Humidors are more than just a box. A fine humidor has everything you need to keep your cigars under proper conditions. High-quality cigar humidors have several important parts to provide the perfect climate control inside. Learn how to set up a cigar humidor with these 3 key elements:
- The most important part of a cigar humidor is its humidification system. Their complexity relies on the size of the humidor. The humidification system adds moisture to cigars and helps keep them plump and burn easily. It also retains essential oils that contribute to the aroma and flavor of your stogie. For optimal storage, make sure to keep your humidor at 70% humidity.
- The hygrometer is another key component as it helps measure humidity levels inside the humidor. Additionally, it lets you know whether you need to add moisture or absorb excess water. Checking them every 2-3 weeks is vital to ensure proper control inside the humidor.
- The thermostat gives feedback on temperature conditions inside the humidor. Cigars must be kept at a steady temperature for top conditions. It’s recommended to keep cigars cool at roughly 70 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, improper care and high temperatures can lead beetle eggs to hatch. This will leave you with a mess of larvae in your humidor. Wouldn’t want the larvae enjoying your stogie!
How to use a cigar humidor?
Remember to pay close attention to the equipment and understand when they become less effective. Keep in mind an unconstant check-up on the humidor can ruin your cigar stash. Needless to say, your obsession with cigars is likely to cause you to peek inside. Let yourself admire your collection and have a smoke. As you should! Be sure to smell, smoke, and share your cigars. They were not meant to be hidden away forever.
If you’re looking to buy a humidor, you should check out the ones available at Cigar Country! You should also read our article on how to keep your humidor at the optimal humidity level.
Xikar Travel Humidor
Are you planning to travel with your cigars? The travel humidor case will determine how you maintain the relative humidity (RH). Contains 1 mini humidifier. Just add the XIKAR PG solution to charge the humidification unit fully. It is advisable to recharge the humidification unit as needed for extended storage, but this depends on the number of cigars, freshness, humidity, and temperature. The Xikar travel humidor has 4 size options: 5, 10, 15, and 20 cigars.
For more cigar humidifier questions make sure to reach out to Cigar Country via their contact form, live chat, or Instagram.