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HCM Beads vs. Heartfelt

coronawi

coronawi

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2010
Messages
13
I was all set to order heartfelt beads and while searching came across HCM beads. I'm a bit confused, the directions say you get them at 65% and basically do nothing if thats the RH you like. Is this really all there is to them? No recharging, no spritzing....really? Has anyone used them and how have they worked for you?
 
Sorry, I haven't tried them - I use the Heartfelt beads myself. But, according to the website, you DO have to recharge the beads you're referring to. Instead of spritzing distilled water on them, though, you have to place a bowl and sponge in your humidor. They may be better, but I've only had a couple % RH swing in my humidor, and that's plenty accurate for me. Besides, placing a bowl and sponge in your humidor could get to be tricky after you spend several months blowing all your extra money on cigars - you might not have any extra room! :D
 
There is some confusion here -- you don't have to put water or a sponge in your humidor -- the recommendation is that you put the beads in a container (tupperware, rubbermaid, ziplock, etc.) with a damp sponge for a short time. If you humidor seals well then this is something you do very rarely.

With proper care the HCM beads last for life. They do not get contaminated by impurities in the air or water like the silica-based beads do. The capacity of the HCM beads to hold moisture is much greater than the silica beads because HCM beads have many more pores and the pores are much smaller and more uniform. The only thing that HCM beads absorb is moisture and free ammonia (many cigars discharge ammonia as a result of the tobacco fermentation process).

The beads themselves are dry to the touch and will not harm your cigars in anyway,

These beads have been available for several years are there is a lot of information about them out there on some other forums.

I am not here to tell you that silica beads are bad, because they are a good product. What I am going to tell you is that HCM beads are better.

If you have any questions please check out the website (www.hcmcigarbeads.com), post here or contact me privately.
 
CigarNut said:
With proper care the HCM beads last for life. They do not get contaminated by impurities in the air or water like the silica-based beads do. The capacity of the HCM beads to hold moisture is much greater than the silica beads because HCM beads have many more pores and the pores are much smaller and more uniform. The only thing that HCM beads absorb is moisture and free ammonia (many cigars discharge ammonia as a result of the tobacco fermentation process).
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If this is not silica-based, then what is it? From the descriptions on the website, sure sounds, acts, and feels like silica. Hope you guys aren't just trying to charge more by calling a cat a gato.
 
Clay itself is made of various silicates, so your compound is silica-based.
 
Strayvector said:
Clay itself is made of various silicates, so your compound is silica-based.
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The fact is that HCM beads are not made from the same compounds as Heartfelt or similar silica beads. You can generalize and say that both kinbds of beads provide humidification. Beyond that they are different.

HCM beads have a much greater capacity to store moisture than Heartfelt. The HCM beads are designed to maintain an equilibrium in a closed (sealed) environment. They will absorb or release moisture as necessary to achieve this goal.

The HCM beads are not moist to the touch so if your cigars come into contact with them, there is no damage to your cigars.

The greater capacity for moisture in the HCM beads means that opening or closing your humidor alot or adding dry (or wet) cigars to your humidor will not have any adverse impact of the overall RH of your humidor.

Finally, the HCM beads are preset to 65% RH, but if you want a higher or lower RH you can change that value to anything you want, and the HCM beads will then maintain that new RH value for their equilibrium.

The HCM beads work and there are lots of BOTLs out there using them successfully. There has been lots of discussion about these beads on other forums over the last few years. I don't believe that anyone has ever said anything negative about these beads.
 
CigarNut said:
Strayvector said:
Clay itself is made of various silicates, so your compound is silica-based.
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If you want to split hairs that way then fine. That's like saying "all things are made of atoms". The fact is that HCM beads are not the same as Heartfelt or similar silica beads. They are not the same compounds and other then generalizing the humidification properaties they don't act the same way in your humidor.

The HCM beads work and there are lots of BOTLs out there using them successfully. There has been lots of discussion about these beads on other forums over the last few years. I don't believe that anyone has ever said anything negative about these beads.
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Not saying anything bad about them, just trying to see where the difference is between HCM and Heartfelt beads. The claims from both camps sound very much alike. From the descriptions, they work, look and act the same way. The only difference is that you claim to absorb ammonia which Viper does not claim to; however, silica based beads will do this (even silica kitty litters). Claiming a product is better does not make it so, proof is needed. These are the same questions raised when some folks came out and said that silica kitty litter works like Viper beads. Experiments were conducted and findings were shared. End of it, kitty litter does work, just not as fast as Viper beads. I have no doubts that your product works, I'm just naturally skeptical when someone claims that one thing works better than another without any proof to back it up (as you did below). If you do have some studies or experiments that were conducted on other boards, please feel free to post the links.

CigarNut said:
I am not here to tell you that silica beads are bad, because they are a good product. What I am going to tell you is that HCM beads are better.
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CigarNut said:
I am not here to tell you that silica beads are bad, because they are a good product. What I am going to tell you is that HCM beads are better.

If you have any questions please check out the website (www.hcmcigarbeads.com), post here or contact me privately.
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The reason they are better has nothing, I assume, to do with the fact that you appear to be endorsing/selling them?
 
Breedy said:
CigarNut said:
I am not here to tell you that silica beads are bad, because they are a good product. What I am going to tell you is that HCM beads are better.If you have any questions please check out the website (www.hcmcigarbeads.com), post here or contact me privately.
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The reason they are better has nothing, I assume, to do with the fact that you appear to be endorsing/selling them?
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These beads were developed by another BOTL (Scott Shilala). I was one of Scott's customers. For health and other reasons Scott was not able to continue with the beads so I purchased his business. I am selling them because they are better. You guys on this forum are coming in at the tail end here. There has been lots of discussion on other forums about this product. There have been experiments and tests and I am not in a position to repeat all of that here.

I have not tried to push the beads on this forum and only spoke up when a question was asked.

The thing that is interesting to me is that one of the other poster's feels that these sound and act like Heartfelt beads. This is the first that I have heard a comment like that. They look nothing like Heartfelt beads and from everything that I have heard, they do not act like Heartfelt beads...
 
Sounds like a debate over brand preference to me... Just my opinion. From what I have read on both sites, as I am currently getting ready to set up my new humi, both products work and work well. Fords and Chevys are both modes of transportation and in a sense do the same "job". Now, to say one is better than the other is simply brand preference at its best. I would venture to say that both have their own pros and cons in some way, shape or form. Choose what works and if both do and do it well, it sounds like the simplest form of competition in the same market to me.

Mike
 
If one product (HCM beads) lasts for ever and the other has to be replaced periodically because it absorbs impurities (turns color), how is that the same?
 
CigarNut said:
Breedy said:
CigarNut said:
I am not here to tell you that silica beads are bad, because they are a good product. What I am going to tell you is that HCM beads are better.If you have any questions please check out the website (www.hcmcigarbeads.com), post here or contact me privately.
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The reason they are better has nothing, I assume, to do with the fact that you appear to be endorsing/selling them?
Click to expand...
These beads were developed by another BOTL (Scott Shilala). I was one of Scott's customers. For health and other reasons Scott was not able to continue with the beads so I purchased his business. I am selling them because they are better. You guys on this forum are coming in at the tail end here. There has been lots of discussion on other forums about this product. There have been experiments and tests and I am not in a position to repeat all of that here.

I have not tried to push the beads on this forum and only spoke up when a question was asked.

The thing that is interesting to me is that one of the other poster's feels that these sound and act like Heartfelt beads. This is the first that I have heard a comment like that. They look nothing like Heartfelt beads and from everything that I have heard, they do not act like Heartfelt beads...
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Never a good idea to come into a forum as a new member and try to preach and talk down to everyone. Might want to just consider rewording that bolded statement. As Wyo said, sounds like brand preference and to me it does sound a little bit like product endorsement seeing as you said that you purchased the business. The Heartfelt beads are sold by a longstanding and well respected member here so just be careful of coming in with your guns blazing about how much better your product is.

In any case, as with any cigar related topic, it all comes down to personal preference so if you like your beads better. So be it.

Happy Smokin'!
 
CigarNut said:
If one product (HCM beads) lasts for ever and the other has to be replaced periodically because it absorbs impurities (turns color), how is that the same?
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If you use distilled water to moisten the beads, what impurities are there for them to absorb...??

Perhaps more importantly, if you own the company, why isn't this in the retailer forum? Why would you post initially:

I was all set to order heartfelt beads and while searching came across HCM beads. I'm a bit confused, the directions say you get them at 65% and basically do nothing if thats the RH you like. Is this really all there is to them? No recharging, no spritzing....really? Has anyone used them and how have they worked for you?
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...so, you purchased the company and haven't used them...?? Don't know how they work...?? Have no knowledge of your competition...??

This smells very bad to me - I think your thinly veiled attempt at shilling your product didn't work all that well.

Two choices as I see it:
- 'Fess up, start telling the truth and repost this in the retailer's section.
- Throw a fit, call me names, deny, inveigle,and obfuscate as possible.

What say you, CigarNut....??
 
CigarNut said:
Breedy said:
CigarNut said:
I am not here to tell you that silica beads are bad, because they are a good product. What I am going to tell you is that HCM beads are better.If you have any questions please check out the website (www.hcmcigarbeads.com), post here or contact me privately.
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The reason they are better has nothing, I assume, to do with the fact that you appear to be endorsing/selling them?
Click to expand...
These beads were developed by another BOTL (Scott Shilala). I was one of Scott's customers. For health and other reasons Scott was not able to continue with the beads so I purchased his business. I am selling them because they are better. You guys on this forum are coming in at the tail end here. There has been lots of discussion on other forums about this product. There have been experiments and tests and I am not in a position to repeat all of that here.
I have not tried to push the beads on this forum and only spoke up when a question was asked.

The thing that is interesting to me is that one of the other poster's feels that these sound and act like Heartfelt beads. This is the first that I have heard a comment like that. They look nothing like Heartfelt beads and from everything that I have heard, they do not act like Heartfelt beads...
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Why not?

Or why not point us in the direction where wew can find the results ourselves?

No one had said your products is in away less effective than anything else out there, but you do not seem very forthcoming about the your claims about your product.

This site welcomes and support vendors who are willing to engage with the members and interact with them.
 
Seems to me that Sam asked a legit question. "If the beads aren't silica-based, then what are they?" It doesn't seem that that question was ever really answered.

The only thing that needs to happen is a presentation of facts.

It's all true that we have brand preferences. Heck... there's people here that swear by brands that I wouldn't go near and vice-versa, that's just the way it is.

And, Cigarnut, just step back (pretty-please) and take a deep breath. No one is accusing you of anything or saying your product does or doesn't work. The first question was about how your product works (the sponge thing) and thanks for answering. The second question was what HCM's are made of? Pretty simple. Just lay out the information for us to see. I'm sure your brand will attract some fans here as you say it has elsewhere.



---> edited to add: just read CigarAl's post above... perfect point Al, thanks!
 
CigarNut said:
No deceit here. They are made out of clay.
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He states here that they are made of clay. I have to ask if this is not specific enough?? Not to step on toes, just simply wondering if there is concern as to what the actual components of the clay that they use to make these beads are or if we are all going in circles looking for answers that have been given and possibly missed. If the concern lies with the actual components here... I am very interested as to what components I should look for and steer clear of in products such as these. As a newb, my knowledge of this is very limited and I believe it is food for thought for newbs such as myself and maybe others as well.

Mike
 
WyoSmoke said:
CigarNut said:
No deceit here. They are made out of clay.
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He states here that they are made of clay. I have to ask if this is not specific enough?? Not to step on toes, just simply wondering if there is concern as to what the actual components of the clay that they use to make these beads are or if we are all going in circles looking for answers that have been given and possibly missed. If the concern lies with the actual components here... I am very interested as to what components I should look for and steer clear of in products such as these. As a newb, my knowledge of this is very limited and I believe it is food for thought for newbs such as myself and maybe others as well.

Mike
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Good point, Mike. And thanks for proof-reading. I missed that. He did say they're made out of clay. Here's what I found when I Wikied "Clay"

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained minerals, which show plasticity through a variable range of water content, and which can be hardened when dried and/or fired. Clay deposits are mostly composed of clay minerals (phyllosilicate minerals), minerals which impart plasticity and harden when fired and/or dried, and variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure by polar attraction. Organic materials which do not impart plasticity may also be a part of clay deposits.

So, perhaps I'm reading this wrong, but it seems that clay is a silicate-based product. I'm curious to know more. Hopefully someone with some geologic knowledge will weigh in... my brain is fried.

:whistling: :thumbs:
 
CigarNut said:
Breedy said:
CigarNut said:
I am not here to tell you that silica beads are bad, because they are a good product. What I am going to tell you is that HCM beads are better.If you have any questions please check out the website (www.hcmcigarbeads.com), post here or contact me privately.
Click to expand...
The reason they are better has nothing, I assume, to do with the fact that you appear to be endorsing/selling them?
Click to expand...
These beads were developed by another BOTL (Scott Shilala). I was one of Scott's customers. For health and other reasons Scott was not able to continue with the beads so I purchased his business. I am selling them because they are better. You guys on this forum are coming in at the tail end here. There has been lots of discussion on other forums about this product. There have been experiments and tests and I am not in a position to repeat all of that here.

I have not tried to push the beads on this forum and only spoke up when a question was asked.

The thing that is interesting to me is that one of the other poster's feels that these sound and act like Heartfelt beads. This is the first that I have heard a comment like that. They look nothing like Heartfelt beads and from everything that I have heard, they do not act like Heartfelt beads...
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Looks like your predessor was a lot more more knowledgeable of the competition...and willing to adress questions and concerns in detail.

From a thread at puff.com HCM Beads

And I quote from the thread:

"Dave's beads work great, I'm sure you've had good luck with them, so has everyone else."

All we are looking for is an open dialog about your product. The previous owner welcomed the chance to expiriment and compare products.
 
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