A Humidor necessary?

[cvmfour]

I'm just starting out and am wondering if a humidor is necessary. Say I go buy a couple single sticks. They should be fine if I leave them in the plastic or metal container, right? I always thought of humidors to be necessar for boxes. Fill me in fellas.

 

[Tony Bones]

You sir, are wrong...well, kind of at least.

You definitely need some form of cigar storage vessel, but it doesn't need to be a bonified humidor. If you don't keep your cigars in a 60-70 % humidity environment they will dry out, lose their natural oils, and taste like monkey dung.

Try this:

1.Get a nice sized Tupperware container
2. Get a Credo unit from your local tobacconist (this is your humidification element)
3. Top off the Credo w/ distilled water (use tap water and you'll kill your cigars)
4. Double side tape the Credo to the Tupperware lid
5. Stick your cigars in there and put the lid on
6. Done

Give or take a few bucks, you've probably got about $15 in this set-up and it works as well as you'll ever need. Unless of course, you get hooked on this business like every other one of us Regardles, we call these units Tupperidors. Once you get hooked you can use the same principle w/ a Coleman cooler. Those are called Coolidors.

**Something else that works well is if you ask your local tobacconist for a couple of the thin sheets of Spanish Cedar that come in most boxes of cigars. Use some double-sided tape and line the base and sides of your container for aroma.**

 

[Fast4Dr]

I'm just starting out and am wondering if a humidor is necessary. Say I go buy a couple single sticks. They should be fine if I leave them in the plastic or metal container, right? I always thought of humidors to be necessar for boxes. Fill me in fellas.

you will need some type of humidor. Since you are just starting out you can get a small tupperware and put a small credo in it.

 

[cvmfour]

So basically a humidor isn't need right now, but a tupperware container is. Is it a special kind of tupperware or just gladware, etc. Would it be best if it is square or rectangle with a flat bottom and sides? Sorry for all the questions. I like to get my stuff together before I do anything.

 

[emodx]

You sir, are wrong...well, kind of at least.

You definitely need some form of cigar storage vessel, but it doesn't need to be a bonified humidor. If you don't keep your cigars in a 60-70 % humidity environment they will dry out, lose their natural oils, and taste like monkey dung.

Try this:

1.Get a nice sized Tupperware container
2. Get a Credo unit from your local tobacconist (this is your humidification element)
3. Top off the Credo w/ distilled water (use tap water and you'll kill your cigars)
4. Double side tape the Credo to the Tupperware lid
5. Stick your cigars in there and put the lid on
6. Done

Give or take a few bucks, you've probably got about $15 in this set-up and it works as well as you'll ever need. Unless of course, you get hooked on this business like every other one of us Regardles, we call these units Tupperidors. Once you get hooked you can use the same principle w/ a Coleman cooler. Those are called Coolidors.

**Something else that works well is if you ask your local tobacconist for a couple of the thin sheets of Spanish Cedar that come in most boxes of cigars. Use some double-sided tape and line the base and sides of your container for aroma.**

I disagree Tony. Distilled H2O will cause the humidity to shoot up high. Maybe %90 +/- %5. Buy some humidor solution while you are there. Pretty cheap and with a tupperdor, should last for a long time. Also, do not top off the credo. It shouldn't be soaken wet. Maybe 1/2 full.

Emo

 

[emodx]

So basically a humidor isn't need right now, but a tupperware container is. Is it a special kind of tupperware or just gladware, etc. Would it be best if it is square or rectangle with a flat bottom and sides? Sorry for all the questions. I like to get my stuff together before I do anything.

You want a positive lock storage bin. One you can fill with water, turn upside down, and not have to worry about leakage or the lid falling off. Go for rectangle.

Emo

 

[moki]

I'm just starting out and am wondering if a humidor is necessary. Say I go buy a couple single sticks. They should be fine if I leave them in the plastic or metal container, right? I always thought of humidors to be necessar for boxes. Fill me in fellas.

Is a refrigerator necessary for keeping your food from going bad?

 

[CoventryCat86]

3. Top off the Credo w/ distilled water (use tap water and you'll kill your cigars)

HUH?

How did we ever keep cigars humidified and not kill our cigars before they started selling bottled distilled water? ???

The main reason people use distilled water is so that it doesn't ruin your humidification unit. The minerals in the water generally raise hell with foam, sponges, etc. Using tap water shouldn't ruin your cigars.

 

[MilesMingusMonk]

From CigarNexus' Ultimate Cigar Storage Manifesto:

Only use distilled water. Tap water has chemicals and minerals that you do not want in contact with your cigars as they age. Also tap water contains organics and is prone to developing mold. Distilled water is the only readily available water that is free of both mineral and organic impurities.


The complete Manifesto:

Ultimate Cigar Storage Manifesto

 

[emodx]

From CigarNexus' Ultimate Cigar Storage Manifesto:

Only use distilled water. Tap water has chemicals and minerals that you do not want in contact with your cigars as they age. Also tap water contains organics and is prone to developing mold. Distilled water is the only readily available water that is free of both mineral and organic impurities.


The complete Manifesto:

Ultimate Cigar Storage Manifesto

Distilled water does not regulate humidity alone. For the rgulation part you need PG. 50/50 will provide for a %70 rh level in a perfect enviornment.

Emo

 

[Tony Bones]

You sir, are wrong...well, kind of at least.

You definitely need some form of cigar storage vessel, but it doesn't need to be a bonified humidor. If you don't keep your cigars in a 60-70 % humidity environment they will dry out, lose their natural oils, and taste like monkey dung.

Try this:

1.Get a nice sized Tupperware container
2. Get a Credo unit from your local tobacconist (this is your humidification element)
3. Top off the Credo w/ distilled water (use tap water and you'll kill your cigars)
4. Double side tape the Credo to the Tupperware lid
5. Stick your cigars in there and put the lid on
6. Done

Give or take a few bucks, you've probably got about $15 in this set-up and it works as well as you'll ever need. Unless of course, you get hooked on this business like every other one of us Regardles, we call these units Tupperidors. Once you get hooked you can use the same principle w/ a Coleman cooler. Those are called Coolidors.

**Something else that works well is if you ask your local tobacconist for a couple of the thin sheets of Spanish Cedar that come in most boxes of cigars. Use some double-sided tape and line the base and sides of your container for aroma.**

I disagree Tony. Distilled H2O will cause the humidity to shoot up high. Maybe %90 +/- %5. Buy some humidor solution while you are there. Pretty cheap and with a tupperdor, should last for a long time. Also, do not top off the credo. It shouldn't be soaken wet. Maybe 1/2 full.

Emo

I disagree w/ your disagreement. Credos are pre-treated w/ solution and need nothing but distilled water.

 

[emodx]

Credo the brand, or credo the generalized term for the hockey puck humidifiers commonly found just about everywhere?

 

[ejquin]

One thing that's important to add is that if you buy premixed PG/H2O make sure it is 50/50. After spending days trying to figure out why my humi wouldnt go below 74% I read the fine print on my solution and it read, "Holt's solution will regulate the humidity in your humidor at 70% to 75%."

Maybe it was more like 25%/75% PG to H2O. Yuo might just want to mix it yourself. The good news is I've got 65% beads in the mail, and I took my Credo out, and now my box holds 65% perfect. Go figure.

 

[Tony Bones]

Credo the brand, or credo the generalized term for the hockey puck humidifiers commonly found just about everywhere?

The brand. Let's not make this into another stupid CP pissing contest though. Check the directions that come w/ the element. They will say if it has been treated or not.

If not, the 50/50 mix is the way to go and you can even use it on a piece of florists foam if you're a real tight ass

 

[PuroBrat]

I'm just starting out and am wondering if a humidor is necessary. Say I go buy a couple single sticks. They should be fine if I leave them in the plastic or metal container, right? I always thought of humidors to be necessar for boxes. Fill me in fellas.

Is a refrigerator necessary for keeping your food from going bad?

Not if you plan to eat that food/smoke the 2 cigars within the same day ???

 

[emodx]

Credo the brand, or credo the generalized term for the hockey puck humidifiers commonly found just about everywhere?

The brand. Let's not make this into another stupid CP pissing contest though. Check the directions that come w/ the element. They will say if it has been treated or not.

If not, the 50/50 mix is the way to go and you can even use it on a piece of florists foam if you're a real tight ass

That's why I asked. I have never bought an actuall "Credo". But the term is thrown around loosely to apply to just about any Puck looking humifier. And after seeing quite a few pucks in my day, they come bone dry. No evidence of the oily-like PG liquid. I'll take your word for it that the Credo brand comes shipped already charge with some PG. And being a real tight ass, I have used 50/50 on florists foam. The key with that is you can mye your humidifier are big as you want.

Emo

 

[CoventryCat86]

From CigarNexus' Ultimate Cigar Storage Manifesto:

Only use distilled water. Tap water has chemicals and minerals that you do not want in contact with your cigars as they age. Also tap water contains organics and is prone to developing mold. Distilled water is the only readily available water that is free of both mineral and organic impurities.


The complete Manifesto:

Ultimate Cigar Storage Manifesto

Hmmm, okay but if you're going to "start small" with a basic tupperware and a sponge, I still don't think distilled water is necessary. The distilled water recommendation is a recent fad, not to say that the idea doesn't have merit, it certainlly does but I don't think that anyone using a basic tupperware and an inexpensive humidification device (an el cheapo puck or a sponge) needs to bother with distilled water. Also if you have a set up like that, I highly doubt this will be used for aging cigars much longer than a few weeks

I don't think Winston Churchill used distilled water in his humi back in the 1940's

 

[PuroBrat]

Distilled water is better for the floral foam/credo puck, as it reduces deposits caused by minerals in regular tap water. However, if it is a temporary solution, is it really going to matter? I doubt it.

Myself, I use Brita Water (water from my Brita Filter Pitcher) and it is not causing any noticable problems. I use that same water now in my Climmax Beads and they work perfectly. Just my .02

 

[cigarsarge]

I recently bought a Credo brand puck and it came charged. It felt oily to the toutch when new. Guess that was the solution it was charged with.

 

[cvmfour]

Never knew a question like this would bring so many agreements/disagreements. All this seems really complicated. Would it just be easier to buy a humidor instead?