Ebay Humidors

**PuffTheMagicDragon** · 06-16-2005, 09:33 AM

I think the ONLY disadvantage to buying online is not being able to actually see and inspect the item you are buying. However, if the place you are buying from has a good reputation, this really should be no problem. The money you will save will go a long way in starting up your collection of smokes. I also like the idea of having a nice looking humidor to store singles in and they are nice to look at. However, when the time comes for me to start buying boxes, it will be coolidor all the way.

**MMAB** · 06-17-2005, 10:39 PM

1. Made in China, usually (and there's nothing wrong with that)

2. Usually made totally of spanish cedar with a photo-laminate of some hardwood. What is a photo-laminate? Basically, a picture of a hardwood that is laminated to the cedar surface then coated with polyurethane for a good gloss. This type is fine, works great provided that it is put together well and offers an incredible looking humidor at a very low cost.

3. Some cheap humidors are made of composite materials which are basically compressed wood or paper fibers. Particle board, masonite, etc. with a photo-laminate on the surface and then lined with cedar. These are usually the ones you want to stay away from. SOME cheaper fiberboard materials often warp and don't provide a good seal.

Many dealers will tell you that a humidor has a beautiful hardwood "finish". That usually means a photo-laminate. Again, that's OK but it's not a REAL hardwood outer box.

Check out the links to eBay below. These are examples of totally solid cedar humidors with a photo-laminate. Again, there is nothing wrong with these. But note how they say "finish" when reffering to the exterior instead of reffering to it as solid walnut or oak or what-have-you with a cedar lining.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...187752638&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...186334491&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...185709381&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...186988936&rd=1

You can see that the exposed edges (where you see the thickness of the wood) of the lid and bottom are the same wood as the cedar "lining". So the humidor is solid cedar throughout not just lined with cedar.

Again, any of these examples above would most likely make fine humidors. Just be wary of anyone who won't show the inside of a humidor or any offer that seems to good to be true. They usually are.

This next link shows a solid mahogany humidor with a true lining of cedar. You can see that the humidor box was first made of mahogany then the interior was lined with cedar. Of course I'm taking the word of the dealer that the shell IS solid mahogany. But it looks legit and he's got good feedback.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...186451461&rd=1

The majority of humidors on eBay seem to be OK from what I've seen lately. Just look closely and check out what other buyers have said about the vendors and their products and make sure you can return an item if you aren't satisfied with it.

Disclaimer - MMAB has no affiliation with any of the sellers whose auctions have been used for example on this post or any other post that may link to this post. The opinions expressed here are MMAB's own personal opinions and by no means are intended to support or discredit any vendor or their product or eBay and are used solely for the purpose of example only.

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**Krautle87** · 06-17-2005, 11:06 PM

Wow thats alot of info. You seem quite knowlegeable. I think the ones I was looking at were the all cedar with the wooden coating. I just bought a 25 ct travel humidor from my local shop. For the price I paid I prolly couldve gotten a decent 150ct one off the bay. But I'm still not buying boxes and I only smoke 3 or 4 times a week. So this will do for now. I've got it started, I soaked the inside and have wet paper towels sitting in it on a bag. I got an analog hydrometer but I may end up just getting a digital, it seems much simpler, I can barely read a analog clock let alone a hydrometer

Anyways, how long should I wait before putting cigars in it? The instructions say overnight, and the tobbaccanist said a day was fine, but I've heard it takes a week. Any other things I should know starting out?

**MMAB** · 06-18-2005, 05:58 PM

I'd give it a week to stabilize. If you put the cigars in early the humidor will suck a lot of the moisture out of them.

Have fun and good smokes to ya!

**Dmitri** · 07-19-2005, 12:00 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ory=11675&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ory=11675&rd=1

What do you guys think of these two? They both say that it is "lined with spanish cedar." Would that be sufficient or would I want something that is more like spanish cedar lined with an exterior?

I found one that is identical to one of the above at http://www.cheaphumidors.com/Merchan...NITUREHUMIDORS

**MMAB** · 07-19-2005, 03:59 PM

Hi Dimitri

The two humidors you show from eBay are fine from what I can see. They are SOLID cedar with a rosewood burl FINISH. By finish they mean a photo laminate. It's actually a picture of rosewood burl grain laminated to the surface of the cedar. THAT'S OK. The majority of humidors you see today are made the same way.

If it were a real rosewood burl outer box lined with spanish cedar you'd have to pay about two thousand dollars if not more for a humidor like that.

As I said in my older posting, using photo laminates over solid cedar makes for a very affordable and a very attractive humidor.

Go for it!

Although.......the one with the fancy folding trays? Stay away from that one. I bet you that the hinges in it are just brass plated steel and over time the humidity in the humidor is going to make them look like crap. Between the two, I would pick the one with the legs.

I've heard some good things about CheapHumidors.com. They seem to have a lot of good deals. But check around for a little while before you make up your mind.