new guy looking for my first humidor

[ggiese]

Bought a Michael Dixon not too long ago, been very happy.

The E Class is a high quality humidor and very affordable at $400.

It also helps that Michael sometimes takes calls himself and is willing to spend a half hour on the phone just chatting and answering any questions you have. Really nice guy.

Thanks for the recommendation. Those are very nice looking humidors...

I don't know that I completely agree, but I found interesting his thoughts on conditioning a humidor and a "tight" versus not so tight lid seal...

Initial Conditioning
Do not spray the interior of any humidor with water or apply a damp sponge or wet rag to any interior wood surface. This will only cause the wood to expand too rapidly and will raise the grain of the wood thereby giving it a rough texture. It could also cause the exterior side walls to split apart and the lid to warp. We will not honor any repair on humidors that have been over-saturated with water. Please read carefully our Humigar instruction sheets. Be patient and go slowly while conditioning the humidor to the 70% R.H. level. It is a slow process and needs to be done slowly so the box can acclimate to the higher humidity levels.

Tight fit/Loose fit
There are conflicting thoughts in the marketplace as to how a lid should fit down over the raised cedar interior lining. Some feel the lid should fit snugly or air-tight when closing thereby giving the interior an air-tight seal. Others feel a humidor should "breathe" and that the moisture should be allowed to escape so there is an air exchange. Stagnant moist air will harbor bacteria which will create mold. Mold will ruin cigars within 1-2 days if left unnoticed. We purposely leave a 1/64" recess on the interior lining so as to allow a small amount of air exchange. This way the interiors are allowed to breathe somewhat, allowing a small amount of air exchange.