new guy looking for my first humidor

[ggiese]

Hi all, new guy here and my first post.

I've smoked cigars socially for a while now, but am just starting to get into them now. I have a few in a friend's humidor until I can get one for myself and I'm looking for suggestions.

I'm looking for:

Capacity of around 100ish cigars (50ish would probably even work)
Aesthetically pleasing

For a budget, I'm really looking for something that is a good value. I know you get what you pay for, but I'm sure some of you have some good suggestions for great budget value humidors that look great and, most importantly, are reliable. Around $100ish ideally.

Open to suggestions! Happy to buy online if good deals are available.

If you're looking to store cigars in a good, properly humidified environment - go with a Tupperware container. It's got a fantastic seal, is very durable and relatively inexpensive.

If you're looking for a wood humidor - This is akin to asking this community to recommend a chair - "...looking for something that is a good value. I know you get what you pay for, but I'm sure some of you have some good suggestions for great budget value chairs that look great and, most importantly, are reliable. Around $100ish ideally". you're going to get a very wild range of responses (some good/some bad).

Can you peg it down a bit more? Give us some sense what you like?

[ashauler]

If you're looking to store cigars in a good, properly humidified environment - go with a Tupperware container. It's got a fantastic seal, is very durable and relatively inexpensive.

If you're looking for a wood humidor - This is akin to asking this community to recommend a chair - "...looking for something that is a good value. I know you get what you pay for, but I'm sure some of you have some good suggestions for great budget value chairs that look great and, most importantly, are reliable. Around $100ish ideally". you're going to get a very wild range of responses (some good/some bad).

Can you peg it down a bit more? Give us some sense what you like?

Welcome to the forum.

Have you considered stopping in at your local tobacconist and checking out his wares?

[buzz]

Welcome from AZ. If your only criteria is ~100 cigars, ~$100, and "aesthetically pleasing", check out cubancrafters.com and pick one that you like. If you want something a little nicer and not made in the worst country in the world, check out sites like michaeldixonhumidors.com. Keep in mind though that you might outgrow it, opt for a coolidor, and end up selling the humidor on craigslist for a loss, wishing you had bought more Padrons instead of a pretty box.

[CptnBlues63]

Hi from Alberta, Canada

[CoventryCat86]

Welcome to CigarSmokers.

Thanks for serving our country!

I don't really have any good ideas on small, inexpensive humidors. I have two, an old one that my father bought in the 1950's that I updated and another I won at a cigar dinner in 1998 so I never bought one. I don't use either of them anymore, I use "coolerdors" (120 quart coolers with humidification beads and inexpensive hygrometers which do the trick).

Buzz has a good idea for you, cubancrafters, I've heard others have had good luck with their stuff.

[Mangyrat]

Tupperware container is a good suggestion till you find a humidor you like at your price.
I used a few large ones for over flow for a year or so then moved on to a cooler for overflow.

now if you want something that looks nice I also say Cuban crafters.

[Merovius]

Welcome from AZ. If your only criteria is ~100 cigars, ~$100, and "aesthetically pleasing", check out cubancrafters.com and pick one that you like. If you want something a little nicer and not made in the worst country in the world, check out sites like michaeldixonhumidors.com. Keep in mind though that you might outgrow it, opt for a coolidor, and end up selling the humidor on craigslist for a loss, wishing you had bought more Padrons instead of a pretty box.

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.

[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.

[buzz]

I fall in the tight seal camp because I think I get enough of an air change by opening the humidor 2-3 times a week to select a cigar.

[ashauler]

Yep, I view air leakage from a humidor as a bad thing. Don't give too much of a shit whether you moisten the wood or not. I moistened both of mine when new....no warpage in 6+ years of continual use. Both of them were made in China though.....and were nowhere near $400. That's probably why.