Humidification – it’s the final, most crucial step of cigar storage. There’s really nothing worse than popping open your humidor after a long time away and realizing that your cigars are all bone dry. Then, in a panic, you wonder if you should head to the kitchen faucet to revive your precious collection of premium handmade cigars. Of course, it’s not the right answer (you can cause cigars to explode literally if you rehydrate them too fast), but this situation can be prevented with the proper use of cigar humidifiers and humidification packs.
To keep your cigars in their best condition, we offer a number of accessories like cigar humidifiers, humidification packs, and humidification pillows. Let’s talk about each of them in turn.
Cigar humidification packs
The most basic way to keep your humidor properly humidified is to use preset cigar humidification packs (typically we carry Boveda, among others). These Boveda packs contain basic neutral substances like purified water vapor, natural salts, and odorless, tasteless food-grade thickener. Properly combined, these substances can automatically control humidity and maintain the right amount of moisture in your humidor (you do have a quality, well-sealed humidor, right? This stuff won’t function properly in a crappy container). In fact, you can usually select a Boveda pack with your desired humidity level for your cigars. Then, all you need to do is toss the right number of packs in for your size of humidor and quantity of cigars.
It’s the best.
Pick your cigar humidity level – set it and forget it
When seasoning a new cigar humidor, you can use a high humidity percentage (say, over 80%). When maintaining your cigars long-term, however, you’ll typically grab Boveda humidification packs somewhere in the 65-75% range. Many people prefer to keep their cigars humidified at 70% (or if you’re feeling saucy, exactly 69% and not a hair more or less).
Once you’ve put the correct number of packs for your size of humidor and number of cigars, there’s nothing else to do. That’s the convenience factor of Boveda humidification packs. You don’t have to recharge them by pouring in freshwater or propylene glycol. Instead, they automatically perform two-way humidity control, taking in and releasing moisture to maintain the desired humidity level. One last note: you’ll want to replace them on the schedule specified in the instructions that come with the product. Good quality Boveda cigar humidification packs will last several months, and you’ll know it’s time to toss them when they’re dried out and crunchy. Throw away the old ones and pop in some new ones.
Done deal.
Putting your cigars to bed with humidification pillows
If you don’t mind a little “recharging,” cigar humidification pillows (e.g. Humi-Care pillows) are humidor accessories that are quite similar to humidification packs. The main difference is that the pillow needs a little dip in distilled water to charge it up before it’s inserted into a plastic sleeve to be placed in your humidor. As a rule, you always want pure distilled water to humidify your cigars, never water straight from the tap. The tobacco in your cigars has been coddled by master tobacco artisans since it came in from the field, and it’s a crime to take an exquisitely flavored leaf and suddenly taint it with whatever is coming out of your 50-year-old water pipes. It’s fine for drinking and showering, but your cigars are a premium luxury product and it’s best not to mess with what you get from the cigar makers at the very last step before you smoke them.
Your cigars have traveled around the world for one night (or morning) of ecstasy with you – don’t disappoint them.
Electric cigar humidifiers
Why trust simple water solution packs when you can go full technician and install fancy electronics in your cigar humidor to monitor things yourself and gain total control? Our electronic cigar humidifiers use a hygrometer, humidification cartridge, and fans to circulate air, keep it moist, and show you the proof that the system is working thanks to an LED (or other) display. When you’ve got a larger humidor and want to ensure that your air is moving in your humidor, it’s probably time for an electronic cigar humidifier. We sell a number of units, along with the associated components to keep your system humming along in tip-top shape. They’re more involved than simple humidification packs but do the job more capably if you’re trying to manage a larger space like a cabinet humidor or something similar.
Long story short: keep ‘em moist, keep 'em tasty. That’s the way to keep your cigars in their best condition.
Please browse our selection of cigar humidification products at your leisure (and contact us with any questions).
