Elie Bleu

Before the Store

Initial questions you should ask yourself before heading out with your big sweaty wad of money:

1. Will I want the HUMIDOR to match with the furniture in my office, home, etc.? Trust me, while Cherry is exquisite, it will definitely clash with your light oak armoire.
2. How many cigars do I want to store? Always choose a humidor that is larger than you think you will need.
3. Do I need a lock? Beats me, can you trust your wife and kids? Your mom?
4. What type of humidor do I require? A desktop? Traveler? Cabinet? Just as a fine cabinet worker, always pick the right tool for the job.
5. How much money can I spend? Don't get cheap on me here, you don't want to waste the time, effort and money, no matter how little, on a BOX that will ruin your smokes. Cut back on the single malt Scotch and put some cash away for a good humidor.

What to Look For

1. Take a look at the outside, from top, to bottom, to sides. The humidor should be free of obvious imperfections: cracks, chips, warping, etc. The outside of the humidor should display the characteristics of fine construction including a thin seam between the upper and lower halves, a lustrous sheen of the wood or other material.
2. Look at the thickness of the walls. The thicker the better. Thick walls provide a greater buffer between the ambient air and your cigars. A humidor must first and foremost, maintain a CONSTANT INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT. The box itself should provide some manner of insulation to prevent rapid TEMPERATURE swings and should be constructed so as to provide a dynamic ability to maintain HUMIDITY within the safe range of 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. The hinges should be secure, not flimsy, and should be set perfectly. Make sure that the hinges are seated well so as not to create a gap in the box seam.
4. Check the corner joints. The box should display first rate HARDWARE, JOINERY and ACCESSORIES
5. Look for a quality HUMIDIFIER (see Humidity and Temperature section).
6. Look for a quality HYGROMETER (see Humidity and Temperature section). In my humble OPINION, analog HYGROS are crap. Be sure your box comes with a digital hygro, either standard or as an option. If not, get rid of the analog and add a digital.
7. Ask if the box has a Spanish cedar lining. This type of lining is not absolutely necessary, but it is preferred.
8. A stable, heavy box will handle the stresses of use and time. Plus, a heavy lid can help with the seal. But beware of an unbalanced box. If the lid is too heavy relative to the bottom, the box will fall over when opened, potentially damaging the box, your cigars, or both.

Built in digital hygrometer	Note difference in thickness of outer box of a quality humidor (left) and an inexpensive model	Interior Detail

After Your Purchase

You shouldn’t pack a new humidor full of cigars on the first day. After you bring your box home, you need to CONDITION or, "SEASON" the box (for additional information on seasoning, listen to Stogie Fresh 5 podcast on "How to Season a Humidor"). First, fill the humidifier as directed. Typically you will use a half PROPYLENE GLYCOL half DISTILLED WATER mixture. When you think that the humidifier has absorbed as much fluid as it can take, wipe it with a clean cloth and fit it into the humidor. Don't saturate the humidifier so that it is overflowing with water, just make sure it is completely moist. Leave the humidifier in your box so that the inner box will absorb water. In larger boxes, you may want to add an additional water source to insure a complete seasoning; a small dish of water will suffice.

Note: the absorbency of the humidor inner box is much greater at first. It’s better not to hurry, but wait until the wood of the liner has fully absorbed enough water to reach an equilibrium. You should allow your humidor to season for at least 3-5 days (or longer) to allow time for the Spanish cedar lining to absorb water from the humidifier and for the humidity to reach the equilibrium state.

Another fool-proof method for seasoning your box is the Bóveda One-Step Seasoning kit (read review). This method uses a hi-tech humidity packet(s) that you place in your new humidor for 10 days. Though this method takes longer, it is a simple, clean method for insuring proper seasoning.

Some experts recommend taking a clean, fresh sponge or cloth, dampening it with distilled water and wiping all the internal surface of the humidor. This gets rid of any dust, and at the same time gets the wood used to conditions of high humidity. Other humidor makers eschew this practice, saying that the liner has already been wiped clean and that adding fluid might lead to warping and/or will raise the grain of the liner, making it rough and perhaps leading to damaged cigars. Be sure to read carefully whatever directions come with your humidor. It is also a good idea to talk with the vendor, whether it's your local tobacconist, shopkeep or, better, the manufacturer of the humidor.

Once your hygrometer shows that the humidor is staying at constant humidity, you can start adding cigars. I would add cigars slowly and see what happens to the humidity levels as you introduce your smokes.

Well, after coming this far, you might be on your way to becoming a serious collector. If so, check out the next section: Road Rage to find out the skinny on Travel humidors.