what humidifier?

Joined Dec 2012
5 Posts | 0+
southwestern New York state
I have a home-made humidor, holding about 250 cigars, that I've been using Moist-n-aire humidifiers in for the past 15 years. It's time to replace the one I have and wonder are there better choices out there. Does anybody have an opinion? Thanks.
 
Hi Fred. I prefer to use RH beads. You can find out about them here:

www.cigarmony.com

www.heartfeltindustries.com

Both are great companies to deal with. You can't go wrong with beads. It is a foolproof method and your cigars will thank you.

BTW, welcome to the forum.

DL
 
The humidor is 4 ft tall X 3 ft wide X 10 deep with three spanish cedar shelves in the upper part. The lower part is for storage and is where the humidifier is located. It has a door that is the width of the cabinet to access that area. I'm not sure that humidity would get to the upper shelves using only the beads (the Moist-n-aire has a fan to move the humid air upwards as do some of the other products on the market), so that's why I'm thinking some kind of commercial humidifier.
 
Ah, gotcha now. An electric humidifier. Sorry, I misunderstood.

Actually your humidor sounds like my large one. Open the lid, three cedar shelves. One drawer on the bottom to hold accessories. Mine is on legs. You can purchase tubes from heartfelt to hold your beads. You buy the amount of beads you need according to the size of your humidor. I did overkill. I have one tube on my top shelf, two tubes on the middle shelf, and a fourth tube on the bottom.

DL
 
Thanks for the info, maybe I'll give these a try. It may solve my problem of when I'm away for an extended period, my current system can run dry and the RH in the humidor starts dropping. I've got about 2400 cu in to humidify so probably 4 of the large 70% RH units that cigarmony offers would do the trick, or do you think it would require more? The other option is the mesh bags and buying beads in bulk that heartfelt industries offers. Do you know anyone that's tried that? Do you just use distilled water to reconstitute the beads or do I need to go something like the "cigar juice" route? There isn't an issue with mold growth in the beads is there (sorry, I'm a microbiologist so I worry about that kind of thing)?
 
Yes, distiller water. I have used beads for four years and have never had a mold issue. I use 65% beads with the tubes from Heartfelt. I haven't been to the site in a long time and am only assuming that he still has them. About once every two of three weeks, I give my beads several "spritzes" from a soray bottle of distiller water. The bad thing about beads is that they tend to crack and you get "bead dust" in the bottom of your humidor. Not really an issue. As said, I've been using the same beads for four years and they are still intact for the most part.

Another thing, I used to stress do much about my humidity. Big time. You could probably search this forum and see where I have stressed about it. I have come to trust my beads so much, that the last time the batteries died on my hygrometers, I never changed them. I no longer use hygrometers.


DL
 
I apologize about my spelling mistakes. I am lazy and it is much simpler for me to do this from my phone than a computer right now.


DL
 
I've been using the mechanical "move the air around" system for a long time and it's always worked for me but now I'm thinking "is simpler better?" Thanks for all your help. Go enjoy a cigar.
 
there are a lot of different options you should check out before you decide (^^as everyone mentioned above).. those cigars need to have a great humidifier! good luck
 
there are a lot of different options you should check out before you decide (^^as everyone mentioned above).. those cigars need to have a great humidifier! good luck

One heck of a first post. You even hyperlinked your website. You are either smokey girl or you work with her. Please read the rules in the retailer section.


DL
 
I put a capful of vodka in each gallon of distilled water. Helps kill any mold and leaves no taste on the cigar. And it is a great reason to have grey goose in the office.
 
That's an awesome home for your cigars. Eurocaves are highly regarded...they take all the guesswork out from cooled storage. That's a lovely set-up you have there.
zohocigars.com