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How to Buy the Best Cigar Humidors

A true cigar aficionado knows that as a cigar matures, it's flavor improves. Humidors provide the perfect environment for this aging process. A good quality humidor not only allows this aging process to occur, but it also protects your cigars from rotting or worms. If you're ready to take your cigar enjoyment to the next level a humidor is what you need. When shopping for humidors there are certain features you should look for.

Instructions

- 1
  Will you store many different types of cigars or just one or two. Many people don't realize that cigars stored in a humidor take on the aroma and flavor of all the cigars stored in it. To avoid this, just store one or two types in a humidor, or get one large enough to allow the cigars to be stored in their original boxes.
- 2
  Temperature control. The ideal temperature for a humidor is 65 - 70 degrees, look for humidors that can maintain this temperature.
- 3
  Humidity level. The perfect humidity level for a humidor is 70%, cigars at this humidity level burn evenly and have the best flavor. Too little humidity and the cigar will burn quickly and have a bitter flavor. Even worse, too much humidity and the cigar will burn unevenly, have an acidic flavor and possibly develop mold and rot. All humidors should have a hygrometer to measure the interior humidity. The first choice should be a synthetic hair analog one, also note, humidors with digital ones are NOT necessarily better.
- 4
  Airtight seal. Be certain the humidor has an airtight seal. Low quality humidors with a bad seal will have difficulty maintaining the proper temperature and humidity.
- 5
  Interior Lining. There are three general types of wood used for the interior. If the interior of the humidor is not wood, then DO NOT buy it, period.
  
  1) Spanish Cedar - Costs more, but protects against worms, better maintain humidity, best cigar aging and imparts a desirable flavor to the cigars
  2) American Cedar - Costs less, same as above, but imparts a generally undesirable wood flavor.
  3) Honduran Mahogany - Cheapest, looks nice but inferior to Cedar in it's humidity absorption. Not as good in repelling tobacco worms.
  
  For all woods they should be properly dried and unfinished to prevent the wood from secreting resins over time.
- 6
  The Lid. Glass or wood? Simple here, if you plan on storing for just a month or so, then glass is fine. For storage for a year or more, wood lid humidors are preferable.
- 7
  The humidity agent. By far, the best type of humidifier agent is the acryl polymer humidifier. Do yourself a favor and don't consider any other. acryl polymer humidors require less maintenance, less filling and stabilize at the correct humidity level quicker.

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