Maybe you have acquired a few tupperware containers over the years, but thats OK for your own personal stash, but maybe you feel you lose a bit of dignity when offering a cigar to one of your close friends.

Well, maybe its time to invest in a nice classy desktop style humidor, or possibly a cabinet humidor.

So what do you look for, and how can you determine the difference between a good quality humidor, and a poorly constructed humidor that may not serve the intended purpose - and that is to correctly preserve your cigars for aging.

Well, heres a few simple steps to help you determine how to pick out a good quality humidor and - one that you may just be wasting your money on.

1. Take a look at the wall thickness. A thick wall will translate into better insulation qualities. Since one of the main purposes of the humidor is creating a stable and protected microclimate, the wall thickness plays a large role in the insulation factor. In most cases I build my humidors with a 3/4” body, plus a 1/4” Spanish Cedar lining - offering 1” of wall thickness. Many humidors will not have much more than 3/8 of an inch total wall thickness.

2. Take a look at the Spanish Cedar lining thickness. Many times companies will use a thin veneer of Spanish Cedar lining. A veneer can be as thin as 1/32”. Spanish cedar has great moisture absorption qualities, and acts as a moisture buffer and helps stabilize the microclimate of your humidor. Try and get a thick Spanish cedar lining in your humidor of at least 1/4” and preferrably 3/8”.

3, Examine the hardware. Hardware plays a large role in the overall cost of a humidor. Be sure that the hardware is solid, not brass-plated, and has thick profiles and precise movement. Also be sure that the hardware is not fastened to the humidor with tacked or staples, as these can loosen over time.

4. Look at the humidification system. Most inexpensive humidors will come with the sponge style humidifiers. If your humidor happens to come with one, don’t feel like this is a bonus. Most of these are useless and inaccurate, and should not be used when preserving cigars. Assume that you will need to replace the humidifier with an alternative humidification device, like some RH Beads, or possibly an electronic unit. These will give more reliable performance, and will take most of the worry out of properly humidifying your cigars.
5. Seal. Make sure that your humidor has a good seal - here’s one way to check. Open the lid the entire way. Now tip the lid closed letting the weight of the lid slam closed on its own. If there is a good seal, the air inside the humidor will actually cushion the lid from slamming hard against the body of the humidor. Just be careful, if you are trying this on a cheaply made humidor, you could damage it, and the store owner might not be too impressed!

6. Finally, take a look at the hygrometer. Now, understand that it is difficult to tell the difference between a good and a cheap hygrometer by simply just looking at it. But in my experience, I have found that most analogue hygrometers are fairly inaccurate. On the other hand, they do look very aesthetically pleasing. What I would suggest is investing in a good quality digital hygrometer. There are many of these around and you can most likely expect to pay about $20 - $30 for a decent quality digital hygrometer.

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