Achieving Perfect Cigar Humidity

Step #1 Invest in a Solid Humidor

No, you don’t have to break the bank and buy a $10,000 humidor to store and age cigars at home. However, if you’re going to spend money on quality cigars, the least you can do is pick up a good humidor that provides a tight seal to protect the cigars inside. While travel humidors or Tupperware containers might work in a pinch, a genuine wooden humidor is your best bet for maintaining consistent humidity. 

Step #2 Season Your Humidor

Before a humidor is ready to hold cigars, it must be “seasoned,” that is, the interior must be brought up to the ideal humidity level.  

There are two schools of thought on how to do this. The “old-school” method involves taking a sponge and dabbing the entire interior with distilled water. (Never use tap water in a humidor for any reason. It will cause issues like mold and destroy your smokes!) Once you’ve thoroughly coated the humidor with distilled water, close it shut and wait 24-48 hours. Then add your cigars.

The “new-age” way to season a humidor is more time-consuming but much more effective and long-lasting (and easier). All you have to do is buy a specially-made seasoning humidification pack from a company like Boveda, set the pack inside your new humidor, close it, wait 14 days, and presto, perfect humidification. 

Step #3 Monitor Monitor Monitor

While there is no consensus among cigar smokers on an ideal humidity level, most people store their cigars between 65-75 percent humidity and around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. As long as you keep your humidor at roughly those specifications, your cigars should be good to go. (Higher than 75 percent humidity can make the cigars too spongey. Lower than 65 risks them becoming dried-out and brittle.)

From here, maintaining quality humidity requires a few simple steps like:  

• Utilizing an accurate hygrometer to measure the humidity levels inside your humidor.
• Regularly re-filling a humidifier inside your humidor with distilled water to maintain humidity levels.
• Replacing humidification packs within the humidor on an as-needed basis.
• Keeping your humidor in a safe space –– away from air ducts and windows. 
• Checking the humidity levels regularly to ensure your humidor is operating correctly.

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