Humidity for Humidor

[Ed Gibbons]

Any suggestions as to where I can purchase a kit to provide humidity to a humidor?

[Rick Moyer]

Unless you mean the electronic kind for large humidors, I like the humidification beads. Search for "humidor humidity" and you should find what you need. I bought my beads from Heartfelt Industries. I have the tubes that are about an inch or two in diameter and about 4-5 inches long. Works well for a 150 count humidor.

[james glenn]

I prefer the beads as well. I get them from Cigar International, and they usually arrive two days after purchase.

[Ed Gibbons]

Do you fellows use a hygrometer?

[Rick Moyer]

Yes. Small one, also has temp. You will want to verify the calibration. Easy to do but harder to explain. Again, a search for "calibrating hygrometer" will show you how.

[Alan Wright]

The stuff they sell in the cigars stores as the "special" humidification liquid for about $5 a cup is actually a 50/50 solution of propylene glycol and distilled water. All you need is some of the "Oasis" that you get at flower stores. They use it to stick flowers in. You want the stuff that is really dense, not the light stuff. Mix up some solution and pour it over the Oasis until it can't absorb any more and stick it in your humidor. I get the propylene glycol at the local pharmacy. It cuts your cost by about 80%

[Dustin Keys]

The beads are the best solution I've found by far. They provide incredible consistency, they're cheap, and they last forever. I've been using them exclusively for about 3 years now and couldn't be happier.

Dustin

[Rob Sack]

If you want to monitor the humidity levels inside the humidor accurately, use only a digital gauge (hygrometer). They are usually fairly accurate and consistent. Use of an analog gauge is a crapshoot, whether or not you calibrate it. I have been building cigar humidors professionally for almost 15 years and I have never run across an analog hygrometer that was consistently accurate. Occasionally, even the digital hygrometers fail. If you have concerns, purchase several digital hygrometers, set them in a conditioned humidor, and compare the results. Their readings should be virtually identical. If not, the one with a different reading can be returned under warranty.