Humidors for Cigars: Which One Is For You?
Your humidor will be the centerpiece of your stogie collection, and you will likely want to proudly display it - or at least throw a happy glance at it once in a while. However, there is a mind-boggling variety of cigar humidors available out there, and it's not always easy to make a choice. On this page, you'll read more about the different kinds of humidors you can find, which pitfalls to avoid, learn which one might be the one for you, and how to purchase one at the best possible price.
The Starter (Small) Humidor
This isn't an official name, but I consider these humidors "starter humidors" because they are usually sold by cigar companies as part of a starter package deal. Basically, they're a cheaper humidor that will hold between 20 and 50 cigars. Note that "cheaper" doesn't necessarily mean bad quality: they may well perform very well with very little air leakage or other issues, and you may keep them for a long time. In fact, I would have still had mine if a friend of mine hadn't run out of room in his cigar boxes and I ended up giving mine to him after I bought a bigger one.
The starter humidors are usually box-shaped, with or without a glass top, and may or may not contain a non-digital hygrometer. They will come with some sort of humidifier, although I always recommend switching to a more reliable method of humidification. Their capacity, as stated above, is invariably between 20 and 50 cigars.
If you want to get started in the cigar hobby for very little money, I definitely suggest keeping an eye out for a so-called "humidor combo deal". These are usually deals for $30-$50 where you receive a starter humidor, a basic cutter and lighter, and a small selection of cigars to start off. On the StogieDen deals page, I will attempt to keep an updated list of available humidor combo deals if they are available, so check back often.
The Glass(top) Humidor
I already mentioned them briefly (and you can see a picture) in the previous section: a glasstop humidor. Or, to be more accurate, a "glass humidor", because the glass isn't always on top. They are very popular among cigar enthusiasts because they're an easy way to check on your cigar collection and pick out which stogie you'd like to smoke next. In fact, many glass humidors have slanted cedar trays so that the cigars are easier to see.
The glasstop humidor is usually box-shaped and has the glass part on top, as the name indicates. The come in various sizes from 25 cigars all the way up to 150 or more cigars, and may or may not have a cedar tray at the top so you can highlight your favorite cigars while storing your main stash below. Their prices usually range from about $50 to $100. I definitely wouldn't spend more that that on a glasstop humidor, because if you've got a budget of $100 or more for your humidor you should look at a different type of glass display humidor.
I'm talking, of course, of those awesome-looking standing (or display) humidors with glass on all sides. These impressive display humidors (still on my wishlist!) allow you to display your entire stogie collection in one of the (usually three) tiered cedar trays. These humidors open from the front and usually have a lock and key so you can keep your stogie collection safe yet accessible at all times. They usually cost a little more, though: $100 or more, although you may be able to find a better deal on eBay.
Note that these display humidors don't necessarily have a bigger capacity despite their larger size and higher price - it's a safe bet that they hold about 75% of the capacity they claim to have. In other words, a 100-count display humidor will usually hold no more than 75 cigars, simply because the "100-count" refers to the maximum capacity (i.e., if you filled it up with petit coronas or other small cigars).
Large Cigar Humidors/Cabinets
If you're superserious about your cigar hobby and have an ever-expanding collection of many hundreds of stogies that you can't smoke fast enough, you may be in the market for a cigar cabinet. They can be the size of a living room cabinet and don't look out of place in your living room (or your stogie den, of course). These behemoths come at a price, however - thousands of dollars in some cases. Don't confuse them with a regular cabinet, though - these special standing humidors are made to keep your cigars safe and sound (and airtight), with cedar lining and trays and sometimes even a hygrometer and A/C outlets (so you can plug in your electric humidifier).
If you keep buying more and bigger boxes of cigars, do start looking at one of these so your investment doesn't go bad. You can find some impressive examples of cigar cabinets HERE LINK.
Where Do You Get A Good Humidor?
You can check out humidors in person at any good local cigar shop if you want, although their selection might be somewhat limited. If you're looking for more options, you can visit trusted online cigar shops or even Cheap Humidors, a site that specializes in selling many different kinds of humidors.
And remember: if you're just starting out in the cigar hobby and are looking for a humidor combo to get you going, make sure you keep an eye on the Stogie Den Deals page HERE LINK.