Small humidor thoughts

So I had gotten into cigars a year or two ago, then I opened my humidor to find some moldy, some dry and cracked. Frustrating. I then went to pipes. Love it. No humidification problems, seal it in a mason jar, pop it open when I want. Done, easy. However I don't want to deal with a pipe, the tools, the relights and such on the course!

The golf season is upon us though, and I am jonesing for a cigar. I am looking for something that I can store maybe 10-15 sticks in and not have to do anything. I don't need the humidor to travel with me, as I will remove the one or two sticks I want and put them in my pocket or something.

I stumbled upon the Boveda acrylic humidor which seems maintenance free, holds enough for the golf season, and looks decent. I believe that this is mostly attributed to the moisture packs. Does anyone have experience with one of these? The price does seem kind of steep for what it is.

I also stumbled upon the herf-a-dor, which doesn't seem as hassle free as it has it's own moisture system, and definitely isn't worthy of setting on the bookshelf. Can you use the boveda packs in these?

Lastly, I was looking on CI and I noticed the acrylic jar humidor. This is the first time I have ever seen a cigar stored vertically. Is there any drawback to this? If I were to go this way, I would probably buy a cheap glass jar from Marshalls , put a boveda pack at the bottom, fashion some sort of tray to hold the sticks above the pack, maybe add a few cedar strips, and call it a day. Thoughts?

Mostly ramblings, so if anything doesn't make sense, let me know!

This is a great guide to making your own humidor out of Tupperware. Last page has another member doing the same project.
I am sure you could scale this down to your needs. This will certainly be the cheapest, and arguably best, option.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/380498-Budget-Humidor-(Tupperdor)

The boveda humidity packs are great, I use humibeads which work a treat as well and I can refill them anytime.

Hope this helps mate

A tupperdor would be a great choice, but if you only need to store some cigars for a short while ~6 months there is also these http://www.bovedainc.com/store/tobacco/humidor-bags/. Slightly less protection from being jostled around but they're about as easy as you can get.

I will 2nd the tupperdor. I had a small cedar humidor (about the size you're looking for) for a short while and went nuts trying to keep RH stable. Go with the tupperdor. Mine stays at a constant 68% all the time. I use the silica kitty litter option and it works great. The only thing with completely sealed dors is you need to open them every now and then to vent. Air exchange isn't as good with them. The acrylic jar will work in a similar fashion.

Stay away from the herfadors. I have one and only use it for transporting smokes. Even then, I seal them in a ziploc bag.

Tupperdors come in any size you want and work great. I am keeping mine until I upgrade to a fridgeador (to control temperature).

Big Jay said:

Stay away from the herfadors. I have one and only use it for transporting smokes. Even then, I seal them in a ziploc bag.

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Are you referring to the Otterbox/Cigar Caddy type of boxes or the more generic briefcase style? I'm just asking because I know for a fact that my Cigar Caddies are air tight. If you leave them in a hot car you will almost need a crowbar to open them from the pressure change.

Commander Quan said:

Are you referring to the Otterbox/Cigar Caddy type of boxes or the more generic briefcase style? I'm just asking because I know for a fact that my Cigar Caddies are air tight. If you leave them in a hot car you will almost need a crowbar to open them from the pressure change.

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+1. I have a couple, and they are terrific.

Thanks gents!

Tupperware it is! The $10 I will spend on it will leave plenty in the budget for sticks!

Commander Quan said:

Are you referring to the Otterbox/Cigar Caddy type of boxes or the more generic briefcase style? I'm just asking because I know for a fact that my Cigar Caddies are air tight. If you leave them in a hot car you will almost need a crowbar to open them from the pressure change.

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I have the otterbox/style ones. I just can't see using them for long term storage. Not sure how the foam does with moisture.

Personally, I'd rather dry box a cigar prior to smoking. I just throw them in a ziploc and in the herf-a-dor they go. Then I know I won't have any issues with humidity. The plastic bag (with the air squeezed out) locks in whatever humidity is in the cigar and you're good to go.

I have a small Boveda acrylic humidor. I bought it on a whim when they first came out and were less expensive. The one that I have is very tight and holds it's humidity very well. I open it periodically to let some fresh air in, as it may actually be too tight if left too long. The only issue that I have is that the dimensions somewhat limit what you are able to store in it. I keep longer cigars (long dimension) in it, at the moment it is filled with Oliva lonsdales.. Works very well and has a different look than my wood humidors. If I decide that I need another humidor (like a third armpit) I might get the larger acrylic one - doesn't cost more than a better wood one and is more efficient.

I whipped up my little tupperdore last night. A simple tupperware, cigar box disassembled (and reassembled lid-to-base with a few spots of wood glue) with some holes drilled through it. The Boveda pack is underneath. It will probably only hold 8-10 sticks as is, but that's perfect for me!

tims5377 said:

I whipped up my little tupperdore last night. A simple tupperware, cigar box disassembled (and reassembled lid-to-base with a few spots of wood glue) with some holes drilled through it. The Boveda pack is underneath. It will probably only hold 8-10 sticks as is, but that's perfect for me!
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Looks great mate. My only suggestion would be to consider investing in a good digital hygrometer

Prof. Moriarty said:

Looks great mate. My only suggestion would be to consider investing in a good digital hygrometer

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Agreed on both counts. Nice work.

The tuppidor is the way to go. Realistically, you should devote 6-12 months formulating a humidor purchase. But, during that time tuppidor are a fantastic short and long term fit. They're cost effective, the maintenance is low, they provide efficient storage (get stackable plastic ones) and you can repurpose once done. Also, the cost savings can go toward quality smokes.

If you're not that particular, seek out a scratched & dented humi on various humidor websites. Sometimes, the issue is an incorrect monogram or I inconsistent color or finish, but the humidor is quite functional and discounted. Lastly, if you're going to make this a hobby and not a passing fancy, get a humidor 3x what you current need is due to expecting your collection to grow exponentially in a short time-you'll need the storage.