I'm beyond confused and am in need of Humihelp

[groundhog]

Firstly - mods - An apology - please point me in the right direction and delete this if the answer's already here - I've read so much my head is starting to spin and I'm not much the wiser!

There seem to be so many different ways of keeping your cigars...

I need to get something that will hold up to about 75 or so (a couple of boxes, then singles).

But my budget is not huge, as the wife will murder me.

So what's my best bet for £75 or under - that is as idiot proof as possible?

I will probably open it reasonably frequently to look longingly at my new acquisitions.

Another question is - how long can you keep a box of cigars not in a humidor if the box is shut?

Sorry for the newbie questions - I just want to learn! (and not ruin lovely cigars!).

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

[Guyman1966]

There is more than one way to skin this cat...

Some guys use food grade plastic storage containers with beads or kitty litter.

Some folks convert coolers (Colman/Igloo) to humidors again using beads or litter.

Here in the states you can buy an inexpensive desktop wood humidor for that money.

I have two. First, a nice 150 stick custom desktop humidor that uses Boveda packs to keep the humidity. My long term storage solution is a converted cooler with beads. Both are very simple to set up and maintain. There are tons of threads here with details on how to implement any of these solutions.

Good Luck.

Michael

[Fuzz]

As Guyman mentioned, easiest and cheapest is plastic containers with the airtight seal. I use them (with RH beads) as my smoke now humidor and my long term stuff is in the OLH.

[shlomo]

You have your answer for the humidor. For the shut box, stick it in an airtight zipper bag with a boveda pack, or a locking plastic container with the pack. Make sure temp and humidity are stable, I.E. no big swings in either measurement and your good to go.

[groundhog]

Cheers guys!

So how are they good for in the sealed plastic boxes?

[shlomo]

Forever if maintained properly

[Havanaaddict]

Igloo 120-Quart Polar Cooler Wallmart $54

Been useing one of these for over 6 years they are almost airtight so you only need a little humidification!!! You can hold over 30 boxes and you can just use a empty 50 cab for you singles.

[groundhog]

Igloo 120-Quart Polar Cooler Wallmart $54

Been useing one of these for over 6 years they are almost airtight so you only need a little humidification!!! You can hold over 30 boxes and you can just use a empty 50 cab for you singles.

Wow. We get ripped off here! That's £110 here.

[groundhog]

Would this do the job? (Either of the top two?)

http://www.solentplastics.co.uk/big-boxes-plastic-storage-trunks/locking-sealed-boxes/ humidity,

Or this (which is cheaper!)

http://www.tentwarehousedirect.co.uk/details/Coleman_28Qt_Xtreme_Cooler/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=Product_Search&utm_campaign=google_base

Also, which beads / boveda packs do you go for?

How do you know what the best humidity level is?

[Pedro2486]

Ok here's my setup until I move into my new home and set up my wineador. I have a stack of 350x250x200mm plastic Tupperware style containers with silicone seals and locking clips on each side (systema is the brand). They will each fit 2-3 boxes or around 100 singles. In each cigar box I have a single 62rh boveda sachet and then have 3 more sachets in the plastic box with a calibrated hygrometer.

As long as you can keep temp at a reasonably constant level you will get very consistent rH. I air the boxes every week or two (basically when I check and play with my sticks)

These are really inexpensive, around $10 each and say $50 for a box of boveda sachets of your desired rH. Works out nicely for me.

My smoking stock lives in a 50ct desktop humi

[Pedro2486]

Oh and what's the best humidity? Experiment. Find out what rH smokes best for you.

I am keeping mine at 60-62rH because I think piggys correct in his method of storing cigars at the rH you wish to smoke them at. It is also the level they smoke well for me.

Ultimately it's what works for you but I would suggest starting at low to mid 60's for rH and work from there. Keeping in mind your storage temp does seem to effect how rH behaves, finding the level you can maintain consistently that also smokes how you like is, IMHO, key

[groundhog]

Cool - Is there any downside to keeping, say, 10 sticks, in a box that holds more?

[groundhog]

Have come to the conclusion that I am trying to run before I can walk.

So I've ordered a couple of small lock and locks and and some boveda packs.

Should keep me going for a while and let me concentrate on getting some more sticks!

[potpest]

I use 80 litre storage containers from the supermarket which are £8; line the lids and rims with draft excluder so they're sealed when the lid is on, add bovedas or beads and they're rock solid humidity wise. Can hold around 25-30 boxes in each and total set up cost is less than £25. If you want to store less buy a smaller container or a tupperware is just as good for a few singles.

[groundhog]

I ended up going with this, for the moment, as I don't have many sticks.

It's a 5.5l lock and lock with 2 smaller lock and locks inside - one for nc/tubos and one for cc's.

Each has 2 x 8g boveda 72 humidipaks in it. The whole lot's kept in the coolest place in the house (not sure what the temp is though).

Will this be good enough for the moment?

Do I need to do anything else with it?