Best Desktop Cigar Humidifiers For Perfect Moisture Levels
A good cigar humidor can keep your cigars fresh and help retain flavor, but a cigar humidifier preserves your cigars even longer. Even if you have a humidor with a humidifier in it already, you may benefit from a separate cigar humidifier.
In our review, we discuss the importance of cigar humidifiers and some of the best cigar humidifiers on the market this year. We also wrap our article up with our top pick that we think every cigar lover needs.
What is a Cigar Humidifier?
As someone who appreciates a high-quality cigar, you probably know how important it is to take care of it until you’re ready to enjoy it. If you’ve ever smoked a cigar that’s too dry, you know that moisture is essential for flavor, but too much humidity can cause mold.
Cigars are also susceptible to cigar beetles, so it’s essential to keep your cigar collection in a storage box that’s airtight but has the perfect balance of airflow and moisture. A cigar humidifier keeps your cigars from drying out and plays an essential role in humidors.
There are different types of cigar humidifiers that are all designed to help create humidity for your cigars, but they range in price, materials, and ease of use. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most common types.
Silica beads
Are used in many things to absorb moisture. Silica beads are similar to crystal gel, are durable, and need recharging every few weeks. The one plus is that silica beads last for years and work well in high humidity. They don’t do a good job of releasing moisture when the environment is dry.
Crystal gel humidifiers
Contains polymer crystals that can absorb moisture up to hundreds of times its weight. As the humidifier absorbs water, the gel expands and then releases moisture into the humidor.
Gel humidifiers are effective for about four weeks and then need “recharging” with water. They typically last for one to two years. Be careful that you don’t overwater to avoid mold.
Humidipaks
Are a convenient way to monitor and improve the humidity without adding more water. Humidipaks absorb and release moisture as needed and can last up to a year. One humidipak works for about 25 cigars, so if you have a more extensive collection, you’ll need more than one.
Floral foam
Is a popular material in cigar humidifiers because it’s affordable and only needs replacing a few times a year. Since the floral foam is very porous, it needs refilling every couple of weeks. If you aren’t good at maintaining the humidity in your humidor, you might want to look humidifier material that keeps moisture longer.
Electronic humidifiers
Are the most expensive types of cigar humidifiers, but they have built-in hygrometers and thermometers. Electronic humidifiers are also more accurate and help to take out the guesswork or frustration of too much or too little moisture. One downside is that they can take up space in your humidor, which can limit the number of cigars you can store.
Our Top Rated Humidifier Models
| #1 | Oasis Excel 3.0 Electronic Humidifier |  | For serious control of humidity, this electronic humidifier can handle up to 300 cigars. It’s equipped with humidity check, low-level water alert and an easy to read LCD which displays RH. |
| #2 | Boveda 72 Percent RH 2-Way Humidity Control |  | The Boveda humidipaks last for up to 3 months and are self maintained (no need to activate). They go rigid as an indication for replacement and are available in 32, 49, 62, 69, 75, 84, and 95 RH. |
| #3 | Drymistat Humidor Humidifier Tubes |  | Replicating a cigar the DryMistat tubes fit nicely in any size humidor. Simply recharge with distilled water every 2 to 12 weeks. With a leak-proof design, there’s no need to worry about spoiling your cigars. |
| #4 | FUNEW Cigar Humidor Humidifier |  | Contenting a stainless-steel grate, this small disk unit can easily be installed in your humidor with double-sided tape. It contains an internal polymer sponge to help maintain humidity. |
Issues With Cigars Exposed At High Humidity
The optimum humidity for a cigar ranges between 70 – 75%. Anything above that figure can create mold issues as this is the point at which cigars start to absorb moisture. This mold should not be mistaken for plume, though I understand there’s a big debate regarding this subject matter and opinions will vary.
There’s also much debate as to whether you should toss the cigar or simply clean off the mold, but one thing’s for sure, if you notice mold growing within the folds of the leaves (inside the cigar), then it is probably time to throw it out.
Cigars can still be damp without any signs of mold while still poses other issues. For instance, the tobacco leaves start to swell up which makes it difficult to draw the smoke. Secondly, the excess damp in the leaves alters the burn rate where different parts of the cigar will burn at different rates, a phenomena otherwise know as ‘tunneling’.
Issues With Cigars Exposed At Low Humidity
Storing your cigars in a humidor with a humidity less than 70% can pose a risk of drying out the tobacco. Dry, stale tobacco leaf tends to burn too hot and can leave a bitter taste, which many cigar smokers will agree is far from a pleasant taste (this happens because all the essential oils have evaporated).
If you find your cigars looking like this, then it might be time to check your humidifier. It’s either set too low or it might be malfunctioning, in which case you’ve come to the right place to source a new one.
What’s the Difference Between a Humidor and Humidifier?
Many cigar lovers assume that their humidor works well enough to maintain and control the humidity, but some have better humidifiers than others. Depending on the type of humidor you have, the number of cigars you are storing, and other factors like weather, you might want to purchase a separate humidifier that’s easy to control.
If you don’t own a cigar humidor, it’s always a good idea to know what types of humidifiers are available and how they work. While many people use humidor and humidifier interchangeably, they aren’t quite the same.
Ready to take a closer look at some of our top picks for cigar humidifiers?
Cigar Oasis Excel 3.0 Electronic Humidifier
Electronic humidifiers are typically the most expensive types, but they are a worthy investment if you have a larger cigar collection. Especially if you’re serious about controlling humidity with accuracy. The Cigar Oasis Excel 3.0 Electronic Humidifier is ideal for one to four cubic feet and between 75 to 300 cigars.
The electronic humidifier fits in a variety of humidors from wooden desktop versions to cigar coolers. It has all the features you need to keep your humidity in check, such as low-level water alert and an easy to read LCD which displays RH and temperature. The cartridge comes filled with distilled water and lasts up to four months. The electronic humidifier is a great “set it and forget it” option.
| Oasis Excel 3.0 Electronic Humidifier Features | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 6" x 2" x 3.5" |
| Capacity | 100-300 cigars |
| Wifi controlable | Yes |
| Rechargeable | Yes |
| Humidity range | 60%-80% |
| LCD display | Yes |
| Water cartridge | Yes |
Positives
Needs Improving
Drymistat Humidor Humidifier Tubes
There are plenty of different styles of crystal gel humidifiers on the market, but Drymistat Humidor Humidifier Tubes make our list because they are approximately the size of a cigar, so they fit nicely in any size or style of humidor.
The DryMistat humidifiers are available as a two-pack and help to maintain 70 percent humidity at all times, which is the ideal humidity for cigars. Since the tubes already contain propylene glycol all you need to do is recharge the tubes with distilled water every 2 to 12 weeks.
The cap on the tube fits snug, and the humidifier has a leak-proof design, so you don’t need to worry about excess water ruining your favorite cigars.
Positives
Needs Improving
Boveda 72 Percent RH 2-Way Humidity Control
If you’re interested in trying out humidipaks, the Boveda 2-Way Humidity Control packs are some of the highest-rated and best-loved among cigar aficionados. These humidipaks are easy to use and ready to go as soon as you take them out of the packaging. There’s no need to activate or even maintain them.
The Boveda packs last about three months, and once the pack gets hard and rigid, it’s an indication that it’s time for a replacement. Even though 72 percent relative humidity (RH) is in the ideal range for cigars, Boveda packs are also available in 32, 49, 62, 69, 75, 84, and 95 RH.
Positives
Needs Improving
FUNEW Cigar Humidor Humidifier
If you’re interested in a budget-friendly cigar humidifier that’s easy to use, install, and is an attractive addition to your humidor, the FUNEW Cigar Humidor Humidifier is an excellent option.
The plastic humidifier with a stainless-steel grate is a small disk that you can easily install in your humidor with double-sided tape.
The inside of the disk has a polymer sponge that helps maintain humidity. Depending on how frequently you use your humidor, you may need to recharge with distilled water more regularly. However, this device lasts for about two to three months, keeping your cigar selection at the right humidity levels.
Positives
Needs Improving
Our Favorite Pick for Best Cigar Humidifier
Our top product for the best cigar humidifier is the Cigar Oasis Excel 3.0 Electronic Humidifier. It has all the features you need to maintain your humidity with minimal maintenance. We like the sensor fan and the easy-to-read LCD with low-level water alert.
If an electronic humidifier is out of your price range or you simply want something smaller, our other top pick for best cigar humidifier is the Drymistat Humidor Humidifier Tubes. They’re ideal for a small cigar humidor, don’t take up too much space, and are easy to use and maintain.
✓ Why does my dehumidifier hygrometer not display accurate results?
Some hygrometers use bimetal strips to measure humidity which can be affected by sharp movement. This is why it's imperative to calibrate your hygrometer prior to installing it in order to achieve accurate readings.
✓ I just bought some cigars, can I smoke them right away?
The short answer is no. You have no idea when the cigar dealer got them and how they were stored. In fact, you don't even know how they were stored before your dealer got them. The best thing to do is to dehumidify them for at least a day before smoking them!
✓ Do cigars need to be separated in a humidor?
For short periods (2-3 months) then there is really no need to separate the cigars as there is little to no time for flavors to blend together. However, for longer periods (2-3 years), you best separate them slightly to avoid blending of flavors. Alternatively, you can use a Spanish cedar divider, particularly when storing flavored or infused cigars.
✓ Can I smoke the same cigar the very next day?
Yes! Ideally to maintain its flavor, it should be smoked within the next day or two. Within this time period, the quality isn't going to drop hugely. Any time longer than 2 days, you are likely going to notice a difference in flavor and may not enjoy it as much as when you sparked it up!