Disappointment in Humidor Claims (Read if looking to buy a Humidor)

[Steeltown]

I really can't complain too much, since the site I bought my humidor from lists the dimensions. It's more that I am disappointed, and I wanted to alert those who are looking into purchasing a new humidor. Some sites will claim that a particular Humidor is a certain "count" such as "100 count" holds 100 cigars. However as we all know, cigars come in a WIDE VARIETY of sizes. So you should be very careful when looking at purchasing a humidor. Sketch out the dimensions and do some math yourself to see how much it will hold. You'd probably be suprised, as I was, that it would only hold about 2/3rds of what it claims to hold based on avg sized cigars, and perhaps even less.

My personal story: my wife bought me a 100 count humidor for Christmas. A quality humidor and I like it immensely. When I started out, with about 20 cigars, I obviously had no problems with it. Then I finally received (Monday) my first online purchase - 25 FdO Toro Naturals and a box of 20 Joya De Nicaragua Belicosos. Now both of these sizes aren't anything too huge, and they aren't tiny either. Just decent sized cigars.

So now I have probably in the range of 65 total cigars, perhaps 70 max. And my humidor is jammed full. I mean, if I took out the humidifier perhaps I could fit 8 more in there, but I obviously would not do that.

I'm somewhat dissapointed - I didn't pick out the humidor myself so I can't place blame there, and since the website lists dimensions as well as their approximate "count", there's no blame there. Indeed, it could hold 100 or even 150 miniature cigars. However, talking about toros or coronas, you aren't getting more than 70 in there.

The moral is do some research/math before you purchase, and if you plan on holding 100 cigars, get a 150 count humidor. Most of you probably already know this if you aren't new to humidors in general - but for those looking to buy a humidor, this is for you. And to those who recently purchased one and ran into the same trouble as I have, you are not alone.

[kansashat]

Yeah, I think the capacities are based on coronas.

Finally opened my new fridgeador last nite. I've got 11 boxes in this one, & 10 in the 1st one.

I was quite pleased as I cleaned it, inside & out (it had been sitting in the carport for a coupla weeks) & put the media in & the boxes of cigars. I didn't wait for the humidity to even out as I wanted the cigars to be in it as it stabilized & now it reads truer because of that.
This morning at 5:30 am, it was reading 70/70

[Roger Miller"]

Originally Posted by Steeltown

The moral is do some research/math before you purchase, and if you plan on holding 100 cigars, get a 150 count humidor.

Actually, if someone is into cigars enough to be hanging out on a cigar BB like CS on a daily basis, the moral is: get something that can hold the bare minimum of 5 boxes. Even that is pushing it. I mean, where are you going to start keeping those last 5 that you want to age for a while, those special cigars that trickle in one, two at a time. These gradually add up and will easily fill the 150ct you're suggesting, maybe two. No, do yourself a favor, imagine the largest size you could possibly need -- then triple it. That's what you should be looking for -- trust me.

Originally Posted by Steeltown

And to those who recently purchased one and ran into the same trouble as I have, you are not alone.

Always happens. Guy starts smoking cigars. Couple of singles here and there. Starts to thinking, maybe i ought to get a humidor. Goes out and buys a 25ct or even a 100ct, thinking this ought to do. The very next thing is ... "man how am i going to get 15 boxes in there!?" Then it's cooladors, fridgadors, end tables and cabinets.

Yep, always happens.

_____
rm

[ju1c3r]

Very true. My two cents:

It's always good to ask for two dimension: interior and exterior dimensions. Once you get the interior dimensions, take out an inch from the height (for the humidifier/credo)... then do the math (with cigar length and ring guage size).

[Steeltown]

Originally Posted by kansashat

Yeah, I think the capacities are based on coronas.

Finally opened my new fridgeador last nite. I've got 11 boxes in this one, & 10 in the 1st one.

I was quite pleased as I cleaned it, inside & out (it had been sitting in the carport for a coupla weeks) & put the media in & the boxes of cigars. I didn't wait for the humidity to even out as I wanted the cigars to be in it as it stabilized & now it reads truer because of that.
This morning at 5:30 am, it was reading 70/70

Quick question regarding humidity stabilazation:

The FdOs seemed to have good humidity - wrapped in plastic and so I don't think the shipping really took much out of them.

However the JdNs were hard as a rock. I mean, they were solid. My humidor was running 70/70. I recharged the humidifier, even placed a shotglass half full of distilled h20, and added everything. The next morning (Tues) it was down to 50% RH. I sprayed it down again and now (or at least at 5am this morning) it's reading 60%.

Is this normal (I'd assume it has to be since those cigars were so dry), and should I have done something different, given the fact that right now I only have 1 humidor and don't have the coolador to put the box in to let it reach a matching RH as my humidor?

Thanks.

[Steeltown]

Originally Posted by Roger Miller"

Actually, if someone is into cigars enough to be hanging out on a cigar BB like CS on a daily basis, the moral is: get something that can hold the bare minimum of 5 boxes. Even that is pushing it. I mean, where are you going to start keeping those last 5 that you want to age for a while, those special cigars that trickle in one, two at a time. These gradually add up and will easily fill the 150ct you're suggesting, maybe two. No, do yourself a favor, imagine the largest size you could possibly need -- then triple it. That's what you should be looking for -- trust me.


Always happens. Guy starts smoking cigars. Couple of singles here and there. Starts to thinking, maybe i ought to get a humidor. Goes out and buys a 25ct or even a 100ct, thinking this ought to do. The very next thing is ... "man how am i going to get 15 boxes in there!?" Then it's cooladors, fridgadors, end tables and cabinets.

Yep, always happens.

_____
rm

I think I need to give it at least another month before I try to convince my wife of the money saving values of building a Coolador w/ Cigar Oasis (much like the one in Scott M's new thread). But yeah, it does happen fast - you have the humidor, figure you buy a few singles, see what you like, order a couple boxes, then BOOM you've reached max capacity and start investigating cooladors and what not.

I think that is all I will need, though. One large coolador to store all boxes, and then my 100* Count Humidor for a sampling of my boxes as well as any singles. But like you said, that's what I think NOW - who knows, maybe in a couple of years I'll have a room full of coolers, and I'll just cover up by telling my house guests I'm already working on developing science fair projects for my unborn children.

* MANUFACTURER'S WARnING: You will not be able to fit 100 Coronas/Toros in this Humidor. More like 70.

[Navydoc]

As you know - Steeltown, my 2-300, 2-150's and 1-100 were not even close to being able to handle the 'influx' of cigars that seemed to keep ordering themselves and so with an end table cabinet humidor rated at 600 I have 350 in it and it's full. Now I also have some room in the other humi's.......for now anyway. Spring bonus is rapidly approaching.....God someone help me....

[Jeff]

I bought a 100 count humidor with a pull out top tray. The only way I could get 100 cigars in there is to take out the tray, the bottom divider, and humidifier while stacking all the cigars in as neatly as possible. In other words, not gonna happen.

[Steeltown]

Originally Posted by Navydoc

As you know - Steeltown, my 2-300, 2-150's and 1-100 were not even close to being able to handle the 'influx' of cigars that seemed to keep ordering themselves and so with an end table cabinet humidor rated at 600 I have 350 in it and it's full. Now I also have some room in the other humi's.......for now anyway. Spring bonus is rapidly approaching.....God someone help me....

That 600 rated end table only holds 350? They clearly didn't do their measurements using some of those Monte/H Upman #2s!

[Steeltown]

Mine is the same - top tray as well. Do they expect you to stomp down on the lid and lock it w/ the key to keep it from bursting open?

[Roger Miller"]

Originally Posted by Steeltown

Mine is the same - top tray as well. Do they expect you to stomp down on the lid and lock it w/ the key to keep it from bursting open?

LOL No! they expect you to buy another one, or two, or three.

_____
rm

[Navydoc]

Or Cohiba DC LE's or VR Don's or Upmann WC's etc etc...I'm actually happy...I got 50 more in there than I expected....Yeaaa Haaa

[Nely]

I went to Lowes today and saw the 27(?)bottle wine chiller for $158. With a nice smoked glassdoor. Let me tell you that thing could hold alot of cigars! I'm saving my money already to get one soon!

[LasciviousXXX]

Good for you Nely! Upgrade, Upgrade, Upgrade

[dadof3illinois]

Everyone here is exactly right!!! I've smoked cigars now for a little over 6 years. Never really needed a big humi. So my 100ct worked fine until I joined this site!!! I now have 2-100ct humis and a 70qt cooler full so now I'm looking for a nice 350+ humi. The wife hates my cooler and has given me the okay for a bigger humi.....