Wondering if a glass-top humidor is right for you? It sounds practical—without even opening the lid, you can select what stick you’re going to smoke. A little window into your wonderful world of cigars.
To be transparent, glass-top humidors come with pitfalls, including problematic seals, humidity loss, and after-market fixes, etc. Many cigar smokers will tell you glass-top humidors suck (their words).
If a window in a humidor is a bad idea, what makes a good humidor? Is there an inexpensive alternative to a wood humidor? Can you fix low humidity in a glass-top humidor?
Keep reading to learn more about cigar storage, including how to shop for an affordable humidor that doesn’t suck.
Many cigar smokers will tell you glass-top humidors suck (their words).
3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Buy a Glass-Top Humidor
1. Too Much Light is Bad for Cigars
What gives you a full view of your cigars also makes them vulnerable. Fluctuating conditions—light, temperature, and humidity—degrade the oils and flavors in the tobacco, which dulls the taste and aroma of your cigars.
The best cigar storage is one that has a consistent environment. That means:
- Moving a humidor away from heating and air conditioning sources
- Maintaining the stable ideal humidity for cigars—from 65% to 72% relative humidity (RH)
- Storing cigars away from direct light in either an opaque (read: wood) humidor or a tupperdor, acrylic humidor, or humidor bag that you keep in a drawer, cabinet, or closet
Too much light—from the sun or lamps and such—can overheat your humidor and dry out your cigars.
2. Drafty Humidors Put Cigars at Risk
When a glass-top humidor is made in the factory, the see-through panel is attached to the humidor’s frame with screws, glue, or both. On an assembly line, creating a tight seal using this method is hit or miss.
If there are gaps in the seal, no matter how small, your glass-top humidor will be drafty. This draft results in fluctuating humidity inside your humidor. This uncontrolled moisture will either dry out your cigars or put them at risk for mold growth.
You might wonder, I thought Boveda corrected humidity issues for cigars? Boveda is the best choice to control humidity in a humidor. The humidity packs, however, are less efficient in a glass-top humidor with a poor seal. Think of it like leaving the door open while you try to air condition your home. (Sorry, Dad.) The AC will run nonstop to cool the house. Eventually, overworking the unit will shorten its lifespan. Same with Boveda. In a glass-top humidor, Boveda has to work harder, so you’ll blow through packets faster and have to replace them more often.
3. Penny Wise and Pound Foolish
If you’re new to cigars and looking for your first humidor, you’ll likely Google “what’s the best humidor” and go from there.
You’ll scroll through many styles of cigar humidors. The showy glass tops will seduce you. (Why, yes, I do want to gaze at my cigars all day!) Then their low cost will entice you. (Why spend a lot when you can get a see-through humidor for 40 bucks?)
As with every purchase, you get what you pay for. Low-priced humidors aren’t always manufactured in the best factories. The construction may be spotty and any inspection, cursory. That makes for inconsistent quality.
You might find one good humidor amid a dozen mass-produced models. More often, a cigar smoker gets stuck with a new glass-top humidor that doesn’t perform well. Humidity tanks. Cigars dry out. Sticks burn too fast. Smoker gets frustrated. Humidor is shelved.
On cigar forums you’ll often read about the smoker who spent next to nothing online for a glass-top humidor and it works great. That person got lucky.
2 Ways to Overcompensate for Humidity Loss in Your Humidor
When you have trouble maintaining the desired RH in your humidor:
- Use more Boveda packets than what is recommended. Adding more packets is the quickest way to fix humidity loss in your humidor and will help the Boveda last its full three months.
- Switch to a specialty Boveda for humidity challenges. Boveda B72 packets maintain 72% RH in drafty humidors and dry environments.
Tips on Buying a Good Humidor
Expect to pay at least $300 for a quality entry-level humidor. If that’s beyond your budget right now, you can make your own humidor with a tight-lidded new plastic food container and a Boveda B69 packet. A Boveda Humidor Bag also makes for inexpensive cigar storage that comes preloaded with Boveda.
Ready to shop for a humidor? Advice to keep in mind:
- Buy the best humidor you can afford.
- Buy a humidor from a company that knows cigars and the storage needs they require.
- Buy a well-constructed wood humidor with no glass lid.
- Buy a Boveda Starter Kit along with a new humidor, so you can properly season the wood for cigar storage.
- Buy Boveda by subscription for zero-lapse protection for your cigars. (When you order Boveda, subscribe to have refills automatically delivered to you every three months, so swapping in fresh Boveda is a no-brainer.)
When you invest in premium cigars, invest in quality cigar storage. Then perfect the humidity inside your humidor with Boveda.
What You Need to Keep Cigars Tasting Great
Start up a new wood humidor and keep it going for months. Seasoning packs + your first maintenance packs are included.
Shop Now
A solid inexpensive first humidor if you’re just getting into cigars. Holds up to 15 sticks. Preloaded with Boveda for a year’s worth of cigar preservation.
Shop Now
Lasts for months! Balances the humidity in well-built wood humidors, plastic tupperdors, acrylic humidors & humidor bags.
Shop Now
Dry cigars? The Boveda to use in glass-top humidors, drafty humidors & in dry climates. Lasts for months!
Shop Now
