How To Store Cigars Without a Humidor?

If you are a cigar lover, then you would know how important it is to keep your cigar fresh. Not only would you be able to enjoy the puff, taste, and flavor at a maximum, but it also keeps your precious stick of cigar from going bad and bitter. Now, the best way to keep or store cigars is to use a humidor box. It is like the perfect room for your stick of cigar. There’s just one problem - humidor packs are expensive. You can’t ever find a cheap humidor, except for its low quality.

Here, we’ll show you how to keep your cigars fresh in the absence of a humidor box.

What Does a Cigar Humidifier Do?

A humidor is the number one way to store and keep your cigar fresh for years. Yes, it lasts for YEARS. It keeps the cigar at a humidity and temperature level that is similar to where it was produced. Tobacco leaves expand or contract with an increase or decrease in relative humidity. So, to maintain the look, taste, and flavor of your cigar, it has to be kept within 65% to 70% relative humidity.

That’s where a cigar box humidor comes in. It was once said that to smoke the best cigar, travel to where it was made. That’s because it can be a bit difficult to maintain the source humidity level in your country. So how do humidors work? It is made up of four components that keep the temperature and cigar humidity level intact for years. Below is a brief explanation of how a cigar humidifier works.

• Cigar Humidifier: This is the part of the humidor that is responsible for the amount of moisture your cigar gets while in storage. The proper moisture content makes your cigar last longer after it has been lit. It also retains the essential oils that give the cigar that sweet taste and aroma you know. There are different types of cigar humidifiers based on the source of water for moisture. They include humidor sponges, floral foam, crystal gel, silica beads, humidor bags, and electronic cigar humidifiers.
• Hygrometer: The hygrometer measures the level of humidity in the humidor. It is the component that controls the cigar humidifier. So, when things are too moist or not moist enough, the hydrometer would indicate. It can either be analog or digital and it should be checked regularly to make sure you are storing cigars properly.
• Thermostat: The thermostat, just as the hygrometer, helps to monitor the temperature. Cigars should be kept at 70oF (or between 60 to 72 degrees). Anything higher or lower would either dry out your cigar or leave it as a messy piece.
• Spanish Ceder: The humidor is made of an interior fitting and the Spanish cedar has been the choice for many years. It has shelves and drawers that make it easy to organize the cigar inside the humidor cigar box. It also repels insects and molds that can cause the cigar to go bad quickly or decay.

So, what it does…

A Humidor Box Does Four Things to Your Cigar

1. Prevent decay: Thanks to the Spanish cedar that is used to line the humidor box, insects and molds cannot interfere with your cigar once they are stored in a cigar humidor pack. That’s why you can keep your cigar in there for as long as possible without it going bad.
2. Balances the humidity level: The ideal humidity for cigars to remain fresh is about 70% relative humidity. Anything below or above this level can result in over or under-humidified cigars. And an overly or under humidified cigar would burn too slowly or too quickly. It can also be bitter.
3. Balances the temperature: Similar to the humidity, there is an ideal temperature for cigars to prevent them from drying out. A humidor balances the temperature, thereby keeping your cigar fresh for days.
4. Keeps the taste, flavor, and aroma intact for years: The greatest benefit of humidor packs is that your cigar will keep the taste, flavor, and aroma that came with it during production. It would be like you are traveling to where it was produced.

A few methods of cigar storage without a humidor

By now, we should be familiar with the conditions needed for cigars to remain fresh - an ideal cigar humidity and a balanced temperature. However, note that these alternatives cannot keep a cigar fresh for more than two months. It is also only for those that have mild cigar tendencies. If you love cigars as much as we think you do, then sooner or later, you’ll need a cigar box humidor. So, the other alternatives are:

Tupperware and Humidification Pouch

A humidification pouch can be gotten from any cigar store, and it can store up to 25 cigars for about 2 months. The pouch is also very portable for on-the-go travels. The tupperware humidor helps to maintain the temperature and store cigars fresh for those days.

Ziploc Bag and Humidor Sponge

This alternative can keep your cigars fresh for two to three weeks. All you have to do is wet a sponge with water and place it inside a Ziploc bag with your cigar sticks. Make sure the sponge doesn’t touch the cigar. And check regularly to make sure the sponge isn’t dried out.

Cooler

A cooler is the closet of all the alternatives to a humidor. If it is air-tight enough, a cooler can store up to 40 cigars for as long as a few months. It is also called a coolidor, or cigars in freezer. You can purchase a hygrometer and a cigar humidification unit, as well.

Apart from how to store cigars at-home alternative methods, you can make your DIY homemade humidor too. Although, it cannot ever be as effective as an actual humidor box.

Conclusion

We assume that you now know how to store your cigar sticks without having to spend a fortune buying a humidor (especially if you don’t have a lot of cigars to store). And if you want to upgrade your smoking or you are interested in turning it into a hobby, then don’t pass by our best cigar reviews. We are sure that you will find everything that suits your taste and budget here.

FAQs

How long do cigars last without a humidor?

A cigar can last up to 3 or 4 days without a humidor. However, if you are going to keep your cigars for much longer, you will need a humidor box.

How long do cigars last in a plastic wrapper?

Plastic Tupperware can keep your cigars for up to 90 days. While a Ziploc bag can only last for a few weeks. If your plastic bag is air-tight and well humidified, it can keep your cigars for a while.

How to make a humidor out of Tupperware?

First, wet a sponge with distilled water. Next, get a plastic container and line it with Spanish cedar. After this, you should insert the hygrometer and the humidifier (the wet sponge). Finally, arrange your cigars in the container.

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