Humidor or Coolidor?

[Azhar]

hello BOTL and SOTL,
I am new to the Cigar world and I have approx 25-30 cigars so far, planning to buy my first box very soon after this issue is resolved Here's my issue, I read a lot about humidors and coolidors, but I haven't decided yet. I had a glass-top humidor approx. 100ct and sold it. Now I am using tupperdor (plastic and glass ones). I was planning to buy a new humidor then I discovered coolidors. I saw that coolidor are really cheap and I can make my own. Then I found that many use wine coolers as well. Now I understand how wine coolers work, it is easy to adjust the temperature inside and it should be electric pump.

My question is how do you adjust the regular coolidor temperature since there's no control in there, it is just a cooler!! beside putting couple beads bags and boveda packs there to keep the humidity!
so what's the best choice would be, buy a new humidor, make a coolidor or buy a wine cooler?
In the case of a wine cooler, is it preferable to add cedar wooden trays (or just cedar wooden blocks) for the great aroma and the aging process? and will there be any water condensation at the bottom?

Many thanks everyone

 

[irratebass]

hello BOTL and SOTL,
I am new to the Cigar world and I have approx 25-30 cigars so far, planning to buy my first box very soon after this issue is resolved Here's my issue, I read a lot about humidors and coolidors, but I haven't decided yet. I had a glass-top humidor approx. 100ct and sold it. Now I am using tupperdor (plastic and glass ones). I was planning to buy a new humidor then I discovered coolidors. I saw that coolidor are really cheap and I can make my own. Then I found that many use wine coolers as well. Now I understand how wine coolers work, it is easy to adjust the temperature inside and it should be electric pump.

My question is how do you adjust the regular coolidor temperature since there's no control in there, it is just a cooler!! beside putting couple beads bags and boveda packs there to keep the humidity!
so what's the best choice would be, buy a new humidor, make a coolidor or buy a wine cooler?
In the case of a wine cooler, is it preferable to add cedar wooden trays (or just cedar wooden blocks) for the great aroma and the aging process? and will there be any water condensation at the bottom?

Many thanks everyone

I can't stress a coolidor enough, get a pound of beads of 1-2 of those 320g bovedas and you're good to go. I recommend the 120qt cooler, it's only about $54 at walmart.......it holds a ton, and this way you could build/age your collection.

I have a 3000k cigar cabinet, a wineador and a cooler......if I did it all again I would have 9 coolers and be done with it.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[qpzmide]

so what's the best choice would be, buy a new humidor, make a coolidor or buy a wine cooler?

Many thanks everyone

you left out an option, go here http://www.aristocrathumidors.com/cabinetindex.html buy a cabinet and be done with it!

 

[Azhar]

I can't stress a coolidor enough, get a pound of beads of 1-2 of those 320g bovedas and you're good to go. I recommend the 120qt cooler, it's only about $54 at walmart.......it holds a ton, and this way you could build/age your collection.

I have a 3000k cigar cabinet, a wineador and a cooler......if I did it all again I would have 9 coolers and be done with it.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I see your point , but how do you control the temperature inside the coolidor trying to fix it between 65F-70F?

 

[Azhar]

you left out an option, go here http://www.aristocrathumidors.com/cabinetindex.html buy a cabinet and be done with it!

these are some really beautiful collection of cabinets, but pretty expensive too lol.

 

[Boudie]

You adjust the temperature inside your coolidor by adjusting the temperature of your home. Cigars are fine if kept in the 60 - 74 degree range. All a cooler does it remove the temperature swings

 

[irratebass]

I see your point , but how do you control the temperature inside the coolidor trying to fix it between 65F-70F?

I have about 2 pounds of beads and various boveda packs that I've received from bombs or purchases thrown about, mine is at a consistent 65%

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Azhar]

So I guess I'll just buy a cooler, put my new boxes and my loose ones in zip lock with some bovedas and bags of beads. no need to spend extra money on esthetics for a humidor or a wine cooler.

 

[ApeSmokes]

I have a wineador, and although it looks nice, I'd happily trade it for a cooler if I could. If you keep your house cool enough, there's not much reason other than looks to do anything else. Unfortunately, there's only about 3 months a year that my house is below 80, so a cooler isn't an option for me. But if you can pull it off, it's the way to go.

 

[mitetak]

100% preference. I had a few hundred cigars among various tupperdors. I decided that wasn't for me and am consciousy obtaining humidors to replace them. More work? Yep. Fits my preferences better? Yessir.
To each their own

 

[acitalianman13]

Definitely go with the 120qt cooler. Awesome seal and perfect for boxes. As far as humidity I use beads in my cooler and haven’t had issues.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SurfnSafari]

Here ismy take on the great debate. If you want a Wooden Humidor, good ones cost money. The junky ones come out of Asia, and most don't seal. Most a mass produced in a wet climate, put in a shipping container, and sent via ocean to the USA. Then trucked to some wear house for distribution. Buy the time you buy then have been exposed to so many element that will not seal.

Why would anyone put say $500.00 of good stick in a junk humidor that will only destroy your good sticks. It is like locking up a $2,000.00 Road Bike with a $1.00 pad lock and $1.00 junk cable that can be cut with Sissors?

Honestly the only Chinese Brands I would personally buy is Diamond Crown, or Craftmen Bench. WHY? Because J.C. Newman will warranty problems. BTW Neptune in Miami give BOTH a 15% Discount, so that is a place to buy those brands. Friend had a Diamond Crown that would not seal, he called Newman, they replaced it with no BS.

Tupperware, or other brands of plastic container with rubber seals, or Colman coolers are cheap, ugly, but work wonderful.

So not i have said my $.02 on the subject. Money no object, you want a quality humidor made in the USA?

Check out Michael Dixon Humidors, not cheap, but quality, made by one man who is into quality. Me love mine.

 

[sonarman]

If it’s about money. I paid around 600$ for a larger cabinet humidor. It’s great. Holds 20 maybe 30 boxes and about 100 sticks. The problem has been my living situations and AC. I’ve moved I don’t know how many times in the last 16 years and have only been in 2 places where I could use it. So, it’s been coolers for me. My sticks smoke the same no matter which storage I use. With the coolers I can move them to the basement with ease, the cabinet I won’t move down there because it’s dirty and dank in the summer. I had a wine cooler for a while but was chasing humidity with it and just did not trust it as much as a cooler. So, I’d say cooler.

 

[SurfnSafari]

Friend is converting an old Garage Sale Lane Hope Chest made in the 1940's he snagged for $50.00. When it is refinished, he will fill it with Tupper-Dores, will look nice in his condo.

 

[Azhar]

Here ismy take on the great debate. If you want a Wooden Humidor, good ones cost money. The junky ones come out of Asia, and most don't seal. Most a mass produced in a wet climate, put in a shipping container, and sent via ocean to the USA. Then trucked to some wear house for distribution. Buy the time you buy then have been exposed to so many element that will not seal.

Why would anyone put say $500.00 of good stick in a junk humidor that will only destroy your good sticks. It is like locking up a $2,000.00 Road Bike with a $1.00 pad lock and $1.00 junk cable that can be cut with Sissors?

Honestly the only Chinese Brands I would personally buy is Diamond Crown, or Craftmen Bench. WHY? Because J.C. Newman will warranty problems. BTW Neptune in Miami give BOTH a 15% Discount, so that is a place to buy those brands. Friend had a Diamond Crown that would not seal, he called Newman, they replaced it with no BS.

Tupperware, or other brands of plastic container with rubber seals, or Colman coolers are cheap, ugly, but work wonderful.

So not i have said my $.02 on the subject. Money no object, you want a quality humidor made in the USA?

Check out Michael Dixon Humidors, not cheap, but quality, made by one man who is into quality. Me love mine.

View attachment 109531

Thank you for your input and your feed back and mostly for the suggestion I will look through these brands of Humidor and if they do chip to Canada. I might be buying both option a quality wonderful humidor for my great sticks and a cooler for the boxes . So in that case I wont have any issues with the space inside a humidor and I will always have the benefits of placing my sticks in both places. I am mostly worried about summer time is coming and it is really humid and hot in Montreal. So i might be placing everything in a cooler during summer in the basement where it's cooler or in an A/C room.

 

[Azhar]

Many thanks for your inputs gentlemen it's really appreciated . I am learning from y'all

 

[NMPokerDealer]

So many variables and options.
Aristocrat humidors are awesome if you have the $ and want to make the investment.
The cooler vs. wineador question is about temperature, in my opinion.
Where you live could influence which option works best.
If you have a place in your home that doesn't get over 75 degrees and ample room to store a cooler congratulations!
A large cooler with a good seal is relatively cheap and easy to maintain.
If the temperature inside the coolidor/room is consistently over 75, you should consider a wineador.
A wide assortment of sizes and prices can be found used on Letgo or Craig's list.
I use Bovedas in my wineador, Tupperware, and humidor, and lots of them because I live in the high desert.
Welcome to the insanity! Good Luck

 

[SurfnSafari]

Thank you for your input and your feed back and mostly for the suggestion I will look through these brands of Humidor and if they do chip to Canada. I might be buying both option a quality wonderful humidor for my great sticks and a cooler for the boxes . So in that case I wont have any issues with the space inside a humidor and I will always have the benefits of placing my sticks in both places. I am mostly worried about summer time is coming and it is really humid and hot in Montreal. So i might be placing everything in a cooler during summer in the basement where it's cooler or in an A/C room.

I would assume that some B & M in Canada that sells J.C. Newman Brand of Cigars also sell their Humidors. Diamond Crown is the Cigar Braqnd that Newman makes.

http://www.jcnewmanonline.com

 

[Azhar]

I would assume that some B & M in Canada that sells J.C. Newman Brand of Cigars also sell their Humidors. Diamond Crown is the Cigar Braqnd that Newman makes.

http://www.jcnewmanonline.com

I will take a look at it for sure

 

[5280Nomad]

My take: My condo is about 80 degrees in the winter with no heat on. It's a serious concern for the temperature of my cigars. For that reason, I moved to the Winedor. I can control the temp. If I had a basement, or my condo wasn't as hot as Satan's butthole, I would have gone with the cooler. If you have temp issues, get the Winedor. I like the control the Winedor gives me. I am going to test a cooler to see if I can use a decent sized one for aging, without the temps getting too crazy.