Humidor Questions

[Sprintcars11]

Hello All, My humidor is currently under repair. When it cones back I intend to have a much more "Dialed in" Approach to cigar storage.

I have a Lauderdale End Table Humidor Cabinet 500 Cigar Count. In it I keep 1 lb of Heartfelt cigar beads. I use a Cigar Oasis 3.0 for humidification. I plan to buy a Govee WIFI Hygrometer to go inside. I generally keep my cigars at 65%-68%. I really wanted an aristocrat temp controlled humidor but he is shut down. I contacted Avallo and they said "get a wine fridge" so they lost my business. I looked at getting a cabenet from American Cigar Cabinets but they don't offer cooling and quoted me just under $3k. I feel like that is alot of $ for something that is almost the same as what I have right now. I just dont want a $4000 foregin piece of junk which is all that it really out there. I don't understand why cigar storage technology isn't where it should be.

My questions are:

1. Should I go with a different humidifier such as that available from Bon Staebell?
2. Do I need additional circulation fans
3. Do I need to rotate my cigars from shelf to shelf on a regular basis?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Joe

 

[CigarGavin]

I'm confused at the Avallo response? You asked for info regarding a build and they responded like that? Do they no longer make humidors?

There may be smaller companies in the game, but Avallo and Aristocrat where the big guys in the game. I knew Aristocrat was shut down, but didn't know Avallo wasn't making units anymore.

Your sized humidor doesn't need circulation or rotation, not big enough. Larger cabinets may need both depending on RH% difference from top to bottom or how well its sealed.

Best bet (if avoiding the foregin made stuff) may be local sales, craigslist, online. I've seen avallos and aristocrats go up for sale, just not very often.

 

[Sprintcars11]

Here was my exchange with Avallo. Let me MAKE it VERY CLEAR I do NOT have anything against them, they just lost my business when they suggested I get a wine fridge. . .
Oct 9 2021
I am considering ordering a Cool1200 unit from you. I would like to figure out what the cost would be. I am actually wondering if you are still in business. I never see any updates to your facebook page or website so I want to be sure. Can I pay for extra service to fire up the humidor after it is completed and have it tested and calibrated before it comes to me? I would be willing to spend extra money to make sure I don't have a problem once it arrives. What is the lead time for a unit such as this? Is a deposit required?

Thank you!
Joe

Joe thanks for your interest in our humidors. We're definitely still in business but have about 30 pieces to build as nobody else is really building humidors anymore. One of the reasons things are not being updated on the Internet is were small but covered up.

On a piece like that may be better off getting a wine fridge.

 

[CigarGavin]

It would suck if they mentioned that just to save workload. Maybe they meant that because it wasn’t a large unit you would get one quicker/cheaper my investing in a wine cooler. BUT either way investing time in a potential customer instead of quickly dismissing would have been the correct route. Avallo makes quality stuff and they are the last company doing it (may be smaller companies that I’m not aware of).

 

[Boudie]

Here was my exchange with Avallo. Let me MAKE it VERY CLEAR I do NOT have anything against them, they just lost my business when they suggested I get a wine fridge. . .
.
.
Joe thanks for your interest in our humidors. We're definitely still in business but have about 30 pieces to build as nobody else is really building humidors anymore. One of the reasons things are not being updated on the Internet is were small but covered up.

On a piece like that may be better off getting a wine fridge.

Their response seems reasonable and it looks like your options are limited if they are the only people building what you want.

 

[Sprintcars11]

It would suck if they mentioned that just to save workload. Maybe they meant that because it wasn’t a large unit you would get one quicker/cheaper my investing in a wine cooler. BUT either way investing time in a potential customer instead of quickly dismissing would have been the correct route. Avallo makes quality stuff and they are the last company doing it (may be smaller companies that I’m not aware of).

I agree, I took it as they didn't want my business. Perhaps I perceived it incorrectly, but none the less they scared me off, at least for now.

 

[Thebutcher]

It would suck if they mentioned that just to save workload. Maybe they meant that because it wasn’t a large unit you would get one quicker/cheaper my investing in a wine cooler. BUT either way investing time in a potential customer instead of quickly dismissing would have been the correct route. Avallo makes quality stuff and they are the last company doing it (may be smaller companies that I’m not aware of).

Honestly the response they sent sounds like there backed up and NOT avoiding work load but avoiding irritated customers,If there way behind on orders I know some customers will call every day to complain and you can only manufacture a quality product so fast with the trained crew you have, and with hand made items like there's you cant just "Hire someone" shoot cigar rollers have to apprentice for 9 months to a year before making production cigars

 

[Bruce T.]

That company defiantly doesn't want your business, but their answer is a good one. I think you spooked them with your question and they realized that they can't build a unit that will meet you exacting requirements. The only thing that can is a wineador. I agree. Regardless how beautiful a wood humidor is they will NEVER seal anywhere close to a wine fridge and a good seal is the most important part of maintaining a consistent environment.

While I'm espousing my personal views I think I'll add another one. I don't believe in the fancy, expensive humidification systems. Too much money and too many things to go wrong. My 1200 count humidor (winador) uses kitty litter and it holds RH perfectly year round. In the winter my house is about 20% RH and it holds no problem. I give it a light spritz of distilled water onto the kitty litter a couple of times during the winter and that's it.

 

[CigarGavin]

Honestly the response they sent sounds like there backed up and NOT avoiding work load but avoiding irritated customers,If there way behind on orders I know some customers will call every day to complain and you can only manufacture a quality product so fast with the trained crew you have, and with hand made items like there's you cant just "Hire someone" shoot cigar rollers have to apprentice for 9 months to a year before making production cigars

If they where avoiding irritated customers they would probably not already be 30 customers deep in a backlog, 31 is the magical number of potential complains they can handle? Custom humidor building is a niche for sure, turning away any business is foolish. Very easily solved by setting out realistic timelines when communicating with customer prior to build. If they where interested in the business the message would have ended with, "if this is still the route you want to go..." not "maybe get a wine cooler". One leaves the door open for the decision without he customer having to reach out again looking for a answer to a question that was already asked.

 

[Thebutcher]

If they where avoiding irritated customers they would probably not already be 30 customers deep in a backlog, 31 is the magical number of potential complains they can handle? Custom humidor building is a niche for sure, turning away any business is foolish. Very easily solved by setting out realistic timelines when communicating with customer prior to build. If they where interested in the business the message would have ended with, "if this is still the route you want to go..." not "maybe get a wine cooler". One leaves the door open for the decision without he customer having to reach out again looking for a answer to a question that was already asked.

31 isn't the magical number my guess and I mean guess is they are fielding a lot of "Where is my stuff" calls and just didn't want more.

 

[Groucho]

Do wine fridges actually have the ability to keep a 70 degree temp? I thought that might be too high, that they are designed for 40-55 degree range.

Although I had a recent beetle infestation (lost about 15 boxes before the freeze method) it was because I was not present due to covid. I was unable to open windows and cool down the room with my humidor.

So take what I say with a grain of salt as my great "never a tobacco beetle" track record recently went to pot.

I find it's easier to control the room's temp (and possibly assisting the humidity during dry months) and have a non temp controlled humidor/cabinet. Having an AC unit kick in for 73 degrees. Then all you need to worry about is humidity inside the humidor and there are several avenues with passive beads or active Oasis or a Moist N Air.

Having everything contained in a single unit makes a lot of sense too. I guess it boils down to preference.

 

[Boudie]

You can always control the temperature of a cooler with a seperate thermo controller. I use old refrigerators with inkbird temp controllers to maintain 65 degrees. My cigars are stored in weather seal tupperware to maintain humidity. I also have a NewAir cigar cooler for the stuff I want to keep handy. I find that with out additional fans moving air off the fins behind the unit it will lower temps between 10 and 15 degrees below ambient.

 

[Bruce T.]

Although I had a recent beetle infestation (lost about 15 boxes before the freeze method) it was because I was not present due to covid. I was unable to open windows and cool down the room with my humidor.

If you freeze everything before it goes into your humidor then there are no viable beetle eggs to worry about if the temperature goes too high.
If I lost 15 boxes I'd have nothing left!

Nothing goes into my humidor until it has spent 4 days in the freezer.... and I mean NOTHING