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Kitty Litter the Final Test

oneaday

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I have both HF and KL. I appreciate HF's sponsoring these boards and the consistently great service provided. However, when I look at humidifying the new tower humi my wife is buying for my birthday next month, I can't justify $116 vs. $10 for 4 pounds of KL/beads when my personal experience with both products has been very good.

I didn't do any mysterious "conditioning" hocus pocus with the KL in my wine cooler. I poured some litter in a plastic bowl, added a little water, and my wine cooler has been 63-66% ever since (except for the power outage issues in the other thread)
I'm a HF guy myself, however I think you've got your answer in the math. Go with KL if that doesn't work your only out 10 bucks, if it works you've saved $106. No Brainer.
 

tubaman

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I just don't get it. I really don't. We have no qualms about spending thousands of dollars on cigars, but skimp to save a hundred bucks on what is going to help keep those cigars worth the thousands we spent. The logic just escapes me.
 
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I just don't get it. I really don't. We have no qualms about spending thousands of dollars on cigars, but skimp to save a hundred bucks on what is going to help keep those cigars worth the thousands we spent. The logic just escapes me.

I see your point, but IME I have used both, and get the same results from both.
I can't see the logic in paying $28 a pound, when I can get an 8 pound jug of KL beads for $15
I do not skimp when it comes to my cigars, but I don't throw money away either.

Like so substitute stated in his post, if I only needed a pound I would probably by the HF just to help suport a brother, but I have a 14 cubic ft freezer I converted and use several pounds of KL.
 
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I just don't get it. I really don't. We have no qualms about spending thousands of dollars on cigars, but skimp to save a hundred bucks on what is going to help keep those cigars worth the thousands we spent. The logic just escapes me.

You do not see the logic?:scratchhe Simple economics Kevin, you should know this being a teacher. Trying to be nice here, but you are just being closed minded, plain and simple.

Product A is $35 dollars a pound. Is sold by a vendor that people know and trust. Simple to use and is a product sold specifically for the use intended to maintain RH at a certain level.

Product B is .50 cents a pound (or 70 times less expensive) and every person that has tried them say they are just as easy to use with only slightly higher RH results. Simple to use, just comes in a container that is for another use. Same contents, very similar looks, etc.

One more time in case someone miss it the first time: KL is roughly 70 times less expensive.
Call me stupid, but maybe I want to use the extra money saved to buy more cigars as I am a value person.

Also not everyone here has thousands of dollars worth of sticks.
 

tubaman

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You do not see the logic?:scratchhe Simple economics Kevin, you should know this being a teacher. Trying to be nice here, but you are just being closed minded, plain and simple.

Product A is $35 dollars a pound. Is sold by a vendor that people know and trust. Simple to use and is a product sold specifically for the use intended to maintain RH at a certain level.

Product B is .50 cents a pound (or 70 times less expensive) and every person that has tried them say they are just as easy to use with only slightly higher RH results. Simple to use, just comes in a container that is for another use. Same contents, very similar looks, etc.

One more time in case someone miss it the first time: KL is roughly 70 times less expensive.
Call me stupid, but maybe I want to use the extra money saved to buy more cigars as I am a value person.

Also not everyone here has thousands of dollars worth of sticks.
Steve, I'm not being closed minded at all. I have made an informed decision based on all of the information available to me. The reason why HF beads are more expensive is, they are better. Others, who know a hell of alot more about this stuff than either of us have attested to this. They are a higher quality product. They are more foolproof. I don't think I have ever said the KL doesn't work, I'm saying it doesn't work as well!!! Knowing this, I would think the more cigars you have, you should feel more inclined to use the best product because your investment is larger. We will agree to disagree on this point I guess.

I'll still smoke a goodun with you next time we herf!!
 
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Steve, We will agree to disagree on this point I guess.

I'll still smoke a goodun with you next time we herf!!


I agree, two different trains of thought, same goal in mind.

You know I care for you brother and respect you immensely. I too look forward to that goodun as well, the sooner the better.
 
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. Others, who know a hell of alot more about this stuff than either of us have attested to this. They are a higher quality product. They are more foolproof.
Bolded for emphasis here.

I have HF beads in my 150 ct humi. I accidentally over watered them, and my humidity got into the 70s, from the 'set' of 65. Tell me how that's foolproof? This is the first time I've it happen as I'm usually careful not to overwater but I was in a rush out the door and my humidity was a little low.

That being said, my coolerador, which I've been testing KL in has been between 62 and 66% RH while I 'train' them.
 

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The only thing I had recently after I calibrated a new hygro, the wine cooler on various shelves was reading higher than 65%RH. Bottom shelf where the Oasis is was 68%RH. The top shelf was right at 70%RH. The middle shelf and where my 65% beads are located is also about 69-70%. So one could say the beads can not keep up with an active Oasis system volumn. And yet the beads were not fully saturated, showing mostly white. I would have thought they would have been more clear and shown more wet looking to clue me in my RH was too high. So I am not convinced they are doing there job to remove the RH.
Doesn't this seem like you are contradicting yourself? You are very adamant that there is little difference between the products, but you aren't convinced they are actually working.
 

tubaman

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Bolded for emphasis here.

I have HF beads in my 150 ct humi. I accidentally over watered them, and my humidity got into the 70s, from the 'set' of 65. Tell me how that's foolproof? This is the first time I've it happen as I'm usually careful not to overwater but I was in a rush out the door and my humidity was a little low.

That being said, my coolerador, which I've been testing KL in has been between 62 and 66% RH while I 'train' them.
As you bolded, I said MORE foolproof, not completely foolproof. You yourself said you added too much water. I'm not exactly sure how the fact that in your haste, your adding too much water to the beads was the beads fault!! Of course, if you put way too much water on them, they will become completely saturated and will not remove anymore rh. That's why you need a greater quantity of beads for larger volumes of space that are being regulated.
 
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Doesn't this seem like you are contradicting yourself? You are very adamant that there is little difference between the products, but you aren't convinced they are actually working.

The cigar beads in my wine cooler do not seem to be absorbing the extra RH being created by the Oasis as my newly calibrated hydrometer is reading 69% today. They do not appear wet or over-saturated as I read is suppose to absorb the extra RH. I would say they should hold more RH or did their job and the excess RH is too much for them to handle. I turned the know down on the Oasis to decrease the RH being produced and need to dry out the beads even though they appear to be just fine with plenty of white beads still.

The KL beads are doing fine in the coolidors, steadily reading about 67% RH (from my memory) for the past 9-10 months now without any issues.
 
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As you bolded, I said MORE foolproof, not completely foolproof. You yourself said you added too much water. I'm not exactly sure how the fact that in your haste, your adding too much water to the beads was the beads fault!! Of course, if you put way too much water on them, they will become completely saturated and will not remove anymore rh. That's why you need a greater quantity of beads for larger volumes of space that are being regulated.
I didn't say it was the beads fault... but people are emphasizing that you can over-water KL and shoot your humidity too high.. and trying to say that's not the case with HF beads. Just stating that it is quite possible.

Also it's not like I dumped a gallon on them. we're talking a half ounce more than I usually use.. at most.
 

xrundog

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Oh yeah! You can absolutely overwater humi-beads. But it seems to take less water to saturate KL. Or rather water beyond a certain amount will yield a higher RH.

The contrast is that humi-beads having a setpoint, will maintain the setpoint until they reach saturation. To get past the setpoint you have to soak them pretty good.

With KL you pour on a little water and get 67%RH. A little bit more and you may get 75%. There's no setpoint so you go easy with the water.
 
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Steve, I'm not being closed minded at all. I have made an informed decision based on all of the information available to me. The reason why HF beads are more expensive is, they are better...
I'm not sure how you figure, other than solely relying on what others have stated before, which I'm not sure what that's based on either. The bottom line is that HF may be more ideal or "better", however, KL obviously works for many people (just reading this thread will tell you). Therefore, if KL works for you and is able to maintain your desired humidity, then why spend the extra bucks? I've never used KL before, as I've used HF beads for the past year. However, being that I just purchased a tower humidor, I'm going to give them a try. If they don't work for me, then I'll go back to the HF beads. I think this debate is sort of silly; just do whatever works for you and your cigars! :smokingbo
 
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