Reddit reviews Xikar PuroTemp Round Digital Hygrometer

Lets start before Cubans, and I'll assume you know nothing about cigars and just start from the beginning.

Okay, as far as humidors go, there are a bunch of options. The quickest and easiest way is to buy a tupperware container that seals well and a few boveda packets (you can get either on amazon). I'd recommend 65% if you're using a "tupperdor" (69% for a wooden humidor...of course depending on the climate where you live etc...). Rough rule of thumb is to use one 60 gram packets for every 25 cigars the container can fit. We'll get more into wood humidors later.

The next thing you'll want to have is a digital hygrometer. You can snag one for 15-20 bucks on amazon. If you're using multiple tupperdors, I wouldn't worry about having one in each, just switch the meter to a different container every week or so to make sure they're staying good. With boveda packets, you shouldn't have a problem. Anyway, when you get your hygrometer, you want to calibrate it. The packaging or instructions may say that it is calibrated at the factory and does not need to be tested. Ignore that. Get a bottle cap, fill it about 2/3 up with table salt, and a few drops of water. Put the cap in an airtight container (a zip lock bag will do) with the hygrometer. Wait a day, and see what the hygrometer says. If it says 75%, you're good. If it doesn't, adjust it until it does, and then leave it in the bag a few more hours to make sure it stays there. You will find that you may develop your own preference for the Relative Humidity (RH) of your cigars, but it your container is reading in the mid sixties to the low seventies, you're around where you want to be. Keep an eye on the temperature, too. I like to keep mine below 70 degrees F. If they get into the high seventies, your cigars may literally begin hatching beetles.

Now onto wooden humidors: these are much more of a pain in the ass than tupperdors, in terms of setting it up. As far as a specific model, there are a ton and it depends on too many things to specify from the information you gave. Personally, I'd recommend a humidor that can hold more cigars than you plan on needing. My first humidor holds fifty cigars. I now have another 25 count (although, that was free and I didn't need it until I figured "fuck it, might as well fill it"), a 100 count, and two tupperdors. So as far as picking one out, I'd recommend again going bigger than you think you need, make sure it is at least lined with spanish cedar, and just check reviews to see how it seals. Every humidor will have bad reviews because a lot of people don't know how to season them, so look for reviews from people who seem to know what they're doing. And I'd personally stay away from anything with a glass top, it's just another place it can lose a seal.

Speaking of seasoning, you have to season a wooden humidor, which means to sort of saturate the wood to the correct humidity level. If you don't, the wood will eat up the humidity being released by your humidifying thingamajig instead of it being all for your sticks. There's a couple ways to do this: you can get distilled water (or a premade solution of distilled water and propylene glycol, it really doesn't matter) and wipe the wood down with it, with a barely damp cloth or sponge. If you get the wood too wet, it will warp and the humidor won't seal. Then leave a bowl or shot glass filled with the distilled water in the humidor and let it sit a few days. Note that the water being distilled is not optional, do not use any other water, no tap, no spring water. Only distilled water. You want nothing in the humidor except spanish cedar, cigars, and moisture.

The easier way to season a humidor is to buy boveda seasoning packets. They regulate the environment in the humidor to 84%. Buy the same amount you'd need if they were regular bovedas, one per 25 cigar capacity. Put them in the humidor, close the humidor, come back 14 days later and take the packets out. Replace them with (I'd recommend) 69% packets. Put cigars in over the course of a few days (you don't want to add them all at once, it will swing RH levels).

I'd recommend this for a tupperdor, in the largest size:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00284AG5U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have this humidor, I like it:
http://www.cheaphumidors.com/the-othello-checkerboard-pattern-cigar-humidor.html

I also have this smaller humidor which I'm still seasoning, but it seems to seal well enough:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072NZK9K4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seasoning packets:
https://www.amazon.com/Boveda-Humidity-Seasoning-Humidifier-Dehumidifier/dp/B004NXXBLA/ref=sr_1_10?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1502648759&sr=1-10-spons&keywords=boveda+seasoning&psc=1

Packets to regulate RH (pick whatever RH you'd prefer, I like 69 for wood and 65 for tupperdor):
https://www.amazon.com/Boveda-2-Way-Humidity-Control-Large/dp/B004LHSOBK/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1502648826&sr=1-1&keywords=boveda+69

Distilled water/propylene glycol if you want to go that route:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040OEB6G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hygrometer (I like round ones because a lot of humidors will have a cutout for the shitty analog hygro they all come with and the round ones will fit there):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004167OY4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Someone let me know if I missed anything.

Edit: I didn't mention beads, the "soak this weird thing in distilled water" humidifier or kitty litter because I really don't think there's a good reason to steer someone towards them, but I really haven't ever used any of it so if someone wants to add something about those, please do.

If you're looking for a simple, pre-calibrated hygrometer, this one is working out for me pretty well.

Xikar Digital Hygrometer

Here's a couple of options for new ones. They can sometimes be found cheaper than this.

From your previous post My $100 Craigslist Haul, you likely have this hygrometer.

Based off from the Amazon link, it can be calibrated. Do some Googling to see exactly how to perform the calibration and make adjustments to your hygrometer. This process will take 24-48 hours. Until you do this, you really can't trust the numbers coming off from the hygrometer.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004167OY4

Sorry about the confusion

Well, you where lucky in your choice then. I had mold on my harvest while my humidity meter said it was 60%. It turned out to even point at 60% while put in a wet towel (where it should read 95-100%). I found a lot of stories how much consumer humidity meters are inaccurate, ranging from 5% off to 25% off.

On amazon you can buy the xikar for 19$ https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004167OY4/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1475246693&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=xikar&dpPl=1&dpID=514tS8f0qYL&ref=plSrch

IDK man, I've been checking the hygrometer at least 10 times a day now and it's always spot on. Never more than a 1% fluctuation in either direction of 66.

I've never really smoked them straight out of the humi so idk if the immediate plug is normal or not.

I know the hygro was spot on about a month ago so I doubt it's that far off so soon (plus I can't even calibrate this one).

I'll set up something and see what happens next time I'll give it a good hour out of the humi before smoking

im no master cigar smoker this is what i got and what seems that people use

https://www.amazon.com/Quality-Importers-HygroSet-Hygrometer-Humidors/dp/B000H6CZQE

or for the brand name

https://www.amazon.com/Xikar-832XI-Round-Digital-Hygrometer/dp/B004167OY4