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Investing in a humidor is a big decision. Good humidors aren't cheap, but there's no point in having a bad humidor. A humidor that does not maintain a constant desired level of humidity, no matter how pretty it is, is a waste of money and cigars. Consider how wine lovers store their wine. They're protecting an investment. Your cigars are equally valuable, and deserve a similar level of care. The first step is to decide what size humidor you want. A good guide is to buy a humidor that's a little bigger than what you think you need. At the same time, you might want to investigate whether your local cigar retailer or cigar club has rental facilities that will let you store the bulk of your stock, so that you'll only need room for a few days' reserve at home or at work.
Just as if you were buying a new car, you'll want to look carefully at the construction and performance features of a humidor, as well as at its finish. If the seams aren't perfect, or if the corners aren't square, skip that humidor. Pay particular attention to the rim and the lid, and how they fit together. The lid should shut tightly. For the record, a humidor lid should not "seal" completely; it should allow a minute amount of air to circulate in and out of the box. But any visible warping will mean that too much air gets in and too much moisture gets out, even if there's a "lip" that fits inside the lid. A heavy lid is generally an advantage. Many humidors, even those with locks, rely on the weight of the lid to keep them tightly shut. This, however, creates a challenge. A humidor should be designed to be in balance, whether open or shut. If the lid opens too far, its weight can cause the humidor to flip up or fall over. If the lid doesn't open far enough to stay balanced in a upright position, it might come crashing back down on your fingers. Locks aren't a bad idea.
Consider the value -- both emotional and financial -- of the collection that you are going to keep in the humidor. Then consider the damage that could be done by curious prying fingers, by pilfering or even by vandalism (we could tell you stories...). You are likely to want a lock. Just be sure to have a duplicate key tucked away in a safe place. Nothing is more heartbreaking than to have to tamper with the perfectly fitted and carefully finished edges of a finely crafted box. The first thing to notice on the inside of a humidor is the humidification device. Most humidification devices are simple -- little more than a sponge material or a bottle that slowly emits moisture. (Simple as they are, these devices are still light-years ahead of one old-fashioned humidification device: apple cores.) The biggest variable in proper humidification, after good construction, is not the type of humidification system you have, but whether or not you remember to add the needed water or chemicals at regular intervals. Look for a humidor lined with a fairly nonaromatic cedar, such as Spanish cedar. Cedar absorbs and re-emits moisture in a way that helps the tobaccos that are blended into a fine cigar to age and mature. (If you are ambitious and handy enough and decide to build your own humidor, be aware that you can't use just any cedar. The highly aromatic cedar used to line closets and wool chests would do disastrous things to the flavor of your cigars.)
Humidor trays make it easy for you to organize, and occasionally rotate, your collection. The inside of a humidor has variations in humidity, despite the various slots that promote internal air circulation and reduce the likelihood that the base woods and the veneer will warp or separate. Within this micro climate, you should introduce your driest cigars as far away as possible from the humidification device so that they re-attain proper hydration as slowly and evenly as possible. Handles can he helpful on larger humidors, particularly if you will be moving the humidor around a room while offering cigars.
If you are planning to put the humidor on a table or sideboard, a felt bottom will help protect the humidor and the furniture. Some humidors have magnets set into the underside of the lid, so you can store a cigar cutter there. This is good if it keeps you from misplacing an expensive cutter, and bad if it leads you to opening the humidor more often or leaving it open for longer periods of time.
Before you get excited about a lid magnet, be sure to find out what the cutter that it's supposed to hold will cost you. If you have scissors or a more expensive guillotine cutter, consider anchoring it to your humidor with an elegant chain, which will guarantee that the cutter will be available whenever you want it. Finding a humidor with good construction and features isn't as hard as it sounds. Better humidor manufacturers are fanatical about quality control. Moreover, reputable tobacconists will reject humidors with even tiny functional defects. Once you have decided on all of the basics and accessories, you might as well let yourself be dazzled by the designs and finishes. Admire the gleaming rare wood surfaces, catch the highlights dancing in a deep rich lacquer finish, or study the intricate marquetry picture. Marvel at some of the more curved and sculptural shapes. You are buying a work of art. Be sure you love it: it's likely to be an important part of your home or office for many years to come.
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