Pro’s and Con’s of various humidor rH media

Pro’s and Con’s of various humidor rH media

Let’s face it, there’s a virtual array of rH controlling media out there. Here we will look at the various kinds and the pro’s and con’s of each. I’ve touched on the major ones that are out there. There may be other types of media that will work that are not discussed below but may work. You’ll also notice this makes no reference to any active rH control systems as used in large cabinet or walk-in humidors. Those are a different beast altogether and would require a separate review by someone with familiarity with them.

Warning: Before making a decision about what type of media to use in your humidor, please conduct research on your own before making a decision on how to control the rH. They are your cigars and it’s only right to look at all the options before settling on what media to use. This is only for basic information purposes and does not encompass and in-depth comparison between different media types. Think of this as a basic starting point.

Floral foam and Propylene Glycol (pg) solution:
One of the oldest modern methods is floral foam. You may remember your Mom, girlfriend or other significant person receiving flowers and, when you went to throw them out there was a green spongy material at the bottom. Usually at that point it was dry and brittle.
Well the rH system in most wooden humidors comes with the same type of foam. It purpose is to release humidity into the humidor so our precious cigars don’t become dry and brittle. Some call for using only distilled water and some for pg solution, while others have you alternate between distilled water and pg solution.

Using just distilled water in the foam allows a rapid release of moisture into a humidor and isn’t the best at regulating the rH. Most switched over to using the pg solution that offered some advantages such as being a mold inhibitor and being hydroscopic, meaning its properties are attract and hold water molecules from the surrounding environment. Depending on the amount of pg in the solution you can, somewhat, regulate rH based on this principal.

So while foam and distilled water will dump too much humidity into your humidor, the pg solution was used to help moderate the amount. A couple of issues arose from using pg solution in the foam though and the primary was that the foam would become saturated with pg itself after the water component evaporated off. Over time this caused the foam to not work as well and you had to buy a new piece of foam.

The other concern with foam is that it is a harboring place for mold; mold that would like nothing better to use our cigars as a feasting ground for growing. Pg solution is a mold inhibitor to a certain extent but certainly won’t stop mold from growing under high humidity conditions.

Pro’s: cheap, easy to replace, easy to recharge
Con’s: foam: inaccurate rH control, pg solution can get expensive over time, can be a harbor for mold spores

Jells and crystals:

Another modern way of controlling rH is the use of jell jars or crystals in jars. Whether the jells or the crystals they operate in the same manner, by absorbing water and then releasing the water in a controlled manner. They are made using various compounds (salts and other items) that are hydroscopic and slowly allow the release of water.

They are fairly easy to use. Recharge the jells or crystals when either has shrunk down in size. Add water, a little bit at a time and they swell up, letting you know that they are fully charged. Excess water can be poured off or blotted with a towel. You then place it back in the humidor to recharge the rH and keep the cigars at a set point.
One of the biggest drawbacks to the either the jells or crystals is the set point is around 70% rH, which for many of us, it not the ideal rH we prefer our fine cigars at for smoking. Another drawback is the early jells and crystals did a better job of releasing moisture than absorbing it. While there are some two way jells out there they still have an equilibrium point of 70% and feedback has been spotty about how well they actually absorb moisture from inside the humidor.

The other issue seems to be longevity and recharging. Over time the jells and crystals are not as effective at recharging. Compounds break down over time and the ability to hold and release water becomes inconsistent. This means its time to either buy a new jar or new package of crystals to replace the old ones.

Pro’s: easy to use, easy to recharge
Con’s: still really one way, one set point for rH (70%), replacement costs

Heartfelt beads

Who knew something good would come out of protecting historic art. Heartfelt beads are a true two way humidity system available in different rH set points. The basis for Heartfelt beads came out of museums using a silica bead with salts to control humidity in sealed cases for paintings. Heartfelt saw the advantage and started marketing the beads as a way to control humidity in humidors and at different set points of rH so that the cigar smoker could choose what rH was best for them.

The beads themselves are colorless to light white when charged and totally white when needing a recharge. The silica beads and salts at certain concentrations are what regulate the absorption or release of water back into the humidor.

They are a true two way system for maintaining the rH in your humidor. If you have a shipment of wet cigars come in the beads will gradually bring the rH down to their set point. If you have some dry cigars they will gradually bring the rH up to the set point. This is a huge advantage over previous systems and the beads do a solid job of keeping the cigars at their optimum smoking potential.

One issue with Heartfelt beads is the recharging. While not a huge deal they do have to be recharged in one of two manners to keep them operating at their full potential. To recharge you either need to lightly mist them with distilled water or place them in a charging container with high humidity. If you run or pour water over them the beads can either crack or the salts that control rH can be washed away. Both can also happen at the same time.

Heartfelt beads cost more than the simpler methods of controlling rH. This can be especially pricey if you don’t follow Heartfelt’s recommendations on recharging the beads. However, if you are careful with recharging them, they do last for years.

Pro’s: two way humidity control, rH set point of your choice, mold does not grow on them
Con’s: price, recharging methods

Continued:

Warning: Before making a decision about what type of media to use in your humidor, please conduct research on your own before making a decision on how to control the rH. They are your cigars and it’s only right to look at all the options before settling on what media to use. This is only for basic information purposes and does not encompass and in-depth comparison between different media types. Think of this as a basic starting point.


Kitty Litter

I’m not sure when kittly litter (KL) was first tried out or by whom, but it’s rapidly caught on as a cheap alternative to beads, especially for larger humidor setups like a winedor. Of course we’re talking about unscented kitty litter that is silica based, not the perfumed brands.

Kitty litter works on a similar principle as other silica media in that it will absorb and release moisture from the surrounding environment. It is slightly better at holding on to moisture than releasing but when used in a controlled environment will regulate the rH quite well.

Putting KL in shallow pans to increase surface area increases the rH control within your cigar storage device. It is recommended to place the KL in its dry state first to see how it effects the rH over a 24-48 hour period. As with HF beads it is recommended to spray the beads lightly if the rH needs to increase and then wait 24 hours to observe the effect. Additional light sprays, each at 24 hours apart, will slowly bring the rH up to your preferred humidity. Once it has stabilized it is only a matter of checking on a routine basis to see if addition sprays are necessary.

The other advantage of KL is if the rH starts to increase over time you have two options. You can either place some dry KL into the humidor and see if that helps decrease the rH or you can pull the KL from the humidor, spread it out on a cookie sheet, and bake it in the oven to dry it out. A 200 degree oven and 15-20 minutes should dry out the KL enough to place it back in the humidor and monitor the results over 24 hours.

Two minor drawbacks with KL seems to be the silica dust and the amount of KL needed compared to other systems. While some brands are better than others in reducing the amount of silica dust there will be some. Pouring the KL through some type of strainer appears to help reduce dust as well as wiping down the container, periodically, that holds the KL in the humidor. As far as the amount of KL needed, you need more KL for it to be effective versus other systems such as HF or HCM. So while KL may be cheap to buy you are losing a bit more space in your humidor by using it.

Pro’s: cheap, can be trained to an rH
Con’s: dust, greater quantity needed to control rH than other systems


HCM beads (formerly called Shilala beads)

A relative new comer to the rH control arena is HCM beads. Developed by Scott Shilala and marketed in 2008, about the only thing in common with the other “bead” products is the name. HCM beads are made of an entirely different material than silica. According to the HCM website they have an 800% faster recovery and hold 500% more water by volume than other types of media.

The more water by volume and the faster recovery time increase the length of time you need before recharging the beads. In a good, sealed system like a tuppordor or winedor the HCM beads can go for years without needing to be recharged.

HCM beads do come “preset” from the company at 65%, so if your preferred rH is different extra steps must be followed to train your beads to your desired rH. If you want a lower rH, then you place them in a refrigerator for 1 hour (no longer than 1 hour!). If you wish to raise the rH, then you take a small water soaked sponge place it on a dish and put it in your humidor with the HCM beads overnight. Then remove the sponge and monitor your rH for the next 24 hours. Repeat the process if the rH has not risen to your preferred set point.

Two items of note with HCM beads. First is you cannot spray, pour or otherwise wet the beads directly. Doing so causing a catalytic event that generates enough heat that it can melt the bag or container the HCM beads are in. The second item of note is that compared to other media type systems HCM beads are relatively expensive.


Pro’s: no salts to wash away, hold more water, faster recovery time
Con’s: expensive, careful manipulation to increase or decrease rH set point

very helpfull,Thanks!

Fantastic write-up...bravo!

Great post! I have never heard of the HCM beads. I currently use boveda and was about to get some HF beads. Now I will have to look into those HCM beads.
Thank you!

I have some 62% "trained" KL if anyone wants it. Just pay the shipping.

I've used sa.me kitty litter for 3 years now and it hold steady at 64

Thanks piperdown for the great comparison.

Thanks Gents.

The only other one I though of adding was water beads but I know next to nothing about them.

Excellent write up. Thanks for sharing.