Do you rely on the hygrometer?

[Major Captain Silly]

I've had a humidor (or 5) in the house for about 18 years now. I've always kept a hygrometer in my humidors just because it's what people do. I've found, however, that my own tactile abilities are usually good enough to tell me what state my cigars are in. I can pull one out of the humidor and roll it in my fingers and tell if it is wet, dry or just right. If I make a mistake there, I can always tell while smoking the cigar if I need to make adjustments. I'll probably never get rid of my hygrometers but they are there mainly to support what I already know about my humidors. How about you all?

MCS

 

[shilala]

All I can tell is if a cigar is too dry. That's just because they crumble.
If it weren't for the crumbling, I'd be clueless.

 

[Mr.Maduro]

I rely on my fingers, the hygrometers are just back-up! :2

 

[baglorious]

Well, if it works for you... who can argue? If you are pleased with your cigars, can make those judgments, and never (or rarely) smoke a cigar and retrospectively determine it wasn't properly hydrated, then sound like you don't need the hygro!

For me, I prefer having them. I have a wireless I'm using in my coolerdor, and I now have a see-through fancy tupperdor as well through which I can observe my non-wireless hygrometer.

So, I can check without opening either. I like being able to glance at those to make sure no additional humidity is needed... or to address it when it is.

Saves me some stress! I think if I were attempting your method without guidance of the hygro, I'd probably screw it up...


That said, I do think we have a tendency here on CS to "overanalyze" what we're doing. I think if they're smokeable without plugging of flaking apart... that's about right.

Folks with uber-palates may disagree, but for me, I probably couldn't really tell you a taste/expericence difference between a 62% cigar and a 72% cigar, provided it wasn't plugging of flaking apart.


The only reservation I'd have there would be that, if I was keeping a cigar for several years (which I'm doing by virtue of the fact that I have hundreds), I'd feel more comfortable knowing I was relatively consistently around 70%.

If I kept about 25 cigars on hand... I'd probably be just fine using beads and not bothering with the hygro.

So, hygros for me.

 

[Razorhog]

Gotta have a hygrometer! It's easier to be obsessive that way. That reminds me, I need another caliber III :tu

 

[AD720]

While I use my hygrometers, I really rely on my beads. I trust them enough to keep it around 65%.

 

[chriscbs]

All I can tell is if a cigar is too dry. That's just because them crumble.
If it weren't for the crumbling, I'd be clueless.

I'm with you. I think I can hold a cigar in my hand and feel if it's harder than it should be (dry), but I still base pretty much everything on the hygrometer with regards to what's going on in the humidor.

I'm sure that having an instinct about it is something that comes with a lot of experience.

 

[kansashat]

I rely on my fingers, the hygrometers are just back-up! :2

:tpd: I've never understood the anal retentive hygrometer geeks (no offense to any weirdos out there).

 

[ucla695]

I rely on my hygrometer for general humidity levels in my humidor. If RH starts dropping, I'll recharge the beads. However, since most of my cigars are in boxes, I like to inspect the boxes from time to time to see how they are doing. That's when I can really tell how they are coming along.

 

[Poriggity]

I rely on the feel of my smokes more than the hygro, but I always keep one on hand.
Scott

 

[andy_mccabe501]

I tend to use the beads as a gauge more than my hygro,

if like 30% or so are still clear, it's ok

am i wrong? lol

andy

 

[kvm]

I would have to say I do depend on them. I have 3 wireless and it makes it easy to know when I need to tend to things. I have 4 humis and 2 winecoolers so I may not open a given humi for months. When I see a trend up or down over a couple of days I know I need to make adjustments.

 

[jkorp]

I'd say both. I go by feel mostly, but the hygro gives me a guick glance at what is going on as I pass by.

 

[sikk50]

I don't realy pay attention to my Hygro. I rely almost entirely on my fingers.

 

[yazzie]

I trust the accuracy of my Hygros and use them to let me know when it's time to recharge my beads.

 

[Ashcan Bill]

They're there to alert me should a catastrophic failure occurs. That's it. Two of my humis I don't open all that often. With digital hygrometers, I can glance in as I walk by and see if the RH has dropped drastically, indicating it's time to pull out the water jug. So far it's never gotten to that point - I always recharge things well in advance.

As far as determining cigar health, my fingers tell me all I need to know. That, and how they smoke.

The fact I have a Wally World $5 special sitting in an Aristocrat should tell you how wound up I get about it.

 

[Chico57]

I've found, however, that my own tactile abilities are usually good enough to tell me what state my cigars are in. I can pull one out of the humidor and roll it in my fingers and tell if it is wet, dry or just right. If I make a mistake there, I can always tell while smoking the cigar if I need to make adjustments.

MCS[/quote]
I applaud your abilities of being able to feel a cigar (I can't get the knack of that yet) and know if the humidty in your humidor is correct for you. But to realize that the humidity isn't what you would like after smoking a cigar, isn't that a waste of a good cigar?

 

[pbrennan10]

No, and it's a good thing too, otherwise i'd be adding water and taking water out about every 15 seconds.

 

[SUOrangeGuy]

The beauty of the hygrometer is also for box aging. You can't see those cigars.

 

[dantzig]

I use them as a guide to ensure that my humidity is staying at a constant level. It's nice to not have to open my Vinotemp to feel my cigars to know that the humidity is at a proper level.