HELP!!! poll: vinotemp, humidor or other??? what should i buy next?

[mrreindeer]

I truly hate my computer; I had just written a lengthy response to all of you great people for taking the time to consider my situation and gameplan, vote accordingly and provide me with suggestions.....

And the freaking thing disappeared when I hit the backspace.

Anyway, I have to hit the sack but I very much appreciate all of your help. Briefly...

I'm surprised at the results of the polle...VinoTemp...
Hmmmm
I just don't see the vinotemp...
The glass 300 count is the way for me.
Tom

Me too! Even though I'm new at this, I like the 'traditional' desktop, fancy, wooden humidor.

Avallo cooled 2000.

That sucker is SWEET! Even though I know you weren't recommending the Avallo for me, it's good to know what's out there and I had no idea about those. I think a bit aggressive for me at this stage but man, so nice. Chieppewa's Verona is really nice too!

With the shelves and boxes of smokes, you get a great aroma when you open the door. I have the venotemp sitting on top of a dual temp wine cooler so my cigars are just under eye level (I'm 6' 3"), easy to find cigars and move boxes around instead of bending down to find what you want.

I'm all about aroma; also good to know you can stack it because I like the idea of having it at eye level.

I like going to the humi to pick out a cigar, and it impresses my casual smoking friends & family :tu

Exactly - I have clients who may or may not be cigar smokers but it'd be nice to have a nice humidor to go to.

Recommend getting the largest capacity you feel comfortable with. If you do not want a vinotemp, you can go with a 1/2 cabinet. Cheaphumidors has a few that are nice and at a good price. Shop around.

I'm going to check out 1/2 cabinets, thanks!

And Mike, those Aristocrats are amazing!

 

[gwc4sc]

I do like the glass door and being able to see in, although I sure do like opening up the humi and smellng the cedar and checking out what I've got in there. Of course, I could open up the vino and smell the cedar shelves or whatever I get, possibly the drawers from Scott (shilala).

Scott throws on some huge slabs of cedar on the side of his drop-in which makes the whole vino smell like a desktop inside.:tu

Living in SoCal I know about the heat and that is why I went the Vino route. I started off just like you. I too smoke mostly on the weekends and occasionally during the week so I figured I did not need anything too big. WRONG! I started off with a 150 ct. desktop then got another 150 ct. desktop, then I got a 120qt. cooler as well before finally settling on a vino. IMO half the fun is finding your own way down this slope and trying different things as well as going through different storage methods to find out what you like as well as learning a few things along the way. If you are looking for some advice from a guy who has done all of the above already......I say GET A VINO and pimp it out with either Shilala's Chest of Drawers or a few Drawers from Chasden. Dont forget to pick up some beads too.

 

[cenookie]

I say go with the Vinotemp, I live here in S. Cal. also. Last summer was the most stressful time in the short time that I've smoked. Started with a 50 count, then a 100 count, then another 100 count. Got real tired of trying to maintain 3 humi's. I got a Vinotemp trays form Mmtouse, beads form Heartfelt and now life is good:tu! Even thought you only have a few sticks now, you will need the space a Vinotemp offers. Every time I open mine, it smells pretty good to me. Besides your friends and associates will find your method of storage fascinating:ss.

 

[TXRebel]

Get a vino, beads, and some shelves, trays or drawers from one of the BOTL.

 

[CigarMonkel]

I started with a little 20ct humidor. Next thing i know its overflowing and im using tup-o-ware that i stole from my mom for overflow.

So i shop around till i find my PERFECT 300ct glass top humidor. Love the thing to death and still do. That gets full and move more overflow into what i thought i would never use again tup-o-ware.

Next thing i know i get bombed a vino. Saved my arse this summer since my basement got above 70degrees my vino kept my cigars at a safe 65/65 so i wouldn't have to worry bout any little bugs hatching.


the vino can hold A LOT more cigars and keep them at a certain temp if need be. All my cigars are now in my vino along with many boxes i've bought since then. The vino is the way to go for sure.

 

[skibumdc]

There's just no beating a Vino.
When you get some purty looking shelves and trays from Mtmouse or shilala and some beads you now have worry free, BEETLE resistant (not beetle proof) storage that you can grow into.

Sooner or later you'll start buying boxes b/c the deals can be good.

A Life lesson: Do it right the first time. It costs less in the long run and you'll be smarter for having done it that way.

 

[rsamos]

You'd be surprised at how nice a Vino stinks with 3-4 cedar shelves, a couple trays, 15-16 boxes, and your stock of sticks in it. Even my non-smoking wife likes to just smell it now and again. Some of the boxes are empty (well - one or two anyway), but I wanted the cedar in there to help stabilize things, and wanted the boxes to be conditioned against the day I need to use them.

I was using a Cooler that had about the same amount of space before I got the Vino. Not nearly as nice looking and nowhere near as easy to access my smokes.

I threw 1 1/2 lbs of shilala's beads and a couple fans in and it just sits there @ 65% without any intervention.

 

[mrreindeer]

bump for the afternoon voters!

 

[mrreindeer]

Wow!

68% of you say go with the Vino.

15% of you say go with the Humi.

15% of you say go with the other (coolidor, etc.)

Thank you so much for voting and helping me make this tough decision.

There's still time to vote if you haven't already! I'm going to make my decision tonight.

:tu:tu

 

[NoValidTitle]

I voted for the Vino too. I'm brand new to this but I figured I would try and do it right the first time. I think it looks great and has plenty of room to stock it up. I'm waiting on my shelves from MTMouse now.

 

[mrreindeer]

UPDATE:

70% of you say go with the Vino.

15% of you say go with the Humi.

15% of you say go with the other (coolidor, etc.)

Thank you so much for voting and helping me make this tough decision.

There's still time to vote if you haven't already! I'm going to make my decision tonight.

:tu:tu:tu

 

[Rolando]

The problem with this poll is you need to qualify the votes. Some of these guys keep hundreds and thousands of cigars on hand. They just assume that you will too (at least eventually).

I voted other because if you have ever owned a glass top humidor you realize that you are wasting a bunch of space for something that is actually not even good for the cigars.

I vote this:

http://www.cheaphumidors.com/Mercha...0DL&Category_Code=MDHUMIDORS&Product_Count=28

You can attach humdification and the hygrometer to the top to save space and it keeps the cigars in the dark regardless of where you place it.

 

[mrreindeer]

Thanks very much Rolando; I tried to do my best at explaining my own, albeit still new, personal cigar hoarding behavior (up 'til now, of course, and trying to convey my future appetite) but I know I didn't do a great job. And who knows what the future will hold.

Yeah, I figured some were voting the Vino because they've got one, have tons of cigars, and couldn't think of having anything else. I can certainly appreciate that. I did like one fella's post, wherein he said that he bought a nice desktop first, then later went Vino, and wished he had gone Vino all along.

I still think I might not buy a ton of boxes, or any, as I'd feel I wouldn't be taking advantage of all that's out there by sticking with one or two or three kinds. And I'm a weekend warrior, so just about 2 or 3 sticks a week so those few boxes would last and last and I'd fear I'd tire of them. But then, if I have one I really like, well, why keep sampling?

I do like what you've suggested and really appreciate you taking the time to understand my predicament and recommend something 'other'. Question: glass top? no good? The vino's got a glass door, same problem, in your opinion?

Oh, and I've pushed off the decision making until tomorrow!

The problem with this poll is you need to qualify the votes. Some of these guys keep hundreds and thousands of cigars on hand. They just assume that you will too (at least eventually).

I voted other because if you have ever owned a glass top humidor you realize that you are wasting a bunch of space for something that is actually not even good for the cigars.

I vote this:

http://www.cheaphumidors.com/Mercha...0DL&Category_Code=MDHUMIDORS&Product_Count=28

You can attach humdification and the hygrometer to the top to save space and it keeps the cigars in the dark regardless of where you place it.

 

[Rolando]

With the vino you probably should get the drawers or store in boxes which still keep the light out. The glass top humidors are very pretty, I have one myself. The problem is you have to watch where you place it and you lose space because you don't want to attach humidification devices to the pretty glass. The means they have to go where you could be storing cigars and a 300 ct turns into a 250 and if you have varied sized cigars you will probably do good to get just over 200.

I own two humidors now. One with pretty pretty glass and the other is still nice looking but more functional.

I, too, am a casual cigar smoker and I just think the humidors are nice for guys like us. However, if you are really worried about the cigars getting/staying too warm the vino will help you there.

I like to do experimenting myself and some aging. I know I smoke an average of 100 cigars a year. When I stock up (like I have been doing recently I try to get a total of 3-3.5 times what I smoke in a year or a max of 350 cigars and I have a total capacity of ~450. By keeping space available I don't have to worry about my humidors being so full I can't pick up a bargain or a hard-to-get cigar when the opportunity arises. So I have a good variety and plenty to give away.

I would not recommend keeping that many if you go for mild or medium cigars. I like medium-full and full.

 

[bobarian]

If you dont fill your Vinotemp with smokes, you can always store a couple of nice red's on the lower shelves. Drawers are a nice addition for singles, but not totally necessary. I have one of Chasden's drawers for a few select singles but I also use boxes to store many others. I also have several medium sized desktops, but the Vino's are a very nice display as well. Temp control is my main concern, so I freeze everything that goes into the desktops. But its so much easier just to toss singles or boxes in the Vino without the hassle of freezing. Many have gone for years without a beetle outbreak, but I just would rather not take the chance. :2

 

[Kaisersozei]

The problem with this poll is you need to qualify the votes. Some of these guys keep hundreds and thousands of cigars on hand. They just assume that you will too (at least eventually).

Excellent point. It all comes down to your personal expectation for where you'll take this hobby.

I voted other because if you have ever owned a glass top humidor you realize that you are wasting a bunch of space for something that is actually not even good for the cigars.

If you stick with the glasstop, I would suggest a bead tube. I've got a 2oz 65% stick in my 100 count Bally and it takes up the space of maybe 2 churchills, keeps it all about 62-65%. The square digital hygrometer sits on the top tray, and I can still get nearly 100 cigars of various sizes in the box.

Like other things in this hobby, it comes down to personal preferences. Have fun with it. :ss

 

[macster]

If you dont fill your Vinotemp with smokes, you can always store a couple of nice red's on the lower shelves. Drawers are a nice addition for singles, but not totally necessary. I have one of Chasden's drawers for a few select singles but I also use boxes to store many others. I also have several medium sized desktops, but the Vino's are a very nice display as well. Temp control is my main concern, so I freeze everything that goes into the desktops. But its so much easier just to toss singles or boxes in the Vino without the hassle of freezing. Many have gone for years without a beetle outbreak, but I just would rather not take the chance. :2

I recently purchased a Vino since living in FL I no longer have to worry about temp issues with it.

I'm planning on buying a few of Chas's drawers not only because it will look nicer, but it will also be easier to access your cigars. I have the Vino now loaded with various size wooden cigar boxes and it is still a bit of a PITA to have to take out the boxes and shuffle through them to find the cigar you want to smoke.

The drawers will make it a helluva lot easier.

 

[mrreindeer]

THE RESULTS SHOW...Re: HELP!!! poll: what storage should i buy next?

First of all, I want to tell all of you how much I appreciate that you took time out of your day to understand my own personal situation, consider the options I presented and vote for what you thought would be a good next step in the form of storage for this newb and his cigars. For those of you who commented further with suggestions for me, I weighed each and every one of your posts when making this tough decision. You all had great suggestions and I really appreciated them. :tu:tu:tu:tu

So….can I get a drum roll…..out of 92 votes…

10.87% voted for the 300-count glass top humidor
72.83% voted for the 28-bottle Vinotemp from Target
16.30% voted for ‘other’ (coolidor, etc.)


So of course, I had to go with contributors’ consensus and go with the Vinotemp. I drove down to Compton with the wife yesterday and purchased the last TWO Vino’s that I could find at any Target in the Los Angeles area for $139/each. The next closest for me was Northridge or Lancaster. So we kept it rockin’ in the city of Compton and somehow shoved these two huge suckers into my wife’s car.

:chk:chk:chk:chk

I figure if I get incredibly obsessed with this hobby (ok, you got me, more obsessed than I already am), I have the 2nd Vino as a backup but figured it was a great deal and the thing could store some overflow vino that won’t fit in the cooler in the kitchen.

Basically, while I like the desktop humi’s a lot (moreso even, than the Vino), the paranoia about temperature creeping up too high just couldn’t be shaken, which prevented my being able to pull the trigger on the 300-count or Rolando’s 300-count treasure chest. Being near the beach in Southern California, we have great swings in temperature and my sticks have gotten up to as high as 79 and I just can’t have that. Some of you may have read a few of my other posts on here; I do think the heat has already affected the cigars I’m currently storing and smoking.

However, if you are really worried about the cigars getting/staying too warm the vino will help you there.

Yep.

I recently purchased a Vino since living in FL I no longer have to worry about temp issues with it....I'm planning on buying a few of Chas's drawers not only because it will look nicer, but it will also be easier to access your cigars.

Yep. And I’m also considering either Chuck’s (ChasDen), Scott’s (shilala) or Tim’s (Mtmouse) shelves/drawers. I’m leaning towards Tim’s because I do like the natural, all cedar, look & smell. I wonder if the oak & lacquer of Chuck’s or Scott’s affect interior aroma…

Like other things in this hobby, it comes down to personal preferences. Have fun with it.

Indeed, my friend, indeed.

If you dont fill your Vinotemp with smokes, you can always store a couple of nice red's on the lower shelves.

Exactly!

I also bought an Oregon Scientific (Model 300) Wireless Temperature / Humidity Gauge : http://www.target.com/Oregon-Scientific-Weather-300-Thermometer/dp/B0017IAZ68/sr=1-4/qid=1222704374/ref=sr_1_4/601-2197319-4595363?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3Aoregon%20scientific&page=1 .

Another CS member somewhere posted that he got this for his Vino and I liked the idea although I need to ask him where he found the extra satellite sensors to place throughout the vino (I think he said he had 3 sensors in various spots). Maybe it’s overkill. But I did like this gadget because I can have the display outside the unit, displaying the temp/humidity without even opening the door and it keeps track of highs and lows, time and also cures world hunger.

So now for the next poll….Chuck’s, Scott’s or Tim’s drawers….just kiddin’. I think (hope) I can make this decision on my own but I’d certainly welcome any of your thoughts.

You folks rock; thanks again for all your help. :tu:tu:tu:tu

 

[ucla695]

Re: THE RESULTS SHOW...Re: HELP!!! poll: what storage should i buy next?

Nice pick-up, especially at that price!! You must take your cigars seriously if you're willing to drive down to the CPT to pick up a Vino. :r Now the fun part...getting it set-up, stabilized and filling it up.

I've seen the various mods that people have done to their Vinos and you have some great options to consider.

 

[bobarian]

Congrats:bl I dont think you will be disapointed. Dont forget your beads! One pound is good, two better.

There is no odor from Chucks drawers, the interior is all Spanish Cedar.

You can also just use Spanish Cedar planks for shelves. I bought 5-24x5x3/16" pieces from Woodcraft.com $6.50/ea. and just cut them to length.

Take some pics for us when you get it going. :tu