Are you ready to venture deeper into the world of cigars? Your next step: invest in a quality humidor. If you had just recently become acquainted with cigar culture you will know how meticulous the upkeep can be. If that does not deter you from wanting more out of the cigar experience add to the complexity by getting a humidor. One of the things you must know about keeping a cigar for an extended period of time is to keep it moist at precise levels of humidity and temperature. This is where a humidor comes in. Humidors were made just for this purpose. If a humidor is not an option at the moment a plastic bag and a wet paper towel will do, but only for so long. Just like how cigars can be personalized to fit the preferences of its users, humidors can also be customized. Humidor customization is a little bit more rigid than cigars. Humidors can get a little pricy, but if this is something you really want to pursue think of it as an investment with a lengthy useful life. Here are some things you must know before purchasing a humidor, which includes humidor characteristics that is vital for storing cigars at its highest quality possible. Keep it small. Humidors come in varying sizes which can range from a travel-size housing only a few cigars to a room-sized humidor holding thousands. Since you are taking your first steps into such a vast environment you will want to start small. The preferred type of humidor for starters are the personal humidors. This type of humidors come in the form of a box that will allow you to hold some dozens of cigars. That is quite a number for such a little guy. It will be the perfect fit for the starters who want to continue the hobby. If it?s not Spanish Cedar, don?t even bother. Spanish Cedar is the most optimal of woods to use when making a humidor. Save up to buy a Spanish Cedar-lined humidor, this is a worthwhile investment. The perks that comes with this use of wood for the humidor lining is far-reaching. Moister retention. Humidity is needed to keep cigars at a great state, it will dry out and the cigar will lose its flavor. Spanish Cedars are the best on the market when it comes to retaining moisture. The wood naturally absorbs water without any trouble, so there will be no deformation to the inside of your humidor and the humidor?s climate will be just right for your cigars. Pest control. It?s hard to find an association between pests and cigars. Hopefully, it hasn?t happened yet, but there is a chance that your cigars, if not stored properly, can start housing pests called tobacco beetles. These little buggers will ruin your cigar, maybe even rend them unusable thus forcing you to throw the untouched cigars out. These beetles will eat the cigar?s tobacco and lay eggs, furthering the intensity of the problem. The eggs often hatch when the humidor?s temperature is around 70?F and a humidity level of around 75%. The Spanish Cedar in your humidor will protect your lovely cigars from these pests. It will keep your cigars fairly cool do to the absorbent nature of the wood and it can also repel the beetles as the beetles greatly dislike the taste of the wood. A hint of spiciness. Cigars are smoked to get a taste and experience its flavors. Spanish Cedars can add another layer of complexity to the already sophisticated flavors of the cigars you smoke. With extensive use of the humidor, you may notice a kick of spice to your cigar flavor. That is due to the Spanish Cedar. The Spanish Cedar will impart onto the cigar a touch of spiciness to its taste. It is a minor detail, but many smokers appreciate this additional flavor. That is why anything less than Spanish Cedar is definitely not worth it. Accessorize, pamper your humidor. If you want your humidor to keep cigars in its best shape you will have to set aside some money to invest in some required accessories for it. These items are used to help you maintain the humidor?s humidity at optimal levels. A humidifier will help maintain the humidity levels of your humidor, thus a required accessory for your box of treasures. The humidifier will require specific solutions to work and the choice is dependent on what the humidifier uses, either distilled water or propylene glycol. Make sure to use distilled water if your humidifier calls for it. Never use tap water unless it is stated as it can lead to some problems developing in your cigars, such as mold, and even wrecking your humidifier. A hygrometer is like a thermometer, but instead of measuring temperature it measures the humidity of your humidor. This device will tell you whether or not you need to adjust your humidifier, add more solution, etc. It is a great visual indicator for determining humidity levels. Make sure that the hygrometer levels are between 68% and 72%. A humidor thermometer is just a thermometer for your humidor. It will tell you the temperature of your humidor, which should constantly be around 65-70?F. Anything below or above that range will definitely ruin your cigars, lower than 65?F will affect the cigars? aging process and anything higher than 70?F will lead to the hatching of the tobacco beetle eggs. Keep an eye out for it.