Do I need a humidor which also controls the temperature? Are temperature changes in the humidor harmful to the cigars?

Temperature control is really only possible in large humidors because the technology itself requires a lot of space. This makes it an option to be considered mainly for large cigar cabinets. The comparison to wine cabinets or cellars is inevitable. They must regulate the temperature for both red and white wine but they don't usually control the humidity level, something which is critical for cigars. Humidity levels found in wine cellars or cabinets are usually far below those recommended for cigar storage. The particular challenge of temperature control in cigar cabinets is the interaction between temperature and relative humidity.

But do temperature fluctuations affect the consistency of cigars at all?

As we've emphasized elsewhere, the relative humidity in the humidor is the most important aspect. If it fluctuates between 68 and 75% everything is fine. From the physical standpoint, cigars can best maintain the desired 12-14% internal water weight within a temperature range of 16-28°C. In this spectrum, the moisture remains static and does not escape into the air. These are temperatures that can be found in most indoor spaces. Provided that the humidor is not exposed to extremes, like direct sunlight for instance, keeping the contents of your humidor moist should be fairly straightforward.

For long-term storage, it is recommended to keep cigars at a slightly cooler temperature of 16 to 22°C. This allows the aromas of the cigars to continue to develop slowly, gradually becoming more complex. Small deviations of a few degrees from this ideal value will not lead to any significant impairments in long-term storage. In our shop you can also find cigar cabinets with full climate control.