Cat Litter?

[jps327]

I know there has been opinions on both methods. Cat Litter vs. Heartfelt Beads, but at the much lower price I decided to give the cat litter a go. I have a few questions for my more knowledgable brothers and sisters. Specifically, those who have tried the cat litter approach.

1) I see most posts refer to ExquisiCat, but my local pet shop has this brand...

http://www.petco.com/product/110192/Petco-Cat-Litter-Deodorizer.aspx

Is this brand comparable?

2) Is there a need to moisten the litter first, like the heartfelt beads? Or may you simply put the litter in and wait. I have seen mentions of discovering the correct amount of litter before you see the desired effects but I wasn't sure if you must moisten the litter first?

Thank you in advance!

[Trevor2118]

Is it worthwhile?

How much would you save compared to the value of your cigars?

Like they say to motorcyclists....if you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet.

If you go down this road, ensure that what you are using has no deodorant added.

[partifan]

I use beads and bovedas for my humidors, and for my coolers I use kitty litter since space is less of a premium. I have 3 lbs of beads in the 100 qt, 2 lbs in the 70 qt, and I spray 3-4 squirts of distilled water into them once a month. Think of them like beads but jagged instead of round. DO NOT get the scented kind. They work like a charm, and the amount of water you add determines the rh you keep. I like my smaller cooler at 67 for my NC singles in trays, while the larger one is 63 for the long term box storage.

[Jason55555]

jps327 i just build my wine cooler humidor very recently, like 3 post ago lol and I went the ExquisiCat route after 3 days of watching my hydrometer WoW does this stuff work but..........would I use it in my $200 humidor Helllllllllll no in a nice humidor just drop the cash for propper beads or crystals.

Everyone is going to have the same opinion about kitty liter -if your spending hundreds of dollars for a proppoer humidor with the best spanish ceder and hundreds of dollars for cigars why would you spend just a few bucks for cat litter inside you humidor, its dumb you can get a large 250 count cigar humidifier cost at most $50 bucks..That being said, my opinion changes if your putting the litter inside a wine cooler humidor, If you are I say do it,I suggest ExquisiCat based on the exp I have had in my one for 3 days and its working amazing! holding 70% constantly, another + is that you can add and take out the the sicila to get the preferable humididty with some tinkering.

Pour a bunch a littler in tubberwear container depending on size of wine cooler and then pour water on it/ make sure you keep enough dry to absorb moisture, then your done.

I have 2lbs of beads and wet them with disilled water and I also threw in a brick foam humidifier with PG solution.

Looking at your link there is a point that says -Fresh lilac scent i'd be a little worried about that point, it should have no scent whatsoever and the sicilia ingreadeants should read sicilia and water that's all. Deff do not want any scent at all.

Good Luck!

[brazoseagle]

My opinion = you invest so much in quality cigars, why go the cheap route in the area that keeps your investment safe?

You wouldn't put cheap gas in a Ferrari, would you?

[kcheek]

Looking at your link there is a point that says -Fresh lilac scent i'd be a little worried about that point, it should have no scent whatsoever and the sicilia ingreadeants should read sicilia and water that's all. Deff do not want any scent at all.

Don't buy what you have linked, you want unscented if you get some.

I have two 120qt coolers filled with stogies. In one I run beads, in the other I run ExquisiCat unscented kitty litter. I've been running the KL for two years and in that time both coolers have maintained between 64-68 over all those months, never more and never less. Whatever you decide don't over wet them, beads and KL will both over humidify if they are over saturated.

[CanuckSARTech]

Is it worthwhile?

How much would you save compared to the value of your cigars?

Like they say to motorcyclists....if you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet.

If you go down this road, ensure that what you are using has no deodorant added.

OMG!!!! Exactly!

I can't echo Trevor's thoughts here enough. For the life of me, I can't get over when people look at different ways of saving $10 here or there with their cigars, when there's likely thousands of dollars worth of cigars in a given cooler/wineador/cabinet/humidor in question.

If one was looking for a different method than tried and true cigar-accessories, then getting a "Fresh lilac scent" version is definitely not a good thing. If this isn't a big red flag, that this was missed, then it's best to stick with RH Beads or the like. Any dollar savings is minimal in comparisons to potential future problems.

It just always baffles me when "dollar store" shopping or cheaping out in some way takes precedence over the safety and security of one's treasured stogies.

[Vinnyc]

You will spend crazy money on cigars and then worry about 10$ to store them come on

[Tashaz]

OMG!!!! Exactly!

I can't echo Trevor's thoughts here enough. For the life of me, I can't get over when people look at different ways of saving $10 here or there with their cigars, when there's likely thousands of dollars worth of cigars in a given cooler/wineador/cabinet/humidor in question.

If one was looking for a different method than tried and true cigar-accessories, then getting a "Fresh lilac scent" version is definitely not a good thing. If this isn't a big red flag, that this was missed, then it's best to stick with RH Beads or the like. Any dollar savings is minimal in comparisons to potential future problems.

It just always baffles me when "dollar store" shopping or cheaping out in some way takes precedence over the safety and security of one's treasured stogies.

And I will echo your's. $100 on humidification is little compared to the investment in cigars many have. Why bother scrimping & pissing about when beads or HCM are basically foolproof? This subject always makes me wonder.

[Phillycyclocross]

Don't buy what you have linked, you want unscented if you get some.

I have two 120qt coolers filled with stogies. In one I run beads, in the other I run ExquisiCat unscented kitty litter. I've been running the KL for two years and in that time both coolers have maintained between 64-68 over all those months, never more and never less. Whatever you decide don't over wet them, beads and KL will both over humidify if they are over saturated.

There's nothing wrong with questioning how you spend your money.. Why is everyone so quick to start bashing this guy? According to the one poster (quoted above) KL has performed exactly the same as beads for two years.

All I see is that you all (myself included) pay way too much for beads when you could just use KL.

[Jason55555]

I'll defend the kitty just because its working so well for me right now LOL "put cheap gas in a Ferrari" nah my opinion is more that its like putting Costco Premium gas in the Ferrari instead of Shell Premium after going some research I found....

-crystal version of the cat litter is 100% Silica,

-It was found that the odor control mechanism worked best if the crystals constantly tried stabilizing themselves at 68%RH.

-Silica sand crystals adsorb urine and its odor until a saturation point occurs, at which time the litter should be changed. This adsorption process also kills bacteria.

-Silica gel is also used as cat litter,[7] by itself or in combination with more traditional materials, such as clays including bentonite. It is trackless and virtually odorless. Purchasing silica in the form of cat litter can be an easy and cost effective way for retail consumers to purchase silica gel for use in other applications, such as maintaining the desired relative humidity in humidors, keeping tools or other materials rust-free in damp environments or long-term storage, and preserving dried food.(Wikipedia LOL)

After looking at various cigar humidification sites and there ingredients I wonder what is the difference between them....? one company slaps on the sticker that says cigar humidification and one slaps on ExquisiCat. Silica is Silica there is no such thing as premium Silica lol its just used in different applications. Thats just my 2 cents lol.

[CanuckSARTech]

There's nothing wrong with questioning how you spend your money.. Why is everyone so quick to start bashing this guy? According to the one poster (quoted above) KL has performed exactly the same as beads for two years.

All I see is that you all (myself included) pay way too much for beads when you could just use KL.

First off, no one is bashing anyone. And no one is questioning how money is spent. What many of us are frowning upon is the idea behind it - the product decision. If kitty litter was more or less expensive than RH/Heartfelt beads, it would mean no difference - its about getting the cigar-specific item thats tried and true and trusted for it's specific purpose. That's not person bashing at all.

I'll defend the kitty just because its working so well for me right now LOL "put cheap gas in a Ferrari" nah my opinion is more that its like putting Costco Premium gas in the Ferrari instead of Shell Premium after going some research I found....

....After looking at various cigar humidification sites and there ingredients I wonder what is the difference between them....? one company slaps on the sticker that says cigar humidification and one slaps on ExquisiCat. Silica is Silica there is no such thing as premium Silica lol its just used in different applications. Thats just my 2 cents lol.

I liken it to putting diesel in a gas engine, but I guess to-mato, to-mat-oe.

Look, for many of us, it's simple. If you want effective humidification, go with something that's tried, tested, and true. Granted, I get that some have used kitty litter crystals for a few years, with no issues. But time and again, you see people pop up with questions, when they started HAVING issues. And usually, it's because of a cheaped out reason. I just say, go with things that have been designed, tested, and proven effective specifically for cigar humidification. Something that has R&D and a history behind it.

Not all cigar humdification is perfect - look at the Cigar Oasis units for example. Those green-foam-filled reservoirs are always frustrating, growing mold after only a little bit of usage, therefore needing to be switched out after a year or so, or removing the mold and filling with superabsorbant polymer crystals. But most cigar-specific items have a bit of assurance with them. With this specific kitty-litter example, the one that was picked out had the fresh lilac scent. Well, if that's not paid attention to, it could be a nightmare a year down the road, when the user is shocked that all of his/her expensive cigars now smell like Grandma's bathroom air freshener.

Buying items that aren't cigar specific can just simply lead to issues. One then buys products that are cheaper, sometimes, because the R&D isn't there for the usage that you want, or because their manufacturing tolerances and practices may not be perfect (ie - could lead to VOCs or other compounds to be in the silica, negatively affecting your stogies). Stogie-specific beads and whatnot have different manufacturing processes to them, slightly different compounds to make them best at what they need to do, to be just right without undue risk or concern.

Silica is not just silica, IMO. Especially when it comes to these beads - other ingredients, compounds, manufacturing process, etc. Look at the differnt RH% that's available for these beads - usually, 60%, 65%, 70%, etc. A different variety of "pre-set" relative humidity median-lines for these beads. If silica was just silica, then why would different types have different RH%'s for different uses? It's not as simple as a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to silica.

Hey, I get that not all cigar-specific items are created equal. But when you're using some of the more trusted and widely used brands that have been around for years and years - such as Madelaine, Xikar, Cigar Oasis, RH Beads, Hydra, Heartfelt beads, etc., etc. - there's a trust and a confidence factor there, that the testing and R&D has been done to ensure that this product will work 100% as you expect it too.

If kitty litter messes up your cigars, say for example with scents/chemical odours/improper humidification/etc., what do you do then? Do you think a kitty litter manufacturer is going to step up to help you with any issues, is going to care what's happened to your aged stogies, when you used a product that's meant to absorb urine and then be thrown out within a month or so, rather than to be moist and in a closed environment for months and years at a time?

I just look at it like insurance. If I can afford to buy $XXXXX in cigars, I can afford to spend X.X% of the same coin ensuring that they'll age correctly.

[Jason55555]

okkkkkkkkkkkkkk okkkk were def not bashing him hahaha let just say...It you choice jps327 , KL some ppl swear by it , some ppl want beads/crystal from rep companies because why take a risk? Its all up to you try both see what you like beucase everyone is going to have there own opinion and exp when it comes to this. Right now for me KL is working great even better then the expensive XIKAR stuff I use in all my humidors but who knows from a year from now, it might change, just like the reparable company crystals I first bough changed, I had to switch 2 times to find good quality crystal humi that were great for me.

Just start small if you want to use KL build a small Tupperware humidor throw small piece of Spanish ceder in there an hydrometer and 1 cigar, then put in a bag of KL and leave it for few weeks open it up smoke it, if u think there no diff and the humidity was constant or where you like then..use it.

(Good Read)

http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/cigar-accessory-discussion/248259-exquisicat-crystals-cat-litter-must-read.html

borrowing from brazoseagle - IMO its like putting mid grade in you BMW but the company manual says you must put Premium, you really don't have to put Premium but BMW says u MUST because the engine was made for it ...but that being said I've been putting med-grade in my BMW for years and years and never ever did it beak down it ran amazing but.... then ppl would be like BLASPHEMER you use mid instead of prem you car is now officially F@#$.

LOL Its all OPINION jps327 pick one see if you like it and if it works for you thats all.

[CanuckSARTech]

....LOL Its all OPINION jps327 pick one see if you like it and if it works for you thats all.

Definitely agreed.

....But watch out for scented stuff!

[Colt45]

I use both - I wet neither directly, but will put a small container of distilled water in the humidors as required.

I look at litter as I do the insulated beverage coolers I use for storage - no muss, no fuss functionality. Though I'd

love to have a home walk in with active climate control, for now this does the job.

[jps327]

Thank you for all your opinions. The kitty litter I purchased is unscented. I have since purchased the heartfelt beads as well and have decided to try both. It is not about the cheap method versus the more expensive method, I just wanted some opinions on the kitty litter. I've seen posts with references to successful attempts with both and wanted first hand opinions. I have two humidors, one 100 ct. and another 300 ct. and I will experiment with both methods and decide for myself which works best for me. Colt, my units are not temperature controlled either so maybe one will perform superior to the other. I will hopefully repost my experience within the next few weeks. Again thank you to everyone who expressed and opinion, no hard feelings

Jason, while searching I have come across that puff article. That is what lead me to the kitty litter route. Thank you

[kcheek]

They work like a charm, and the amount of water you add determines the rh you keep.

The above quote is the key to making KL work.

Good luck, I took KL on as an expirement for the fun of it and it works for me. If your ambient RH is high and the KL RH begins to climb, bake them on a cookie sheet for 30 mins or so @ 190F. Your RH should drop and after that you can slowly add water back to them to get in the range you desire. It can be fun to tinker with.

Beads do work great and I also use them but nothing is fool proof as mentioned somewhere above. If you over saturate beads they will over humidify your cigars higher than what they are "programmed" at. If you get them too wet you can bake them as well and you will be good to go again.

[Blackham]

I have used both, beads and KL can maintain RH equally. However there are 2 things that lead me away from using KL:

1) KL breaks down easily and leaves alot of crumbs

2) I am an owner of 2 cats, when I see KL it reminds me of poop scooping - psychological damage

[Jason55555]

bake them kcheek? I just started my experiment so you bake them eh hummm interesting, I didn't really spray my KL I just threw 5 large caps of water in there and threw it into my humidor and now i'm getting 70% bang on I was thinking about adding more dry KL to keep get it down to 65%. What do you think I should do? Bake it or add more dry?

[Ginseng]

I have conditioned my own unscented crystal silica kitty litter for years. Why do I do it? Because it's nifty and I'm a DIY'er. Same reason why though I drool over a Staebell or other high end cabinet humi, I use $20 Coleman coolers: they work SUPERBLY, and the money I've saved equates to about 10-15 additional boxes of cigars. Can I live with that? Sure can.

The thing about rolling your own is that you only have yourself to blame if you screw it up. You could blame the beads makers, but either way the result is the same, the cigars suffer.

The "if you spend so much on cigars, why scrimp on the beads" argument is misleading and beside the point. The point for me is this: Can I employ a cost effective system that performs at least as well as commercial materials and spend the savings on stock? In my experience, and the experience of others who hold thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars of stock, the answer is a resounding "yes." So, spend what you want to spend, and use whatever system you want to user. I'm just saying there are a number of equivalent performing options.

Wilkey

Nearly ten years and many, many boxes tell me it can work just fine.

[kcheek]

bake them kcheek? I just started my experiment so you bake them eh hummm interesting, I didn't really spray my KL I just threw 5 large caps of water in there and threw it into my humidor and now i'm getting 70% bang on I was thinking about adding more dry KL to keep get it down to 65%. What do you think I should do? Bake it or add more dry?

If you have room add more dry.

[Tashaz]

Nearly ten years and many, many boxes tell me it can work just fine.

Yet a CRT TV? Your as bad as me, priorities right? LOL

[Ginseng]

Yet a CRT TV? Your as bad as me, priorities right? LOL

Hehe good eye,

Sony CRTs just don't die. In the family room we have a Panasonic 50" plasma. The Sony is for:

1) me when the wife is watching Cake Boss or some girly movie and I just want to claw my eyes out

2) my daughters when they have friends over

Wilkey

[Phillycyclocross]

I have conditioned my own unscented crystal silica kitty litter for years. Why do I do it? Because it's nifty and I'm a DIY'er. Same reason why though I drool over a Staebell or other high end cabinet humi, I use $20 Coleman coolers: they work SUPERBLY, and the money I've saved equates to about 10-15 additional boxes of cigars. Can I live with that? Sure can.

The thing about rolling your own is that you only have yourself to blame if you screw it up. You could blame the beads makers, but either way the result is the same, the cigars suffer.

The "if you spend so much on cigars, why scrimp on the beads" argument is misleading and beside the point. The point for me is this: Can I employ a cost effective system that performs at least as well as commercial materials and spend the savings on stock? In my experience, and the experience of others who hold thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars of stock, the answer is a resounding "yes." So, spend what you want to spend, and use whatever system you want to user. I'm just saying there are a number of equivalent performing options.

Wilkey

Nearly ten years and many, many boxes tell me it can work just fine.

Thank you! This is what I was trying to convey. Very well put.

[Phillycyclocross]

Hehe good eye,

Sony CRTs just don't die. In the family room we have a Panasonic 50" plasma. The Sony is for:

1) me when the wife is watching Cake Boss or some girly movie and I just want to claw my eyes out

2) my daughters when they have friends over

Wilkey

Who has the Godzilla fetish?