Wine fridge for a humidor...

[Tony Maduro]

Hey gang,

After years of worrying about keeping temperature stable in my humidor, I'm finally going to purchase a wine refrigerator/cooler, and use my Cigar Oasis Plus to control humidity. Five quick questions first:

1. Is this a cost-effective and recommended solution?

2. Which brand and model should I go with under $400? (eBay will be an option)

3. Are there any that can reach, and maintain, a temp higher than 65º?

4. Will one Cigar Oasis Plus be enough to maintain a constant humidity at 65-67% throughout?

5. Will I also need to purchase a small fan of some sort, or is this not necessary?

Thanks everyone,

Mike

[Professor Twain]

Mike, there wa a lengthy thread that addressed some of what you are asking not long ago, including photos:

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/board_entr...id=37881#p37887

I should say, I am very happy with my Haier 30 bottle fridge, you can pick these up at Lowe's, Target, etc. for less than $300. There are occasionally bargains on these on Ebay if they are within driving range, but shipping will generally kill you.

Watch out, some of the other sizes don't allow you to set the temperature as high as 65 degrees.

The model I have can be set to 65 degrees andn humidity has been fine for me with Heartfelt beads. Humidity will vary a bit from top to bottom and will show fluctuations if you put a hygrometer in the open space, but the fluctuations inside of a box are probably much smaller. As you will see, I use inexpensive Oust fans.

Good luck with this.

[Professor Twain]

One other comment--for the most part, I put the cigars that I am planning to smoke into my desk top humidors, and when I do dip into the boxes in the Haier, I pull out a few extra and put them into my desktops. Since the desktops have close to zero fluctuation in humidity and I keep them right about 62% then I don't really care about the mild fluctuations in the fridge.

[DrAlejandro]

Got a great deal on a 15 bottle haier at costco that worked GREAT until I came back from a brief visit to my parents and found that the thing was completely busted... Ill most probably get back into another cooler in the future but my advice would be to get one with a warranty :-D

[Trevor2118]

I had problems with an eBay one.....temperature adjustment not working.....took along time to return at their cost & get refund.:crying:

I have now placed my cigars into my temperature & humidity controlled wine cellar....probabily not 100%, but substantially better than no control at all. I'll see how it gos.

Currently I have 15.9 deg C and 72% RH. I'm about to reset the dehumidifier down further. I am aiming for 65% RH.

Much to my wife's amusement, I am spreading heaps of Silica cat litter around to help stabilise things.:-D

In Sydney today it is very very hot, at a current 40.9 deg C and 25% RH externally. Cellar is maintaining 16.1 deg C and 61% RH after adjusting dehumidifier. At 2.25 pm daylight saving time.

[Tampa1257]

I have been using a Haier 30 bottle wine cooler as a storage cabinet for a little over 3 years. Yes, it is a lower cost temperature controlled storage cabinet. I have approximately 38 boxes currently in mine, and it is full.

I agree that the Rh fluctuates a little from top to bottom and when the unit is cooling down, but not enough to be overly concerned about. I tend to keep full and almost full boxes in the wine coolador. I would NOT recommend a Cigar Oasis for humidification inside the wine cooler. That is OVER KILL. I have used Humidification Beads (3 LBS) distributed around the unit in Humidity "nylon sausages". I also use a couple of the Oust Fans (without the scented oil).

[Trevor2118]

» I have been using a Haier 30 bottle wine cooler as a storage cabinet for a

» little over 3 years. Yes, it is a lower cost temperature controlled

» storage cabinet. I have approximately 38 boxes currently in mine, and it

» is full.

Talk about an understatement.....FULL....your not kidding.....you will have to stop dropping into Robs on a Friday (or don't take your wallet)...

[Diselfitter]

I agree with you Chuck. My set up is a smaller version of what you have. But still very nice.

I was all prepared to go out and buy an Oasis to put in side.

I am using Humification type beads with an Rh solution adjusted to keep the rh around 63-66%.

What I noticed was once the rh% stablized it became very effcient and easy to maintain.

I use a small fan in side to kick on a couple of times a day to circulate the air.

Deez

[Tony Maduro]

Thanks everybody! Ya know, the more and more I think about it, I will probably just save up and get the Aristocrat THC like you bought, Chuck. It just seems like there will be so much less hassle, and my cigar investments will get the proper treatment they deserve. Plus I don't want pantyhose and kitty litter in my humidor.

[wp2]

» Thanks everybody! Ya know, the more and more I think about it, I will

» probably just save up and get the Aristocrat THC like you bought, Chuck.

» It just seems like there will be so much less hassle, and my cigar

» investments will get the proper treatment they deserve. Plus I don't want

» pantyhose and kitty litter in my humidor.

Thanks for putting up the pics guys, great stuff.

BTW Tony, litter & panyhose help the aroma & flavor, LOL.

[KB24]

» I agree with you Chuck. My set up is a smaller version of what you have.

» But still very nice.

» I was all prepared to go out and buy an Oasis to put in side.

» I am using Humification type beads with an Rh solution adjusted to keep

» the rh around 63-66%.

» What I noticed was once the rh% stablized it became very effcient and easy

» to maintain.

» I use a small fan in side to kick on a couple of times a day to circulate

» the air.

»

» Deez

I would dich the solution. Distilled water is fine and why would you want to keep your cigars around a foreign substance?