Professional baseball players can attest to a universal, unmistakable feeling they get when their bat connects to a fastball in a certain way and they know, with great likelihood, it’s clearing the outfield fences. That’s kind of how it feels when you see the Klaro KOBI humidor for the first time: instant recognition that something about this one is special.
It’s all in the design. And, yes, of course we’ll get into the specifics of what makes the KOBI perform so well, how its size is perfect for the smoker who wants a larger humidor that can manage a beefier cigar collection, or how the Hydro System included is really a superior humidor humidifier compared to other options on the market.
But the design catches you first, and it’s what keeps getting more interesting and confirming your suspicions upon further inspection. Not only is the KOBI visually stunning, but it’s achieved that certain coveted quality where aesthetic meets functionality, and every detail of this humidor was thought-out and planned.
Craftsmanship, quality materials, measurable results–the KOBI follows up on its visual appeal to earn its place among other vetted Klaro humidors, so you can rest assured this will keep your larger cigar collection safe and protected. Let’s take a look.
Overview
From the outset, the KOBI differentiates itself from all other humidors in the Klaro lineup. In fact, it’s in a league of its own compared to just about any other humidor on the market: its slatted wood paneling design and dark grey wood grain exterior give the KOBI a modern look with nods to Japanese architecture. It stands out and is sure to be a conversation-starter should you post it in your living room or office.
For all its charisma, though, the design is actually pretty simple–which is exactly what you want from a quality humidor. You’ll find every necessary component included with functionality and class: simple glass top access, thick cedar-planked interior, a disappearing accessory drawer, an interior digital hygrometer visible from the outside, and the trusted, patent-pending internal humidification system. Plus, it holds upwards of 100 Corona-sized cigars? This has every reason to be your next humidor purchase.
Like all Klaro glass top humidors, you can choose to have a customized monogram etched onto the glass, perfect to personalize for gifting. And like other Case Elegance humidors, the KOBI is part of the Trees for the Future project where one tree is planted for every wood product sold.
The KOBI comes in just under $180.00, and, for what you get with a humidor like this, it’s a perfect blend of high functionality at a cost that won’t break your wallet.
Functionality
At the end of the day, regardless of its aesthetic appeal, the humidor has to perform. Luckily, the KOBI’s unique design is intrinsic to its functionality: many of its visual notes are tied to how it helps protect your cigars, from its glass top to the placement of the hygrometer to the Hydro System that maintains humidity levels. The KOBI is designed for the best user experience possible.
Size
At nearly fifteen inches in width, eleven inches in length, and just over seven inches in height, the KOBI is noticeably larger than a crowd favorite like the Renzo Glass Top. Among Klaro’s full line, the KOBI is actually the largest when measured from the outside, and this is only possible due to its superior humidification system, featuring a solution tray that exposes more air to your Hydro Solution and keeps the overall humidity levels consistent.
This allows you to store more cigars and more purposed cigars: keep stogies on hand you plan to smoke, but now you also have room to try your hand at aging a few choice cigars without risking the real-estate you need for day-to-day smoking.
Hygrometer
Hygrometers for humidors serve one purpose–to indicate accurate humidity levels. But their functionality is also related to placement. It needs to take an accurate reading within the humidor, near the cigars, which is why the KOBI’s digital hygrometer is on a moveable wood holder, angled so you can see the reading from above, without opening the humidor.
If you have to open your humidor every time you want to check the hygrometer reading, soon you won’t ever have a good reading, because every time you open the humidor, you expose the controlled air to the outside air, voiding the reading and exposing your cigars to uncontrolled air. With the KOBI glass top, you can easily see the accurate reading of the hygrometer. Unique to this design, you can move the hygrometer to different locations within the humidor, which allows you to really see the consistency of humidity levels throughout.
5mm Cedar
This humidor keeps humidity levels regulated and consistent–and we attribute this, once again, to its careful design. The majority of humidors in this price range will boast Spanish cedar inlay, a necessary component for any humidor worth its salt. But, unfortunately, a lot of humidors get included in this category that shouldn’t pass the bar when you look at the thickness of Spanish cedar used.
Whereas .2mm of Spanish cedar is the norm, the KOBI humidor features 5mm planks of Spanish cedar that help optimize humidity regulation. And there’s good reason for that amount of wood: the thicker the cedar, the more the wood can absorb excess humidity in the air. With thinner coaming, it saturates quickly and then the cigars are at risk. With thicker coaming, you can trust your humidor to do its job and create the perfect humidification levels for your cigar collection.
Accessory Drawer
What we like most about the KOBI is its invisible accessory drawer–both its functionality as well as its aesthetic. The accessory drawer is a mainstay feature of many Klaro humidors but, with the KOBI, it adds to the allure with its seamless design. When closed, the drawer disappears into the body of the humidor, running flush into the slatted wood exterior. Quite the James Bond “Q” effect.
Upon opening, the felt-lined drawer is perfect for storing all your basic humidor accessories: cigar cutter, torch lighter, and your travel humidor. This will help you stay organized and will help prevent losing these items so you can actually invest in one you know you’ll keep for a while.
Parting Puffs
We’re big fans of the direction the KOBI is going–with greater cigar capacity, a refreshing design, and real innovation. This pushes the needle just far enough that it will be a great set-piece for all cigar aficionados while being just different enough to distinguish itself as something totally new.
And if the new direction is a larger mid-sized humidor? The key will be to see how manufacturers can create humidification systems capable of handling the extra real-estate. You likely don’t want to rely on humidor packs with a humidor of this size. Thankfully, the KOBI is equipped with a humidification source you can count on.
