There are several good reasons to own a small humidor. It could be a smart an alternate to your primary, larger humidor. Small humidors are fantastic if it's your first foray into collecting cigars. They also work great if you don’t smoke often enough to warrant a high-capacity humidor.
But the same standards apply: your choice in a humidor should come down to quality, effectiveness, and aesthetic.
For new cigar smokers looking to begin their collection, a small humidor is a perfect investment. With a capacity of about 25 cigars, small category humidors are easier to maintain and learn from, reducing the risk of damaging or destroying a high volume of cigars as you learn the ropes of how to maintain and prolong the life and quality of your cigars. Aim small, miss small.
But a small humidor doesn’t mean an entry-level humidor. No, there’s a place for small humidors in the life of even the most veteran cigar enthusiasts. In the same way you own a few different wristwatches for different occasions, the wise cigar collector knows there’s a time and a place for something smaller and lighter weight.
Let’s talk more about those situations here when a small humidor makes more sense, and what options are available.
Why Invest in a Small Humidor?
There tend to be three main reasons people want to purchase a small humidor: For convenience and the economy of space—to be kept in a desk drawer, on a bookshelf, or somewhere at the office. For the new cigar enthusiast who only owns a small collection of cigars and might never increase their collection. Or, thirdly, for the economy of price—because some fall prey to the belief that small equates cheap.
Some smaller humidors might cost less, but ensure you’re buying the right humidor for the right reasons. Find a small cigar case that’s high quality, regardless of price.
Let’s take a closer look at the first two reasons because they’re the most important.
For Convenience
Small humidors are a great option for those looking for a more convenient, low-profile way to properly store cigars in a secondary location. This should be used as an offshoot of your main cigar collection and humidor, and use this second humidor to keep a few of your go-to cigars for the unannounced occasion, or for storing anything you happen to pick up at the cigar shop on a lunch break. Small, convenient, discreet.
For the New Cigar Enthusiast
If you don’t have a large collection of cigars, smaller humidors are, in fact, an ideal option. That’s partly because you should never store cigars in a humidor that isn’t at least 30 percent filled. If you stock any humidor at less than 30 percent capacity, it’s much less effective in regulating the humidity of the internal environment.
So if you’ve just begun your cigar collection and have, say, 12 cigars, that’s not enough to deem a 100-capacity humidor effective. Instead, a 25-capacity humidor is perfect. Don’t limit this rationale to the new cigar enthusiast alone whose collection is small. For even the most veteran cigar collector, a small humidor is good to have as an overflow and underflow.
So what are your small humidor options? Let’s take a look. There are various types, sizes, and aesthetics, and it comes down, as it does so often, to personal preference.
Desktop Humidors
The desktop humidor is the standard go-to when it comes to a secondary location to safely house some favorite cigar selections from your collection. Many desktop humidors maintain the classic, elegant look without sacrificing aesthetic just because it holds fewer cigars.
Desktop Digital Cherry Humidor
With a classic cherry wood exterior and ever-appropriate Spanish cedar coaming and inlay, this digital cherry humidor is about as timeless as it comes and pays homage to vintage hinged-lid flat top cigar boxes. The digital cherry features an interior digital hygrometer as well as Klaro’s low-profile humidification jar to make it easy to control humidity and store your cigars correctly.
And if the cherry look is more towards your aesthetic preference, check out the analog cherry humidor that it’s even more classic in design with an interior analog hygrometer. It also features Spanish cedar coaming and inlay, and fits up to 25 cigars.
Renzo Glass Top
One of Klaro’s most popular humidors that will call just enough attention to itself on a desktop or bookshelf is the Renzo Glass Top.
While the capacity of this humidor technically disqualifies it from the small-sized category of humidors, we had to include it as an option for a desktop humidor that’s more bold, intentional in the space it’ll take up in your office or on a shelf. What’s also nice about the Renzo is its humidor accessories drawer for cutters, lighters, or carrying case.
Portable Humidors
Cigar enthusiasts know the importance of a portable humidor, perfect for the weekend getaway, bachelor party, or business trip when 2-5 cigars can make for a pleasant few evenings with friends or business acquaintances.
But portable humidors can also operate as your alternate office storage spot for cigars when you’re away from home. Just note, you might have to replace humidification packs if you plan on this being a frequent storage spot.
Brown Flint Travel Case
Holding up to 5 cigars, the Klaro Brown Flit Travel case is perfect for both cigar storage on-the-go as well as a convenient accessory carrying case. Unlike the cigar travel case, this is a one-stop-shop for everything you need for a great evening on the road or at your local cigar bar. The internal hard-shell protective design, full-grain Italian leather, and YYK zipper make this a durable option both for traveling as well as throwing in desk drawer at the office.
And for the sake of aesthetic, know that you can always go with the Brown Flint Travel case if that fits your style more appropriately. If you decide a portable humidor isn’t ideal as your secondary option, do still give consideration to the idea of a travel case, even if a desktop humidor is more your speed.
Hybrid Humidors
Full-size humidors are somewhat standardized now in terms of design: Spanish cedar is a given, hygrometers a necessity, and the technology behind the humidification systems should be consistent, or it’s not worth your investment.
With smaller humidors, though, there’s room for experimentation, including what we’re calling hybrid humidors. These are styles off the beaten path but can work great as a secondary, small humidor option. Let’s take a look at a few.
Humidor Jars
Taking cigar storage and flipping it vertical, humidor jars use rubber gaskets and clasp seals to keep smaller numbers of cigars air-tight, and somewhat humidity-controlled with a humidification pack you will need to replace as needed.
Aesthetically speaking, they have an old-fashioned, turn-of-the-century General Store appeal, perfect both as a desktop piece as well as a more pronounced bookshelf item sure to spark a conversation with any cigar enthusiast who visits your office.
Acrylic Humidors
The most appealing trait of acrylic humidors is visual: you get to see the cigars from every angle with these transparent cases.
While we never promote compromised quality, your secondary, small humidor won’t likely store cigars for long periods of time, and you won’t house very many cigars. So you can compromise on things like interior Spanish cedar. Acrylic humidors have a more modern look, and with humidification packs, cedar shelf inserts, and other interior options, you can still protect your cigars adequately.
As always, find what works best for you. Experiment, ask questions, and explore to know what will be the best option to house a smaller number of cigars with just as much protection and aesthetic appeal.
