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I have been using Propylene glycol and distilled water + the green foamy stuff from florist shops for nearly 20 years now without issue.

Today I decided to ask my local cigar hut (that's the name of the place _ Cigar Hut) what the latest technology was because I'm in need of re-charge. He pulls out this 1/2 brick looking thing that looked like gel and he told me to just distilled water and that it should keep about 250 cigars at 72%.

At first I thought "great" , but then I asked him how long that thing would last and he tells me a minimum of 30 days. I ask him how much $$$ does it cost and he tells me it's $29 for that thing. I specifically asked him if I could add more distilled water to it over the course of several months and he basically told me that I could but that it wouldn't really work all that great.

Are you freakin' kidding me????? $29 a month just to keep my gars at an over humidified 72%? No thanks. I'll stick to my PG and distilled water and florist sponges trick for about $15 a year......

I feel like Donny in The Big Lebowski. Am I wrong here? This is not Nam Smokey.....

You familiar with Boveda? Go to their website and read up a little. They have formulated what are essentially salt/water gel packs that will maintain a 2 way humidity condition that has a predetermined RH and will last months depending on demand.

Then there are the gel beads and crystals that absorb water and slowly release it as the surroundings RH goes lower.....much like your florist sponge with perhaps a little less maintenance and mess.

I am in the bead/crystal camp at this point. The Boveda are a little pricey (relative perspective), but have gained a lot of fans and are certainly the least fussy as far as maintenance.

Sounds like your smoke shpo owner might have been selling 320g Boveda?

If temp swings are an issue, use coolers. (There is a reason so many of us use them)
Tupperware is great if your temps are relatively stable.

Bovedas and beads in a cooler, pretty much bulletproof and EASY to maintain.

It's Zikar. This is likely what he showed you:

https://www.amazon.com/Xikar-Humidification-Kit-Humidifier-Solution/dp/B00XHLWSPE/ref=asc_df_B00XHLWSPE/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198068632238&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6790448494782301026&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030073&hvtargid=pla-351353131137&psc=1


I write the month and date on my bovedas because I am like that. I have some that are fresh and worknig and have 2020 markings... Buy some, stick them in the tupperadore, enjoy life.

In a year or two, when you start to wonder why life is so easy, buy a few more and replace your old ones. Maybe.

You're right. That's what he showed me. So you just keep charging them exactly I'm doing with my florist sponges? You just add a little distilled water from time to time and that's it????

So where did the guy get "30 days" from and why did he seem hesitant at the thought of me recharging them and making them last as long long as you apparently are doing? If I can make one last for 2 years.... duh..... I'll buy it. But for just 30 days? No freakin' way.

Yep, pretty much



Don't know why or how the guy came up with the 30 days and then have to buy another or hesitant at the thought recharging them. Sounds like he doesn't know what he's talking about. They should last for years (as Stogie pointed out).

Just add DI water as needed. But only as needed, you don't want to make a pool of standing water or over saturate it.

I use beads and kitty litter now rather than the PG/water with the floral foam. I started out using the PG/water mix which should give you about 70% RH. I, personally, like my cigars at the lower end around 65%.

If you like 70% RH and use the PG/water mix with the foam, don't recharge the foam with constant dose of 50/50 PG and water. Only recharge with water. The water is what evaporates the PG (essentially) doesn't. If you keep recharging with the 50/50 mix, then what used to be 50/50 will start to drift to higher concentration of PG and throw things out of whack.

PG and Florist Foam is a big no for me... Boveda packs in Coolers and never look back.

Synthetic un-scented kitty litter.

If it works for you great buddy. I applaud your happiness and will root for it. But I did say it was my opinion and as always it is worth what it cost you!