accessories
Product: CigarSpa: High Tech Humidification System
Type: Electronic Humidifier
Website: http://cigarspa.com/index_eng.htm
Reviewer: Doc
OVERALL SCORE: 89.0 - Stogie Fresh Silver Star Rating
BACKGROUND: The CigarSpa, crafted in Germany with superior engineering, is the mother of all gadgets. Resembling a futuristic coffin, or tanning booth, or both, this piece of technology is one of the most progressive humidifiers that I have seen since the Cigar Oasis.
The CigarSpa is a battery-powered humidifier designed primarily for desktop humidors, where lack of an acceptable power source can often prevent the use of electronic humidifier options.
The web site, written in both German and English, gives only the most rudimentary technical specifications. The site also includes information on CigarSpa + and CigarSpa PRO, which are implementations of the CigarSpa for use in larger humidors and cabinets.
I worked with a CigarSpa distributor, Eddie DeJong of Vanderburgh Humidors (www.VanderburghHumidors.com) in Canada, who supplied me with a CigarSpa for this review. So, let’s take a look…
SET UP AND USE: [Score: 96]
Though the CigarSpa ships with a 10-page manual, it is very easy and intuitive to use. The unit ships with batteries already installed and with power switched off. To use, you simply fill the reservoir with distilled water and then press the button once. There’s only one button, so you can’t miss it. The next step is to set the desired relative humidity, which is referred to as the “nominal” value. The RH can be set in 1-degree increments anywhere between 65% and 75%; the preset value upon delivery is 71%.
The unit displays four separate values on its liquid crystal display: the top left reading is the average %RH over three days. This is really a useful function, given that RH often changes, sometimes drastically, throughout the day. The 3-day average gives you a better picture of what has been happening in the microclimate of your humidor. The second display on the top right displays the nominal, or “preset” value. This is the target relative humidity that you set into the unit’s computer. The next display on the bottom left is the current RH and the final display on bottom right is the current temperature. The temperature reading is in degrees Celsius, which may be foreign to users in the U.S. For those of you who are numerically challenged, the conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit is as follows: F= 1.8 x C + 32. So, for example, during my test period, the temperature remained fairly consistently at 20 degrees Celsius. So, 1.8 X 20 + 32 = 68 degrees Fahrenheit. (Okay, for those of you who don’t want to do the math, just use this conversion calculator.
There are two other indicators on the display pane: low battery and a low water warning displays that blink when you need to change batteries or add more water.
The values on the CigarSpa display are normally updated every 30 minutes of operation, however you can easily obtain current values simply by pressing the operation button once.
I tested the unit over a 1-month period during the summer weather of California’s Central Coast. Though the unit will hold up to 230 milliliters (ml) of water, I measured out and filled the unit with exactly 200 ml. After setting a desired RH of 67%, I placed the CigarSpa into my Daniel Marshall 165-count humidor, replacing the stock humidifier.
FUNCTION: [Score: 96]
Over the 1-month test period I regularly checked the values and found that this unit works exceptionally well. It took a few days for the CigarSpa to establish equilibrium within my humidor, but once it did, the values stayed rock solid throughout the test period. This is especially notable since our summertime weather is unpredictable and typically varies widely because of the outdoors heat and the use of air-conditioning indoors.
The CigarSpa operates by sensing humidity within the microclimate of your humidor and responding by adsorbing and desorbing water vapor. The top of the CigarSpa is covered with a “breathing membrane” that acts to move water vapor into and out of the inner box of your humidor. When humidity level is too low, the electronic microcontroller within the unit activates a small pump in the CigarSpa housing, transporting water underneath the membrane, which is then transported passively to the humidor microclimate. When humidity is too high, the membrane adsorbs water vapor from the inside of the humidor.
The CigarSpa operates on 4 AA batteries, which the company says will last about 1 year before they need to be replaced. Though I was not able to test that claim, it is quite likely that the batteries will last a very long time. The primary reason is that the CigarSpa does not have a fan (ventilator) that draws a lot of power from the batteries. The passive system used by the CigarSpa does not draw high power from the batteries, thus conserving their usable life.
At the end of the test period, I emptied the remaining water from the reservoir and it measure 189 ml, which means the CigarSpa only used 11 ml of water in the 1-month test period! This is exceptional and, though the company says the device will normally operate for 4 months before it needs refilling, my measurements would extrapolate to over a year of operation without filling. Of course, each situation will be different. A lot will depend on the quality of your humidor, desired nominal RH level, the climate both outside and inside your home and whether or not you use fireplaces (which tend to suck moisture out of the air) and/or air-conditioners.
At the end of the test period, the average 3-day RH was right at the target value of 67%. This device worked flawlessly and was a real joy because I could just set it and forget about it. This type of device would be perfect for anyone who travels a lot and has to have a reliable device to take charge of keeping his or her stogies in perfect condition. Further, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to fiddle with things, and would rather have a device that would take care of itself and your stogies for long periods of time without maintenance, again, the CigarSpa would be an excellent choice.
VALUE: [Score: 75]
There are only two problems that I found with the CigarSpa, though they are not inconsequential. Both of these problems affect the value score. First, this device is expensive. The MSRP in U.S. dollars is $429. That is steep, especially for the average cigar smoker. However, I am sure that many distributors will sell this device cheaper than the recommended list price and I’m sure the prices, as with any technologically advanced product, will decrease as the parts become more available and the installed base of users grows. I fully expect to see the size decrease further with technological advances.
The second problem is its size. I calculated that the dimensions of the CigarSpa would displace enough storage area for 10 Churchill-sized cigars. That’s a lot of humidor real estate, given that the unit cannot be mounted inside the lid but must be placed on the bottom of the humidor.
Basically, the CigarSpa is the Rolls Royce of cigar humidifiers. In function, you will not find a better humidifier to use in a desktop humidor. However, because of size and cost, I would recommend for larger desktops, primarily 100-250 counts sizes.
There are many collectors/hobbyists who will be able to afford this device, and because of ease of operation and rock solid performance, wouldn’t hesitate to purchase one. If money were no object, then the CigarSpa would make the perfect choice for your desktop humidor.
OVERALL SCORE: 89.0
CigarSpa: Electronic Humidifier
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
