Smoke Inn Blog
Enjoying cigars is about creating atmosphere and an experience. The cigar itself is always going to take center stage. But what about the supporting cast? The accessories and items which help us enjoy our favorite cigars all the more are important too, aren’t they? We figured we’d take an opportunity to show you some of our favorite accoutrements from bargain humidors to cool lighters, cases and more. Let’s get to it!
The Best Cigar Cutters
You’ve got to cut the cigar before you can smoke it, so a good cigar cutter is a key implement for any serious cigar aficionado. You probably know that cutters use metal blades to slice through the head of the cigar to open a pathway for you to draw air through. But, did you know there’s more than one type?
Straight Cut Cigar Cutter (Guillotine)
The guillotine is probably the most popular type and the one you’re most likely to have seen before. The double-blade guillotine is preferred over the single-blade versions. A good quality example would be the Colibri S-cut Cigar Cutter. It’s compact and portable, but still produces nice, clean cuts.
Wedge or V-Cutter
The Wedge cigar cutter or v-cutter is similar to the guillotine. Some cigar smokers prefer it. It slices a wedge into the cap from one side at the same depth. This avoids cutting too deep. The Colibri V-cut Cigar Cutter would be a good, quality example of a wedge/v-cutter that will serve you well.
Punch Cigar Cutter
The punch cigar cutter is a variation on the theme. They do exactly what they say. Punch a hole in the cigar rather than slicing a piece of it off. Some people swear by them, but there are pros and cons. If the hole isn’t big enough, it can restrict airflow too much and residue by the hole may affect flavor. On the upside, if you like a tighter draw, they are ideal and they are also very portable. If you go this route make sure to choose a quality punch cutter, like the Xikar 10mm Punch Cutter so you’re sure to get a clean cut of sufficient size.
Shuriken Cigar Cutter
The shuriken is a bit more exotic and has only been around for a few years. It has 6 blades that cut slits around the head of the cigar to allow air to pass through. We don’t have any experience with these so we can’t comment on them, but if you’re the adventurous type, check them out.
The Best Bargain Humidors
The humidor is one sign of a serious cigar smoker who is committed to the art. Humidors preserve your cigars by helping them stay fresh and retain moisture. If you’re looking for a basic bargain humidor that’s portable and won’t break the bank, our Smoke Inn Travel Case will keep up to 30 of your favorite sticks safe and sound for a long vacation or business trip. If you’re looking for something for your home or office, then Amazon has some pretty decent bargain humidors of varying sizes. We like the traditional wooden type, especially the cedar ones. Look for one that has a hygrometer. There are several attractive bargain humidor options starting under $100 if you know where to look. We suggest these to start:
Mantello Royal Glass-Top Humidor Cigar Box
These bargain humidors are on sale for 24% off on Amazon at the time of publishing. They have a nice rosewood finished exterior and embedded analog hygrometer and will hold 25-50 cigars.
($30-80 on Amazon, depending on size)
Jansfuren Spanish Cedar Glass Top Humidor with Digital Hygrometer
The Jansfuren units are lined with Spanish cedar and have a more accurate digital hygrometer, hydro tray to retain moisture and a magnetic sealing system. They’ll hold 25-55 cigars.
($50-90 on Amazon, depending on size)
Luca Humidor Spanish Cedar Cabinet with Digital Hygrometer & Humidifier
The Luca bargain humidors are a bit larger and sit upright with a glass door that gives you a view of the included digital hygrometer. They are cedar lined throughout and have an easy refill hydro tray and an accessory drawer to hold lighters and cigar cutters. This unit holds 80-100 cigars.
($199 on Amazon)
Schmécké 250 Cigar Cooler Humidor with 3 in 1 Precise Cooling
At almost 400 bucks, the Schmécké is at the very upper end of what you might consider a bargain humidor, but it has a lot of features you normally only see in high-end humidors. The stainless steel exterior is much more modern than the others on our list, but it’s lined with cedar and features cedar drawers. This unit not only has a digital hygrometer, but it also lets you control humidity and temperature and even has a built-in fan to circulate air. It can keep your more precious sticks at a stable temperature and humidity so it’s probably a worthwhile investment if you keep more than 50-100 cigars on hand at a time. It also comes in 300 and 400 cigar capacity versions for $429 and $499, respectively.
($379 on Amazon)
The Best Cigar Lighters
Most people who enjoy fine cigars tend to have an eye for detail and are a lot less likely to settle for the ordinary in other areas of their lives. So, when it comes to cigar lighters, we don’t usually settle for the gas station Bic with NASCAR livery on it. We like nice lighters, but we obviously know better than to commit the ultimate faux pas of using Zippo on a cigar. So, what to use to toast and torch off your favorite sticks then?
There are 3 basic types of cigar lighter to chose from:
Single Flame:
The simple, modern approach. The single jet-flame torch style is the most popular cigar lighter type. We recommend the Colibri Julius Series for the traditionalist. If your tastes are more modern, check out the Colibri Rally Series cigar lighters.
Multi Flame:
Multi flame lighters are popular because they are the fastest and surest way to get a full and even burn. With 2-4 torch flames or more, they also tend to be pretty foolproof, even outdoors on a windy day. The Colibri Boss is one of our favorites when we want to travel light. It combines a triple-jet torch lighter and a guillotine style cigar cutter all in one compact and super-cool looking unit. If you want a multi flame with more classic style than the modern Colibri’s, check out the Rocky Patel Burn Double-Flame. It’s design was directly inspired by the atmosphere of Rocky Patel’s Naples, Florida cigar lounge.
Soft Flame:
This is the nostalgia choice. A soft flame cigar lighter adds old school ambiance to your herf, but it works best indoors or when there’s no wind. The Caseti Lumos would be one nice example that’s classy enough to burnish your image but won’t cost you 2 weeks wages. If you’re looking for something more upper echelon, then of course, S.T. Dupont has you covered with the Ligne 2 which comes in a variety of precious metal finishes.
Smoke Inn is Your Cigar Shop
We hope our look at cigar accessories and bargain humidors was helpful to you. We plan on taking a longer look at humidors in the future since we know we’ve barely scratched the surface here. We’ll be sure to revisit cutters and lighters too in future issues. We have some The Great Smoke content, brand profiles and more on the not-to-distant horizon, so stay tuned! As always, if you’re local or happen to be visiting South Florida, be sure to reward yourself with a visit to one of the country’s best cigar shops in person. We’d love to see you.
Our South Florida Locations:
- Smoke Inn Palm Beach Gardens
- Smoke Inn West Palm Beach
- Smoke Inn Delray Beach
- Smoke Inn Boynton Beach
- Smoke Inn Pompano Beach
- Smoke Inn Tequesta
- Smoke Inn Port St. Lucie
- Smoke Inn Vero Beach
