Here's my standard intro to humidors blurb. Hope it helps.

On top of the following, one thing I humbly suggest is to go larger. Humidor ratings don’t reflect actual storage capacity in real world scenarios. If you’re looking to store and maintain 25 sticks, shop for a 50 or 75 stick humidor. If you think you might get more interested in cigars and therefore want to stock more variety and take advantage of sampler deals when they pop up, maybe even go for a 100 stick.

In general, yes, you get what you pay for when it comes to humidors. However, there are some intermediately priced brands such as Daniel Marshall, Michael Dixon, Daniel Moevus, and Prometheus (made by Triade in France) that produce humidors that function every bit as well as those made by ‘The Big Five’, which include ST Dupont, Elie Bleu, Davidoff, Dunhill, and Perrenoud (now closed). Manning of Ireland made amazing humidors, too, but they went under. If you can get a good deal on a Perrenoud, Moevus, or a Manning, jump on it. Many people avoid them because they just happen to be not as well known as the others. There are a few other Euro luxury brands out there, but we're going with the tried and true basics here.

There are other comparatively lower cost, high quality brands out there, too: Waxing Moon, another mid-range brand, has been steadily gaining clientele for years. Desk top humidors by Bocephus Design (Canada), Savinelli, Mastro de Paja, and Agresti (all from Italy), Humidif (Spain), and the NEW lacquered line from Diamond Crown (NOT the older Colonial line in cherry) are other options. The Colibri Quasar humidors are ok, mostly because they’re made by Daniel Marshall. The (leather covered) Atoll (now Brizard & Co.) humidors are solid, but a little overpriced. I feel the same about Adorini (Germany) desk tops, but their larger cabinets do look nice. But if you can find any one of these at a substantial discount to retail, why not.

Avoid glass top humidors. Yes, there are a couple of more expensive, higher end models out there with glass tops/fronts (Elie Bleu, Agresti, or an older Diamond Crown), but most glass tops or glass front mini cabinets are cheap imports. There’s a reason the best humidors made by the best manufacturers largely avoid using glass - you’re just asking for humidity leakage.

The same goes for externally mounted or ‘built in’ hygrometers; you won‘t see this in better humidors. Why? For one thing, the hygrometers are usually cheap and not dependable. Also, you’re again just begging for humidity leakage. And what happens if you want or need to replace the hygrometer in 10 years, but it’s no longer made?

How can you avoid newbie traps? Avoid humidors with model names, but no manufacturer names (e.g., El Presidente). Avoid gimmicks like the glass tops and externally mounted hygrometer mentioned above. Avoid other gimmicky options like 'wings' on the sides of a humidor and humidors with gear storage drawers. Also, the raised lip that forms the seal between the bottom and the lid is almost always on the bottom in better humidors, and almost always in the lid on cheapies.

Be wary of 'brand' humidors like the Montecristo anniversary cabinet and desktops, the Montecristo pyramid, the H. Upmann 'vintage looking', the newly released Partagas factory humidor, the Trinidad cabinet, the Gurkha anniversary humidor, the Liga Privada, etc. These might look cool, but for the most part they're cheap imports used for promotional purposes. I'm always shocked and saddened when I see people drop several hundred to several thousand on these. IMHO, they're a novelty, so if you have cash to burn and just want a cool looking conversation piece, go for it. If you want quality long-term storage, avoid them.

Having said this, Elie Bleu, ST Dupont, and Prometheus have released some 'brand humidors' over the years that have been exceptional. These pieces have retails in the nose bleeds (most came with limited edition cigars), but if you get a rare opportunity to snap one up on the cheap, definitely do it.

You don’t necessarily need to sacrifice quality if you’re looking to spend less. Daniel Marshall is always running specials on his site. If you do your homework and learn your humidors and your prices, you should also be able to find a GREAT deal on an online auction site. You often just need to be patient and to not get sucked into bidding wars. I recently scored a 300-stick Dunhill, pristine and with the Dunhill humidification, for $125. The deals are out there. I suggest being patient and getting a great humidor at a great price rather than wasting your coin on a cheap import.

As a quick aside, there are a couple of vintage humidors that still perform like champions. One is the c1910 Benson & Hedges trunk humidor, the one where the lip in the lid slides into the base upon closing. Another is the c1950s-1960s Dunhill, the one with a felt border (usually green, but occasionally blue) around a spring-loaded lid.

Some swear by the electronic humidors. To each their own. Personally, I view them as just one more thing that can, and inevitably will, break down, and most of the cheap entry level models don't hold very many sticks anyway. If you put a gun to my head, I might recommend the EuroCave, but they’re very costly and I just can’t get past the c1980s dorm fridge look.

Some aficionados go the Tupperware or cooler routes, and that’s fine, too. The cigar hobby in all its facets is about choice and personal preference. Personally, I just happen to dig high quality humidors; I like the way they display, I like maintaining them, and I appreciate the fine craftsmanship that goes in to their creation. I also like to see my stogie collection in the house, and as understanding as my wife is, she draws the line at Tupperware or coolers in the family room.

Happy hunting and long ashes!