Much like you might use a wine cooler to ensure your reds and whites are perfectly chilled, the best cigar cooler will create a consistent environment capable of maintaining your investment long-term.
For many cigar lovers, there’s no alternative to a humidor. We’re not here to try changing your mind if that’s the way you prefer to store your stogies. We use humidors, too here at Barnacle Bar.
A cigar cooler does offer a number of specific benefits that are worth considering, though.
The key draw is the ability to control the temperature inside these units. 70F is used as a rough rule of thumb for cigar storage, although you can keep cigars below this temperature without any issues. Most commercially-available cigar coolers have an upper temperature of 64F to 66F. If you’ve heard all about the 70/70 rule, this is not fixed. Storing cigars at 65F is not problematic.
Now, if you live somewhere with a consistently hot climate, you may find it hard to achieve this temperature with a humidor.
And, thinking of consistency, you may just like the idea of the guaranteed and consistent temperature afforded by the best cigar coolers.
On the flip-side, not all cigar coolers feature humidity control, and this is vital for cigar storage. The other part of the famous but flawed 70/70 rule is 70% relative humidity.
The other drawback to coolers is the large expanse of glass. Cigars don’t respond well to exposure to sunlight, so you’ll need to think carefully about placement.
What should you consider when you’re comparing cigar coolers, then?
- Capacity: The first and most crucial element is the capacity of the cooler. The models we review today all accommodate 250 or so standard-sized cigars. If you need more space, there are plenty of more substantial models on the market, but these tend to be very bulky and not ideal for most homes
- Accuracy of temperature: All of the coolers on our shortlist allow you to cool your cigars at the optimum temperature. With all these models, you’ll want to run them almost as cool as they go. It’s not enough that you can hit the desire temperature, though. You need a cigar cooler that can consistently maintain this temperature over time
- Hygrometer: A hygrometer allows you to monitor the humidity levels inside your cooler to ensure your cigars are stored optimally
- Shelving: Look for shelves made of Cedar wood. This has the perfect moisture-retention properties while also imparting that trademark smell
Right, with those basics in place, you’re ready to examine 3 of the best cigar coolers out there. See which of these, if any, seems like the right fit for you.
| Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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Best Overall: Whynter Stainless Steel Cigar Cooler | Whynter’s cigar coolers have a 1.2-cubic feet capacity. This will eat much less space in the kitchen than a wine cooler. Whynter harnesses thermoelectric cooling to avoid these pitfalls. | Check Price |
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Runner Up: Prestige Import Group Cigar Cooler | Cooling system runs without the noise or vibration you want to avoid in a cigar cooler. Digital hygrometer onboard allows you to keep an eye on relative humidity of your cigars. | Check Price |
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3rd Ranked: Prestige Import Group Clevelander Thermoelectric Cooler Humidor | Check Price |
The 3 Best Cigar Coolers
1. best overall: Whynter Stainless Steel Cigar Cooler
Features
- 250 cigars
- 50F to 66F
- 20 x 13.5 x 18 inches
What We Liked
- Broad temperature band
- No noise or vibration
- Compact yet spacious
What We Didn’t Like
- Customer service is appalling
Whynter makes some first-class accessories to streamline your cigar storage. This is the first of a pair of cigar coolers from the mighty stable we review today.
You’ll have room to store up to 250 of your favorite stogies inside this unit. In spite of this 1.2-cubic feet capacity, the footprint is pretty small. This will eat much less space in the kitchen than a wine cooler. You can also install it in your man cave or den without the cooler dominating the space.
When it comes to temperature regulation, you get a wide band at your fingertips. As with all these coolers, the lower end of that range is too cool for cigars, so run it at the upper end and you’ll get the optimum temperature for your Cohibas.
Consistent and impressive temperature control is useless if the cooling is delivered with too much noise and vibration. Whynter harnesses thermoelectric cooling to avoid these pitfalls.
The drawer and shelves are made from Spanish cedar.
You’ll also benefit from a humidity tray so you can bundle a humidifier if required. There’s a hygrometer that allows you to keep your eye on humidity levels. Aim for 70% relative humidity combined with a temperature from 65F to 70F and you’ll be enjoying your cigars at their very best, even if you manage to keep them for years.
Now, surprisingly for a company that manufactures such great care, customer service is notoriously poor. Many consumers complain about being fobbed off rather than helped out when they needed it most.
Overall, though, the strength of the product itself means there’s little chance you should need to call customer service in the first place. This is a fantastic cigar cooler at a very affordable price point.
Read our related article on How to Store Cigars in Humidor for storage tips (plus OTHER ways to keep your cigars fresh!)
2. runner up: Prestige Import Group Cigar Cooler
Features
- 250 cigars
- 51F to 64F
- 19 x 14 x 20 inches
What We Liked
- Digital hygrometer
- Tempered glass door
- Runs whisper-quiet
What We Didn’t Like
- Quality of hygrometer could be improved
Next up comes a great cigar cooler from the Prestige Import Group.
This is a freestanding unit capable of accommodating as many as 250 of your chosen cigars. Whether you want to keep this long-term, enjoy them on the regular, or both, you’ll get an impeccable and consistent storage environment here.
Just like the Whynter, this compact but powerful unit won’t take over your kitchen. It measures up at just 19 inches across, so you’ll be free to position it just about anywhere. The adjustable feet ensure you get the right set-up, even if the floor is not quite level.
The thermoelectric cooling system runs without the noise or vibration you want to avoid in a cigar cooler. You can tweak the temperature between 51F and 64F to create the perfect storage conditions for your stogies.
You’ll also need to pay attention to the humidity levels in your cooler, aiming for 70% relative humidity. You get a digital hygrometer onboard allowing you to keep your eye on this. We found some complaints from users about the quality and accuracy of this hygrometer.
There’s a humidification tray inside this cooler, removable for your convenience.
The tempered glass on the door does a great job of filtering out the sunlight that would otherwise damage your cigars.
Despite those isolated niggles about the hygrometer, this is an affordable, durable, and efficient cooler perfect for your finest cigars.
Read More: Are Electric Humidors Good? Learn more about electric humidors and their pros and cons!
3. 3rd ranked: Prestige Import Group Clevelander Thermoelectric Cooler Humidor
Features
- 250 cigars
- 50F to 66F
- 19 x 13.75 x 18 inches
What We Liked
- Removable Spanish cedar drawer
- Even humidity distribution
- Adjustable thermostat
What We Didn’t Like
- Cooling issues develop over time
We have another cigar cooler from the inimitable Whynter up next in the form of the Elite Touch. How does this cooler stack up, then?
You get the same 250+ cigar capacity with this model as with the one above. This is based on standard-sized cigars, so you’ll need to adjust your expectations if you smoke bigger sticks.
This black cooler makes a pleasant change to the utilitarian silver favored by the opposition. We know you’re not buying a cigar cooler for the way it looks, though. How does this thing perform?
In terms of temperature, you can adjust the thermostat from 50F to 66F. At the upper end of that threshold, you’ll find the optimum temperature for your stogies.
You get the humidity tray you need along with a hygrometer to ensure your RH levels are in check inside the cooler. With the temperature and humidity levels properly regulated, your cigars will smoke wonderfully even if you keep them for years. In some cases, they’ll taste better as they age.
The fan-forced circulation is highly efficient. Consistency is key when you’re storing stogies, and this pushes air throughout the cooler.
The thermoelectric cooling gets the work done without kicking up the noise and vibration that mar many poor-quality cigar coolers.
The removable drawer is made from Spanish cedar to complete a winning package.
Aside from that dire customer care, this is one of the best cigar coolers you can find, and it should give you years of faithful service.
Read More: When Were Cigars Made? Explore the history of cigars across continents in this guide!
Conclusion
Well, if you arrived here at Barnacle Bar today uncertain about whether a cigar cooler makes the right fit for you, you should now be clear on that issue.
You can now navigate the compact models intended for home use and give your stored cigars the environment in which they can flourish. Just like fine wine, cigars will improve with age. To achieve this, though, you’ll need to pay close attention to the temperature and humidity levels.
Let us know if you have an feedback on these cigar coolers by commenting below. Take a moment, too, to bookmark our blog. We have plenty of content coming your way over the coming weeks on all aspects of your home bar, so be sure to pop back soon.