Cigar Geeks

I'm considering a Whynter Cooler Humidor and am looking at humidification beads for a humidifier. I've read on the forum here about Heartfelt beads but have just heard about HCM beads. Is anyone here familiar with them and which is better?

Wow!  I haven't thought about beads in years.  I used the Heartfelt beads (in their brand tubes and rectangle holders) in a couple of 100ct humidors for a while and they worked well.  I wound up giving the humidors to my son five or so years ago, so I don't know how they held up long-term.  That was about the time I switched over to silica cat litter for most of my other humidors.  I wound up switching to Boveda packs in my samaller desktops, but have the Black Ice pie jars in my larger humidors these days.

Quotegitfiddl - 9/23/2018  12:41 PM

Wow!  I haven't thought about beads in years.  I used the Heartfelt beads (in their brand tubes and rectangle holders) in a couple of 100ct humidors for a while and they worked well.  I wound up giving the humidors to my son five or so years ago, so I don't know how they held up long-term.  That was about the time I switched over to silica cat litter for most of my other humidors.  I wound up switching to Boveda packs in my samaller desktops, but have the Black Ice pie jars in my larger humidors these days.

I'm not familiar with the Black Ice.

QuoteChefjohn - 9/23/2018  1:03 PM

Quotegitfiddl - 9/23/2018  12:41 PM

Wow!  I haven't thought about beads in years.  I used the Heartfelt beads (in their brand tubes and rectangle holders) in a couple of 100ct humidors for a while and they worked well.  I wound up giving the humidors to my son five or so years ago, so I don't know how they held up long-term.  That was about the time I switched over to silica cat litter for most of my other humidors.  I wound up switching to Boveda packs in my smaller desktops, but have the Black Ice pie jars in my larger humidors these days.

I'm not familiar with the Black Ice.

These guys here:  https://www.cigarsinternational.com/shop/?q=black+ice+pie+jar

I still have some of the jell jars in my larger humidor but the lids are on them, I just use Boveda's in everything now day's, easier and more stable IMO.

Quotentanner - 9/23/2018  1:26 PM

I still have some of the jell jars in my larger humidor but the lids are on them, I just use Boveda's in everything now day's, easier and more stable IMO.

I probably should just stick with the Boveda. They have done real well for me. I'm thinking in a the 400 count Whynter I would go with 2 320 gram packs on the bottom an d 2 more on top.

i use the stuff for gardening. it re-hydrates with a little hot water from the coffee maker then i top it up with distilled.

HCM beads are all I run. Almost maintenance free for the past 10 years

I still use heartfelt beads in a couple humi.Require a little more maintance,but work well

Quoteshakinghorizons - 9/23/2018  3:15 PM  HCM beads are all I run. Almost maintenance free for the past 10 years

i'm on about three years i guess. i used to throw them out and add new but i figured out the hot water bit so they just keep going. of course i'm in the south and the humidity in my lower level is never really all that low. maybe in February for a few days. 

Quoteshakinghorizons - 9/23/2018  3:15 PM

HCM beads are all I run. Almost maintenance free for the past 10 years

I see with the Heartfelt that they need to be sprayed every so often. Is that the case with the HCM Colin?

HCM beads are recharged passively. If you spritz water on them they'll go up in smoke, lol.

Quoteshakinghorizons - 9/23/2018  4:58 PM

HCM beads are recharged passively. If you spritz water on them they'll go up in smoke, lol.

Seriously? How do you recharge them, kind of the same way you recharge Boveda packs?

QuoteChefjohn - 9/23/2018  3:04 PM

Quoteshakinghorizons - 9/23/2018  4:58 PM

HCM beads are recharged passively. If you spritz water on them they'll go up in smoke, lol.

Seriously? How do you recharge them, kind of the same way you recharge Boveda packs?

Exactly

Quoteshakinghorizons - 9/23/2018  6:53 PM

QuoteChefjohn - 9/23/2018  3:04 PM

Quoteshakinghorizons - 9/23/2018  4:58 PM

HCM beads are recharged passively. If you spritz water on them they'll go up in smoke, lol.

Seriously? How do you recharge them, kind of the same way you recharge Boveda packs?

Exactly

I saw a video of them being sprayed. Wow!