Essential Cigar Accessories Guide

Top Tools of the Trade

In this guide to cigar accessories, I wanted to give you a broad strokes view of what’s considered ‘essential carry.’ Truth be told, if you’re resourceful enough, you can get away with as little as a book of matches. Sounds almost romantic in a minimalist way, but then I remember that I could get away with not having a couch in my living room—doesn’t mean I want to. That’s why we’re going to read you in on things that’ll add to your net positive cigar experience. Creature comforts may not be necessary, but you know what? You earned ‘em, damnit.

While there are plenty of niche cigar tools that do one or two specific jobs, and even some that are circumstantial to your situation (new smokers, travel gear, etc.), I’m going to average out my picks to cover as many bases as possible for the must-haves in your cigarsenal. These top cigar accessory picks aren’t necessarily the best in their category, but to my eyes, they are the best bang for their buck.

Check out my selections for an essential cigar lighter, cutter, humidor and more!

Essential Cigar Lighter – The Vertigo Cyclone

There’s certainly no shortage of cigar lighter choices. Soft flame, single torch, double torch, triple torch, tabletop—the list runs long. But the one lighter to rule them all? Look no further than the Vertigo Cyclone. When it comes to bang for your buck, it’s all but impossible to do better. Three torches, a huge translucent fuel tank, and reliability that rivals a million-mile Toyota.

I’ve had mine for more than seven years. It’s been thrown around and scuffed up—hell even the logo sticker fell out—but it keeps on keepin’ on. And at today’s price of just $6.99, that’s less than a dollar a year. Try beating that.

Essential Cigar Cutter – Colibri S-Cut

I was on the fence about whether to include a cigar cutter that gave you cutting style choices (like the Colibri SV-Cut), but nearly doubling the price of their standard guillotine made the decision for me. With a built-in ‘perfect cutter’ guard that physically won’t allow you to cut more than is needed, Colibri’s S-Cut is a ‘Cigar Cutter for Dummies’ dressed up in a sleek frame that looks the part of a pro. And let’s be honest: a common straight cut is going to be the order of the day more often than not. Can’t go wrong.

Essential Cigar Humidor – Capri 25-50 Count

Sure, it looks like the block of wood your Dad’s been saving for years in the garage, but it gets the job done with a touch more elegance than a mere Ziploc bag. The no-frills approach of Capri’s 25-50 count cigar humidor makes the list because it fits right in the sweet spot that most of us occupy as casual cigar smokers. Doesn’t hold too many. Nor too few. Just right. And let’s not forget that it’s crafted with genuine Spanish cedar, so your prized premiums will be kept pristine for the long haul.

Essential Hygrometer – Cigar Oasis Caliber 4R

I picked the Cigar Oasis Caliber 4R as my top hygrometer pick for three reasons. First, it looks the part of a classy analog piece but incorporates the reliability of digital. Additionally, it fits into the built-in hygrometer slots that many humidors come with as standard. And finally, it can be calibrated. No hygrometer is perfect, but when one comes equipped with the ability to cancel out its margin of error, it may as well be. Bonus points: we fashioned an admittedly non-scientific test and the Caliber 4R had the highest accuracy of the bunch.

Essential Humidor Humidifer – Boveda 65% Humidity Packs

I may eat crow for this opinion, but so be it: you’re over-humidifying your cigars. While there is room for preference—and even considering some blends fare better in higher RH (relative humidity), the truth is that your best option as a one-size-fits-all cigar humidifier is a 65% Boveda pack. I know…I know. It’s the bottom of the generally accepted 65-72% RH range, but to my taste buds, erring on the side of a pinch too dry is far better than the bitterness of a wet cigar. The beauty of Boveda is that it’s pretty much set and forget. Drop a pack or two into your stash, sit back, and let it figure out all the nonsense. You have better things to do.

Essential Cigar Ashtray – Stinky Stainless Steel

Unless you order yours from the Pentagon, a cigar ashtray is one of the pricier trash cans you’ll ever buy—especially considering its size. Let’s call it what it is, eh? Thing is, sometimes it’s nice to spruce your space up with a receptacle that provides some form along with the function. And while the cynic in me says, “Just drop your ashes in the grass,” it’s not always possible, let alone practical. Here’s why I think Stinky’s stainless steel ashtray is the perfect one and done ash stash: firstly, it holds a ton of ash. That means less trips to the other trash can. Lazy me rejoices. Second, it has four cigar rests—necessary for nights on the patio with the boys. Lastly, the Stinky is easy on the eyes. While I’d stop short of saying, “Luxury vibes,” it certainly doesn’t look cheap. Just classy enough at a price that’s far more reasonable than the overpriced garbage (cans) people shell out for on Wayfair.