How to set up a tupperdor
A clean, airtight food container and a couple of humidity packs make one of the most stable places to rest boxes for years. Here's how to do it properly.
A "tupperdor" is any clean, airtight plastic food container used as a humidor. A "coolidor" is the same idea in a picnic cooler. They're cheap and stackable, and because the seal is far tighter than most wooden humidors, humidity packs last longer and conditions barely move. That makes them a favourite for resting boxes over the long term.
What you need
- An airtight, food-grade container with a clip-down lid and a seal. A new one; old food containers keep their smells.
- Two-way humidity packs: one 60 g pack per 25 cigars of capacity (see humidity packs and humidifiers).
- A calibrated hygrometer, ideally a small digital or Bluetooth one that fits inside.
- Optional: Spanish-cedar sheets or strips for the base or between layers.
Setting it up
- Air the container. Wash it, dry it, and leave it open for at least a day to lose any plastic smell.
- Season any cedar first. Put the cedar in the closed container with 84% seasoning packs for several days, then remove those packs. Dry cedar would otherwise pull moisture from the cigars.
- Calibrate the hygrometer. See how to calibrate a hygrometer.
- Add your packs and close it for a day or two, until the hygrometer settles at the pack's level.
- Add the cigars or boxes. Aim for the container to be fairly full but not crammed: some air space helps the humidity even out.
Which humidity
Boveda recommends 69% for airtight containers, dropping to 65% if the cigars feel too moist. For a container of Cuban cigars kept for ageing, 65% is a common choice. You can run several tupperdors at different levels if you keep different cigars.
Where to keep it
A tupperdor isn't insulated, so it follows the room's temperature. Keep it somewhere cool and dark: never in sun, which can warm it quickly and fade boxes, and not near radiators. The temperature advice for humidors applies here too: Habanos recommends 16–18°C (see humidity and temperature).
Good habits
- Open it only when you need to.
- Check the hygrometer through the lid, or with a Bluetooth sensor, without opening it.
- Replace packs when they harden; write the date on them in felt-tip.
- Label each container with what's inside, or record it in your catalogue.
Some collectors move a cigar into a wooden humidor for a day before smoking it. Boveda suggests the same: a tupperdor stores cigars well, but it doesn't add anything a cedar-lined humidor does.
Sources
- Boveda: Tupperdors
- Bespoke Unit: How to make a tupperdor
- Cigar Place: How to make a tupperdor
- Habanos S.A.: Keeping Habanos
Questions collectors ask
What humidity should a tupperdor be?
Boveda recommends 69% packs for airtight containers, or 65% if cigars feel too moist. Many collectors keep Cuban cigars at 65%.
Does a tupperdor need cedar?
No, but many people add Spanish-cedar sheets or strips. Season the cedar first, because dry cedar draws moisture from the cigars.
Can I store whole boxes in a tupperdor?
Yes. Many collectors rest whole boxes in large airtight containers for long-term ageing, which keeps the boxes' own aroma and holds humidity very steadily.