Salt Test : Calibrating Your Humidor’s Hygrometer

Many of our customers have been asking us how to conduct a salt test for the hygrometer in the humidor.

A salt test is fairly foolproof way to judge if your hygrometer is reporting accurate humidity levels within your humidor. Cigars theoretically can last forever. There is no expiration date on a cigar and if well kept ages like wine rather. So keeping them stored at the right humidity levels is a needed aspect of your humidor (along with temperature which should be as close to possible to 70F)

What exactly is a salt test?

Damp Salt lives at 75% humidity. This gives a perfect reference point to calibrate your humidor and hygrometer.

You need the following:
ziploc bag
a bottle cap
a small amount of salt
water (distilled preferred)

Place the salt in the bottle cap

Dampen the salt with water. Don’t drench the salt filled bottle cap, just make sure the salt is moist.

Place hygrometer and damp salt filled bottle cap into the ziploc bag and seal it perfectly for 8 hours.

After 8 hours the actual humidity inside the bag will be 75%. Compare it to your hygrometer, your hygrometer should also read 75%. If not then you’ll need to adjust the hygrometer. This should be done at room temperature (as close to 70F as possible).

You should salt test your hygrometer every few months to make sure you the humidity levels within your humidor are being read accurately. There has been an ongoing debate regarding Digital vs Analog Hygrometers but the salt test mentioned above works for both styles of Hygrometers.