It's one of the first questions that comes up once you own a cigar humidor: can you just grab a bottle of water from the fridge, or does it have to be the specific kind especially for humidors? The honest answer is that "bottled water" covers everything from spring water to distilled water, and only some of it belongs anywhere near a humidifier. Here's how to tell the difference, and the simplest way to avoid the hassle entirely.
Not All Bottled Water Is the Same
"Bottled water" covers several very different products, and that difference matters for a humidor. Spring water and mineral water are bottled with their natural mineral content intact — that's often the selling point. Purified and distilled water, by contrast, have had those minerals removed through filtration or distillation. Both are sold in bottles, but only one of them belongs anywhere near your humidifier.
Why Should You NOT Use Spring or Mineral Water In Your Cigar Humidor?
The minerals that make spring water taste a certain way — calcium, magnesium, and others — don't evaporate cleanly. Over time, they can clog a foam or gel humidifier's pores, leave white mineral residue inside the humidor, and in some cases promote mold growth. This is the same reason tap water is discouraged: it's not about the water being "dirty," it's about what's dissolved in it.
Which Bottled Water Is Safe To Use In A Humidor?
Water labeled distilled, or purified via reverse osmosis, is safe to use — it's had the problematic minerals removed, whether it comes from a jug at the hardware store or a bottle at the grocery store. Check the label specifically: "purified drinking water" alone isn't always a guarantee of the same process, so distilled or reverse-osmosis-purified are the terms to look for.
Does Using Boveda Packs Mean You Don't Need To Use Bottled Water In Your Humidor?
Correct! When you use a two-way humidity pack like Boveda, you don't need to add any water to your humidor at all — it's pre-charged and sealed, so there's no need to be hassling over whether you've bought the right bottled water. This is one of the reasons Boveda has become the default recommendation over gel, foam, or crystal humidifiers that do require regular refilling: it removes an entire category of possible mistakes. The Humidor ships with a Boveda starter pack for exactly this reason.
"Glad it works with Boveda packs. They are the best and easiest for maintaining the humidity. Much better than having to use distilled water or whatever."
That's a common reaction from people who've dealt with the water-type question before — once you switch to a system that doesn't need water added at all, it's easy to see why it's the lower-maintenance option.
New humidor on the way? Read How to Season Your New Cigar Humidor before your cigars go in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use tap water in a humidor?
No, you should never use tap water in a humidor because it contains minerals and chemicals similar to spring water, which can clog a humidifier and promote mold. Distilled or reverse-osmosis-purified water is the safe alternative.
Is purified water the same as distilled water?
Not always — "purified" can refer to several different filtration methods. Reverse-osmosis-purified water is functionally equivalent to distilled for humidor use; check the label to confirm the specific process.
What happens if I accidentally use spring water?
Accidentally adding bottled spring water to your humidor is unlikely to cause immediate damage, but repeated use will gradually leave mineral buildup in the humidifier. If it happens, switch to distilled or purified water going forward and monitor for any residue.
Do I need to worry about water type with a Boveda pack?
No, you don't need to worry about what type of bottled water to use when you use Boveda packs because they're pre-charged and sealed, so there's no water to add and no water-type decision to make at all.
READ MORE FROM OUR CIGAR HUMIDOR INFO HUB
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