Calibrating Your Hygrometer

No matter how often I fill my humidification device, my hygrometer reads 60 percent relative humidity. I suspect that it's off, but I'd like to know by how much. How do I calibrate my hygrometer?

Posted: August 22, 2011

First, the best test for a cigar's humidity is feel.

Pick up the cigar and examine it. If it feels well humidified, it probably is. If you simply must know your hygrometer's margin of error, follow these steps: If you have an analog hygrometer (the kind with a needle and a dial), place it into a moist towel. Take it out after 15 minutes. It should read between 98 and 100 percent. Whatever the difference from this range, add or subtract that to all readings in the future.

In other words, if it reads 90 percent, add eight to 10 percentage points to whatever your hygrometer reads after you return it to your humidor. Most analog hygrometers also have a hole in the back that allows you to adjust the settings to the margin of error.

If you have a digital hygrometer, use the same technique. The only difference is that few digital units allow you to re-calibrate the settings. Most are well-made, though, so you probably won't need to.