There are many humidifying agents in the market that help control humidity for your humidor, whether it be for cannabis, cigars or loose tobacco and the reason why humidity beads are among the top is because they’re simple to use and only require adding water. Other products that require adding chemicals like propylene glycol are unsustainable and costly. Products like humidity packs are great for airtight conditions but will dry out over time and need replacement more frequently than the silica gel beads used in VaporBeads™.
Primary Benefits of VaporBeads™
One of the primary benefits of VaporBeads™ over other humidifying agents is that because they are impregnated with a salt-based solution, you don’t need much water to maintain the relative humidity (RH) in your humidor. Less is more when it comes to this product. Another benefit to this product is that the beads will last longer than humidity packs – up to two years before they begin to lose their efficacy. What you’ll notice is over time, you’ll hydrate the beads a little more and more often just to maintain the desired level of relative humidity.
Why we like using VaporBeads™ over other humidifying agents is because of how fast you notice a difference. Things like humidity packs can take a little more time before you notice more spring in your cannabis buds or a gentle softness in your cigar.
Potential Cons of using VaporBeads™
The goal of humidifying either is to not overdo it, and that can mistakenly be done if you add too much water to your VaporBeads™ case. This is one of the only cons compared to humidity packs, because the humidity packs are more of a set-it-and-forget-it solution. The VaporeBeads™ do require monitoring so having a hygrometer is a great tool to ensure you’re not over-doing it. If you do overdo it, and there are mold spores present on your cannabis or cigars, those spores can get stuck into the bead case and prorogate under high relative humidity conditions. The only instances in which we’ve seen this are when people fully submerge the bead case in water and constantly keep it soaked. This is not recommended, and instead allow it to dry in between hydration cycles.
How to use VaporBeads™
It’s extremely easy to begin using the VaporBeads™, you’ll only need water. We recommend using distilled water since tap water and bottled water contain minerals that will over time, discolor the beads. It’s not bad if they are discolored, just unsightly.
Reduce, reuse and recycle
At VaporBeads™ we do have a recycling program to reduce waste and allow you to reuse the plastic case. So many plastics products end up in a landfill or our oceans and never fully break down, so instead of making you purchase a new case after two years, we’ve reduced the cost for you to send us your old bead case for us to refill with new beads. We do not throw out the used beads, nor do we reuse them, and instead keep them and are exploring ways to partner with silicon and plastic companies to recycle them in a sustainable way.