It's new humidor day here at CigarScore HQ, and today we're looking at the NeedOne 48L 300 count cooling humidor!
While there are a lot of humidors out there, figuring out which one you want to spend your money on (and trust your cigars with), can be a big challenge. So, when NeedOne asked me to take a look at one of their new 300 count, 1.7 cubic ft, electric cooling humidors, I said, “sure!”
UPDATE: I misspoke in the video; the 48L does not have a heating element, just a cooling one. If you need both the cooling and heating functions, you'll want to look at the NeedOne 23L humidor.
Let's see how it stacks up =)
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Initial Thoughts:
Right off the bat, I noticed how light the NeedOne 48L was. It doesn't weigh much for claiming to hold 300 cigars, and almost anyone should be able to lift it, if not move it entirely.
You'll notice the mirrored door as soon as you get the NeedOne 48L out of its box. It's almost as mirrored as the mirror in your bathroom, and you can barely see through it, even with a light on the inside. Some people will like the mirrored door, others might not. For me, uh, not sure; we'll see.
When I first opened the door, I noticed that the seal around the doorframe was really good. I like that.
The last thing I noticed in my initial “unboxing” was that the drawers were a little hard to get out. And, if you did want to pull the drawer out, even by just an inch, you had to open the door almost the entire way, which means you couldn't put the NeedOne 48L up against a wall. More on that later.
What I Really Liked:
While no humidor is perfect (although this one comes close), there's a lot to like about the NeedOne 48L.
Good Seal
The seal around the door is great. It's got great suction that's even tight enough to move the humidor when it's completely empty, and you try to open the door. No air is passing through there!
NOTE: When you have an airtight container, over-humidification can become an issue, so make sure you're monitoring RH very close for the first few months.
Light-Weight
I liked that the NeedOne 48L was lightweight. Even with the box, I think the entire thing weighed about 45 pounds.
When compared to other, similar, humidors that are 200 pounds or more, it's nice that the NeedOne 48L is light enough to be moved, transported, or relocated by one person.
Visually Appealing
Whether you like the mirrored door or not, you gotta admit that the NeedOne 48L looks pretty good. The all-black finish is sleek, the cedar drawers are thin but rigid, and the whole thing looks really good. I don't think anyone would complain about having this unit in their house or office.
Range of Temperature Control
Finally, I appreciate the ability to change the temperature by 20 degrees Fahrenheit. With a range from 54 to 74 degrees, you've got a lot of room for tweaking if the NeedOne 48L's internal thermometer doesn't quite line up with your hygrometer.
What I Didn't Love:
While the NeedOne 48L has a lot going for it, it's not perfect. Let's take a look at some things I didn't love with this humidor.
Shelf Width
Well, the shelves are a little too wide. If they shaved just a millimeter, maybe two, from the width of the shelves, they'd be easier to slide in and out. Or, perhaps they're too thick, and that's the cause of the difficulty sliding. Either way, I might have to sand down the cedar, so they slide better.
Door Blocks Drawers
As I mentioned above, you have to open the door almost all the way to get the shelves out. While that might not be a deal-breaker, it does mean you can't place the NeedOne 48L against a wall or cabinet.
No Built-In Humidification
While the lack of internal humidification might also not be a deal-breaker, it is worth mentioning. The “movable sink” that comes with the unit is a joke, and it's literally nothing more than what you'd find in your drawer of nicknacks. Please do not put water in the movable sink and leave it there! A spill could be disastrous! Better just go ahead and get a Cigar Oasis or use Boveda packs.
Thermometer Accuracy
After 24 hours, the temperature inside the NeedOne 48L was running about 5 degrees cooler than it was set to. I'm not sure if the controls are wrong, the thermometer is wrong, or something else, but 5 degrees Fahrenheit is a lot.
There's no way to adjust or calibrate the thermometer, and it's a little wonky, so that's something I don't like. To fix this, I think I'll have to set the controls to 74 degrees so that it actually runs 69 degrees internally.
Space Utilization
Again, no humidor is perfect, but I wish the NeedOne 48L had a few additional options for drawer/shelf placement. As it stands, there is wasted space at the bottom, probably for ventilation.
That said, the drawers are 11 inches deep, deep enough to hold a toro and a robusto placed end-to-end.
Bad Lighting
I don't want to nitpick, but the lighting in eclectic humidors is notoriously bad. A single LED light at the top… ugh. That said, the NeedOne 48L isn't alone in having bad lighting.
A better solution would be to place a LED strip like this one around the door, so you get good illumination evenly spread throughout the humidor's interior like I did here.
How to Buy the NeedOne 48L:
NeedOne doesn't have a website at this time, but you can purchase from their Amazon store here: https://amzn.to/3P0m5uX
Full Specs of the NeedOne 48L
Model number: NO-48B
Capacity: 48L/1.7 Cu Ft (MAX 300 counts Capacity)
Temperature control range: 54℉~ 74℉
Spanish Cedar Wood: Yes
Storage System: 3 Shelves & 1 Drawer
Unit Dimensions: 14.0″×25.4″×20.1″
Operation mode: Touch Control
Hygrometer: Digital
Noise level: ≤38dB
Display: LCD temperature display
Final Thoughts:
At the end of the day, I know I'll use the NeedOne 48L. The temperature control, tight-fitting shelves, and the ability to use my own humidification make this unit one to take a serious look at. If you want to keep your cigars cooler than the rest of the room, the NeedOne 48L is a solid contender for your next humidor.
