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I have used Paradigm humidifiers for about 15 years including every size from the 15 to the 250. I use the small ones inside cedar drawers with loose cigars, while the large ones hang from each shelf in my two large cabinet humidors. I have also tried dozens of cheaper models, which have their uses, as when you're stockpiling moist elements in dry winter months. But Paradigm humidifiers provide consistent, mold-resistant long-lasting humidification. After being immersed in clean distilled water for ten minutes (less time for smaller units) the Paradigm 250 is significantly heavier than before it was dunked, due to the weight of water absorbed by the unique media inside each Paradigm unit. I also use powered humidifiers like the Oasis II XL, and while they can be effective at moving moist air around the cabinet, the Paradigms do the "heavy lifting" of keeping cigars moist and fresh. In a dry winter, a Paradigm 250 will hold a charge for a month or more, while cheaper foam and bead cartridges must be refilled every week. The cheap units get light as a feather in just a few days, and they don't absorb enough moisture, with the excess running out of the unit and onto your cigars. That's why I keep the cheap units face-up on the floor, ONLY! The bead cartridges are particularly bad at this; they rattle like a maraca when they run dry, but when you add distilled water, they are slow to absorb and there's no way to tell if you've added too much, causing the cartridge to "explode" as the suddenly-full beads break their casings.
And the Paradigms don't wear out easily. Every one I've ever used has lasted at least four full years of wet-dry-wet-dry-wet, etc use before the water storage medium starts to take on less water. When this happens, I do eventually replace the unit with another Paradigm. The storage media inside each unit is remarkable. It absorbs distilled water in large amounts in winter for discharge into the humidor, while it also absorbs excess moisture from the environment inside the humidor to help avoid over-humidification and the mold and beetle problems that come with too much moisture.
In terms of use and maintenance, the Paradigm is simple. I use an empty ice bucket to hold my Paradigms vertically to ensure maximum soaking of the medium, and I squeeze as many Paradigm units as possible into the bucket, before filling it to the brim with clean distilled water. That way, thanks to Archimedes' Principle, I can use less water to fill the bucket to the top and cover the slots with water. Then, after ten minutes, or when the bubbles stop, I take them out, blot them dry, and deploy them in my cabinets. Despite their increased water weight, the included magnets keep a firm but movable grip on the units while strong sticky material (odorless, of course) grips the top of the shelf, so the Paradigm can hang over my cigars and provide maximum coverage. The magnets and stickers included with the floral foam or bead cartridges are a joke; they are not strong enough to hold a charged cartridge and, even if they were, the foam/bead media would leak all over the cigars because the foam and beads don't absorb every drop that goes into the cartridge. When necessary, I use these cheaper things as "bowls" of distilled water on the floor of the shelf or on top of a cigar box. In that configuration, gravity does not help percolate the moisture through the cabinet, as it does with the Paradigms. The Paradigms can't drip because the water-holding media is stronger and because the only openings are side-slits, so gravity does not pull down dripping water from the reservoir. It's a simple, durable and effective design.
With Paradigm, I have been able to age some cigars more than a decade, and they feel as fresh and spongy as the day I bought them. In fact, friends without working humidors frequently bring me cigars that were stored in the box (with no humidification) or, even worse, the refrigerator or freezer. If the cigars have not cracked or suffered severe damage, my Paradigm systems can bring them back, but it is a slow process.
I rarely have had any problems with any Paradigm products, but I have gone though a lot of them over the years, and there was one occasion about 10 years ago when a new, large Paradigm wasn't holding water well. The manufacturer sent me a new one free of charge (including shipping), as well as extra magnets and an additional small unit. Occasionally, an end cap will pop off during a recharge; this can be fixed with a little super glue (VERY little be careful not to spill any onto the foam) or scotch tape. I trust my prized cigars to Paradigm, the best product of its kind on the market today.
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Patience is the key to using this item. It keeps my cigars at the correct humidity and gives me the perfect smoke every time. Using distilled water is another key. Taking the insert out and soaking it in the distilled water before putting it back inside can help and be another key to success.Good Luck
