What other brands cat litter?
 

No stores with Exquisicat crystals locally here. What other brands are comparable?
Thx - RR

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I think you just want to ensure its silica KL and scent free. No local petsmart?


http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...AvailInUS%2FNo

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

How about ordering it online and having it shipped?

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I'm sure your cat really doesn't care about the brand you're using when it goes to piss and **** in it.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

How did I know someone would offer this sage advice??? :=:

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Best deal I found was this Mimi stuff at Walmart. A 4lb bag for less than $5.

I've been running it in a humidor and a coolidor for going on 3 months and I have not had to touch anything after getting the humidity where I want it (65-67). Maintenance free so now I only open the humi's to take out or put in cigars.
http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/v...ps05af3ee8.jpg

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Sorry bro, but you coukd put rocks in a hunidor and it would be fine for 3 months. Kitty litter only absorbs moisture it dies not release anything and will not regulate Rh to any setpoint. Also, you will need twice as much KL as beads(review Shilala's post for study)

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Kitty litter? I've heard of dog rockets, but not cat turds. :D

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Time will tell (one way or the other) but this is a big improvement over the credo/distilled water setup I had to baby for many years.

Regarding amount of litter to use, I've used maybe 1 of the 4 pounds in a coolidor and a 50 ct humidor, so with 3 pounds unsued (and with a bag costing only $4), quantity is not a concern for my application.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I wonder if is working simply because is absorbing some of the extra moisture, meaning it wont work once you needed due to it not been able to release it back.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I didn't weigh the amount I used in my wineador, but four 12" x 4" baggies full are in the bottom. It's holding steady at 65F/66RH.

Not dismissing the Shilala Beads. I've got those in both of my igloos and both desktops and can't speak highly enough about their stability.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I've never understood the kitty litter phenomena -- how do you add moisture to the environment when needed?

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I use Heartfelt but would really like to hear from someone that used the "proper" silica KL and it flat didn't work for them.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

The KL crystals look almost exactly like some cigar humidity beads on the market. You give them a spritz or splash just like you do the cigar silica beads and they supposedly hold RH in the same ranges. They don't turn to gel.

I still think some folks get confused with the grey kitty litter that looks like clay or others similar.

Again, I am a fan of Heartfelt which keeps my humi's in great condition, I just wanna know the exact differences.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Scott has covered this a few times in the past, here's his short version of it:
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showpo...2&postcount=40

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I don't know. It's all magic to me. I can just report on what I see and taste. Cigars are smoking fine, and the RH stays within 62-67RH...with two calibrated hygrometers in there. I haven't tried it with the wine cooler unplugged. Actually...here's what I CAN do. I'll do the salt test, but sub the salt with KL and use a hygro that's already set up and see what the readings are over the next few weeks. Be an interesting experiment at the least.

My Shilalas came in yesterday for the wineador (KL was a bandaid to get me going).

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Yes read that post from 2008 many times and he sells the the HCM (also fantastic) beads doesn't he?

The Pro KL camp say they use the exact same amount of KL silica crystals as others do cigar beads. I just don't know and since I see people in this forum are actually using them I would like to see how they work for them over time, which I think is the key part here.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Here's my issue with KL. It's not designed for cigars. It's designed for absorbing cat urine and feces, and their associated odors.

Cigar humidification beads are designed for cigars, and engineered to keep cigars in an ideal range. They remove excess humidity from the airspace, and release humidity when it drops too low.

I have a lot of money (to me) invested into cigars. Why skimp when it comes to protecting that investment? HCM or Heartfelt gets my money, and (to me) is cheap insurance.

I'd never be able to trust KL.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

You are spot on when you mention KL is designed to absorb. However, they are not designed to release humidity.

I believe you are incorrect when you state humidifcation beads were designed for cigars. To the best of my knowledge, they were originally designed for and are still in use to maintain humidity in enclosures for rare museum artifacts. If KL were an equivalent product, I would tend to believe museums would save money and use KL. Guess what, they aren't.

Those that use KL and swear by the results are fortunate and I'm happy for them and happy that they are satisfied. But to claim that KL does the same thing as humidification beads is just plain horse hockey.

:2

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

You're most likely correct, Peter. I'll amend my statement to say that they (what we refer to as cigar beads) were designed specifically to regulate humidity. I've always seen hcm beads reference cigars, not museum artifacts, so I assumed.

I'll stand by the rest of it though. :tu

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Found a Petsmart in Orlando that carries the Exquisicat fragrance free crystals. It's on sale for $9.00 for the 8#container. May end up switching to the more revered crystals at some point, but at 1/5 the cost, sure as heck gonna give the kl a try first. Just gonna be damn sure to keep the cats away! No yellow snow in my wineador! Thanks to the replies that we're actually on point! :tu
RR

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I only saw one post that was poking fun. Ths rest of the "off point" posts (which I'm assuming you mean those of us who don't agree with trusting kitty litter with our cigar collection) were actually spot on.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Just poking back- love to be an instigator...absolutely no disrespect meant. After all, I just may end up eating my kitty litter and using beads!!!
RR

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Makes your mission all the more important.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Cat litter is not for me. Scott has it well documented why quality beads are the way to go. The surface area needed for kitty litter alone is so drastic that the beads pay for themselves. Not to mention time it takes to rehumidify after opening and closing the door.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Reviews and impressions from other folks are great but I'm 3 months in with the unscented silica KL and have not touched 'em in the humidor or coolidor since getting them to my desired humidity after installing (which took a couple of days).

I respect other opinions and accounts but that won't override my personal experience and my real world experiment with a $4 bag of KL is going great (I've only used 1/4th of the bag). My cigars are smoking great and I haven't had to lift a finger in these 3 months to adjust humidity (I have the humidor at 66/67 and the coolidor at 64/65). I love it!

Now maybe in month 4 my humidity will fall off and I'll have to spray the KL with a little distilled water to have 'em pick it up, but even if that is the case, I will be thrilled with a humidification system this inexpensive that only has to be tweaked every 4 months.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Out of curiosity: what is the ambient humidity of the room where you have your humidors(s)?

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Here it is below...this recently calibrated hygrometer has now been sitting in the room for 45 minutes. Chicago weather is predictably unpredictable...though its cooler outside right now at 46 degrees, it was 90 a few days ago and I don't know what the room humidity was then.

http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/v...ps0cd3b862.jpg

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

10 points? I could bring a humidor up 10 points with wet brick.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Ok, maybe but my credo with distilled water was unable to accomplish without weekly adjustment. Also, keep in mind that this now spring and I started on the KL in winter when the room humidity was in the 40s...humidity still was maintaining in the mid 60s.

i keep hearing how anything could maintain this humidity for this 3 month period of time, but I disagree. The humidity swings can be crazy in Chicago and I've gone 3 months in 2 different seasons with a couple 90 degree summer like days thrown in...yet both my storage options remain rock solid in the mid 60s with no maintenance.

I just believe what I'm witnessing more than what other folks are saying.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Ken - good info. Glad to hear the KL is working out thus far. Keep us posted as time goes by. Just received my trays yesterday, so will be setting up my wineador this week...using the low cost route. Hey- even if things get out of whack, can still go to beads. What is they say...nothing ventured...
RR

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I bow to your superior knowledge, experience and understanding gained in three whole months.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Thanks. I will update here in a couple of months or sooner if anything changes.

As do I to your mischaracterization of my position (congrats!).

I didn't come to this thread for input on KL and if it works. I came to share my brief experience with the OP. Funny how my whole KL setup has just luckily (according to some) held humidity for 3 months but my previous setup wasn't stable for more than a week at a time.

So as long as my cigars are smoking right (they are) and my humidity remains stable (it does), I will be beating the KL drum.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Nice attitude to a guy just trying to experiment to see if something works for him.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I use beads exclusively but I appreciate you sharing this information as I enjoy reading about how other's take care of business. Thanks!

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Ken, care to post some picks of your setup? You treating your KL just like Heartfelt beads?

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Peter is 100% correct.
I can make KL beads work. Thing is, I can achieve the same results with clay cat litter and it's cheaper. I don't know why anyone would pay $8.00 a bag for silica kitty litter when clay litter is under 2 bucks at the dollar store.
That's not a tongue-in-cheek comment, either. I just need a few hours with some tupperware, hygrometers, a calculator, and a clock.

Adam is correct, too. Quite frankly I'd rather work with a wet brick than either type of Kitty Litter.

Bob is right on the money, too. Kinda.
Kitty Litter will gather and release humidity. If you use enough, it'll even regulate to a setpoint via equilibrium.
Problem there is the math. KL needs about twice the surface area in a perfectly sealed environment to do the same thing as HCM beads. Notice I said SURFACE AREA.
In order for KL beads to work as fast and with the same efficiency as HCM beads, it'd take 9 times the surface area as HCM beads.

Now, if you calculate density per volume by weight, you'll find KL beads are much lighter per volume than HCM beads. In order to hold the same amount of water in KL beads as you can hold in HCM beads, I'm guessing you'd need somewhere near a pickup bed full compared to a pound of HCM beads.
I'm being facetious, and can't remember the volumes to do the math, but it's a LOT.
Clay KL would do much, much better per volume in that arena.

I guess what I'm trying to point out is that there are a lot of points to consider when you pit one type of beads against another. Far more than meets the eye.
Regardless, there's not a type of cigar humidification product that you can get on the cheap that's a value over Micheal's HCM (shilala) beads or Heartfelt beads, Cigarmony's beads.
I know how this sh1t works. If I could use a brick with greater efficiency, you can be certain there'd be bricks in my humidors because I'm cheap.
I learned every lesson I've ever learned straight through my pocketbook, and you KL guys are welcome to do the same. It's how we learn.
Do be aware that you can easily end up with moldy, soggy, or dried out cigars if you aren't careful. Be vigilant and you'll probably be okay. Don't get too confident though. :tu

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Scott is wise. :)

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

:cl:cl

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

THIS!!
I've tried everything but KL. And personally, I'll never use anything but HCM. I have 2 half pound bags in my 150qt Marine cooler and it stays rock solid at 65% RH year round. I've invested too much to use anything else. Just my :2

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I suspect that preferences for either KL or any of the various types of cigar humidification designed beads (how's that for political correctness) is very much like preferences for different cigars. What is nirvana for one may absolutely suck for some one else. Viva la difference! Best thing is that there are views from both sides here to educate those who follow. Personally, that gives me an out in the event that my first choice flops. RR

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you on that. /lumberg voice

Preferences in cigars is completely subjective. In reference to kl vs. beads, you are trying to argue against proven scientific fact.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Hello guys,
Just wanted to post an update. At this point I'm a beleiver and KL has performed much better than I even hoped. I'm in or around month 4 of using KL through 3 different seasons here in Chicago (started in winter, went through spring, and am now in summer with recent above 80 degree days) and I still have yet to touch my KL in my coolidor (Humidity STILL holding at 65/66). Not exaggerating here, as I literally have not done a thing to my KL since I got the humidity where I wanted it apprx 4 months ago.

I am convinced at this point and to those who frown on the KL, to each their own, but my personal experience voids all the anecdotal evidence I've read against KL.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Keep us posted.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Anyone tried this brand yet?

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...psc6d8019c.png

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

Hell Yeah!!!

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I'm still boggled by this. Isn't kl specifically formulated to ABSORB moisture? How does it add moisture back to air in a low humidity environment?

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

I am holding out for the good stuff called ShitiCat. I hear its the best :D

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

From the HCM webiste:

"In order to get the same humidity buffering benefit from kitty litter as from HCM beads, a person would need to use 9 to 14 pounds of kitty litter as compared to one pound of HCM beads. At $50 for a pound of HCM beads and $28 for 14 pounds of kitty litter, it appears at first to be a "value". The problem is, in order for the Kitty litter to work as well as one pound of HCM beads, it needs to be arranged so as to provide 910 square inches of surface area as opposed to 65 square inches of surface area for HCM beads. Are you willing to spare that kind of space in your humidor?

Even at that rate, the kitty litter is far slower reactively than are HCM beads. They can handle the buffering and provide the volume needed, but they take much longer to recover the RH of the conditioned space."

This is from people who have done the math. Not someone who simply added KL to a humidor and watched a hygro.

If you live in an area where the RH doesn't stray too far from your ideal range for your cigars, then the KL may work just fine. You won't catch me with KL in my humis though. Northern MN goes through a little bit of humidity swings between the seasons.

Re: What other brands cat litter?
 

It works for him. Why does that bother some people around here so much? If it works well and his sticks are how he likes them, then people should leave him alone.

This is starting to sound like the old Chevy v. Ford ***** fests from the 60s and 70s.