Product Review: Cigar Cutters (Guillotine and Punch)

Posted by toasted on Apr 10, 2010 in Reviews | 2 comments

Today’s product review comes courtesy of Cheap Humidors. Be sure to check them out online and give them a follow on Twitter. Today, we’ll be taking a look at two of their cutters.

Stainless Steel Guillotine Cutter (Here)

The polished gunmetal finish on this guillotine cutter is a good start and the gold hardware on the edges adds a bit of character. In my hand, the cutter has a good weight to it and seems to be well constructed. As I open up the blades, there is a bit more resistance than I anticipated and the action seems a little loose after the cutter is open. I used the cutter multiple times over the course of a few weeks and I was satisfied with the results. The self-sharpening blades cut well with clean edges and the action, while not as smooth as I like, was sufficient and got the job done. While I don’t think this cutter is built for a lifetime, it is a nice one to keep around as an extra or as a travel cutter. I plan on placing mine in my car so that is available on the road and, at $9.99, the price point is right.

Havana Retractable Cigar Punch (Here)

I’ve used punches here and there but they’ve never been a go-to for me. Typically I reach for the typical guillotine, plus the punch doesn’t work in all cases, such as tiny gauges or Torpedos, and I always feel weird punching a pigtail. All that to say, I own a punch but rarely use it.

This punch from Cheap Humidors was a lot of fun, however. It has a spring loaded release that sends the circular blade inside when not in use, a good safety feature, and it has a nice rubberized and textured grip to it. Though I have only used about 5 or so different punches, this is by far the best I’ve used. In each cigar I punched, the draw was excellent and there were no issues with unraveling or with loose tobacco. The price is moderate as well, at around $6. I will start using this more often, without question, but I don’t see it replacing my Xikar anytime soon.