I am planning on adding some more beads to my EdgeStar and am contemplating using Shilala's beads. I currently have HF beads in bags and was wandering if the two types of beads could be used together. I have heard good things about Shilala's beads and thought I would give them a try, but I don't want to start completely over purchasing a ton of new beads. What is the consensus...use together, stay with HF or make total switch to Shilala?
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you might as well have asked if we prefer Pepsi or Coke :-)

Everybody has their preference, mine is Shilala (Ive owned both) but Im sure you can mix them without issue.

Pepsi btw :-)
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Pepsi...unless it's with rum :-)
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Total switch to Shilalas beads hands down!! :-)

And Diet Pepsi BTW. :-)
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Both are great products.
You can use them together.

Coke. Hands down.
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BINGO! :-)
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If you use them together you need to make sure both sets of beads are at the same RH. No problems otherwise.

Having said that -- if you have HF Beads and you are happy with them then I would stick with them. HF and HCM beads are maintained very differently and it could be a source of confusion down the road when you accidentally add some water or spritz the HCM beads...

If you are unhappy with the HF beads I would like to know why you want to switch -- sometimes switching beads will not solve your problem. It's not that I don't want your business, but I would rather have a happy BOTL and a happy customer even more.

RC :-); otherwise Coke.
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Definitely can use the two together (provided, of course, they are the same RH). And I agree; Coke hands down.
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Pepsi. Nuff said.
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Pepsi all the way.
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:-) on both the beads and Coke.
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I don't have any problems with the HF beads. I just thought about adding more beads to help the temp swings when the unit turns on or the door is opened. Since I was looking into getting more, I just thought about trying the other beads since they seem to be so popular.

I don't really have any maintenance with my HF beads. I have about a pound in the bottom and a pound in the top. I have a few small tubes spread about the shelves. I have not sprayed them since they were placed into the unit almost a year ago. The EdgeStar stays around 65% unless the unit is running then it will drop to high 50's until it recovers. Every once in a while I will place a shot glass of distilled water inside the unit for the beads to absorb if it seems to be a little low on RH.
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It sounds like your HF beads are working fine. Like I said, I would welcome your business, but I am a firm believer in "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"...
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You are already sacrificing valuable cigar space with a ton of beads. I use a pound of HF beads in two bags in both of my 28btl Vinotemp's. No Rh issues in the past 3 years. Rh is always going to drop when you open the door, you could add 20lbs of beads and this will still happen. It really sounds like you have a bead storage cooler with very little room left for cigars. :-)
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Mountain Dew...made by Pepsi:-)
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I use HF beads to "catch" any condensation at the drain of my vinos and HCM beads everywhere else in them. I have one bag of HCM beads in my Igloo, and my desk tops just have Dry Mystat tubes in them. This setup works well for me. I only have to maintain the Dry Mystat tubes every so often.
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