Cigar Club Smoke Eaters: Media v. Electronic

Are you in the process of opening a business catering to cigar enthusiasts? If so, congratulations on taking this exciting step! Opening a new business comes with a lot of challenges, but is also extremely rewarding. As you probably know, businesses that allow smoking indoors come with some unique challenges, one of the most pressing of which is: What type of smoke eater should you get? If you're in the process of weighing the options for managing the cigar smoke in your space, you may be trying to figure out whether to go with a media or electronic unit. Find out the pros and cons of each.

Media Smoke Eaters

Media smoke eaters draw cigar smoke through a filter that collects harmful particles and odors before discharging fresh, clean air. It will use a blower or similar mechanism to draw air into the unit. A good commercial smoke eater of this type will be about to remove about 95 percent of smoke particles on each pass through the filter.

The defining feature of media smoke eaters is that they have filters requiring regular replacement. Those costs accumulate and should be a part of the operating budget for your cigar club or lounge. However, these units are relatively low maintenance otherwise. The filters used for this type of unit will be disposable rather than something you can clean.

Electronic Smoke Eaters

Electronic units work by trapping pollutant particles like those found in cigar smoke and given a charge. In a magnet-like process, collection cells gather the charged particles and pull them through a carbon after-filter that removes odors. It then disperses fresh air back into the room.

Instead of filters, electronic smoke eaters have electronic cells. The cells require regular cleaning, but do not need to be replaced in the same way that filters in media type models need to be replaced on a schedule.

This type of smoke eater generally operates more quietly than media type models, which might be an appealing benefit for creating the perfect cigar lounge experience.

Other factors to consider

Before purchasing a smoke eater for your cigar club or business, consider the following questions:

• What's the square footage of the space?
• How many clients or customers will use the space at any given time?
• Do you need a model that's flush-mounted or can it stick out from the wall or ceiling?
• Will other space constraints affect your smoke eater installation?
• Are indoor smoking bans or local ordinances going to affect your business?

A professional company that regularly deals with owners of cigar clubs and other similar establishments can help you find the right smoke eater and deal with any service questions that come up down the line.