Pure n Natural Blog

Levels of Cigar Room Ventilation (Updated 2025)

Written by Brenda Roy | Sep 11, 2017

Nothing sucks the joy out of enjoying a great cigar than a stuffy, stinky atmosphere. Setting up a place to comfortably enjoy a smoke — be it a commercial cigar business or home hideaway — requires proper ventilation. Ensuring a flow of fresh air helps create the perfect cigar lounge experience and protects you, your patrons or your family from the dangers of cigar smoke or unpleasant smoke smell.

Level 1: Windows and Fans

Cigar smoke needs to find its way outside somehow! It's hard to enjoy a fine cigar in a cloud of smoke, which isn't good for your health anyway. At the most basic level, you need windows that open and some kind of fan or exhaust mechanism to draw smoke out. While this primitive approach might suffice for a secluded detached cigar room in a private residence, it probably won't meet standards for a commercial setting.

Level 2: Air Purifiers

In addition to removing allergens and other harmful particles, cigar smoke air purifiers help sanitize your lounge while quietly eliminating smoke, odor and toxins without disrupting the atmosphere. They can be a great solution in a residential setting with limited indoor smoking. Starting at just a few hundred dollars for a wall-mounted unit, these can be purchased on most budgets.

Level 3: Smoke Eaters

For the safest and most comfortable cigar‑room ventilation, commercial smoke eaters with separate ventilation are optimal for high‑smoke environments like cigar lounges and hookah bars, where patrons and bar decor need protection. You can choose from models that use filters or remove smoke electronically, and even mount flush to the wall—read our post on  media vs electronic smoke eaters to understand the differences. While smoke eaters cost more than basic air purifiers, they’re worth the investment—our article why your ventilation system is your most important investment breaks down the ROI of proper ventilation.

High‑Capacity Smoke Eaters for Heavy Smoke Needs

For cigar lounges, bars and other venues where smoke is constant, standard air purifiers may not be enough. Heavy‑duty smoke eaters combine powerful blowers with multi‑stage filtration to tackle both particulates and stubborn odors. Check out the Mark Series: Mark-10, Mark 15-V, and Mark 20-V heavy duty smoke eaters:

  • All three Mark smoke eaters use a robust three‑stage filtration system: a pre‑filter catches larger particles, an activated‑carbon (or carbon V‑bank for the V models) filter absorbs odors and gases, and a high‑efficiency filter captures fine particulates.

  • Installation hardware and first‑year filters are included, so businesses can set up quickly without buying additional parts.

  • An optional remote control makes operation simple when the unit is installed out of reach.

  • These models mount to the ceiling or wall and are designed to remove tobacco smoke and lingering odors effectively, making them well‑suited for commercial settings. 

  • For more details on the Mark Series models, check out our Buyer's Guide.

Mark‑10:

  • 650–850 CFM
  • Coverage up to 4,000 cubic feet

Recommended for: rooms with ceilings under 10 feet, such as small cigar lounges, taverns or meeting rooms 

Mark‑15‑V: (Most Popular Model)

  • 1,050–1,250 CFM
  • Coverage for about 6,000 cubic feet

Recommended for: larger hospitality spaces with 10–12 foot ceilings—think community halls, restaurants or busy cigar bars—where persistent smoke and odor control are essential

Mark‑20‑V: (Most Powerful Model)

  • 1,250–1,650 CFM
  • Coverage up to 8,000 cubic feet

Recommended for: ideal for venues with high ceilings (12 feet or more) and heavy smoke loads, such as bingo halls, airports, hospitals or large labs, where heavy-duty smoke removal is critical

It helps to talk to an experienced dealer about your needs—our smoke eater recommendation form lets you answer a few questions and receive a professional, unbiased recommendation, usually within 24 hours. Factors such as your cigar room’s layout, total square footage, ceiling height and construction materials, existing HVAC configuration, budget parameters, and desired aesthetics all influence the most effective solution for your environment. Use our simple tool to calculate CFM requirements based on your room dimensions and ensure the unit you choose moves enough air.