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Practically every premium cigar has one open end that you light (called the foot), and the other end which needs snipped (the head) before you place it into your mouth. Cutters can range in price from a simple $1 guillotine cutter to fancy cutters in the hundreds of dollars! While most of it is personal preference, you do need to be concerned as to the quality and sharpness of the blade.
 Guillotine cutters are normally the least expensive cutters on the market. They are a single blade cutter which starts cutting your cigar at one end and passes through the entire head of the cigar. Pressure is applied on your cigar from one side to the other, hence the guillotine term, to cut open your cigar. If the blade is dull, you will end up pinching the cigar more than you are cutting it which can lead to damage to the cigar or cracking the wrapper around the head of the cigar. This type of cutter is for short term use and is considered a disposable.
 Another type of cutter is the wedge cutter, or “V” cut. While its very similar to the guillotine cutter, it does not completely remove the head of the cigar. It cuts a “V” shape into the head and retains about half of the head of the cigar. Many cigar smokers like this type of cut to reduce damage to the cigar head AND to reduce tobacco pieces from entering the mouth when you smoke the cigar. These cutters tend to remain shaper longer than the regular guillotine cutters, but are also prone to wear which can damage a cigar if the blade is too dull. Because it’s a “V” cut, damage by a dull blade is still minimal, thus making this a nice choice of cutter to have in your collection.
 There is also a cigar punch, or hole punch, which is a cutter you can carry around on a keychain or even some cigar lighters have built in. Simply push the cutter against and into the head of the cigar and a nice hole is punched. This type of cutter is fine for many cigars on the market. However, it is not recommended for cigars which are very thick. Drawing smoke from a thick cigar through a small hole can create a buildup of tar around the hole and greatly affect the taste of the cigar. This type of cutter cannot be used on certain cigar shapes, like torpedo cigars which have a tapered head and no flat surface to accommodate a punch.
  Fancy scissors, dual-blade, and even triple blade cutters are available. What looks cool is not always the best choice. Note the quality of the cutter, the cigars you prefer to smoke, and also if the cutter has a warranty. Some companies, like Xikar (pictured to the right), provide a lifetime warranty on their cutters which covers everything from a dull blade to a broken cutter! You will pay a little more for such a fine cutter, but you will go through several inexpensive cutters before you ever have a problem with a quality one. Factor in the warranty value and you can leave more time to enjoying your cigars than wondering if you are going to get a good cut on your cigar, or damage it with a dull cutter!
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