Some of these points are pretty well known but just adding my viewpoint after smoking pipes for awhile:
Cigars:
Pros:
Normally,clip it, light it and smoke it. Although some require relights and touch ups for uneven burns for the most part they are light and forget.
Flavor profiles seem stronger and more varied. Obviously I've not had a wide variety of pipe tobacco yet but it would have to come a long way to match. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. (see pipe review)
At local B&M's cigars are more widely available than pipe tobacco.
On many cigars you can put the smoke down and come back to it several minutes later with no need to relight.
Cons:
More expensive overall if you are more than a casual cigar smoker.
Requires care in storage.
They make my hands reek of cigar smell and more prone to making clothes smell as well. (I'm talking about on my porch where I normally smoke here)
If you are limited on time you either have to have smokes sized for that, or toss it when you have to stop. (I don't clip and relight) This adds to the cost.
Pipes:
Pros:
Pipe tobacco is very inexpensive compared to cigars.
Although flavor profiles seem weaker, after getting used to them the milder strength actually can make tasting the nuances easier.
I can hold a pipe in my mouth and do other things. I can't stand to do this with a cigar.
Pipe and tobacco storage requires less work.
Smoking a pipe seems more relaxing.
Since I don't handle it so much with my hands, they don't smell of smoke when I'm done.
If you are interrupted and have to stop mid bowl you are out very little money.
Cons:
Initial purchase can be expensive depending on what kind and how many pipes you start with.
Until you learn to pack the pipe it will require lots of fuss and relights.
Even after you learn to pack a pipe there will probably be a relight or maintenance on the bowl.
Pipes should be cleaned and maintained regularly.
I've heard some pipes are fragile if you drop them.
I seem to take more smoke into my lungs with pipes. I'm sure this is just technique but early on it made me almost stop smoking them. I seem to have gotten better at it lately.
-------
These are just my personal thoughts. Although I tend to be reaching for the pipe more lately when I do have a cigar I really enjoy it. Is one better than the other? To me, no. They are different and require different attitudes.
I'm finding the pipe maintenance to be less of a hassle than I thought it would be but it's still more than cigars if you have a solid humidor set up.
And the pipe tobacco makes the house smell NICE.
Cigars:
Pros:
Normally,clip it, light it and smoke it. Although some require relights and touch ups for uneven burns for the most part they are light and forget.
Flavor profiles seem stronger and more varied. Obviously I've not had a wide variety of pipe tobacco yet but it would have to come a long way to match. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. (see pipe review)
At local B&M's cigars are more widely available than pipe tobacco.
On many cigars you can put the smoke down and come back to it several minutes later with no need to relight.
Cons:
More expensive overall if you are more than a casual cigar smoker.
Requires care in storage.
They make my hands reek of cigar smell and more prone to making clothes smell as well. (I'm talking about on my porch where I normally smoke here)
If you are limited on time you either have to have smokes sized for that, or toss it when you have to stop. (I don't clip and relight) This adds to the cost.
Pipes:
Pros:
Pipe tobacco is very inexpensive compared to cigars.
Although flavor profiles seem weaker, after getting used to them the milder strength actually can make tasting the nuances easier.
I can hold a pipe in my mouth and do other things. I can't stand to do this with a cigar.
Pipe and tobacco storage requires less work.
Smoking a pipe seems more relaxing.
Since I don't handle it so much with my hands, they don't smell of smoke when I'm done.
If you are interrupted and have to stop mid bowl you are out very little money.
Cons:
Initial purchase can be expensive depending on what kind and how many pipes you start with.
Until you learn to pack the pipe it will require lots of fuss and relights.
Even after you learn to pack a pipe there will probably be a relight or maintenance on the bowl.
Pipes should be cleaned and maintained regularly.
I've heard some pipes are fragile if you drop them.
I seem to take more smoke into my lungs with pipes. I'm sure this is just technique but early on it made me almost stop smoking them. I seem to have gotten better at it lately.
-------
These are just my personal thoughts. Although I tend to be reaching for the pipe more lately when I do have a cigar I really enjoy it. Is one better than the other? To me, no. They are different and require different attitudes.
I'm finding the pipe maintenance to be less of a hassle than I thought it would be but it's still more than cigars if you have a solid humidor set up.
And the pipe tobacco makes the house smell NICE.
