Ember Steel Table Ashtray

Why steel over glass or ceramic

Glass ashtrays crack under a hot coal or a forgotten cigar. Ceramic chips. Steel does neither, and it does not stain the way a light ceramic dish does after a month of use. It also does not shatter when it comes off a table, which matters more than it should.

Weight

A light ashtray moves when you stub out, which spreads ash across the table. A weighted base stays put. It is a small detail that separates an ashtray you keep from one you replace.

Indoor use

Designed for a table rather than a balcony in wind. For outdoor use the Windproof Outdoor Ashtray has a lid and enclosed design that stops ash blowing across a terrace.

Cleaning

Empty it while cool, wash with warm soapy water, dry it. Tar builds up as a sticky film if left, and a soak in hot water with a little bicarbonate lifts it. Steel takes detergent without complaint.

For hookah

Usable for coals, but check the depth and heat tolerance above — a shallow ashtray with a hot coconut coal will mark a table underneath it.

Safety

Never empty an ashtray into a bin until you are certain everything is cold. A cigar can smoulder for a long time after it looks dead.