This is not an ad for smoking.
Updated on: October 27, 2026
Scroll through Instagram or photos from recent after-parties and you might think smoking is back. Cigarettes have returned to the cultural frame, in films, fashion and social media, less as a habit than as an image. Yet the ashtray’s comeback has little to do with smoking itself. It is back as a design object: a small sculpture for the coffee table, a tray for keys and rings, or a rest for incense.
This guide explains why ashtrays are having a moment, how to choose one by material, and eleven ashtrays and trays by independent studios, from cast concrete to hand-blown glass and machined steel.
Why ashtrays are back
Smoking rates have not gone up; in fact, the World Health Organization reports that they keep falling worldwide. The ashtray’s return is about nostalgia and design. We tend to romanticize the past, smoothing over its edges, and the ashtray belongs to a group of returning objects, like the record player and the rotary phone, that carry a memory of slower, more social evenings. Designers have noticed: Wallpaper* covered twenty emerging designers interpreting the ashtray for Paris Design Week, and Sight Unseen followed more than eighty artists reimagining it as a desk object.
Today, a well-made ashtray is just as likely to hold rings, matches, palo santo or nothing at all. Its job is to sit on a table and be looked at.
How to choose an ashtray
Start with how you will use it. For actual ash, choose a heat-resistant, non-combustible material with a cigarette rest and enough depth to hold ash in a draft; outdoors, a lid or wind guard helps. For a catch-all or incense tray, form and material can lead.
- Glass: a glass ashtray is easy to clean and lets light through; hand-blown pieces turn a simple dish into a small sculpture. Read more about glass blowing.
- Ceramic and porcelain: a ceramic ashtray takes glaze, color and sculptural detail well, and is heat-resistant once fired.
- Stainless steel and aluminum: a metal ashtray is durable and practical, with a sharp, industrial look; see more metal decor.
- Marble, onyx and volcanic stone: heavy and stable, with natural veining; porous stones may stain, so they suit trays and catch-alls best.
- Concrete and plaster: matte and tactile, often cast into soft or unexpected shapes, and best for incense or display.
11 design ashtrays and trays to collect
These pieces are all available on ADORNO and each comes from a different studio. They range from a €90 concrete tray to a porcelain still life, and all of them work as well for incense or small objects as for ash.
Wrp-004 Stainless Steel Ashtray by NAVE
Ecuadorian studio NAVE builds this ashtray from intersecting 3 mm sheets of 304 stainless steel, which define three zones: a tray for ash, a slot for cigarettes and a rest for the one in use. The orthogonal planes give it an architectural presence. With 4 checkouts and 372 views in the last 90 days, it is the most-wanted ashtray on ADORNO.
By NAVE
€250 incl. tax
Ash Tray – Solid Aluminum by PRACTICE
Korean studio PRACTICE machines solid aluminum blocks and assembles them with exposed bolts and nuts. A built-in rest gives the cigarette a clear place, so function is part of the form. It has three sales and steady carts this season.
By PRACTICE
€150 incl. tax
Pillow Tray Raw – Concrete Design Tray by julius.works
julius.works casts fine concrete into the shape of a soft, sunken cushion. The form suggests give, yet the material holds firm, a quiet joke between what you see and what you feel. It works as an ashtray, incense rest or catch-all, and has drawn 6 carts this season.
By julius.works
€90 incl. tax
Flight Mode Burning Tray by Obscure Objects
Obscure Objects gives this aluminum tray a brushed outer surface and a hand-polished hollow that curves like the bowl of a spoon. It is equally suited to ash, incense or small personal items, and has reached checkout twice this season.
By Obscure Objects
€206 incl. tax
Ashen – Marble Ashtray / Catch All Tray by Boo Design Studio
Boo Design Studio carves Ashen from marble in soft curves that recall desert dunes. Use one as an ashtray or catch-all tray, or line several up so the waves join into a continuous landscape. It has sold twice on ADORNO.
By Boo Design Studio
€162 incl. tax
Strawberry Ashtray by Sugoi Studio
Danish ceramic artist Charlotte Kølkjær of Sugoi Studio sculpts the remnants of a night out, cigarette butts and a stray strawberry, in hyper-realistic white stoneware. It can be used as an ashtray, stood up or hung on the wall as a sculpture.
By Sugoi Studio
€380 incl. tax
Totem – Onyx & Marquina Checkered Tray by CARRARA
CARRARA cuts white onyx and black Nero Marquina marble into squares and assembles them by hand into a checkerboard tray. The grid gives a steady rhythm, while the stone gives weight. Use it for ash, jewelry or incense.
By CARRARA
€180 incl. tax
Ring Ashtray by Daniel Orozco Estudio
Mexican studio Daniel Orozco Estudio carves this ashtray from volcanic stone or solid wood and tops it with a fitted wooden lid that sits flush. Closed, it reads as a simple sculptural object; open, it hides the ash from view.
By Daniel Orozco Estudio
€170 incl. tax
Myth Ashtray – Handcrafted Blown Glass by PIA GLASSWORKS
Spanish studio PIA GLASSWORKS blows each Myth ashtray by hand, giving it a wavy rim on a slender stem, more like a small goblet than a dish. Subtle variations in shape mean no two match exactly.
By PIA GLASSWORKS
€200 incl. tax
Brasa 04 – Plaster Tray by Pierre Klein
French designer Pierre Klein molds the Brasa 04 tray in technical plaster, then finishes and paints it by hand in a bold orange. Custom colors are available, and slight differences in the painted details make each piece individual.
By Pierre Klein
€120 incl. tax
Post Modern Inspired Lips With A Rose Porcelain Ashtrays by Hania Jneid Design Studio
Hania Jneid casts this ashtray in white porcelain and fixes a fleeting habit into a lasting form: porcelain cigarettes lie mid-use, and a pair of red lips holds a rose. It is part function, part postmodern still life.
By Hania Jneid Design Studio
€550 incl. tax
Beyond ash: catch-all trays and incense
Most of these pieces have a second life. By the front door, an ashtray becomes a catch-all tray for keys, coins and earrings. On a bedside table, it holds rings and a watch overnight. With a stick of incense or palo santo, it becomes a small ritual object; for more ideas, see ADORNO’s selection of contemporary incense holders. On a coffee table, group one ashtray with a candle and a stack of books so it reads as part of a composition rather than a lone accessory.
How to care for an ashtray
Empty and wipe it often, as ash and resin stain over time. Wash glass, glazed ceramic, porcelain and stainless steel in warm soapy water; a paste of baking soda lifts stubborn marks. Clean aluminum with mild soap only, as harsh cleaners dull the surface. Wipe marble, onyx, volcanic stone, concrete and plaster with a damp cloth and avoid acids such as vinegar, which etch the surface; if you use stone for ash, a small glass or metal insert keeps it clean.
Frequently asked questions about ashtrays
What is the best material for an ashtray?
Glass, ceramic, porcelain and stainless steel are the most practical, because they are heat-resistant and easy to clean.
Can an ashtray be used as a catch-all tray?
Yes. Many design ashtrays work as catch-all trays for keys, jewelry and small objects, or as incense holders.
Are marble ashtrays practical?
Marble is heavy and stable but porous, so it can stain. It suits occasional use, incense or display better than daily ash.
What makes a good outdoor ashtray?
Weight, depth and a lid or wind guard, in a weather-resistant material such as stainless steel or aluminum.
How do I get rid of the smell of an ashtray?
Empty it daily, wash it in warm soapy water, and add a layer of sand, coffee grounds or baking soda to absorb odor.
Why are ashtrays popular again?
Mostly as design objects. Nostalgia, the return of tabletop rituals and their use as catch-alls and incense trays have brought them back.
All signal, no smoke
The ashtray has moved from a habit to an object. Whether it holds ash, incense or a ring, a well-made one carries the material, humor and hand of the studio behind it.
