Dual-Purpose Coffee Cup with Built-In Ashtray

If you’ve ever found yourself torn between taking a sip of coffee and lighting a cigarette, you’re not alone—both habits are hard to resist. But what if your coffee cup forced you to choose? This isn’t just a quirky conversation piece; it’s a functional design meant to make you pause.

The answer is simple: this is a coffee cup with a built-in ashtray, but it only works as one or the other. The front holds your brew, the back catches your ashes—you can’t use both at once.

What Is This Dual-Purpose Cup?

This is a specially designed coffee cup where the front side functions as a standard mug, while the reverse side is engineered as a fully usable cigarette ashtray. It’s not a gimmick—it’s a physical reminder to choose between smoking and sipping.

Why Combine a Coffee Cup and Ashtray?

The design plays on the common pairing of coffee and cigarettes. Many smokers also drink coffee regularly, often at the same time. This cup forces a decision: you can enjoy your coffee or smoke a cigarette, but not both simultaneously using the same object. The idea is to encourage mindfulness about these habits.

Who Designed It?

The concept was created by designer Craighton Berman. His work often explores everyday objects with a twist, and this coffee cup with an ashtray back is one of his thought-provoking pieces.

How Does It Work?

The cup is shaped so that one face is a typical coffee mug with a handle and drinking rim. The opposite face is a recessed area designed to hold cigarette ashes and butts—just like a standard ashtray. You flip it depending on your choice: coffee or cigarette. You can’t use both sides at the same time.

Is It Practical?

Practicality depends on your habits. If you often drink coffee and smoke in tandem, this cup makes you choose one over the other. It’s not meant for simultaneous use, so it’s more of a behavioral nudge than a multitool. It could be a conversation starter in a cafe or home setting, especially among smokers who also enjoy specialty coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this an actual product you can buy?

This coffee cup with an ashtray is a design concept by Craighton Berman, featured in design showcases. There’s no confirmation it’s in mass production or widely available for retail purchase, but it has been discussed as a creative way to address the combination of smoking and coffee drinking.

Why would someone want a coffee cup that also functions as an ashtray?

The primary reason is to create a deliberate choice between smoking and drinking coffee. It’s both a functional object and a behavioral prompt, making the user actively decide which habit to engage in at any given moment.

Does the cup work for both right-handed and left-handed people?

The article does not specify handedness compatibility, but given the dual-sided design, it’s likely intended to be usable by either hand, though flipping the cup to access the ashtray side might require some adjustment based on your dominant hand.

Can the ashtray part hold liquid if spilled?

The article does not state whether the ashtray side is spill-resistant or designed to hold liquids. Its primary function is to collect ashes and cigarette butts, so it may not be watertight or suitable for holding spilled coffee.

Is this a sustainable or eco-friendly design?

The design’s sustainability isn’t discussed in the article. While it combines two functions into one object, whether it uses eco-friendly materials or reduces waste overall is not specified. The focus is more on the behavioral aspect than environmental impact.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee Lovers

For coffee enthusiasts who enjoy a rich ritual, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for its bright lemon and floral notes, or the Kenya Gakuyuni AB for bold blackcurrant and winey acidity. If you prefer something deeper, the Guatemala Antigua offers chocolate and spice. These single-origin beans highlight the craft behind each cup—perfect for reflective coffee moments, with or without a cigarette nearby. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.