Anyware Computer Accessories Smokeless Ashtray

It's not everyday that we get to review a product that is cute and can kill you. The Anyware Smokeless Ashtray is an adorable yellow VW Beetle with a flip top head containing a fan which sucks smoke from a cigarette and dissipates it so it doesn't escape into the room.

The ashtray is inside the car and the fan turns on as you open the lid to the annoying whirl of the internal fan. The smoke is sucked in by the fan and filtered through a layer of charcoal mesh which seems to absorb the smoke so it doesn't come out the other end. The fan itself also dissipates the smoke particles so they are no longer visible - so whether the sponge is absorbing them or if they simply can no longer be seen remains a mystery.

Here at the GoodGearGuide, we will stop at nothing to bring our readers the latest reviews even if that means putting our own lives in danger. To review this device we smoked a full packet of cigarettes and even downed a few beers to simulate the regular environment that it would be used in. On a serious note, the biggest problems with this product are that the fan is rather loud and the product itself seems completely pointless. Even without smoke in the ashtray there will still be smoke in the air from the actual smoking of the cigarette. On the other hand, it can help lessen lingering smoking odours and perhaps reduce the risk of passive smoking.

The Anyware Smokeless Ashtray uses two AA batteries to power the fan and can also be connected to a PC via USB. At the fairly cheap retail price it's a fun little gimmick, despite its flaws we enjoyed playing with it - maybe a little too much...