Abstract: An ash-tray of the kind having an ash compartment and a moveable closing element, which normally seals the compartment to prevent any unpleasant smell, comprises an upwardly extending sleeve supported above the ash compartment and which is closed off at the bottom by a pivotable flap. To extinguish the glowing part of a cigarette stub or the like the stub is dropped into the closely fitting sleeve and, after a few seconds, the glowing ember is smothered. The cigarette stub can thereafter be dropped down into the ash compartment by downward pressure on an actuating member to open the flap via a pin.