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What to get the man who has enough neckties
There’s a particular cliche around gifts associated with dads. They’re usually “low effort,” meaning they’re something you likely picked up off a shelf while gift shopping just so you can scratch one more name off the list. They’re also usually in the same singular category you know a given dad likes year after year. An example of this could be “golf,” so you always get something vaguely golf-related, such as custom balls or a necktie that looks like a golf green.
After all the things dads do year after year, typically with no thanks, they deserve a gift with more thought and substance. That said, we know that finding such gifts isn’t an easy task. So, to help you, we put together a list of top choices, from a six-bottle wine cooler to a mini cordless electric chain saw, that you can buy directly or use as a jumping-off point for something else that’s deservedly special.
BestReviews’ Jacob Palmer joins Olivia Horton to share BestReviews’ picks for the top holiday gifts this year.
Still working on your holiday shopping list? We rounded up some of the best gifts this year, from tech gadgets for kids to beauty tools to something special for the outdoorsy person on your list.
Best drinkware gifts for dads
It doesn’t matter if your dad is always on the go or comfortably retired at home, he deserves a mug that ensures his drink remains at his perfect temperature. It’s also a great choice for the environmentally conscious since it’s made with 90% recycled stainless steel. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s dishwasher-safe.
If your dad has a favorite local brewery where everyone knows his name, a great gift would be this growler so he can still drink his preferred brews at home. It holds up to 64 ounces and can keep beer cold for up to four days if on ice.
If your dad knows how to stay healthy and fit and enjoys his daily workouts, a gift of a high-quality shaker bottle for his liquid protein is wise. This one includes a shaker ball that makes it much easier for your dad’s shake to stay blended and delicious. Plus, it comes in seven designs of “Star Wars” or Marvel characters.
There’s nothing more aggravating than wanting to drink your favorite bottle of wine while relaxing at a beach or a public pool with a no-glass policy. This unique tumbler solves that issue. It holds half a standard bottle of wine and the cap serves as a lid.
Best kitchen appliances and accessories gifts for dads
Caraway’s Cookware Set makes the perfect gift! Cookware from Caraway is beautiful, low-maintenance, and easy to clean. Plus, these nonstick cookware sets feature even-heat distribution and nontoxic ceramic coating. The eco-friendly packaging and sleek storage features are bonuses unique to the Caraway brand. The set comes in an array of aesthetically pleasing colors, which makes the pots and pans pretty enough to leave out on your stovetop even when you’re not cooking.
Continuing with wine-focused gifts is this wine fridge for the serious sommelier in your life. It can hold six bottles and uses simple touchscreen controls to keep your wine at the right temperature. It can be installed anywhere as long as it has access to a power outlet, making it a good pick for dad caves.
For coffee connoisseurs, there’s nothing more sacred than that first sip in the morning. For some, that first sip must be a shot of espresso or a carefully made espresso-based drink, such as an Americano or latte. This machine lets you make those for a fraction of what a full espresso machine costs.
Another cliche of dadhood is that on becoming a dad, a man becomes consumed with grilling everything and receives the sacred knowledge of exactly how to do just that, perfectly. Still, that doesn’t mean dads can cook with their bare hands, so grab a high-quality set of grilling utensils like these.
Any home chef worth their sauce knows that a good knife (or three) is an essential piece of the puzzle. This iconic WÜSTHOF knife can do it all: chop, slice, dice and mince.
Best power tools and accessories
If your dad is the type of guy who daydreams about building a deck or installing a golf green in the backyard, he may be the type to appreciate the cleaning power of a pressure washer. This one has a half-gallon detergent tank and runs at 1,700 pounds per square inch.
Sometimes, a dad needs to clean up the trees around his home. Usually, that involves chainsaws, but sometimes there are trees or tree limbs that are just too small to use a chainsaw on. You could use a handsaw on those, but that’s exhausting. Use this mini chainsaw instead.
Being a dad doesn’t end when the kids grow up and move out of the house. In fact, the kids moving out just means a dad has that many more homes to maintain. So for all the times you know you’ll call your dad for help fixing something, at least get him a good tool bag so he can travel easier.
This tool organizer can be mounted on the wall, has a built-in power strip for charging up all their drills and you can even attach a toolbox on the side to keep track of all the little things like screwdrivers, bits and more.
Best clothes and footwear gifts for dads
Getting clothes as gifts is simply unavoidable once you hit a certain age, but you can at least shop for and give good clothes. This fleece chore coat is especially good for the dad who’s always outside doing yard work or working on some kind of exterior project, no matter how cold it gets in the winter.
If your dad is the type to always drone on about how he scored four touchdowns in a single game at Polk High School, it’s a fair bet that he has a favorite National Football League team. And if he has a favorite, you can be sure that he’ll always love a new team T-shirt.
When it starts getting cold, it becomes a risk to use the usual slip-on shoes such as sandals and flip-flops for running quick errands. It’s also a risk using normal house slippers since they don’t have the traction for safe walking on ice. These slippers do have that traction.
This family-owned retail company has been around for six generations for a reason. Iconic but sensible styles and high-quality manufacturing mean anything from Pendleton can be worn for years.
He can be part of the “cool dad club” when sporting these stylish high-top sneakers that come in almost 20 colors while the ridge wedge comfort insert offers great foot support.
Best exercise equipment and accessories gifts for dads
If your dad is dead serious about his outdoor escapades, such as hiking, swimming and anything else that requires him to stay on top of his game, he needs a similarly serious watch. This one from Garmin packs intense, high-end features, including solar charging so your dad can take extended trips.
Just because dads are all grown up, doesn’t mean they aren’t happy to see a new toy in the living room come Christmas morning. This electric bike is a particularly good gift for dads who are a little older and out of shape, as the electric power helps them enjoy biking again.
The sad fact of life is, the older you get, the more aches and pains you start to feel. Shoulders are a common spot for aches and pains since you have to use them so much, and because it’s easy to sleep on them the wrong way. This soothing massager could change your hurting dad’s life.
Pickleball shows no signs of slowing down, so if he’s not on the bandwagon, here’s your chance. If he is, this vibrant set of paddles will stand out on the court.
Best tech gifts for dads
For dads who still call themselves gamers, getting a new game or gaming-related piece of gear is an easy win waiting to happen. If they’ve never tried virtual reality, you could be crowned the best gift giver of the year by giving them this affordable but still high-quality VR headset.
The open road is a dangerous place, full of angry drivers without patience and drivers who either never learned or who have forgotten how to drive safely. Your dad having a recording of him driving safely in the event of an accident can be huge, potentially saving him from lawsuits and more.
Some dads are resistant to any kind of change, no matter how necessary. If your dad is still living in the broadcast era, it’s time to help him set up streaming. You can make it easier on him by enabling his TV to stream content, rather than anything more complex, using a Roku streaming stick.
If your dad is tech-savvy and has his home all set up with smart devices that use Alexa, you can help him extend his tech domain into his car with the Echo Auto. It can also turn your dad’s car into a hands-free entertainment zone.
An Apple Watch’s battery only lasts so long, and it’s not easy dragging around an Apple Watch charger, not like it is carrying around an iPhone charger. This portable keychain charger is a much easier way for your dad to top off his watch while on the go.
Everyone knows, though none really want to acknowledge it, that as you grow older things start to get worse. Eyesight is one of the things that go, strongly affecting your life. If your dad’s vision isn’t so good anymore, consider this digital monocular so he can still enjoy birding or sitting in the cheap seats at his favorite stadium.
Whether your dad runs his own small business or is a cog in a huge industrial machine, the ability to save some trees while getting work done is a lovely gift to give. This digital notebook ably copies the experience of pen and paper.
This new and improved version has a new image sensor that allows for the most expansive field of view on a HERO camera. It also boosts photo resolution up to an incredible 27MP, has that HyperSmooth stabilization everyone loves, and can record video that can be played back in 8x slo-mo to pick up on all the tiny details.
Got a gamer at home? Set him up with a new headset, one that comes with a noise-canceling mic, great sound and long-lasting comfort.
Movie night just got a glow-up with this movie projector. You’ll get incredibly clear images when watching TV or movies, and the UHD38x features an enhanced gaming mode for fast reaction time.
More of the best gifts for dads
The backpack has been around for who knows how long, and yet, we haven’t seen much innovation. Enter the Haven Small Backpack. Instead of having to bury your items down, you can open the backpack like a suitcase to easily access anything you need without pulling out what you don’t need.
This portable magnifying glass for your screened devices is excellent for the dad who’s always traveling. Now, he can get a much larger picture with minimum effort. It comes in four sizes and colors to best fit your dad’s needs.
For the dad who’s an avid camper, this chair is sure to rival his favorite La-Z-Boy. It comes with an insulated cooler right under the chair for easy reach, plus interchangeable cup holders to match the size of drinks your dad is packing. It also has straps for hands-free carrying from campsite to fishing spot to stargazing field.
Your foodie dad will get 20 full-size snacks and 20 candies from around the world in this eclectic mix of goodies they might not have tried before.
Who says mom needs to be the one carrying baby? This carrier has three different width settings so that dad can carry their little one from newborn to the toddler stage. It’s got front and back carry options, and the padded straps are easily adjusted making this perfect for multiple wearers.
What’s not to love about Spanish treasure, shipwrecked sailors and possible mutiny? This bestselling book reads like a thriller but it’s nonfiction at its finest.
Grilling is serious work, and this ultimate set of spices includes everything he needs to make a great dinner including chili garlic, lime chipotle, rosemary and much more.
Triple-milled, infused with shea butter and other ingredients like peppermint and tea tree means you’ll be gifting a luxe but natural skin care bar that creates a luxurious lather and doesn’t leave you with dry skin.
That ultimate spice set above? Yeah, it’s the perfect sidekick for this impressive collection of some of the best steaks around. It includes two bacon-wrapped filet mignons, two butcher’s cuts top sirloin, four steak burgers, potatoes, dessert, and even some hot dogs.
This fun little instrument is something anyone can learn to play, and it makes a great party gift! Made from solid beechwood, it also looks nice left out on display.
Whether he’s taking the kids to the zoo or down the street to the local coffee shop, this lightweight, easy-to-maneuver stroller is the perfect fit. The storage basket at the bottom holds up to 22% more gear than the Metro+ stroller, has an adjustable handlebar and will fit in most overhead bins, making it an ideal option for travel.
The face and body oil alone is worth giving this bundle, as it’s a great option for as a mustache or beard oil, but the dermatologist-recommended formula means he’ll have fresh-feeling skin everytime he washes up.
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Jordan Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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