It’s almost Father’s Day once again. For your dad, that means a day of lounging around and getting the appreciation he so richly deserves, preferably with something chilled and malty within arm’s reach. But for you, it likely means a mad last-minute scramble of trying to find a gift worthy of his Herculean efforts.
You can relax – we’ve done the hard work for you. Here are 20 great Father’s Day gift ideas that won’t fail to impress the old man.
Streaming Stick
The DVD box-set is long dead – a dusty old relic from an ancient age of home entertainment. These days, the best way to satisfy dad’s desire to sit on the sofa and watch hours of movies and TV is a streaming stick. It plugs straight into the TV and provides direct access to literally thousands of channels and subscription services. They’re also wire-free, ugly-box-under-the-TV-free, and some models offer 4K high-definition too – so if dad’s the type who likes the latest, state-of-the-art tech, it’s a nifty addition to his home cinema setup.
Whisky
There comes a time in every man’s life when the measure of masculinity becomes less about how many goals he’s scored at five-a-side, or how many pints he can sink in one sitting, and more about how many quality, rare, or unique whiskies he’s got stocked in the cupboard. And though whisky might seem like a clichéd gift on Father’s Day, the usual brand names are just the tip of the boozy iceberg when it comes to how many incredible whiskies are out there. Look out for bottles that use unusual distillation processes or pack in interesting flavours to seal a nod of approval from your old man.
Driving Experience Day
The driving gloves are a dad staple – the kind of thing Alan Partridge would gladly receive from his kids on Father’s Day. But why not go one better and get your dad a driving experience (not that driving a car while wearing Partridge-style gloves isn’t an experience in itself, of course). You can choose from supercar track days – which means burning round in McLarens, Aston Martins, or Ferraris – or heavy duty off-roading. And if dad fancies something more specialist, he can even drive famous movie cars (Back to the Future DeLorean, anyone?), monster trucks, or erm, articulated lorries.
Headphones
Some dads stay down with the kids and the latest tunes. Others stick to dad-rock and golden oldies. But all dads need a decent set of headphones. There’s a great range depending on how serious he is about his music, including over-ear noise-cancelling headsets, or – for the dad who likes a stealthier, more inconspicuous look – a pair of in-ear buds. Health-conscious dads might even appreciate a pair of smart earphones that double up as a fitness tracker, so he can monitor all his vitals while cranking out his favourite hits.
Beard Trimmer
Take the hassle out of pops’ grooming routine with a top-of-the-range beard trimmer – an essential part of any modern man’s grooming kit. The best models have multiple settings for different beard styles, fast-charging (and long-lasting) batteries for cordless use, an in-built vacuum to hoover up hair cutting as he trims, and multiple accessories for tackling eyebrows, ears and even nose hair (which is a hairy fate that awaits all men, unfortunately).
Despite all those features, a decent beard trimmer won’t cost you a small fortune. Combine it with a fancy beard oil or shampoo for the full groom-tastic set.
Sunglasses
Don’t throw shade on your dad this Father’s Day with a rubbish gift – put shades on him instead. And if he’s marching into his autumn years gracefully, and rocking the silver fox, salt-and-pepper-beard look with seasoned grace, an elegant pair of sunglasses will do just the job. Chances are he still feels about 19-years-old anyway, so he’ll enjoy swaggering around James Dean-style.
Even if he’s not the most fashion-conscious of dads, a pair of classic aviators or no-nonsense Ray-Ban Wayfarers are a timeless look on just about anyone.
Bike Maintenance Kit
Most dads will have a sort of rudimentary tool box knocking around for those general, quick-fixer-upper jobs. But when it comes to fixing up a bicycle, you need a specialist set of tools for the job: a good bike maintenance kit. This will include all the basics, such as a puncture repair kit, allen keys and wrenches, but also tools for repairing or tinkering with your chain, spokes, and pedals. It’s the kind of tool kit that your dad would probably never think to buy himself, but he’ll be eternally grateful the second his bike needs tuning up.
Smart Speaker
Much more than just a bit of kit of blasting out tunes, the smart speaker is likely to become dad’s new personal assistant/best friend. These gadgets sit in the corner of the room, answer all of dad’s questions, do the Googling for him, control the thermostat, sprinklers, and lights, and can even order him a pizza. Don’t be surprised if you get bumped down the family pecking order – it can do more chores in one afternoon that you did for your entire 18 years living at home.
Craft Beer Subscription
The craft revolution continues, putting the mass-produced, tasteless lagers we once quaffed without question to shame. Of course, there are so many crafty beers, lagers, and stouts available it’s hard to know where to start with all those quirky, colourful labels packing out shelves. With a craft beer subscription, you can get a beer expert to do the hard work for you – for a set fee, they’ll pick out a selection of craft beers to send directly to your old man’s door each month, so he’ll always have some new and exciting bottles to hand.
Knitwear
Men and knitwear – a pairing that’s been a staple of fatherhood for generations. In fact, we’re pretty sure it’s a legal requirement for dads to own at least one cardigan or woolly jumper. But knitwear isn’t the old fashioned garb it used to be; it’s a chance to keep him looking stylish and on-trend. If he’s not into cardies or jumpers, a good quality scarf and pair of gloves will do the job.
Carving Set
Cooking a slap-up, hearty meal has been reclaimed by modern alpha men as one of the key dad-skills – and the roast is the greatest, most triumphant of all the slap-up, hearty meals. So what dad’s life is complete without the proper kitchen tools – a good quality meat plate and set of knives – to carve and serve the proud results of his hard roasting labour? He’ll look and feel like a don at the head of the table, and if you want him to get serious about cooking meat, combine the set with a book on roasting and carving (honestly, it’s harder than it sounds).
Fitness Watch
Furnishing the old man with a gold timepiece is a thing of the past. So instead of buying him a watch that simply tells the time, try one that can also tell him how his heart rate’s doing, how many steps he’s walked that day, calories burned, speed, distance, and anything else he needs to keep in top shape. When paired with his smartphone (assuming he can work a smartphone, of course), a fitness watch will be like having a personal trainer on hand at all times. Except much less shouty.
Slippers
Look up Father’s Day in an encyclopedia, and it’s sure to be accompanied by a picture of the humble slipper. But there’s a reason slippers are a Father’s Day tradition – they’re a nod to the fact that dad’s got a bloody hard life sometimes, so he should take a load off and relax. Wool-lined slippers are where it’s at for pure comfort, but why not try a pair of new-fangled slippers with a detachable rubber sole, for outdoor and indoor relaxing.
Double-Edged Safety Razor
If your dad keeps a clean shaven look – or puts a razor to his chin semi-regularly – a double-edged safety razor is an ideal gift. They take a bit more practice to use (it’s not as simple as just hacking away) but the benefits speak for themselves. The blade is angled to ensure a much closer shave, plus being able replace the blade means it will irritate his skin much less than the average cartridge razor. Splashing out on quality will save your dad some cash too – he’ll never have to buy another razor, just dirt-cheap replacement blades.
Decanter and Tumblers
What do you need for a proper drinks cabinet? Whisky – check. Rum – check. Vodka and gin – check. Brandy – check. Mixers – check. Some of those little umbrellas that go into cocktails… well, maybe not. But one essential for making it a next level drinks cabinet – and we mean serious next level, the kind of drinks cabinet dad will show off with equal pride as his own children – is a crystalline decanter and tumbler set. It’s the classiest way to drink and will make the old man feel like Don Draper when he’s supping back the hard stuff.
Drone
There’s not a man in the world who completely grows out of playing with toys – a fact proved by the ever-growing world of smart gadgets and wearable tech (toys for grown ups, let’s be honest). But on Father’s Day, the one day of the year when it’s all about dad, cut to chase with a serious piece of kit: an all-singing, all-dancing, all-flying drone, which can be controlled straight from his phone. These are essentially the toys of future – the kind of space-age plaything your dad could only dream of when he was a boy.
Coffee Grinder
Dad’s been getting through life fuelled by coffee fumes and goodwill since the day you were born. But for the modern coffee drinker, it’s about much more than a quick-fix energy boost. Coffee’s as much for the connoisseur as fine dining and posh booze – which is why he’ll appreciate one of these top-notch grinders. If doesn’t matter if he makes his cup of joe using a press, pour over, or drip machine, just a few cranks of this grinder will get the coffee beans to the perfect consistency every time.
Fragrance
Whether it’s aftershave, cologne, or eau de toilette (and yes, they are different things), dad likes to smell good. He might be knocking on a bit, but he still likes to unleash his inner sex panther with a decent whiff now and again. And rather than just pick any old scent off the shelf, do your research and find one that best suits him or, if all else fails, follow your nose to a classic men’s fragrance.
Smart Toothbrush
Those techy boffins make everything smart these days – even your toothbrush. A step up from your standard Oral-B, the smart toothbrush pairs with a phone app and monitors your brushing routine. It then gives you all kinds of feedback: best brushing technique, what you’re doing wrong, which areas of your mouth need the most attention, and other essential tips. It’s like having a mini dental hygienist hanging around the bathroom on charge. Needless to say, it’s the Father’s Day gift to keep your old man smiling.
Retro Gaming Console
Leave the new fangled games and VR headsets for the youngsters. Dad would be much happier getting retro with Frogger, Pac-Man, Super Mario, or Sonic the Hedgehog. There’s an ace selection of mini old school consoles available now – whether he was a Nintendo, Sega, or Atari and Commodore kind of guy back in the day – with each console packing in 30 or more classic games. Watch him spend hours in front of the TV, wallowing in the glories of his gaming past and still failing to get past that elusive end-of-level boss.
Be the first to comment