Birthday gifts for Dad under £20 that he’ll actually use
Proper, useful presents for Dad’s birthday that don’t need a big budget, from the car boot to the garden shed.
Price guide: £ under £15 ££ £15–£40 £££ over £40
More ideas: Gifts for Dad
A dad’s birthday doesn’t need a big spend. Twenty pounds goes a long way on the small, useful things he’d never buy for himself: an inflator for the boot, a laser measure for the next DIY job, a feeder for the birds he watches from the kitchen window.
Nearly everything here comes from our top lists, where we compared the options side by side, and every pick was under £20 when we checked. Prices move about, so it’s worth a quick look before you buy.
A tyre inflator
Price band: £Saves a trip to the garage air machine, and he’ll check the tyres far more often once it lives in the boot.
Our pick
Ring RAC610 Tyre Inflator with Gauge
£12.99 RRP
The simplest option: a small 12V compressor with a dial gauge that tucks in beside the spare wheel.
- Plugs into the 12V socket
- Dial pressure gauge
- Small enough for the spare-wheel well
What owners say: A brilliant bit of kit that works quickly and takes far less effort than a foot pump, and it’s small enough to store beside the spare wheel.
Heads up: There’s no auto-stop, so keep an eye on the gauge as it pumps.
A closer look: Keep the engine running while it pumps, and pause now and then to let the needle settle, as a dial gauge can read a little high while the motor is going. It’s loud but quick, and small enough to leave in the car all year.
A laser measure
Price band: ££Quicker than wrestling a tape along a ceiling on his own, and it works out areas for paint, carpet and flooring.
Our pick
Kiprim LD50E 50m Laser Measure
£10–£20 Price range
Fifty metres of range, area and volume sums and a bright backlit screen for under twenty pounds, with a pouch and wrist strap in the box.
- Up to 50m
- ±1/16in accuracy
- Area, volume and Pythagoras
- Backlit screen, two bubble levels
- Pouch, strap and batteries included
What owners say: Owners find it well made, compact and good value, and much quicker than a tape for measuring rooms.
A closer look: Laser measures struggle on glass, mirrors and in bright sunshine outdoors, so for the garden a tape is still the better tool.
A cordless screwdriver
Price band: £Flat-pack, curtain poles, the battery covers on toys: the fiddly little jobs go much quicker.
Our pick
MQFORU 3.6V Cordless Screwdriver Kit (47 accessories)
£10–£20 Price range
The handle folds from straight to pistol-grip, and there are 47 bits and accessories in the case, so it covers most household jobs for very little money.
- Handle folds straight or pistol-grip
- 47 bits and accessories
- LED light
- USB charging
- Forward and reverse
What owners say: Owners find it useful for basic household jobs, like its compact size and case, and appreciate the range of bits.
Heads up: At 3Nm it's the gentlest here, so it's best for light jobs like flat-pack, plug sockets and battery covers.
A closer look: Use the pistol-grip position when you need to push hard into a screw, and the straight position for reaching into narrow gaps.
A bird feeder
Price band: ££Something to watch from the kitchen window with his morning tea, and it arrives in its own gift pouch.
Our pick
PROVIDE Heavy-Duty Steel Seed Feeder (6 ports)
£10–£20 Price range
A big twist-off lid makes filling it a one-handed job, even in gloves, and a ring round the base gives birds somewhere steady to perch while a tray catches dropped seed. It arrives in a gift pouch.
- 6 feeding ports with large perches
- Twist-off lid for easy filling
- Seed-catching tray and perching ring
- Stainless steel
- Gift pouch and bird identifier
What owners say: Owners find it heavy-duty and robust, say birds find it quickly, and like how easy it is to fill and hang.
A closer look: It's made for sunflower hearts, black sunflower seed and mixed seed, not peanuts or mealworms. Hang it near a bush or tree so small birds have cover to dart back to.
A stainless steel cafetière
Price band: ££A proper pot of coffee for weekend mornings, in steel that won’t crack when it gets knocked in the sink.
Our pick
KICHLY Stainless Steel Cafetière (1 litre)
£10–£20 Price range
A litre of double-walled stainless steel that can't crack and keeps the pot warm, for not much more than a glass one. Looks smarter than its price.
- 1 litre, 4–5 cups
- Double-wall stainless steel
- Fine filter
- Won't crack or rust
- 907g
What owners say: Owners find it superb, lasting for years and keeping coffee hot, and say it looks expensive for the price.
A closer look: Press the plunger all the way down once brewed, or pour it all into mugs straight away: coffee left on the grounds turns bitter.
Wireless earbuds
Price band: ££For podcasts on the dog walk or the football commentary while he mows, and cheap enough not to worry about losing one.
Our pick
TOZO A1 Wireless Earbuds
£19.99 RRP
Tiny, light and surprisingly good for around £20. Ideal for younger teens, or as a spare pair for the gym bag.
- Only 3.7g per earbud
- Up to 32 hours with the case
- App EQ settings
- Bluetooth 5.3
What owners say: Good quality, excellent sound for the price, and a comfortable fit that stays put.
Heads up: No noise cancelling at this price.
A closer look: Volume, track skipping and calls are all controlled by tapping the earbuds, so the phone can stay on a bench or in a bag up to 12 metres away. Each charge lasts around 6.5 hours at 60% volume, and the shape is made for smaller ears, so they don’t stick out under a hat or hood.
A head torch
Price band: £Both hands free for the loft, the fuse box or a flat tyre in the dark, with the second one for the glovebox.
Our pick
Gritin LED Head Torch (2-pack)
£11.99 RRP · for two
Simple, light and reliable, with batteries in the box, so it’s ready to go straight out of the wrapping paper.
- Wide, even COB beam
- 3 modes
- 86g
- 6 AAA batteries included
- Tilting lamp
What owners say: Good quality for the money, bright enough for the job and comfortable to wear.
Heads up: Runs on AAA batteries rather than charging by USB.
A closer look: Expect a wide, soft beam that reaches up to 30m, which makes it best close to home: rummaging in the loft, changing a tyre or checking on the chickens, rather than fell running. Keep one of the pair in the glovebox for breakdowns, where the strobe mode doubles as a warning signal, and switch to low when full brightness isn’t needed.
A cocktail shaker set
Price band: ££For the dad who fancies himself behind the bar at family parties: the full kit on a bamboo stand, ready for the first birthday drink.
Our pick
AYAOQIANG Cocktail Shaker Set with Bamboo Stand (12 pieces)
£10–£20 Price range
A 750ml shaker, 15/30ml jigger, strainer, spoon, pestle, ice tongs, corkscrew and four pourers on a bamboo stand: a full kit for under £20.
- 12 pieces
- 750ml shaker
- Jigger 15/30ml
- Strainer, spoon, pestle, tongs, corkscrew, 4 pourers
- Bamboo stand
What owners say: Owners find it well presented and excellent value, with everything needed, and good at parties, though a few found the stand wobbly.
A closer look: Its measure is marked 15 and 30ml rather than the British 25/50ml, so follow recipes written in ml and it all works out. Add a bottle of good gin and it's a complete present.
A car phone holder
Price band: £Stops the phone sliding round the passenger seat while the map’s on, and it grips with one hand.
Our pick
UGREEN Gravity Air Vent Phone Holder
£10–£20 Price range
Drop the phone in and its own weight closes the arms around it, so it's genuinely one-handed. The three-point grip holds it steady over bumps.
- Gravity auto-clamp
- One-handed
- Three-point hold
- Aluminium
- 2-year warranty
What owners say: Owners call it the best they've used, with a strong grip that stays in place, easy to attach and well made.
A closer look: It fits blade-style vents, not round ones, and works best with a slim case: thick wallet cases stop the gravity arms closing properly.
A Bluetooth tracker tag
Price band: £For the dad who pats every pocket before he leaves the house: clip it to his keys and his phone finds them.
Our pick
UGREEN FineTrack Tracker Tag (Apple Find My)
£9.99 RRP
Works with Apple’s Find My just like an AirTag, for a fraction of the price. Clip it to keys, bags or suitcases.
- Apple Find My
- 2-year replaceable battery
- No app needed
- Keyring hole
What owners say: Easy to set up in Find My and a good budget alternative to an AirTag.
Heads up: iPhone only, as it doesn’t work with Android.
A closer look: Set it up from the Find My app on an iPhone: a Mac can view its location afterwards but can’t pair it. Turn on the left-behind alert so the phone nudges you when the keys stay put. When the battery eventually fades, a standard CR2032 coin cell swaps in, and the cover is built to resist small fingers.
A socket set
Price band: ££A tidy little case for the bike, the lawnmower and the wobbly garden chair, small enough to live in the kitchen drawer.
Our pick
EGOFINE 46-Piece 1/4in Socket and Bit Set
£10–£20 Price range
Thirteen metric sockets from 4 to 14mm, 21 bit sockets and a universal joint, sliding T-bar and flexible extension for reaching round corners.
- 46 pieces, 1/4in drive
- 13 metric sockets, 4–14mm
- 21 bit sockets (Phillips, Pozi, Torx, hex)
- Universal joint and flexible extension
- Storage case
What owners say: Owners find it good quality and fantastic value, handy for odd jobs around the house, with a good selection of sockets.
A closer look: The flexible extension and universal joint are the heroes for bolts hidden behind other parts, like the back of a washing machine or under a car's dashboard.
A camping hammock
Price band: ££For lazy afternoons between two trees in the garden or on a campsite. It packs into its own pouch, so it comes on every trip.
Our pick
NATUREFUN Ultra-Light Camping Hammock (300kg)
£10–£20 Price range
Parachute nylon that packs into a bag sewn onto the hammock itself, so the bag can't get lost, and weighs 580g with its straps and carabiners. Rated to 300kg, with wide tree-friendly straps.
- 275 × 140cm, 210T parachute nylon
- Rated to 300kg
- 580g with straps and carabiners
- Stuff sack sewn on, packs to 18 × 13cm
- Triple-stitched seams
What owners say: Owners find it good quality, sturdy enough for two adults, easy to put up and take down, and very light to carry.
A closer look: Hang it with a gentle curve rather than pulled tight, and lie slightly diagonally: it's flatter and far comfier that way. Straps round the trunk, not rope, protect the bark.
Tips for Dad’s birthday on a budget
- Think about where he spends his weekends, the car, the shed, the garden or the sofa, and pick something that fixes a small, everyday annoyance there.
- Add the extra that makes it usable on the day: sunflower hearts with the bird feeder, ground coffee with the cafetière.
- Check which phone he has before buying the tracker tag, which only works with iPhones.
Photos are illustrative. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
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