Gifts for Grandpa

Faber-Castell first made the Castell 9000 in 1905, and the leads are break-resistant; the pencils are made in Germany. Put each one back in its place in the tin, from soft to hard, and the right grade is always easy to find mid-drawing. A sharp craft knife gives a longer point than a sharpener, for shading with the side of the lead.

• 12 pencils, 8B to 2H
• Comes in a tin
• Break-resistant leads

What owners say: Smooth and easy to sharpen, they suit stippling and line art as much as shading, and the spread of grades and the metal tin win over beginners and seasoned artists alike.

It’s 6.25 in long, machined from a solid billet of aluminum, with the magnets held in a patented track so they can’t drop out and vials at level, 90°, 45° and 30°. The tapered nose slides into a back pocket or tool pouch, and the bright orange body is easy to spot on a cluttered bench. It suits pictures, outlets and brackets; shelves and countertops need a longer level.

• 6.25 in, billet aluminum
• Reads 0°, 30°, 45°, 90°
• Thumb screw clamps to conduit

What owners say: Owners are struck by how hard the magnets grip and how solid it feels, and expect it to last for years. Electricians single out the thumb screw for checking angles while bending conduit.

The NBR foam is 1.5 inches thick and 17.5 by 11 inches, enough to cushion knees on gravel and stony beds, and it takes in very little water, so damp ground is no trouble. A textured underside keeps it from sliding. At about half a pound it tucks into a garden tote with the trowel, and a rinse and a shake clean it.

• 1.5 inches of dense foam
• 17.5 by 11 inches
• Water-resistant, wipes clean

What owners say: It’s noticeably thicker than older pads, owners say, and they can kneel on hard ground without pain; one likens it to a soft gel cushion. Some keep one for the garden and another for jobs around the house.

DEWALT says the case has a 20% more compact grip, and a finger brake is built into it to control the blade on the way back: feather the brake as the blade comes home. Fractions are printed on the blade, and a slide lock holds it wherever it’s set, which helps when taking a living room corner to corner.

• 30 ft blade
• Slide lock and finger brake
• Reaches 13 ft before bending

What owners say: Owners say it’s tough enough to survive serious drops, easy to read and accurate, and long enough for whole rooms without being bulky. The blade comes back under control rather than snapping home.

The hardened steel blades take branches up to 1.5 inches thick, and shock-absorbing bumpers stop the handles jarring together at the end of each cut. At 28 inches they reach into the middle of a shrub. Cut just outside the collar where a branch meets the trunk, wipe the sap off after use, and when the edge finally goes, the blades can be replaced.

• Cuts up to 1.5-inch branches
• 28 in long, bypass blades
• Lifetime warranty

What owners say: Owners say the blades go through branches like butter and keep their edge season after season, and they call it light, solidly made and close to unbreakable.

Its HyperElastic SoftFast core adds ball speed, and it feels good off the putter, which suits golfers from beginners upward. The box comes in white, yellow or matte colors: yellow is easier to follow against a gray sky, and the matte finishes stand out on the fairway.

• 2-piece ball, hybrid cover
• White, yellow or matte colors
• Suits beginners upward

What owners say: The soft feel wins most golfers over, and some pick up extra distance off the tee without losing control. It’s easy to spot in most light, and a single ball can last two to four rounds.

Featured in Stocking stuffers for adults →

There are 14 pockets in all, the body is 1680D ballistic weave, and the fully molded base keeps the bottom dry. Pliers go in the outside pockets too, with a meter or a drill in the middle. It’s an electrician’s or a handyman’s everyday bag rather than one for big power tools, and the base wipes clean after a wet day on site.

• 14 pockets, open top
• Fully molded base
• Orange lining shows small tools

What owners say: Roomy enough for a full working day, and plenty expect it to last ten years or more. The boot-like base keeps it standing without tipping, and the handle sits where it should.

The heads resist rust, and the SoftGrip handles ease the strain on wrists over a long session; Fiskars covers them with a lifetime warranty. Break up crusted soil with the cultivator before planting, then use the slim transplanter for bulbs and seedlings and the wider trowel for bigger holes. No bag comes in the box, so hang them by their handle holes somewhere dry.

• Trowel, transplanter and cultivator
• Soft-grip handles
• Eases wrist strain

What owners say: They feel solid in the hand, with a comfortable grip and a good weight, and the heads don’t flex when they meet hard ground. One owner likes having the measurements on the planting trowel.

Featured in Gifts for gardeners →

Cork grips, flip-locks and tungsten carbide tips come on aircraft-grade shafts at 9.4 oz a pole, with adjustable wrist straps and a carry bag. On a long descent, lengthen both poles a couple of inches so they reach the ground ahead of you, then shorten them for the climb back. Stored apart in the bag between hikes, they keep the carbide points off the car’s upholstery and grit out of the flip-locks.

• Weighs 9.4 oz per pole
• Cork grips, flip locks
• Carry bag included

What owners say: Hikers find them sturdy, light, well made and a good value, quick to set with the flip-locks, and credit the extra stability with keeping them upright on rocky trails. The cork grips win praise for comfort.

It charges by USB-C, solar or the crank, or runs on three AAA batteries. Charge it fully by USB-C when it arrives, as Mesqool asks. In an outage, flip up the frosted lamp for soft light around a table and save the focused flashlight, with its 260 ft beam, for the walk to the breaker box. It picks up AM, FM and NOAA weather.

• Crank, solar, USB-C or batteries
• 12,000mAh battery charges phones
• Extra-large solar panel

What owners say: Owners find it reliable on every band, with a crystal-clear speaker and a loud SOS siren, and say the big solar panel keeps it charged for a long time; its compact size makes it easy to store.