Gift guide · 12 ideas
Gifts for dads who have everything
When he says he doesn’t need anything, he usually means he doesn’t want clutter. These are things he’ll actually use.
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Most dads who have everything aren’t being difficult. They’ve bought what they need, they don’t like a fuss, and they’d rather you didn’t spend money on something that ends up in the garage. The way around it is a better version of something he already uses every week, or a treat he’d talk himself out of buying.
Each idea comes with our pick from one of our top lists, chosen with a dad in mind rather than simply the top of the list: the headlamp that switches on with a wave, the travel mug that seals itself between sips, the gloves that can handle the fire pit. All of them pass one test: will he still be using it in March?
Sheepskin slippers for him
Plenty of dads are still shuffling around in slippers they got a decade ago. Real sheepskin is the upgrade he’d never pay for himself, and he’ll be in them every evening.
UGG Scuff
$75–$100
Suede outside, a soft wool lining and a real sheepskin insole: a slip-on made for indoor floors. UGG began in California in the late 1970s, when Australian surfer Brian Smith noticed the surfers there didn’t wear the sheepskin boots Australians pulled on after a cold morning surf.
What owners say: Warm, comfortable and good-looking, with a sheepskin lining that keeps feet dry; one owner likens them to walking on air. Durability and softness divide people, with some pairs coming apart within two months, and the price draws grumbles.
A closer look: Suede can’t go in the washing machine. UGG’s advice is a damp sponge with its cleaner, a light brush in one direction, then a day drying naturally away from heat. The sole is suede as well, so this is a pair to keep for carpet and hardwood floors rather than the front walk.
- Suede with wool lining
- Whole sizes, 7–18
- 17mm sheepskin insole
A rechargeable headlamp
He already owns a flashlight; it’s in a drawer with dead batteries. This is the one he’ll reach for in the attic, under the sink or on the last dog walk of the night.
Blukar Rechargeable Headlamp (2-pack)
$10–$20
Wave a hand to switch it on: exactly what you want when you’re holding a breaker box cover or a muddy leash. Two come in the pack.
What owners say: A wide, bright beam, lots of brightness settings and buttons that make sense right away, plus a comfortable, adjustable band. Several say a charge outlasts a set of AAAs.
A closer look: The wave sensor works only in three of the eight modes, so pick one of those before the job starts, and long-press the button to dim it when full power is more than the job needs. After a sweaty walk, the headband comes off the lamp and can go in the wash.
- Two headlamps in the box
- Beam 500 ft (150 m)
- Wave-to-switch sensor
Heads up: Expect 3.5 hours a charge with both beams on, or 5 with one, as Blukar’s own listing says, so charge it the night before a long outing.
View on Amazon See our top 5 headlamps →A tire inflator
He’s the one who checks everyone’s tires before a long drive. This lets him top them up in the driveway on a Saturday morning, his car and the kids’ too.
CRAFTSMAN 12V Tire Inflator with Digital Gauge (CMXPTXA1202)
$30–$50
Set the pressure on the screen and it stops by itself: a compact 12V inflator that takes a typical car tire from 30 to 36 PSI in under a minute, with a 10-foot cord, a three-mode LED light and a carry bag.
What owners say: Car tires, bikes and basketballs all get the treatment, and one owner took an e-bike tire from flat to 40 PSI in 10 to 15 seconds. It’s compact and simple to set, but not everyone finds it fast.
A closer look: The screen shows the current and target pressure side by side, so it’s easy to see how far there is to go. The hose is only about 2 ft long, so set the inflator on the ground by the wheel, and wind the cord into its built-in storage afterward so it packs neatly back into the bag.
- Stops at the set pressure
- Runs off the car outlet
- Carry bag and adapters
A wireless meat thermometer
Brisket days mean standing guard over the smoker all afternoon. The readout comes inside with him, so he can watch the game and still know the moment it’s ready.
TempPro TempSync Wireless Meat Thermometer (TP20)
$30–$50
Leave the probes in a brisket or a roast and walk away: the receiver shows both temperatures and beeps when the meat reaches your target, from up to 500 ft on TempPro’s figure. There’s no app to install and nothing to pair.
What owners say: Two probes at once suits a full grill, owners say, and it works right out of the box; a few found readings drifted or a probe failed within months.
A closer look: Run one probe into the meat and clip the other to the grate to watch the smoker’s own temperature, then take the receiver indoors. Pick the meat and doneness, or set your own number, and it flashes and beeps when the meat gets there.
- Wireless, with 2 probes
- Alarm when meat is done
- Range up to 500 ft
Heads up: TempPro says to wipe the receiver, transmitter and probes clean, so keep them out of the sink.
View on Amazon See our top 5 meat thermometers →A cordless screwdriver
Every dad has a drawer full of screwdrivers; few have one that does the turning for him. Ready-to-assemble furniture, loose cabinet hinges and the battery covers on the kids’ toys all go quicker.
Fanttik S1 Pro Electric Screwdriver (16 bits)
$30–$50
Three torque settings from 1.5 to 4.2 Nm and up to 6 Nm at full power, a 2,000mAh battery Fanttik rates at 340 small screws a charge, and 16 magnetic bits in their own slots in an aluminum case. Lift your finger and it stops at once.
What owners say: Owners are taken with the power and torque, enough for one to fit desktop PC fans and radiators, and find the battery lasts. Comfortable to hold, though a few found it tends to spin in use.
A closer look: The charging port faces outward, so it charges without coming out of the case, and a light on the base shows how much battery is left. Use the lowest setting on electronics and small hinge screws, and manual mode for the final snug turn on furniture.
- 3 torque settings
- 16 bits in aluminum case
- Charges without leaving the case
Rechargeable hand warmers
For Friday night football in the bleachers, early tee times and the dog walk in January, with no more throwaway packets in the glove box.
OCOOPA UT5 DuoHeat Dual-Sided Hand Warmers (2-pack)
$20–$30
Each warmer heats on both sides, so a whole palm and the fingers warm up at once, with an LED screen, three settings from 98°F to 125°F and up to eight hours from a charge. At 2.36 oz and 0.6 in thick, each slips into a glove.
What owners say: Small enough for a pocket and fast to heat, owners say, with the choice of one side or both; many find the low setting plenty, though battery life splits opinion.
A closer look: Low is gentle enough to leave in a glove for a whole walk; at the 125°F top setting, keep it in a pocket or glove rather than against bare skin for long. The silicone lanyard lets one hang from a wrist or a bag strap while the other stays in a pocket.
- Heats on both sides
- Lasts up to 8 hours
- UL safety-certified batteries
An insulated travel mug
If his coffee rides to work in a mug that leaks or goes cold by the second sip, this is the fix, sized for a long drive in the truck.
Contigo West Loop Autoseal Travel Mug (24 oz)
$20–$30
Contigo’s Autoseal button seals the lid between sips, so it can roll around a bag or the car without spilling, and at 24 oz it holds a big coffee. Thermalock insulation keeps drinks hot for up to seven hours and cold for up to 20.
What owners say: The Autoseal lid wins people over: completely spill-proof, by most accounts, and easy to clean, with drinks staying hot or cold for hours. Durability and cup-holder fit divide owners, and a few had one break after only a week.
A closer look: Press the button to drink and let go to seal. The lid opens completely for a thorough clean and goes on the dishwasher’s top rack. At 24 oz it’s taller than most mugs, so check it against a narrow cup holder.
- Holds 24 oz
- Keeps drinks hot 7 hours
- Lid opens fully for cleaning
A rocking camp chair
Evenings around the backyard fire pit and weekends at the campsite are when he finally sits still. A chair that rocks keeps him out there an hour longer.
GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker
$75–$100
A folding chair that rocks: spring-loaded shock absorbers let it rock gently on grass, sand or a patio, and a push out and down on the seat frame opens it. The armrests are solid, with a drink holder built in, and the mesh back lets air through on hot afternoons.
What owners say: The gentle rock is what wins people over, along with how comfortable it stays through a whole game or an evening by the fire and how easily it folds; opinions split on its weight, and a few had a weld give way.
A closer look: To fold it, put a foot on the base of the leg and pull the closure handle up; it flattens to 4.9 in thick and slides in beside the cooler in the trunk. At 11.8 lb it’s a chair for the car, the sideline and the backyard rather than one to carry far.
- Rocks on springs
- Holds up to 250 lb
- Folds 4.9 in thick
A bird feeder with a camera
The gadget he didn’t know existed: a feeder that snaps every visitor and sends the pictures to his phone. A fun one for a dad who already knows his cardinals from his finches.
HARYMOR Smart Bird Feeder with Camera (Q8)
$75–$100
A feeder with a 2K camera built into its front: it spots visiting birds, sends a snapshot to your phone and can identify the species, so you can see who came to breakfast while you were at work. Two solar panels keep its battery topped up.
What owners say: Owners rave about how clear the video is and how easily it went up with the mounting kit, and love watching visitors through the day; the battery, the Wi-Fi link and the bird ID each draw mixed reports.
A closer look: Mount it on a tree or a wall within reach of your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, with the extra solar panel angled toward the sun. Clips go to the cloud on a three-day loop, or onto a memory card of up to 128GB (not included) if you’d rather keep them yourself.
- Feeder with built-in camera
- 10.8 in tall
- Identifies bird species
Heads up: Detailed information on each identified species needs a subscription to HARYMOR’s app.
View on Amazon See our top 5 bird feeders →Leather work gloves
His old pair has probably worn through at the fingertips. Real cowhide gloves stand up to firewood, thorny shrubs and a hot grill grate.
WZQH Leather Work Gloves
Under $10
Split cowhide with a cotton lining and a reinforced palm, for the jobs that shred thinner gloves: thorny shrubs, firewood, rocks and barbed wire. They’re heat resistant too, so they double as gloves for the grill or the fire pit.
What owners say: A good fit even in the smaller sizes, with sturdy stitching and reinforcement where it counts, and enough protection for trimming trees and handling thorny branches. Many have worn theirs hard with no sign of wear.
A closer look: Tighten the wrist strap before clearing hedge clippings or leaf litter, so nothing drops inside. Split cowhide comes from the inner layer of the hide, so these start out a little stiff and rough and soften as they’re worn; an evening of stacking firewood goes a long way to breaking them in.
- Cowhide leather, cotton-lined
- Thorn-proof
- Six sizes, XS to 2XL
A car cleaning kit
For the dad who washes the car on Saturday morning whether it needs it or not. Good mitts, towels and cleaners make a chore he already enjoys quicker and better.
Armor All Car Wash Kit (wash and wax, mitt, towel)
$20–$30
Everything for a hand wash done right, in one box: a 64 oz bottle of Armor All’s Ultra Shine wash and wax, which leaves a coat of carnauba wax as it cleans, a Noodle Tech microfiber mitt with a non-slip cuff and a lint-free microfiber towel for drying.
What owners say: The soap lifts dirt and road grime and the mitt takes off stubborn marks, owners say, leaving cars looking freshly washed and waxed. Whether it dries without streaks is where they differ.
A closer look: Wash in the shade, a panel at a time from the roof down, and rinse the mitt often so grit doesn’t drag across the paint. Dry with the towel right after the last rinse rather than letting the car air-dry, which is what leaves water spots.
- 64 oz wash and wax
- Wash mitt and drying towel
- Soap leaves carnauba wax
A cooler for tailgates
For tailgates, Little League doubleheaders and the lunch he packs for work. It’s a real step up from the cooler with the broken strap he’s been making do with for years.
Titan by Arctic Zone 16 Can Zipperless HardBody Cooler
$30–$50
A soft cooler with a hard, removable liner: the flip-open lid has no zipper to jam, and a shelf keeps sandwiches off the cans below. Arctic Zone says it holds ice for up to two days, and the padded Backsaver strap makes it easy to carry all day.
What owners say: Owners like how well it keeps things cold and find it just the right size for a road trip. The side mesh tearing is the usual complaint, and a few don’t think it’s worth the price.
A closer look: Take the SmartShelf out for one big space when it’s all drinks, or leave it in so lunch doesn’t get crushed under the ice. The liner lifts out for washing, and the front pocket is insulated too, a cooler spot for a phone on a hot day.
- Up to 2 days’ ice
- Holds 12.7 quarts
- Zipperless flip-open lid
How to buy for a dad who has everything
- Look at what he uses every day and what’s worn out: the slippers, the work gloves, the flashlight in the kitchen drawer that never works.
- Ask whoever lives with him what he grumbles about. A cold walk to the truck, a slow leak in a tire or a dull job in the yard is usually your answer.
- Things that get used up don’t add clutter: a dozen of the golf balls he’d never pay for himself, a bag of good coffee for the new mug, or firewood for the fire pit.
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