Customized LEGO minifigures
I’m as big a fan of LEGO’s new Barad-dûr set as the next person, but $459.99 is too much for a brick-built version of Sauron’s iconic evil fortress. Thankfully, for just $11.99, you can give your dad a mini version of himself, complete with accessories and a T-shirt displaying his favorite slogan. Whether you want to give him a full head of hair or not is entirely up to you.
Price: $11.99
Hotto electric screwdriver
Hoto’s electric screwdriver is the perfect home tool for those who tinker a lot or assemble Ikea furniture on the weekends. Its simple design makes it compact enough to keep nearby for small to medium projects, so your dad doesn’t have to whip out a big tool unless he needs a lot of torque.
Price: $49.99+
Elgato Stream Deck New
Whether your dad considers himself an influencer or not, Elgato’s Stream Deck Neo can make managing his workflow easier. The programmable eight-button macro controller borrows many of the best elements from the company’s professional-grade models and adds two capacitive buttons that let it switch pages for an unlimited number of customizable LCD keys.
Price: $99.99
Garmin Forerunner 165 Music
Learning about Garmin’s crowded Forerunner range is as easy as learning the platform – which is to say, it isn’t. However, for newbies, the Forerunner 165 Music is a great entry-level training watch. It supports in-depth training metrics and all basic fitness activities, along with marathon-like battery life, a crisp OLED display, and a really affordable price.
Price: $286.55+
iPad Air (2024)
If your father is a creative person who likes big screens, Apple’s latest iPad Air is a good choice. The new M2 model is not only the cheapest way to buy the new Apple Pencil Pro, it’s also the cheapest way to buy a 13-inch iPad without upgrading to the more expensive iPad Pro. No matter which size you choose, it’s an excellent tablet overall.
Price: $569.99+
wavelength
Do you think you and your old man are kindred spirits? CMYK’s awesome board game is one way to find out. The simple premise asks you to guess where your partner thinks a particular word or theme fits somewhere between two extremes, and whether you believe it or not, this can be very difficult depending on how well you know your partner.
Price: $29.99+
blink mini 2
If you want a cheap but high-performance security camera for your dad, look no further than the Blink Mini 2. The LED spotlight provides a wider shooting range. It’s also IP65 weatherproof, which means you can use it outdoors if you pay an extra $10 for a weatherproof adapter.
Price: $29.99
Three body problem box set
Liu Cixin’s three body problem is such a wonderful piece of science fiction that the people behind the scenes game of Thrones The first book in the series was recently adapted for Netflix. This eponymous box set brings together all three novels Remembering Earth’s Past A trilogy that chronicles the saga of how humans react to contact with distant alien races.
Price: $28.78+
AirPods Pro with USB-C
So far, what hasn’t been said about the latest AirPods Pro? The second-generation headphones have become the default choice for many Apple users due to their excellent sound quality, intuitive controls, and deep integration with the rest of the Apple ecosystem. The fact that they subtly drown out the outside world so your dad can better hear the intricate rhythms of Vampire Weekend doesn’t hurt at all.
Price: $189.99+
PlayStation Portal
There’s no doubt that the PlayStation Portal isn’t a handheld device—well, at least not in the traditional sense. It’s essentially an 8-inch 1080p LCD display wedged between the two halves of a standard DualSense controller, giving PS5 owners a way to stream games from the console via Remote Play. It’s not perfect, but at least your dad was able to get his Final Fantasy VII Reborn even when Bluey appear on television.
Price: $199+
Bashan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce
Like Aardvark, Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce has become a constant staple in my house. This salty-sweet condiment is very atypical compared to American barbecue sauce, which typically relies heavily on brown sugar or molasses for flavor. Instead, Bachan’s recipe offers the perfect balance of ginger, soy, mirin, scallions, and other Japanese flavors that come in handy if you want to add a little umami to your next meal.
Price: $7.98+
Google Pixel 8A
Like the Pixel 7A before it, Google’s latest budget phone is a smart choice for smart shoppers. It offers many of the same features as the standard Pixel 8, including Qi wireless charging and Google’s fast Tensor G3 chipset, as well as a 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED display and a surprisingly good camera system. What’s more, it comes with an astonishing seven years of operating system updates, a return on investment that would make even your dad proud.
Price: $499
Moment Santa Fe shoulder bag
Every great adventure needs gear. Thankfully, Moment’s rugged Santa Fe Shoulder Bag is designed for impromptu road trips and weekend adventures that require you to pack light and only bring the essentials. The sling’s main compartment is perfect for storing a 35mm point-and-shoot camera and a few rolls of film, and since it’s made from durable 500d nylon, you don’t have to worry if it gets a little rainy.
Price: $60+
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones
Bose’s latest flagship headphones offer optimal comfort and noise cancellation, as well as an excellent transparency mode for when you need to let the outside world back in. .
Price: $379
Panel Sound Pickleball Paddle
If your local city noise ordinance hasn’t killed off pickleball, nothing will. There’s nothing fancy about Panel Sound’s fiberglass pickleball paddles, but they’re lightweight, inexpensive, and quite comfortable thanks to their corrugated 4.8-inch grips. Plus, they’re USA Pickleball Championship certified, just in case your dad thinks his third pitch is better than it actually is.
Price: $25.95+
The creative act: a way of being
Super-producer Rick Rubin has created some of the most iconic records of all time, including hits from Adele, Run-DMC and everyone’s favorite alt-rockers. His new book, creative actThis is not so much a tell-all memoir or collection of famous quotes as it is a thought-provoking distillation of what he learned during his forty years of creation.
Price: $16+
Hellraiser 2
Spreading democracy may not seem like an easy goal—especially in today’s political context—but Hellraiser 2 Make it super fun. Partly because the online co-op game is so stupid, and partly because it pits you against giant space bugs, starship troopers-style rather than fighting for NATO status. Just alert your father to friendly fire and bile titans. They’ll get you!
Price: $39.88+
Fanttik X8 Portable Tire Inflator
Your dad might have been able to inflate your hydrofoils as a kid, but I doubt he could do the same for the tires on his Model 3. Powerful enough to fill almost anything. It even has a built-in LCD display that lets you set your desired PSI, so he never has to worry about over-inflation.
Price: $44.97+
Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube 8X32 Monocular
There are a lot of entry-level birding tools out there, but I think few of them are as good as pleasure Like the one titled “Zoom Tube.” Even though it can’t compete with a pair of regular binoculars, Nocs’ pocket monocular gives you crystal-clear 8x magnification and an excellent field of view if you like vivid red, cyan, and orange hues. Not to mention the variety of styles.
Price: $74.95+
Belkin BoostCharge 3 Port USB-C Wall Charger with PPS 67W
Belkin’s 67W three-port charger is perfect for dads who have banished all Lightning devices from their lives. This portable charger supports USB PD 3.0 and PPS, and the maximum output of each USB-C port is clearly marked, if you want to know how much power you can get when multiple ports are active. Needless to say, achieving optimal charging speeds is never easy.
Price: $35.99+
LEGO NASA Artemis Space Launch System
My colleague Sean Hollister, our resident toy expert, once called LEGO’s NASA Artemis Space Launch System the best rocket launch pad LEGO has ever built. I’m inclined to agree, simply because of the splendor of this towering 3,091-piece replica, which includes a multi-stage rocket with two solid-fuel boosters, a rocket with folding solar panels Orion space capsule, and a detailed launch tower, which makes the launch tower a beautiful model.
Price: $259.99
8bitdo flagship version 2.4G controller
No dad should settle for a crappy gaming controller. 8Bitdo’s Ultimate 2.4G Controller is an affordable premium option that comes with its own charging base, customizable controls, and a pair of rear paddles. The remappable gaming controller also features drift-free Hall effect joysticks and a 2.4GHz wireless adapter so you can pair it wirelessly with a variety of platforms, including Windows, Android and iOS.
Price: $39.99+
to room
(vinyl plastic)
No band can evoke pure resonance like Khruangbin, especially on wax. The Houston trio’s fourth studio album is a kaleidoscope of understated sounds from around the globe, all underpinning their groovy instrumental psychedelic rock. It doesn’t matter if your dad can’t pronounce their names – the Congolese rhythms and sunshine guitars are impossible to ignore.
Price: $25.99
Onyx Bux Palma
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you combined a low-end Android phone with your favorite e-book reader, look no further than the Boox Palma. It’s essentially a 6.13-inch tablet with page-turn buttons and a Kindle-style e-ink display that lets you listen to podcasts, read your news feed, and download all your favorite reading apps via the Google Play Store.
Price: $279.99
Wera Tool-Check Plus Drill Bit Ratchet Kit
Every dad loves high torque delivery, which is why the Tool-Check Plus from Wera is a great gift. This durable 39-piece tool set contains an assortment of color-coded drill bits and tips for routine bike maintenance and DIY repairs, including a ratchet, seven sockets, a set screwdriver and 28 nickel-plated drill bits. Vera tools aren’t cheap, but high-quality sets are few and far between.
Price: $74.95+
Samsung music box
Enjoy it, IKEA. The Music Frame is similar to the latest Symfonisk collaboration, which is an Atmos-enabled speaker disguised as wall decoration, but Samsung’s new Alexa-powered Music Frame lets you insert your own physical photos or artwork instead of relying on Ikea’s Default artwork design. This makes the 12.9 x 12.9-inch frame even more customizable.
Price: $397.99+
Fellow Clyde electric kettle
You don’t need to spend much to buy a decent electric kettle. Having said that, Fellow’s Clyde Electric Kettle feels tailor-made for hot beverage connoisseurs who also have sophisticated taste in gadget design. This elegant kettle holds 1.5 liters of water and features a wide mesh spout, a welcome change from the gooseneck design of Fellow’s pour-over kettles.
Price: $99+
