While every gift is thoughtful, Father's Day is almost a guarantee of a gift that Dad may not always be able to use. Sometimes a better gift is a present he can use quickly, like a smart stud finder, a great bottle of whiskey or steaks to grill on a summer evening, to a class he can take to improve one of his favorite pastimes.
This year, we have pulled together a lot of options for you to choose from starting with a weeding robot. We also found gadgets any geek would love which can be ordered right from the computer or a smartphone where you're reading this right now. Whether you're grown up and living far away, or you're picking up a gift your children can give on their own, we're pretty sure one of these are likely to make him feel appreciated this Father's Day.
Walabot DIY 2 – The Smart Visual Stud Finder
For the Dad who is handy and likes to tackle DIY projects on the weekend, the Walabot DIY 2 Smart Stud Finder is the perfect gift. It works on a Wi-Fi connection to help you identify anything up to 4 inches behind your drywalls. And, you don’t have to be technical to use it. Check out our full review here.
The Walabot DIY 2 costs $143.95 but is available for $139.46 on the company website. There is also a Walabot DIY 2 Bundle which retails for $209.90 but on sale for $188.91. The Bundle consists of a Walabot DIY 2 and a protective case. You can also purchase Walabot DIY 2 on Amazon.com.
Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub for the Dads who like to Grill
If your Dad likes to grill, a perfect gift to consider getting him this year is the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub. This little smart device will help Dad cook the perfect food every time. Just download the app onto your smartphone (iOS or Android) and follow instructions in the app. Once set up, the Weber Grill Hub will notify you when you need to flip your meat or when it’s ready to be served.
The Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub costs $139.99 and is available on Amazon and Weber site.
Grill and BBQ cooking classes
It's summer, and a lot of people who can get outside, or have the space to do so, will — and that means grilling. But maybe your Dad could you a little assistance with his grill skills. Or maybe he'd just like the master the ones he already has. There are some excellent online classes that can get your father grilling like a champ in no time.
America's Test Kitchen has an online class called Introduction to Grilling, and you can take this class through a $19.95 one month gift subscription or through the $179.95 one year membership. If you want to spring for the $180 annual fee for MasterClass, your dad can watch 16-episodes of Aaron Franklin teach Texas-Style BBQ. (Franklin won the James Beard-award and is the owner of Franklin Barbecue.) Finally, the BBQ Champs Academy has annual and individual classes you can buy online, starting at just $6.98 a course.
Tertill Weeding Robot – The Perfect Robot for Dad’s Vegetable Garden
If Dad likes to grow vegetables, there is nothing better than having a robot to help him weed the garden. From the inventor of Roomba Vacuuming Robot, you can get Tertill Weeding Robot to help keep the garden weed free. Their solar power robot works just like a robot vacuum but instead of cleaning your floors, it cleans your garden of weeds.
The Tertill Weeding Robot costs $349 and is available on Amazon and the company’s website. There is also a Tertill Gift Giver Bundle for $398.99 which you can make a perfect gift for Dad.
Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors – The Smart Connected Golf System for Dad who loves to Golf
If your Dad loves to golf, Arccos Golf is the perfect gift for him. Their Caddie Smart Sensors come with the first ever A.I. Powered GPS Rangefinder built in. This technology is in the 14 sensors you attached to every club in your bag. Once installed and connected to the Arccos app, it will adjust in real time to provide the most precise yardage for you. It will also help keep track of Dad’s game and show areas of improvement. Arccos also provides shot tracking, club distances and details along with player data in real time. All valuable insights to have in your bag.
To learn more, you can check out our review.
Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors are available on Amazon for $179.99.
Lenovo Smart Clock 2 with Charging Dock – A smart alarm clock for Dad
An alarm clock for Father’s Day doesn’t sound like an exciting gift for Dad, however, this alarm clock is more than just a clock. Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is a smart alarm clock with a 4-inch LCD touch screen with either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant built-in. You can customize the face displays and adjust brightness in case you need a night light. It also connects to your home Wi-Fi network (5GHz and 2.4GHz) and can work on Bluetooth 4.2 wireless connection. But having a Magsafe compatible charging dock bedside is a nice addition for Dad. (Check out our review of Lenovo Smart Clock 2 with Charging Station.)
Lenovo Smart Clock 2 retails for $69.99 and when you add the wireless charging pad, the cost goes up to $89.99. For Father’s Day, you will be able to get the Smart Clock 2 for only $49.99 or $69.99 with charging station on the company website. You can find these devices on sale at Best Buy, Walmart or other consumer electronics retailers.
The Haymaker Wireless ANC Bluetooth Headphones – Surround Sound Headphones for Dad
How about a pair of headphones for Dad this Father’s Day? If so, check out The Haymaker. These headphones come with 7.1 surround sound built-in along with ANC to provide an immersive all-encompassing audio experience for Dad. If Dad really wants to escape into his own little world listening to his favorite podcast or group, The Haymaker will give him this experience and more. Their HD sound and long-lasting battery life will come in handy when Dad uses these over-the-ear headphones commuting to work, playing video games or traveling.
The Haymaker cost $3129.95 and available on Amazon and the company website. And they come with a hard traveling case, a 3-inch Aux. cable, 5” Micro USB-C cable and PC controller cable.
Read our full review of The Haymaker ANC Bluetooth Headphones.
Scosche PowerUp 32K – Portable Power Station for Dad’s Car
If your Dad likes to take road trips, go camping, works in the garage/workshop a lot, Scosche PowerUp 32K portable Power Station is a perfect non-tech gift that can powerup any smart device anywhere. This compact and rugged power bank comes with a protective rubberized coating, built-in LED flashlight and carrying handle. Its 32,000 mAh/118Wh Lithium-Ion battery will charge multiple portable devices at once with: 30W USB-C: Power Delivery (PD) (input/output); 20W USB-C: PD output; USB-A 12W output and 110V/100W AC outlet.
The Scosche PowerUp 32K power bank charges portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, cameras, small fans, drones, portable gaming systems and more. A digital display indicates battery level and a 20W USB-C PD charger, USB-C charging cable, and protective carrying case are included.
The cost for Scosche PowerUp 32K is $199.99 and available on the company website. They are running sales on their site so you might be able to get additional discounts for Father’s Day.
Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor for First Time Dads
If it’s Dad’s first Father’s Day, one good gift idea is a smart baby monitor that can track their newborn’s health while everyone sleeps. Nano Pro Smart Baby Monitor is a unique baby monitor. It can track your infant while they are sleeping. It can monitor their breathing, movements and any other activity while they are in their crib. But one of the best features of this smart baby monitor will give Dad peace of mind and help him sleep better at night too.
The Nanit Pro Camera comes with HD computer vision powered baby monitor, electronics-free breathing band (0-3 months) to help track your baby’s breathing, access to science-backed support on sleep and parenting and a year of free data and storage of memories (insights Basic).
For Father’s Day, Nanit is offering 20% off on all SKUs between June 10-19 on Nanit.com and major retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
Wild Turkey Tasting Skill – Guided Bourbon tasting with Wild Turkey’s Master Distillers and either Alexa or Google Assistant
If Dad loves bourbon and you have smart speaker or display by Google Assistant or Alexa, here is one of the least expensive gifts to get Dad. Wild Turkey has created a skill which is a guided tour lead by Wild Turkey’s master distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell as well as Matthew McConaughey, Wild Turkey’s creative director. The group shares their knowledge of the brand’s history as well as personal experiences with each Wild Turkey bottle you want to do a tasting with your smart speaker.
The cost for the Wild Turkey skill is free but the bottles of Wild Turkey might get a little expensive. The skill will take you through five bottles of Wild Turkey: the flagship 101 Bourbon, 101 Rye, Longbranch, Rare Breed, and Kentucky Spirit. And if Dad doesn’t have a smart speaker or display by Google or Alexa, that will add a little to the cost of your gift. But in the end, isn’t Dad worth it.
GearBrain’s review of Wild Turkey Skill with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Dad like a bit of the brown stuff? A great bottle of whiskey can't be a bad choice then, and there are some subscription plans out there that not only take care of sending the bottle — but in some cases let your father choose what he'd like as well.
One, Flaviar, lets you choose between a half year subscription for $190, and a full year at $300. They can pick the kind of whiskey they get — which almost makes this more fun. Shot Box has kits you can send from those that make cocktails, to, yes, those just focused on whiskey, which start at $49.99. Caskers lets you sign your dad up for a whiskey club — American or World selections — which start at $147.
Perhaps your dad has always had a penchant for learning how to play guitar? There are online lessons and apps that can get him, maybe, part of the way there. Fender Play, for example, breaks down favorite songs into bite size chords so he can learn a favorite tune. Even better, you can sign him up for an account — and get three months for free, and the app works on piano, guitar and also ukulele. Fender even has a new app just for the latter the Fullerton Ukulele Series. Or get your father a membership in Playground Sessions, with video lessons for all levels of experience from beginning to advanced. Expect to pay $119.88 for an annual gift, or $17.99 for the month.
Photo books are a fantastic way to honor you dad, especially if you haven't seen him in awhile. These are easy to put together — you just need a computer — and the entire book can be put together online, and then sent directly to where your father lives.
There are a ton of options from Shutterfly to Amazon Prints, and you can get started on some of these sites for under $10 a book.
Steak of the month clubs
Maybe Dad's a griller or not. But he likely would appreciate a great steak. There are some online sites that can send steaks as one time gifts, or even monthly deliveries. One, Kansas City Steak Company has options that range from a full year for about $1,000 to three months, which starts at $275, and that includes shipping. Omaha Steaks is one of the classics, and they have Father's Day gifts at the ready, including a Deluxe Steakhouse Dinner, on sale for $129 which includes not only filet mignons, but the apple tarts for dessert. You can also try Heritage Steaks, which keeps going until you stop, and charges $145 a month and includes antibiotic-free meat.
Java is always the best gift for anyone who drinks coffee, and most companies have monthly — and even weekly — subscription clubs, can do whole bean and ground.
Companies that have them include Peets (which starts at $18.95 a month.) You can choose how often them come, and what kind of strength and even if you want them whole bean or ground for a certain kind of coffee maker.) Cafe Grumpy also has a coffee subscription, which starts at $18 a month and includes a free mug with delivery. You can get free shipping with new subscriptions to La Colombe's coffee of the month, and finally Philz Coffee, which makes each cup of coffee in their shops to taste, has subscriptions for each of its signature beans, and you can choose as well how often you want them delivered and the grind.
Perhaps people are getting tired of baking bread — but rest assured, people still love eating it. And there are some wonderful choices out there from classic breakfast snacks to heartier options for dinner. Have a Dad who loves bialys? Kossars is a bakery that's been around since 1936 in New York, and ships anywhere in the U.S. You can send a dozen bialys or pages for just $44 — and that includes free shipping.
Zingerman's is well-known in the foodie world for its wide variety of bread, and you can create everything from a customized pastry basket to a gift with a single loaf of the company's Parmesan Pepper Bread, which starts at just $18. Finally, maybe your father has some gluten issues. Mariposa Bakery in California's San Francisco Bay Area is completely gluten-free and has everything from baguettes to almond croissants ready to send. A brownie and biscotti gift set, for example, will set you back $44.95.
Lucky Scruff has a kit, $20 a month, and on sale for $10 a month. Dollar Shave Club is the classic, starting with incredibly inexpensive razors and now branching into shampoo and even shaving cream. You can spend under $10 a month — and you can cancel these at any time. And also there's Harry's, which has a $15 subscription membership program called Core, which also includes a 10 percent discount on other products from the site.
Dollar Shave Club 4-Blade Razor Starter Set, 1 Handle, 4x4-blade Cartridges, 3oz Shave Cream, Silver/Blue
The GearBrain, First Compatibility Find Engine for Smart Deviceswww.youtube.com
Check out The GearBrain, our smart home compatibility find engine to find other smart devices and compatible products that work with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa enabled devices which will make good Father's Day gifts. And remember, you can also ask questions and troubleshoot any problems on The GearBrain all for free.