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It’s almost Father’s Day once again. For your dad, that means a day of lounging around and getting the appreciation he so richly deserves, preferably with something chilled and malty within arm’s reach. But for you, it likely means a mad last-minute scramble of trying to find a gift worthy of his Herculean efforts.
You can relax – we’ve done the hard work for you. Here are 20 great Father’s Day gift ideas that won’t fail to impress the old man.
Streaming Stick
The DVD box-set is long dead – a dusty old relic from an ancient age of home entertainment. These days, the best way to satisfy dad’s desire to sit on the sofa and watch hours of movies and TV is a streaming stick. It plugs straight into the TV and provides direct access to literally thousands of channels and subscription services.
They’re also wire-free, ugly-box-under-the-TV-free, and some models offer 4K high-definition too – so if dad’s the type who likes the latest, state-of-the-art tech, it’s a nifty addition to his man cave/home cinema setup. This Amazon Fire Stick 4K option makes particular sense if he’s an Amazon Prime customer.
Whisky
There comes a time in every man’s life when the measure of masculinity becomes less about how many goals he’s scored at five-a-side, or how many pints he can sink in one sitting, and more about how many quality, rare, or unique whiskies he’s got stocked in the cupboard.
And though whisky might seem like a clichéd gift on Father’s Day, the usual brand names are just the tip of the boozy iceberg when it comes to how many incredible whiskies are out there. Look out for bottles that use unusual distillation processes or pack in interesting flavours like this Japanese whisky with raspberry and burnt wood notes to seal a nod of approval from your old man.
Driving Experience Day
Driving gloves are a dad staple – the kind of thing Alan Partridge would gladly receive from his kids on Father’s Day. But why not go one better and get your dad a driving experience (not that driving a car while wearing Partridge-style gloves isn’t an experience in itself, of course).
You can choose from supercar track days – which means burning round in McLarens, Aston Martins, or Ferraris – or heavy duty off-roading. And if dad fancies something more specialist, he can even drive famous movie cars (Back to the Future DeLorean, anyone?), monster trucks, or erm, articulated lorries.
Headphones
Some dads stay down with the kids and the latest tunes. Others stick to dad-rock and golden oldies. But all dads need a decent set of headphones. There’s a great range depending on how serious he is about his music, including over-ear noise-cancelling headsets, or – for the dad who likes a stealthier, more inconspicuous look – a pair of in-ear buds.
Audio-conscious dads might even appreciate this pair from Denon with premium sound and active noise cancellation, so he can fit in some box sets on public transport without overhearing spoilers or take a hands-free call from the Mrs. without shouting “what?!” every other word.
Heated Razor
And after years on hacking away with substandard razors, your dad can finally replicate the experience of a professional, luxurious hot towel shave with the innovative Heated Razor from GilletteLabs. This latest shaving game-changer uses a heated bar – which operates at the push of a button – to distribute heat evenly across your skin, while FlexDisc technology allows the five-blade razor to track the contours of your face with precision-perfect technique.
Sunglasses
Don’t throw shade on your dad this Father’s Day with a rubbish gift – put shades on him instead. And if he’s marching into his autumn years gracefully, and rocking the silver fox, salt-and-pepper-beard look with seasoned grace, an elegant pair of sunglasses will do just the job. Chances are he still feels about 19-years-old anyway, so he’ll enjoy swaggering around James Dean-style.
Even if he’s not the most fashion-conscious of dads, a pair of classic aviators or these Italian riviera inspired Persols in Terra Di Siena are a timeless look on just about anyone.
Bike Maintenance Kit
Most dads will have a sort of rudimentary tool box knocking around for those general, quick-fixer-upper jobs. But when it comes to fixing up a bicycle, you need a specialist set of tools for the job: a good bike maintenance kit.
This will include all the basics, such as a puncture repair kit, allen keys and wrenches, but also tools for repairing or tinkering with your chain, spokes, and pedals. It’s the kind of tool kit that your dad would probably never think to buy himself, but he’ll be eternally grateful the second his bike needs tuning up.
Smart Speaker
Much more than just a bit of kit of blasting out tunes, the smart speaker is likely to become dad’s new personal assistant/best friend. These gadgets sit in the corner of the room, answer all of dad’s questions, do the Googling for him, control the thermostat, sprinklers, and lights, and can even order him a pizza. Don’t be surprised if you get bumped down the family pecking order – it can do more chores in one afternoon that you did for your entire 18 years living at home.
Craft Beer Subscription
The craft revolution continues, putting the mass-produced, tasteless lagers we once quaffed without question to shame. Of course, there are so many crafty beers, lagers, and stouts available it’s hard to know where to start with all those quirky, colourful labels packing out shelves.
With a craft beer subscription, you can get a beer expert to do the hard work for you – for a set fee, they’ll pick out a selection of craft beers to send directly to your old man’s door each month, so he’ll always have some new and exciting bottles to hand.
Knitwear
Men and knitwear – a pairing that’s been a staple of fatherhood for generations. In fact, we’re pretty sure it’s a legal requirement for dads to own at least one cardigan or woolly jumper.
But knitwear isn’t the old fashioned garb it used to be; it’s a chance to keep him looking stylish and on-trend. This light cotton crew neck option will do just the trick, keeping dad warm enough on cool summer nights while avoiding those dreaded pit stains (for your benefit, naturally, not his) on warmer evenings in this tastefully fine-gauge knit.
Carving Set
Cooking a slap-up, hearty meal has been reclaimed by modern alpha men as one of the key dad-skills – and the roast is the greatest, most triumphant of all the slap-up, hearty meals.
So what dad’s life is complete without the proper kitchen tools – a good quality meat plate and set of knives – to carve and serve the proud results of his hard roasting labour? He’ll look and feel like a don at the head of the table, and if you want him to get serious about cooking steak, combine the set with a book on roasting and carving (honestly, it’s harder than it sounds).
Fitness Watch
Furnishing the old man with a gold timepiece is a thing of the past. So instead of buying him a watch that simply tells the time, try one that can also tell him how his heart rate’s doing, how many steps he’s walked that day, calories burned, speed, distance, and anything else he needs to keep in top shape.
Samsung’s newest fitness watch, as stylish as it is practical, is just the shout. When paired with his smartphone (assuming he can work a smartphone, of course), it will be like having a personal trainer on hand at all times. Except much less shouty.
Slippers
Look up Father’s Day in an encyclopedia, and it’s sure to be accompanied by a picture of the humble slipper. But there’s a reason slippers are a Father’s Day tradition – they’re a nod to the fact that dad’s got a bloody hard life sometimes, so he should take a load off and relax.
Give them an upgrade with Allbirds’ wool loungers – made from superfine merino wool, they’re soft and itch-free on the inside, and durable and water-resistant on the outside, for both outdoor and indoor lounging.
Decanter and Tumblers
What do you need for a proper drinks cabinet? Whisky – check. Rum – check. Vodka and gin – check. Brandy – check. Mixers – check. Some of those little umbrellas that go into cocktails… well, maybe not.
But one essential for making it a next level drinks cabinet – and we mean serious next level, the kind of drinks cabinet dad will show off with equal pride as his own children – is a crystalline decanter and tumbler set. It’s the classiest way to drink and will make the old man feel like Don Draper when he’s supping back the hard stuff.
Drone
There’s not a man in the world who completely grows out of playing with toys – a fact proved by the ever-growing world of smart gadgets and wearable tech (toys for grown ups, let’s be honest). But on Father’s Day, the one day of the year when it’s all about dad, cut to chase with a serious piece of kit: an all-singing, all-dancing, all-flying drone, which can be controlled straight from his phone.
These are essentially the toys of future – the kind of space-age plaything your dad could only dream of when he was a boy.
Coffee Grinder
Dad’s been getting through life fuelled by coffee fumes and goodwill since the day you were born. But for the modern coffee drinker, it’s about much more than a quick-fix energy boost.
Coffee’s as much for the connoisseur as fine dining and posh booze – which is why he’ll appreciate one of these top-notch grinders. It doesn’t matter if he makes his cup of joe using a press, pour over, or drip machine, just a few cranks of this grinder will get the coffee beans to the perfect consistency every time.
Fragrance
Whether it’s aftershave, cologne, or eau de toilette (and yes, they are different things), dad likes to smell good. He might be knocking on a bit, but he still likes to unleash his inner sex panther with a decent whiff now and again.
And rather than just pick any old scent off the shelf, do your research and find one that best suits him or, if all else fails, follow your nose to a classic men’s fragrance like Acqua di Parma’s new addition to their Blu Mediterraneo collection, Cipresso di Toscana.
Smart Toothbrush
Those techy boffins make everything smart these days – even your toothbrush. A step up from your standard Oral-B, the smart toothbrush pairs with a phone app and monitors your brushing routine.
It then gives you all kinds of feedback: best brushing technique, what you’re doing wrong, which areas of your mouth need the most attention, and other essential tips. It’s like having a mini dental hygienist hanging around the bathroom on charge. Needless to say, it’s the Father’s Day gift to keep your old man smiling.
Skincare
Chances are, skincare has become a much bigger part of your dad’s life than he ever expected over the last decade or so. Choosing products that work for his skin can be tricky, so go for the safe option and give him variety with a skin kit that includes products for combination to oily skin.
This Dermologica one has everything he’ll need, from a face wash to toner and eye care cream.
Retro Gaming Console
Leave the new fangled games and VR headsets for the youngsters. Dad would be much happier getting retro with Frogger, Pac-Man, Super Mario, or Sonic the Hedgehog. There’s an ace selection of mini old school consoles available now – whether he was a Nintendo, Sega, or Atari and Commodore kind of guy back in the day – with each console packing in 30 or more classic games.
Watch him spend hours in front of the TV, wallowing in the glories of his gaming past and still failing to get past that elusive end-of-level boss.
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