Your dad probably won’t complain about any gift you give him. For better or worse, most modern dads don’t care about gifts. You know the meme about the older, bearded gentleman with the goofy smile opening his shirt like the one he’s wearing? There’s a lot of truth to that meme. However, I’m not just a dad and a gadget reviewer, I’m also someone with a specific philosophy about what makes a suitable gift for middle-aged men like me.
You’ll notice some themes running through this manifesto guide: The best gifts for dad are those that not only suit his interests but can fairly be described as “overkill.” Dads tend to like things that are overbuilt but useful. I’m sure some dads want to be “pampered,” but this isn’t me or the dads I know who all cringe when they read this sentence.
If you rule out an idea, I hope that when it comes to a gift for dad, you can rarely go wrong with giving an expensive but awesome version of something we use. We especially like things that win the admiration of our peers—nothing makes a dad happier than having another older guy pay attention to the stupidly expensive tire pressure gauge idiot and then say, “Oh, yeah, my kid gave me that—they’re a bit pricey but I have to say, it always works great.”
Check out the rest of us gift guideinclude Gift for mother, Technology gifts for childrenAnd Gifts for people who enjoy outdoor activities.
Updated June 2024: We’ve added a bunch of last-minute Father’s Day gift ideas, including ball caps, shirts, pants, and a beautiful rusty fireplace.
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