“Just not another tie!” It’s a common lament heard in early June as Father’s Day approaches and kids big and small ask Dad what he’d like to get on his big day. Ties are a classic Father’s Day gift, but frankly, they’re not a very good gift.
One thing ties have going for them is that they’re practical; most men need a tie, even if they don’t wear one very often. But if we’re talking about actuallypractical gift ideas, we can do way better. Ahead, with the help of some actual dads, including some of our very own staffers, we’ve rounded up some absolutely fantastic and totally practical Father’s Day gift ideas.
Need more ideas? Check out our favorite Father’s Day gifts from Amazon, unique Father’s Day gifts and gifts from Uncommon Goods.
For the dad who loves to grill, a grill brush is a gift you can buy over and over again — because it's important to replace grill brushes regularly for safety's sake. Score an additional 20% off with code CNNDEAL2024
Level up his cleaning game with a Drill Brush set. The Drill Brush comes with three scrub brush attachments for use with a power drill: a 2-inch flat round brush, a 4-inch flat round brush and an oval brush. The Drill Brush can be used to clean everything from the bathtub to a canoe.
The reviews of this thing are incredible and hilarious. (“This is the most awesome present ever. If, like me, you seem to be a walking wasp magnet, this is probably the best invention of all time. I work with the window open and my day is now interspersed with brief flurries of ‘Wasp Wimbledon,’ so I am even getting exercise whilst defending myself.”) If you and your dad like to share some laughs, this present will do double duty.
If he's always taking work calls, this budget-friendly wireless headset is a super-practical gift idea that will get a ton of use. It has a detachable boom mic for clear calling and an impressive battery life (10 hours on a single charge).
Are you looking for the perfect gift for the dad who is always schlepping things? A box tote is that perfect gift! Penco's Box Tote comes in three dad-approved colors: green, navy and khaki.
Forget those cardboard trees: Drift's wooden scent block comes with a metal visor clip and provides fragrance for 30 days. For more auto scent ideas, check out our roundup of luxury car fresheners.
Is he also a plant dad? While there are plenty of great gift ideas for dads who garden, we think this repotting mat stands out for its practicality and wallet-friendly price point.
Safety glasses are essential for protecting your eyes when working with power tools, heavy-duty chemicals and other DIY staples, but they suffer from a severe case of the uglies — until now. These cool safety glasses are perfect for the DIY dad who wants to look stylish while hard at work.
A good meat thermometer is essential for cooking steak exactly how you like it. In our testing, we found this stylish one from Oxo to be very accurate and easy to read — making it an excellent gift for the dad who loves to cook.
Washing your hands has gone high-tech with Simplehuman's rechargeable sensor pump soap dispenser. With just a wave of his hands, Dad can wash off whatever life — and his kids — throw his way.
International adapters are a must-have for the dad who loves to travel, and we think this compact adapter, which features five charging ports that will keep all of his devices powered up, makes a great gift idea.
Upgrade Dad's salt and pepper game with this battery-operated grinder, which comes with two interchangeable spice pods. They can also be used for whole spices and have adjustable grind sizes.
The beautifully designed and built Yeti Tundra cooler is our pick for the best cooler, and this wheeled version takes it to another level. It's definitely a splurge, but we think its premium price is what elevates it to a dad-worthy gift.
Is your dad a "Yellowstone" fan? While he waits for a new season of the hit show, treat him to a bundle of actor Cole Hauser's dark roast coffee.
If you want to level up the gift of coffee, add this incredible travel coffee press to the mix. The AeroPress Go Travel coffee press makes coffee in just one minute, and it comes with a mug that also serves as a carrying case.
This battery organizer is the perfect solution to Dad's messy drawer or cardboard box full of batteries. Plus, the built-in tester lets you check the status of each battery.
This viral 4-in-1 tool streamlines meal prep, thanks to its dicing, chopping, slicing and spiralizing blades. If your dad loves to cook but hates the tedious prep work involved, this veggie chopper makes a great gift item.
This is the best-looking drinks fridge we've ever seen! In addition to its incredible style, Rocco's Super Smart Fridge is whisper-quiet and has programmable cooling zones, movable racks and modular shelving that allow Dad to configure his beverages exactly the way he wants.
If your dad is the outdoorsy type, treat him to this outdoor and camping blanket that also works just as well on the couch.
If your dad is a neatnik and a lover of power tools, he'll be obsessed with this electric window vac and squeegee that can be used to clean windows, mirrors, glass shower doors and loads of other hard, nonporous surfaces in a flash.
A universal truth is that most umbrellas suck. So chances are high that Dad absolutely loathes his, which makes gifting him our pick for the best umbrella a pretty genius move.
Mark Amadio, Underscored's own product design manager, picked out a slew of practical gifts (we're dutifully sending this to his family), including the Sewell BlastIR, of which he says, "This remote control receiver will allow you to put away all your devices so they no longer clutter the room. The BlastIR can control these devices via your existing remote controls even though they’re out of sight. A great gift for tech-savvy dads who also like organization."
Outdoor furniture like hammocks, outdoor dining sets, super-comfortable camping chairs, etc. were universal picks among the dads we spoke with — there are lots of great gift options in this category. We like a patio umbrella light as a gift because it's unexpected and inexpensive! Check out more of our favorite outdoor Amazon products here.
The Moon Pod, a favorite among our staff, is a cloudlike chair designed to mimic the sensations of flotation therapy. Our reviewer especially loved it for storytime with the kids.
"For the bookworm dad," Amadio says, "there’s no greater pleasure than sharing beloved books, but no crueler pain than losing them for good. Comes with 20 self-adhesive pockets, 20 checkout cards, one date stamp, one black ink pad and one genuine pencil!"
Everything you need to prep an avocado — from slicing to pitting — in one compact, dishwasher-safe tool. It’s an Underscored reader favorite.
Our pick for the best bidet attachment, the Tushy 3.0 is incredibly easy to install on a wide variety of toilets, and even easier to enjoy. It’s a complete bathroom game changer we can’t recommend enough.
Massage guns are popular tools for post-workout recovery, making them a great gift for the active dad. While many massage guns can be bulky and loud, the Theragun gets high marks for being quiet, small and comfortable to use.
An indoor LED grow light garden is a perfect gift for a budding home cook, providing fresh herbs right when you need them. The easy-to-use gardening system comes with a gourmet seed kit featuring six herbs: Genovese basil, curly parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil and mint.
If Dad is a hot coffee guy, our reviewers found the flat-bottom, three-hole design of the Kalita Wave 185 Pour-Over Coffee Dripper allowed for even and consistent brewing, and chose it as their pick for best pour-over coffee maker. Reviewers said the Kalita produced the most robust coffee, spot-on temperature and most even saturation of the grounds of all the models tested.
In our testing of travel pillows, the Cabeau Evolution S3 stood out among the competition: Our reviewers call it “the Goldilocks of travel pillows.” They praised its design, which is firm enough to support the head and neck but soft enough to fall asleep on, and noted that it is eminently portable, thanks to its being made of springy memory foam that enables you to compress it to half its size.
Help Dad keep all his cables and cords organized with this clever tech accessory case. The zip-closure waterproof case features elastic loops and mesh pockets to hold cables, phone chargers, earbuds, charging bricks and more. There's also a padded pocket that can hold a tablet, SD card and other flat electronic items.
A subscription to Atlas Coffee Club is the perfect gift for the dad who loves his cup of morning Joe. The company can send a new bag of coffee from a different country every month.
The work-from-home dad will love the Flexispot Standing Desk Converter. Both its desktop and keyboard tray provide ample space, and it adjusts with the push of a lever.
"A must-have tool in any DIY dad’s toolbox," Amadio says. "These are inflatable bags used to shim heavy objects which require leveling, including windows, doors, cabinets, appliances and plumbing. 'Hey, can you give me a hand with this?' is a phrase you may never hear your dad say again after buying these shims!"
This cotton sleep mask — our pick for best overall sleep mask — is one of those gifts people won't know they needed until they have it.
Level up Dad's smile with an electric toothbrush. Smile Brilliant's CariPro toothbrush has five settings — Clean, White, Massage, Gum Care and Sensitive — so he can switch up his brush as he likes.
"Measuring tape can’t measure everything," Amadio points out. "Calipers can measure thicknesses, distances and internal and external diameters. As a result, they're an essential tool for auto repair, woodworking and metalworking. A helpful tool any handy dad would love."
Center console trash cans are a little thing that can make a huge difference when it comes to keeping the car clean. This all-in-one style receptacle has two removable liners to make emptying easier, as well as a compartment to hold tissues, napkins or wet wipes — perfect for keeping greasy or sticky fingers from leaving greasy or sticky prints all over Dad's car.
"Give your dad a dose of nostalgia for Father's Day," Amadio says. "No matter what decade your dad grew up in, these retro candy boxes are sure to include something that will give them that 'Ratatouille moment' and whisk back fun memories from the past."
Nick Allen, dad to two girls from Michigan, has these Martini golf tees, which he raves about for their durability, on his Father's Day wish list. “They’re basically indestructible and the ball doesn’t fall off the tee," he says, adding, "they’re pretty substantial.”
A giant golf net makes an absolutely genius gift for the golf dad who likes to practice his putting in the backyard. This golf practice net set includes the 10-by-7-foot golf net, a golf mat, golf balls and tees, as well as a carrying bag so Dad can pack it all up if Mom objects to having a golf net as a permanent fixture in her yard.
The Pluto Pillow is our pick for best overall pillow. Our reviewers noted that the customizable pillow is extremely comfortable and offers the perfect balance of plushness and support.
Mike Barish, the father of two boys (and several chickens) from Flanders, New Jersey, says of these gravity chairs, "Why should Bezos and Musk be the only people enjoying the comforts beyond our atmosphere? I love these chairs for lounging, but they also provide extra seating when we're hosting a barbecue, since the trays are so useful."
"Great for cool spring and early summer evenings out on the patio," Amadio says. "Safe for roasting marshmallows or s’mores. A three- to five-hour burn time and crackles like a real fire! Made from eco-friendly ingredients like recycled soy wax and paper briquettes."
If you like the idea of getting Dad an outdoor chair but you're working with a bit of a budget, this Coleman camp chair is for you. The low price and simple design belie its plethora of features, such as a built-in headrest, a mesh cup holder, multiple side pockets, an insulated cooler and an extra-roomy 24-inch-wide seat.
Regulating the temperature of drinks was another theme that emerged from the gift suggestions dads made this year — they want hot liquids to stay hot, and cold liquids to stay cold! Barish says of the Yeti Rambler, "Perfect all year round, but really great in the summer for enjoying a cocktail by the pool or at the beach. It keeps drinks cold for hours, so the only thing limiting your alcohol consumption is your tolerance!" It's actually the smaller version of our pick for the best water bottle too.
"If your dad is still using his father's screwdrivers he inherited as family hand-me-downs over the years, it’s time for an upgrade," Amadio says. "A high-quality screwdriver set is a must-have for fixing all the things around the house and in the garage. Made in the USA."
We told you temperature regulation was a hot theme among the dads we spoke to: One dad who received this Zojirushi coffee canister raved that it is "INCREDIBLE and keeps things hot FOREVER." If your dad is a big hot drinks guy, getting him this mug will make his day — and every day after it.
If your dad is a Sweater Dad, this inexpensive fabric care tool will absolutely delight him. The Gleener Fabric Shaver is a fantastic sweater depiller; the tool comes with three changeable blades in different weights to remove pills from fine, medium or heavy fibers, and the handle is fitted with a lint remover to make cleanup quick.
Calling all plant dads! A very cool DIY project for people who grow things is assembling a self-watering container that can be used as a planter for flowers, herbs or vegetables. This video tutorial is fantastic. If this looks like a project your dad might enjoy, a PVC cutter is a great gift idea, since self-watering containers use PVC piping to create the internal mechanism.