52 Best Gifts for Dads (original) (raw)
Photo-Illustration: Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
There’s no one-size-fits-all gift for dads. There are dads who are more tech-savvy than their kids, dads who watch the forecast for golf weather, and dads who will cross state lines for a rare beer. To find the best gifts for every kind of father, I’ve trawled The Strategist’s deep archive of cool-dad content and put together the following list of 52 options, many of which Strategist staffers have tried and loved ourselves (or gifted to our own parents over the years). To make it even easier to shop this list, we’ve arranged the items by price, from an ornithologist-recommended bird-watching guide tool to a splurge-y cannabis infuser. And for more Father’s Day gift ideas, check out our hub.
Updated on May 13, 2026
Added an ultrathin wallet tracker, a philosophy book recommended by Jeff Koons, and more; checked all items for stock and price.
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This analog wooden foot massager is a favorite gifts for doctors — it’s even compact enough to fit under a desk.
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No airline’s getting one over on him with this handy bag scale.
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A three-quarter teaspoon of this magical flavored salt and he’ll swear he’s at the movie theater (even though he’s just rewatching Master and Commander on the couch).
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A field guide is a great gift for a bird-watcher, whether they use it for its intended purpose of identifying birds or just flip through the pages to look at illustrations. (This one comes recommended by a research associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.)
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This strap will keep it securely anchored to his hand if he dozes off on the couch while reading.
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If he’s adamant that certain IPAs are better from the can versus in a glass, he’ll love this gadget that removes the tops of aluminum cans for a better drinking experience. I heard about it from Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen, who found out about it from her dad.
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A reliable retro watch that Brynn Wallner, founder of watch website Dimepiece, says can “very quickly go from dorky to a cool summer-in-the-’80s-in-Italy vibe.”
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For a few dollars more, you can upgrade him to Italian brand Proraso’s toning aftershave, a brand recommended by barbers as the best on the market and what they use on their own faces.
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Spencer Rubin, the founder of the Melt Shop, uses this handsome, very giftable grill press, which he prefers to heavier options: “You don’t end up pushing the cheese or ingredients out of the bread,” he says.
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“It’s a funny invention, no?” says pastry chef Jacques Torres of these exfoliating gloves. “Call me lazy, but these make things so much more efficient.”
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For a pair of socks he’ll actually be excited to open as a gift, try Darn Tough — according to Transportation SecretaryPete Buttigieg, they sell some of the best wool socks out there. They’re made in Vermont and come with a lifetime guarantee.
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An ultraslim tracker the size of two credit cards stacked on top of one another will save him from losing his wallet.
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I recommended this cooperative party game for a reader’s “neurosurgeon son who is into _Magic: The Gathering,_” and it would also be great for dads who get too heated when they don’t have enough sheep to build a settlement.
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Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power chronicles work created by Black artists from 1963 to 1983.It’s a “must-read for anyone interested in the history of American art and the importance of Black artists in that history,” says Andria Hickey, curator at large at the Shed.
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If he hates texting on a small phone screen, this nifty Bluetooth keyboard will turn his iPhone in to a tiny typewriter. It’s an especially good gift for frequent travelers.
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This fuel-free lighter uses electricity to generate sparks — it’s useful for camping trips (it even has a built-in flashlight) and it would also be a hit with emergency-preparedness dads.
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A nesting knife, spoon, and fork set made of Japanese steel. (The knife doubles as a bottle opener.)
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This simple massage tool gets out knots — and it’s a favorite of writer Ottessa Moshfegh and Everything Everywhere All at Once director Daniel Kwan.
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According to some coffee people, the AeroPress system makes a more consistent cup than pour-over. It’s also easy to travel with, if Dad’s the kind of coffee snob who needs to bring his brewing setup on vacation.
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A subscription to Fine Woodworking is one of my all-time favorite gifts I’ve received. It’s a no-nonsense publication full of illustrated guides and tips that deepen one’s understanding of the craft.
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This Tom Colicchio–approved thermometer will allow him to monitor internal temperature from his phone (up to 165 feet away ) for“perfect meat every time.”
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The Merkur 34C is our best-in-class safety razor; the expert barbers we spoke to praised its reliable engineering and ease of use. It’s also attractive enough to gift, with its chrome finish and knurled grip.
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A beautiful set of thoughtfully designed, handmade wooden cooking tools recommended by chef Andy Baraghani.
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Help him get into vacation mode with a comfy hemp and lyocell camp shirt recommended by travel writer Rick Steves. “I feel good about hemp because it’s an environmentally positive kind of crop,” he says.
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This rich moisturizer from Vermont brand Ursa Major is especially good for healing dry or irritated skin.
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A hammered-steel round-bottomed wok that gets super-hot. Munzerin Uddin and Harvey Wong, co-owners of Brooklyn’s the Monkey King, have used this model at their restaurant and in their home for several years.
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It’s a collapsible camping chair and a rocking chair in one. The Dyrt co-founder Sarah Smith recommends it to everyone because it’s “super-comfortable and slightly decadent.”
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Strategist writer Kat Gillespie describes these rubberized, waterproof binoculars as “highly compatible with the chaotic city-birder lifestyle.”
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The very best garlic press will save him time — it outperformed all its competitors in percentage of garlic successfully pressed.
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This well-designed steel toolbox from Japan will help keep him organized.
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These Danish wool clogs are at the top of our list of the best slippers to gift — they’re soft, warm, andmold to your foot, perfect for lounging around the house and also have a rubber sole that allows for quick trips outdoors. They “really do deserve their reputation as the best slippers,” says former Strategist writer Karen Iorio Adelson.
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The Levo II took the top spot in our roundup of cannabis infusers. And it even makes a great gift for dads who prefer baking the traditional way: _“_You can even get extra chef-y and play around with making non-cannabis infusions in it as well,” says confectioner and cookbook author Stephanie Hua.
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If he’s really into stargazing, a pair of binoculars designed specifically for observing the night sky like these from Celestron will allow Dad to see constellations much faster than setting up a telescope.
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