Best father's day gifts: what to buy for dad this year
Father's day is on its way, and dads around the country are standing in front of mirrors, drawing in deep breath and practicing their lines. "Socks! What a lovely surprise!"
It needn't be this way. A good father's day gift can be a wonderful way of indulging your old man's hobbies and interests on a day specifically designed for you to show him just how much you appreciate him.
Whether he's a whisky-afficianado, budding chef or a tech-lover, we've gathered together a range of gift ideas to help you find the perfect present.
Gifts for dads who love to garden
Personalised Shed Sign
If your dad loves spending time in the shed, then get him a personalised sign to hang on the door. The sign can fit 15 characters on the top line and 10 on the bottom line, so it's worth being imaginative (though if you're stuck for ideas, 'Dad's Shed' isn't half bad.)
Charles Bentley, Foldable charcoal fire pit
If your dad loves spending summer evenings in the garden, he'll love this fire pit with a handy fold-down function. As the sun sets and the last of the barbecue sausages are gobbled up, it'll save everyone from having to pile indoors.
Burgon & Ball, Kneelo Knee Pads
Green-fingered dads are sure to chuckle at the ingenuity of these cushioned knee pads, but more importantly, they're sure to actually use them and get the benefit too. Gardening should be relaxing, not a strain on the joints.
Kärcher K2 Full Control Home Pressure Washer
Cleaning can be a chore – until you get a decent gadget involved. This one comes with a trigger gun, a dirt blaster lance, patio and deck detergent and a patio cleaner accessory.
Gadget gifts for techie dads
Amazon Echo Dot
Alexa is the voice-controlled device first used in the Amazon's hands-free Echo speaker. The technology is built into this miniaturised version of the Echo too – a handy gadget that can play music, set timers while cooking, read the news, set alarms and just about anything else your dad might think up.
GoPro HERO5 Session Action Camera
In the days of the camcorder, creating a dedicated record of birthdays, holidays and the daily ephemera of family life may well have been a task that fell to a dad. The smartphone changed that – but phones break and files get deleted. A lightweight action camera from GoPro will help your dad start building up a single record again.
Oh, and that word action is there for a reason. The HERO5 is durable, waterproof to 10m and can capture photos in burst mode, so it's a perfect gadget for active and adventurous dads.
Rif6 Cube 2
Film buff dads love a good movie night. This two-inch projector can conjure up the spirit of the living room on a Saturday evening wherever he goes, perfect for on-the-go streaming. The display stretches up to a whopping 120 twenty inches, and the tripod is included.
Popcorn is not.
Samsung Gear VR Headset with Controller
If your dad has a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, this compatible VR headset will make for a fun companion. Tech-loving dads will enjoy immersing themselves completely in a gaming world – at least for a minute or two before opening their other presents.
Make sure you confirm which model of smartphone your dad has first. The headset is compatible with the following Galaxy smartphones:
S8 and S8 Plus
S7 and S7 edge
Note5
S6 edge+, S6 and S6 edge
Oppo PM-3 headphones
Is your dad something of an audiophile? Then he'll love a pair of headphones that pack a punch. He can impress his mates with the lingo - (the drivers inside are planar magnetic rather than the usual dynamic drivers, which creates a particularly open and full bodied sound) - and get lost in the crisp quality. One for the man cave, certainly.
Thirst-quenching presents
Honest Brew, Ultimate Father’s Day Mixed Case
Giving socks on fathers' day is the oldest cliché in the book. Luckily, the socks included in this gift box are accompanied by 24 bottles and craft cans of beer, along with something to open them with and a glass to drink them in. Cheers to that.
Brewdog, Punk IPA Beer Making Kit
If buying your dad a premium drink won't cut it, why don't you give him the means to make his own? Brewdog are pioneers of the craft beer revolution, and this Punk IPA beer making kit will allow him to deconstruct their technique and get to grips with what makes their beer so tasty.
Longmorn 16 year old whisky
Distilled in the Speyside region, known for the sweetness and lightness of its whisky, this Longmorn whisky is silky and sweet, a very welcome addition to any whisky loving dad's cabinet.
Haig Club Single Grain Whisky
If your dad isn't a whisky afficianado but simply enjoys a quality tipple, Haig Club make a delicious whisky that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or - whisper it - in cola. Distilled in the Cameronbridge distillery on the east coast of Scotland near Kirkcaldy, it's whisky with a fresh, butterscotch taste.
One day wine school
Berry Bros & Rudd is an historic wine shop with its own cellars situated in St James', London. The interior is modern yet classic, a wonderful setting to learn about fine wine. Any dads who would like to educate their taste buds on the topic would be hard pressed to find a better place to do so in Britain.
BeerBods Gift Subscription
£36 for 12 weeks
£70 for 24 weeks
£135 for 48 weeks
Everyone’s old man loves beer, right? BeerBods have the perfect Father’s Day gift for him.
Your dad will receive 12 of the best beers from small, independent breweries around the world, straight to his door every 12 weeks.
All of BeerBods subscribers drink the same beer (just one) each week (it takes a bit of willpower not to guzzle them all in one weekend) and share their views with other Bods during live online tasting sessions every Thursday at 9pm.
He’ll also receive an email every week telling him the backstory behind that week's beer, enabling him to wax lyrical about his new craft beer with confidence.
How to redeem your gift: Once you have paid, BeerBods will send you a gift certificate by post or by email if you prefer. The gift certificate will have a website link and a code for your lucky dad to redeem his gift online. The beers will arrive a day or two after that. So don’t worry if you have left it to the last minute.
FEW Bourbon
If your Dad's a bourbon fan, this bourbon will be right up his street. Hailing from Evanston, Illinois, FEW Bourbon is packed full of toffee, clove, vanilla and warming spice goodness and presented in a striking bottle adorned with a label showing off some local heritage - namely a scene from the Chicago World’s Fair of 1892.
This spirit, distilled using timeless liquor-making techniques, utilises a three-grain recipe that infuses generations of Southern tradition with the spiciness of northern rye and a touch of malt for smoothness.
FEW is handcrafted through a small-batch process in charred oak barrels to age its bourbon whiskey. The result is a vibrant bourbon filled to the brim with character.
Gifts for the foodie dad
Manfood's Burger Lover gift box
If your dad loves to relish in the joys of a good burger, then this handy gift box containing two interesting flavours is sure to go down nicely. Beer and smoked pickle or smoked corn? His choice. Extra points for the son or daughter who cooks up a father's day burger so that he can give them a go.
Uuni 3 Wood-Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven with Baking Stone
Give your dad the gift of pizza with this wood-fired outdoor oven. It comes with a pizza stone, but best of all it heats up in ten minutes and cooks pizza in just sixty seconds. If a pizza oven seems like a cumbersome gift, fear not: it's portable and won't scorch surfaces.
Steak butchery & cookery experience
This cookery experience through Airbnb features a demonstration at London's M. Moen & Sons followed by a trip to Cactus Kitchen cookery school where participants will cook and eat their dish; with wine, of course.
Reversible Kebab Grill
Sheesh! This is quite the present. From dads whose guilty pleasure is the occasional greasy doner to those who about the joys of herby veg on a stick at a barby, this grill has nine automatically rotating skewers and (for those worrying it would never get cleaned) is dishwasher safe.
Gifts for the DIY dad
Personalised pair of hammers
If you've the kind of dad who loves nothing more than getting stuck into a DIY task, then this pair of hammers will be a touching gift with a personal touch.
Note: buying this doesn't necessarily obligate you to do DIY as well.
Kikkerland Hammer Multi-Tool
This multi-tool is officially one-up on the Swiss Army Knife. It has ten tools, including a hammer, flat head screwdriver, bottle opener, reamer, saw blade, file, knife blade, Phillips head screwdriver, pliers and wire cutters. Any DIY-loving dad would be happy to have it in his arsenal.
Personalised Half Waxed Canvas And Leather Work Apron
£64.50, Not on the High Street
Personalised with a name or initials, this work apron will make the various tasks around the house more enjoyable for any dad. It's handcrafted from buffalo leather and waterproof waxed canvas, so it's durable, and should make for a welcome addition to the workshop (or the shed, or the under-stair storage cupboard, wherever he keeps his tools.)
Gifts for the stylish dad
Richard Anderson cufflinks
Give your dad some Savile Row-style with these wine coloured cufflinks from bespoke tailors Richard Anderson. It can be the little touches that'll make a smart outfit shine at a special occasion, and these are an accessory that can be worn with pride.
Navy fleck men's slippers
Help your dad up his slipper game with these Berkeley Slippers. The insole can be removed and the outer sole can be worn outdoors - just don't call them a shoe.
Jaeger silk knitted tie
This knitted tie is a versatile addition to the wardrobe of any style-conscious dad. Whether boosting a casual outfit or softening a smart one, it'll help him look the part.
Charles Tyrwhitt Navy and white classic printed spot pocket square
It can be hard looking for fashion gifts for anyone, never mind dads, but even the pickiest are sure to be happy with a quality accessory like an aesthetically pleasing pocket square. A great way to round off any smart look, this printed spot design is particularly easy on the eye.
