Ah, the age-old “I don’t want anything.” This is a typical response from my dad when the conversation rolls around to holiday shopping or his birthday. I don’t buy it. We kids still need to stock up on clever and useful gifts for dads who don’t want anything and are hard to please. I’m of the firm belief that his gift denial is a careful combination of “I don’t want you to spend your money on me,” and “Please don’t clutter up my office with crap I don’t need.” Whether it’s actually a case of the dad who doesn’t want anything, or it’s just that he’s a fan of practical yet clever items, this list has something on it for every type of father or paternal figure in your life.
In a situation like this, gift giving is all about practicality. The more useful it is, the more likely he is to love it. That’s because it’s no longer about what he wants, but what he needs. If he never goes another day without using his luxury shaving set, or another night without tossing his things onto his Catchall, then you’ve taken ample advantage of a scenario that could’ve been a total train wreck. That being said, socks are boring and ties are overdone, so check out these clever gifts that your dad might actually want after all.
1. A Bedside Home For All His Belongings
Who in their right mind would say no to organization? The Catchall is entirely homemade, totally sleek, and gives him a spot to house everything from his phone to his keys.
2. For When The Touch Screen Is Just “Too Damn Small”
Mini Roll-Up Bluetooth Keyboard, $24, Amazon
My dad could seriously use this mini roll-up bluetooth keyboard, so he can stop using the speech-to-text function in public; it rolls up for easy traveling and wirelessly syncs up to your device or tablet.
3. This Soap Gets Rid Of All Odors Without Fail
Mastrad Deos Stainless Steel Soap, $19, Amazon
Whether he’s a chef or a mechanic, this Mastrad Deos stainless steel soap utilizes oxido-reduction to entirely get rid of smells on his hands, and it’s got a built-in nail cleaner.
4. This Incredible Mat For Any Kind Of Back Pain
Acupressure Mat, $20, Amazon
I’m in love with my Acupressure mat, and it’s a great gift for anyone who suffers from back pain. Little tiny spikes stimulate acupuncture points in the back to seriously reduce pain and promote relaxation.
5. Turn The Man Cave Into A Home Theater
Mira-Tech Portable Mini Projector, $60, Amazon
Whether he’s a gamer or a movie buff, this Mira-tech portable mini projector lets your dad project his favorite entertainment onto the wall with a clear picture and built-in speakers.
6. These Sticks Chill His Beer Without Diluting It
Beer Chiller Sticks, $10, Amazon
Never wait for beers to chill again with these Beer Chiller sticks. They’re made from hygienic stainless steel that makes your drink ice cold in no time, and all without diluting it.
7. When He Can’t Figure Out What To Cook
Foodie Dice Seasonal Dinners, $34, Amazon
For the indecisive cook, there’s these handmade Foodie Dice seasonal dinners. Now he can leave his nightly menu up to chance with some dice that feature delicious seasonal meal options.
8. Overcome The Maze Of Wires In His Office
USB Charging Station, $35, Amazon
If his office is overrun with wires, this USB charging station is an awesome solution. It can charge up to six devices simultaneously at full speed, and it helps you organize everything from your phone to your smart watch.
9. Power Outages Become No Big Deal With This Back-Up
RunningSnail Solar Crank, $27, Amazon
If he’s a camper or an always-prepared type of guy, this RunningSnail solar crank is a flashlight, radio, phone charger, and SOS alarm all in one, and all powered by the sun or a physical crank.
10. This Color-Changing Lightbulb Speaker
Bluetooth LED Colored Light Bulb And Speaker, $22, Amazon
Not only does this Bluetooth LED colored light bulb and speaker sync up to your phone so you can make it light up literally any color you want, but it plays super clear music, too.
11. Give Him The Gift Of Anytime-Caffeine
MiniPresso GR Espresso Maker, $60, Amazon
If your dad is a bit of a caffeine addict, this MiniPresso GR espresso maker lets him brew quality espresso anywhere, without batteries or electric power.
12. This Wine Holder You Can Stack Like Legos
Present Time Brick Wine Holder Set, $37, Amazon
Is your dad a wine drinker? If so, there's always a need for more wine storage places, such as this two-piece stackable block set. Silver and pink options are also available.
13. He’ll Never Say “I Forgot” Ever Again
Hiku The Shopping Button, $50, Amazon
If your dad’s always forgetting things at the grocery store, the Hiku The Shopping Button is an incredible resource. You can scan or speak the items you need to remember, and they automatically get sent to an interactive shopping list on your phone.
14. This Classy Bag For Work Or Pleasure
Vintage Canvas Backpack, $39, Amazon
Whether it’s for work or pleasure, this vintage canvas backpack with leather trim lets him carry everything from his laptop to his overnight clothes in style.
15. A Guitar Themed Key Holder
Guitar Amp Key Holder, $35, Amazon
Musicians have a tendency to lose things, and this awesome guitar amp key holder ensures that he never misplaces his keys ever again.
16. This Bird Feeder That Reminds Him Of His Childhood
Fred & Friends Swing Time Bird Feeder, $19, AmazonWhether it was you or your dad that had the idyllic tire swing growing up, this bird feeder is that swing on a much smaller scale. It captures a touch of sweet nostalgia all while letting him observe friendly visitors in the backyard.
17. A Travel Mug That Absolutely Will Not Spill
Contigo Autoseal Travel Mug, $16, Amazon
Unlike your typical travel mug, this Contigo autoseal travel mug has a vacuum inside of it that locks when it’s not in use, so spills are never again an issue — and it stays hot up to seven hours.
18. This Epic Voice-Activated Alarm Clock
Smileto Sound Activated Wood LED Clock, $31, Amazon
Not only is this Smileto wood LED clock particularly sleek and stylish, but dad can activate all of his alarms using only his voice.
19. An Easy Way To Work His Core And Knees
Fit&Me Wooden Balance Board, $35, Amazon
Whether he’s got a bad knee that he’s looking to strengthen, or he’s just trying to get in shape, this Fit&Me wooden balance board is an awesome way to strengthen muscles all over. It’s also durable, great for balance, and it comes with video exercises.
20. A Really Great Sports Backpack That’s Reliable And Light
Element Men's Jaywalker Backpack, $50, Amazon
For the hiker or the traveler, there’s this Element men's 'Jaywalker' backpack. It’s got a sleeve for everything from his laptop to his sunglasses, and it’s lightweight, extra durable, and ridiculously comfortable.
21. So He Can Catch A Fish Every Time
Lowrance Fish Finder, $80, Amazon
The Lowrance fish finder ensures that he never comes home from fishing empty handed because it uses a color display that easily identifies where the fish are and where the fish aren’t.
22. For The Gardener And Drinker Combo
Backyard Safari Company Grow Cocktails, $12, Amazon
If he’s into gardening and drinking — a strangely common combination — this Backyard Safari Company Grow cocktails lets him all the herbs he’ll need for his cocktails, like Thyme, Lavender, Thai Basil, and Mint.
23. If He’s Always Dropping His Phone On His Face
Macally Adjustable Gooseneck Device Holder, $20, Amazon
He’ll never drop his phone or tablet on his face again with this Macally adjustable gooseneck device holder, which clips onto any table or surface and bends every which way for easy, lazy viewing.
24. For His Laptop (And Absolutely Everything Else)
GRID-IT Wrap for MacBook Air, $39, Amazon
This GRID-IT wrap for MacBook Air lets him carry his laptop and everything else in a cool space-savvy way with a grid-it interior.
25. These Entertaining Water Lightshow Speakers
SoundSOUL Bluetooth Dancing Water Speakers, $33, Amazon
Not only do these SoundSOUL bluetooth dancing water speakers sound great and sync up to your music without any wires, but they’ve got an epic light-up water display that matches your tunes.
26. So He’s Never Stuck With A Dead Phone Again
Credit Card Wallet Power Bank, $19, Amazon
One of the sleekest back-ups ever, this credit card wallet power bank fits easily into his wallet and provides some serious extra juice for his iPhone when he’s running low on battery power.
27. The Most Adult-Like Bean Bag Chair There Is
Cozy Sack 5-Feet Bean Bag Chair, $179, Amazon
A great combination of modern and laid-back, this oversized bean bag chair is made with the most comfortable interior and the most durable exterior so he can surf the web, watch sports, or do whatever else he does in complete coziness.
28. For The Most Practical Dad
The Blades Grim Luxury Shaving Set, $30, Amazon
Gift denial or not, as long as he shaves, your dad will end up using this The Blades Grim luxury shaving set. The brush is made from the finest bristles, and the soap has only the most moisturizing and natural ingredients.
29. Cut All The Herbs In One Simple Motion
Mincing Knife and Cutting Board Set, $40, Amazon
My dad cuts a lot of garlic, and next Christmas, I’ll be getting him this mincing knife and cutting board set, which quickly and conveniently cuts herbs and garnishes with a simple rocking motion.
30. This USB-Powered Warmer And Cooler
Cooluli Electric Cooler and Warmer, $44, Amazon
Not only does this Cooluli electric cooler and warmer keep all of his beers cold with any USB port, but it doubles as a food warmer to keep his lunch hot at work.
Design: Brit Phillips; Images: Amazon (30)
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