The 43 Best Gifts for Dads (2024)

For deep-powder, mountain-biking, and other radical dads, the GoPro Hero10 Black can catch all their outdoor action. And if they have young kids, they can also document their athletic and personal growth—just like snowboarding dad Robert Garlow of popular Instagram account Chasing Sage. Our budget pick for best action-friendly camera, this well-stabilized GoPro produces high-resolution images and stellar videos (up to 60 frames per second). Plus, it’s small enough to fit in a (well-zippered) pocket. Although this GoPro’s footage isn’t as smooth and lifelike as that of our top pick, due to its smaller image sensor, it offers the best balance of cost and capability.

If your dad loves the crackle of a needle hitting a record’s grooves, a subscription to Vinyl Me Please Records of the Month will bring welcome new finds to his collection, particularly if his care-free days of leafing through albums have been displaced by ballet and Little League practice. The company presses new releases and reissues in many genres: hip-hop, country, rock, jazz, blues, soul, and more. Recent selections include John Prine’s Sweet Revenge, the Wu-Tang Clan’s The W, and Nina Simone’s Silk & Soul. Choose from subscriptions running from three months to a year.

After gifts writer Mari Uyehara ordered her boyfriend (a dad supreme) the canned Scarpetta Frico Lambrusco at Philadelphia’s pasta hotspot Fiorella, he promptly started hunting down those cans whenever he could find them. The pleasantly priced fizzy red has tart red fruit flavors, with a touch of balsamic and bright effervescence. And the 250-milliliter cans they come in—convenient to crack open for a single glass—cheekily sport an illustrated pig’s butt. Mari asked Kyle O’Neill, Fiorella’s general manager and sommelier, why he put a canned wine on the list. And he said it’s because the fizzy wine is food-friendly, delicious, and well made by “phenomenal winemakers in Emilia-Romagna,” with a bonus of taking “the pretension out of wine.”

If the dad in your life is a dinner-party-chef extraordinaire, consider the Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven. After baking nearly 100 pizzas, our kitchen team determined that it was the best pizza oven for its superior heat distribution and expansive, 16-inch baking surface. In our tests, the propane-fueled Koda 16 cranked up to 890 °F in the dead of winter—plenty hot to beautifully blister puffy pizza crusts and roast all sorts of other foods. If you don’t think he’d mind a smaller oven, and he prefers working with wood, opt for our budget pick, the Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven. Just note: These ovens get monstrously hot, so if your dad isn’t the careful type, better to go with lower-stakes equipment, like a sous-vide machine or rice cooker.

It’s an epic story of disaster, mutiny, and survival off the frigid, barren coast of South America. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder—from author David Gran, of Killers of the Flower Moon fame—unwinds the stories of the survivors of a 1740s maritime calamity. Paced like a novel, the narrative follows the adventures and horrors at sea, with men pushed past the edge of sanity in an extreme environment, and it shares how the survivors ended up on trial back in England. This book would thrill any father fascinated by historical tales of jaw-dropping adventures.

Our top-pick smart bird feeder has an integrated camera that captures 1080p videos and photos of feathered friends that perch on it to peck away at the seed (it holds up to 1.5 liters). The Netvue Birdfy Feeder labels the type of bird—say, house sparrow or mourning dove—in its notifications. It’s also solar-powered, eliminating the hassle of battery changes. Plus, your gift recipient will have a whole community of birders to share pics with in the app, which means that he’ll be less likely to jabber on to you about the red-winged blackbird that visited yesterday.

Dads who are prone to dipping their pizza crusts in Hidden Valley, might be jazzed by the Sohla & Ham Nothing Hidden Ranch Seasoning. The collaboration between New York Times Cooking contributors Sohla and Ham El-Waylly and single-origin spice purveyor Burlap & Barrel is just straight-up fun. A zesty mix of buttermilk, onion, and garlic powders, plus chives, dill, and nutritional yeast, this tangy seasoning livens up all sorts of food. Senior editor Marguerite Preston showers it on popcorn, but it would also do well on baked potatoes, dips, proteins, and whatever else he wants to shake it on.

Named after a historic street in Portland, Oregon, Pendleton’s Burnside Flannel Shirt is made with 100% cotton and brushed on both sides for extra softness. Available in nearly half a dozen plaids, this washable shirt doesn’t shrink or fade, and it looks equally great around a campfire and a table for two. After nearly a decade, supervising editor Hannah Morrill’s partner has found that his shirt hasn’t worn on the elbows or ripped during roughhousing.

Of the cheap sunglasses we tested in the Wayfarer style (those with a winged upper rim, like Ray-Bans), Goodr’s The OGs were the most universally loved. These comfortable, unisex shades look great on almost every face shape and size and come with a year-long warranty. And since they’re affordably priced, if they get tossed into the rapids on a whitewater-rafting trip, smooshed in sand at the beach, or just plucked off your dad’s dome by an eagle while he’s grilling, he won’t break a sweat over replacing them.

Whether the dad on your gift list is walking the dog after dark or jogging before dawn, the Etsfmoa Unisex Beanie with Light will keep his path well lit and keep his hands free (both of which are of critical importance on those dog walks). When staff writer Samantha Schoech brought this lightweight, acrylic hat to a white elephant exchange, a fight practically broke out over who got to take it home. The LED light, which charges in about two hours over a USB port, has three brightness settings, and the beanie comes in 24 colors and patterns.

Even after the dad in your life has risen to the challenge of assembling the 2,079-piece Lego Ideas Typewriter 21327, the fun isn’t over. Every part of this brick-built vintage replica works, from the rounded keys to the typebar and paper carriage. This smart-looking, army-green model is one our favorite Lego sets for adults, largely because of the non-repetitive building techniques it requires. Fashioned after a mid-century typewriter used by Lego Group founder Ole Kirk Kristiansen, the set also comes with a letter from his descendent and the current chairman, Thomas Kirk; superfans of the toymaker might like to feed it into the typewriter’s platen roller.

Come the colder months or inclement-weather days, the hardcore cyclist in your life will appreciate this tidy little accessories container for an indoor bike. The aluminum and plastic Foothill Products Trainer Tray easily and securely locks onto the trainer’s mount. And the grippy, nonslip surface will keep a phone, TV remote, and AirPods case in place even at your dad’s most furious pace.

Love ’em or hate ’em, the original Crocs are undeniably comfy and sturdy—a time-tested favorite in restaurant kitchens for those very reasons. Made with the same proprietary resin, the Crocs Dylan Clog still has those practical virtues but is designed in a more suave style. The iconic bulbous shape is smoothed out, with no dramatic bump on the toe box, and the textured exterior approximates full-grain leather. If the dad on your gift list wasn’t a Crocs convert before, he will be now. Supervising editor Hannah Morrill scooped up a pair for her partner, and he hasn’t taken them off for six months.

The dad on your list may find nothing wrong with a little toking. But that doesn’t mean a parent wants their stash found by the kiddos. The CBD joints in the Dad Grass Something’s Fishy 5 Pack Dad Stash are hidden in a decoy “sardines” sleeve, which should keep innocent questions at bay until your dad is ready to answer them. The pre-rolled joints are made with 100% US-grown, organic hemp flowers—free of additives and tobacco, and similar to marijuana but with high CBD and low THC content. The result is a mellower smoke that’s just enough to ease a day of picky-eating battles or sports chauffeuring without leaving your gift recipient completely dazed and confused.

If your dad is a fan of tasty little fishes, the Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co. Cantabrian Anchovies in Extra Virgin Olive Oil—from a woman-owned, sustainably run tinned seafood company—should be on his radar. Salty yet not overly so, and nicely textured between firm and silky, these anchovies are delicious on pizza and even better eaten right out of the tin. Gifts staff writer Samantha Schoech has been a member of an anchovy-cooking club for over a decade, and these are her favorite to eat plain, along with good bread and butter.

One part bragging board, one part movie-night idea generator, Pop Chart 100 Essential Films Scratch-Off Chart features 100 must-watch movies, each concealed under a simple gray design. Once the dad on your list watches a movie, he can scrape off the wax to reveal a full-color mini movie poster. The list spans more than 100 years, beginning with 1916’s Intolerance . If your giftee has passions other than film, Pop Chart makes similar posters related to major-league ballparks and novels, among other worthy interests.

He of the ratty old gym shorts could surely use a new pair. Featuring three inseam options, breathable fabric, a zippered hip pocket, and a supportive, nonrestrictive built-in brief, Adidas Own the Run Shorts are the platonic ideal of the form. Plus, if your dad likes to run after dark, the reflective stripes will keep him safer.

As people get older, aches and pains seem to crop up more frequently. Help the dad on your list keep everything loose with one of our favorite massage guns. The Opove M3 Pro Massage Gun is a bit bulkier and heavier (2.5 pounds) than our top pick massage gun, but it’s also significantly cheaper. Built with plenty of amplitude and stall force, it’s surprisingly quiet, and it has five speeds and six attachments, which can be mixed and matched to fulfill varying sore-muscle needs and tolerances for pressure.

All dads need a flashlight (or four), even if they don’t plan on exploring the great outdoors after dark. The battery-powered, compact ThruNite Archer 2A V3 flashlight is our top pick, and the dad you’re shopping for will appreciate it whether he’s camping or maneuvering his way around the house when the electricity goes out. Our testers liked this model’s two-beam design and its different brightness options (which your dad can click through one-handed). This flashlight is water-resistant, designed not to roll off flat surfaces, and capable of surviving a 1-meter drop. Bonus: It’s small enough to stash in a glove box or junk drawer—perfect for power outages, without draining his smartphone battery.

The Core Home Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Set is our pick because these weights are easy to adjust and comfortable to hold. And, frankly, they’re more practical and versatile than the Rocky-era barbell that your dad may swear he’ll use again one of these days. With a twist of the handles, each dumbbell can go from 5 pounds to 50 pounds in a matter of seconds. But what our testers especially liked was that these weights, at 14.5 inches long, are a manageable length when fully loaded, and they get shorter—and therefore more ergonomic to handle—as you reduce the load.

A snapshot of the cosmos from a customized time and place, the Night Sky Museum Grade Print would make a special gift for the dad in your life, whether you decide to use the date and time of his birth or to highlight another pivotal event in his life. Printed on museum-quality paper or stretched canvas with fade-resistant archival ink, the image is available in three sizes and several colors, plus a glow-in-the-dark option. It also includes the date and the location coordinates, along with a personalized event name. This token is sweet and simple, and it will look great hanging on a wall.

The late Burt Bacharach and crooner Elvis Costello wrote and composed together for more than three decades. The newly remastered The Songs Of Bacharach & Costello double album, compiled by Costello, contains recordings of every song they published in that time. Sung by Costello and accompanied on piano by Bacharach, these 18 songs have a throwback, jazzy sound that would perfectly suit both a co*cktail party and a solo listening session.

The Hasami Porcelain Mug, made by a 400-year-old Japanese ceramics company, is a gorgeous porcelain piece. And no matter what size or color you buy it in, it always looks great in a set. The mug is stackable, so it looks great displayed on shelves, and it comes in three color options. We’re confident it’ll become your dad’s new go-to vessel for coffee or tea.

When was the last time your dad bought himself a new pillow? Was it when you got sick on his bed after eating too much Halloween candy in the third grade? If so, it’s time he got an upgrade. A pillow might not be the most glamorous gift, but we’ve found shredded-foam pillows—including the Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow—to be life-altering, both in comfort and in their impact on sleep quality. This is the ultimate practical present that your dad may not know he needs.

Whether the dad you’re shopping for is a hunter, a nature observer, or just someone who wants to know what goes bump in the night, a trail camera is a surprisingly effective tool for capturing clear images and videos of wildlife. Our top pick, the Bushnell Core S No Glow 4K, takes both high-quality daytime and nighttime photos, with an impressive 0.2-second trigger speed and videos of up to 60 seconds. In our testing, it held up in heavy rain, snow storms, and high winds, and it also comes with a two-year warranty. Just be sure to include six AA batteries.

If your dad is fascinated by how things work, Grid takes apart old cell phones, gaming consoles, and watches and then fashions them into works of art, with each part labeled and arranged like a little tech map. The Grid Game Boy Pocket, made from the 1996 model, will bring him back to a time when nothing was more engaging than a session of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening in black-and-white.

Dull conversationalists give weather tracking an unfair rap. But as your dad may tell you, anticipating and observing the wind, rain, sunshine, and snow is actually an exciting and useful pursuit. The Netatmo Weather Station is a smart upgrade that will satisfy his curiosity beyond the confines of his phone’s weather app. The base weather station measures indoor and outdoor temperature, noise levels, humidity, barometric air pressure, and air quality; separate gauges track precipitation and wind. He can also access past readings and check on conditions remotely from a smartphone, tablet, or computer, or with voice commands via an Amazon Echo speaker or Siri.

If your dad hasn’t experienced the pleasures of the machine-washable Ridge Merino Men’s Aspect Midweight Wool Base Layer Long Sleeve Shirt—our new pick for thermal underwear—he’s in for a treat. The merino-wool and nylon blend creates a soft, breathable, non-itchy layer to keep your gift recipient cozy on a bone-chilling day. This shirt also works as an airy standalone piece on sunny days. It may seem pricey for just a shirt, but that’s the thing: A few wears will convince any dad that it’s not just a shirt.

Unless he’s a Don Draper acolyte, the dad in your life likely doesn’t carry a briefcase to work. But how about a more-modern carryall, like the Troubadour Apex 3.0 Backpack, one of our favorite laptop backpacks? This waterproof, 90% recycled-polyester canvas bag has a sleek and stylish silhouette. But our testers especially appreciated its inner beauty, including its contoured memory-foam shoulder straps, its multiple pockets and sleeves for staying organized, and its overall quality and construction. The recently updated design also has a handy hidden pocket on the left shoulder strap.

We’ve been testing screwdrivers for many years now, but none of them have worked as solidly as the Megapro 13-in-1 Ratcheting Driver 211R2C36RD. If the dad you’re thinking of spends a lot of time tinkering and making various repairs around the house, a great screwdriver is essential. Although most screwdrivers work just fine, the Megapro 13-in-1 will help your dad work faster and expend less effort. Plus, as its name suggests, it comes with a comprehensive bit selection (six double-headed driver bits, totaling 12 bits, and the ¼-inch hex end of the stem), all conveniently nestled inside the handle—and therefore much harder to lose.

Wirecutter is owned by The New York Times, but even if it weren’t, we’d think an All Access The New York Times Gift Subscription would make a terrific gift. For about six bucks a month, you’re giving Dad unlimited digital access to the Times’ crack reporting, plus Games, Cooking, Audio, The Athletic, and, of course, Wirecutter. He’ll never complain about being bored again.

Hot, fresh waffles need not be reserved for restaurant brunches and hotel buffets. If your dad prefers his thin and crispy, the Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker WMR-CAP2—one of our favorite waffle makers—is an especially thoughtful choice. Among the 30 models we’ve tested since 2014, this one stood out for its consistent performance, ease of use, and compact design. It’s a little over 10 inches across, so it’s simple to store, even in smaller kitchens.

The Filson Rugged Twill Tote Bag is a great present for the dad who has gear to haul, whether it consists of coloring books and snacks for an afternoon with little ones or a laptop and headphones for work. Of the 40 totes we researched for our guide to the best tote bags, this one appealed to us with its light weight, sturdy construction, and handsome design. The Filson tote is made from water-repellent, 100% cotton twill, and the inner seams are bound to protect them from fraying. Basically, this bag is safeguarded against all of the activities that dads are wont to partake in. But if you’re still concerned, it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Among our best notebook picks, the Field Notes National Parks Memo Books collection—with graph-paper interiors and covers featuring 18 different national parks—is especially alluring. Depending on which three-pack of the pocket-sized memo books you pick, your dad may be inspired by depictions of Denali National Park’s aurora, the bison of Yellowstone, or the towering trees of Sequoia National Park. (You could also buy the entire series, so you don’t have to choose.)

Just before his band broke up—and at the height of racial tensions in the late 1960s—Thelonious Monk unexpectedly decided to accept a student’s request for him to play a show at California’s Palo Alto High School, to help bring about racial unity in the community while raising funds for the school’s International Committee. Palo Alto, a recording of the event, which includes favorites like “Blue Monk” and “Ruby, My Dear,” was released in 2020 on CD and vinyl. It offers a portal to another era—and some truly great music.

Regardless of whether your dad plays a lot of board games, he’ll probably like Codenames, one of our picks for the best beginner board games for adults. This interactive word-guessing game is played in teams; pairing players of different abilities is a fun way to expose younger family members to new vocabulary words. Codenames is easy to learn, quick to play, and flexible in how many people can participate, from four to 12 (or more), so it’s a great choice for groups of various sizes.

If the dad you’re shopping for loves funkier styles of vino or sour beers and kombucha, he’d perhaps appreciate the chance to explore the world of natural wines. Editorial director Jason Chen recommends The Stranger Wine Share, from a natural and organic wine shop in Brooklyn, New York. Each month, this club will send your dad two or three carefully selected bottles, plus a unique piece of art (co-created by the owners) that doubles as the tasting notes. Bottles may be anything from a Willamette Valley Pinot Gris to a white blend from the Podrum Franjo hills of Croatia. With its impeccable taste level and friendly, adventurous vibe, this shop makes members feel like, well, part of the club.

If you have a bearded dad, he’ll likely appreciate our favorite beard trimmer, the Philips Norelco Multigroom Series 7000 MG7750. This sturdy little unit has enough power to chop through thick growth, but it won’t cause unfortunate bald spots if his hand slips. It also comes with useful accessories, including 14 guide combs and a nose-hair-trimming attachment (remind him that it can work for ears, too). This model, which stands upright when not in use, can run cordless for up to 14 hours without a charge.

We’ve been wearing and recommending the Glerups Slip-On With Leather Solefor years. And no other felted-wool slippers we’ve tried have been as durable or supportive. The open heels and leather outsoles make these slippers ideal for sliding on and stepping outside on Dad-style errands, such as grabbing the newspaper, filling the bird feeder, or gazing at the gutters with intensity. For longer jaunts, they’re also available with a rubber sole. If your dad would prefer a little more coverage, the slipper boots are another great option. It goes without saying that both styles are streamlined and cool, and they look a lot less frumpy than many fuzzier pairs.

If your dad loves a great sandwich, consider treating him to some from New York’s oldest deli, Katz’s Delicatessen, which has been in operation since 1888. Katz’s Birthday Box includes 1 pound each of pastrami, corned beef, and Swiss cheese, plus rye bread, sauerkraut, mustard, Russian dressing, 1 quart each of full-sour and half-sour pickles, and mini black-and-white cookies. The food arrives neatly stacked, with ice packs in a well-insulated box. It’s perfect to share with a big group—though obviously your dad may choose to treasure it all by himself.

If the dad you’re thinking of loves to camp, hunt, or just chill in the great outdoors, and he needs a new rig, our favorite camping stove will make a great gift. After testing 13 camping stoves and dissecting three of them, we found that none of them beat the Coleman Classic Propane Camping Stove. On a single 16-ounce tank of propane, this easy-to-transport stove can cook with both burners on high for roughly an hour, and it has the barest minimum of parts, so it’s easy to maintain.

We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.

Dorie Chevlen contributed reporting. This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.

Dads who have Star Wars or Dr. Who figurines decorating their shelves will surely get a kick out of a Funko Pop in their likeness joining the collection. The customization module is a hoot to use, with mix-and-match choices for hairstyles, facial hair, and outfits. You can rep his personal interests with up to two of the more than a hundred accessories (gaming controller, mug of foamy beer, baseball). And if you really want to go all out, craft each member of the family. Wirecutter’s product testing logistics manager Leslie Grisdale and her husband were tickled with the pair (above) they received from her mother-in-law: Note the tiny whisk and bottle of vino.

Cult Tokyo brand Blue Blue Japan uses old-fashioned, natural methods for its dyed garments, with a particular specialty in indigo. (On her last trip to Japan, staff writer Mari Uyehara was charmed by its flagship Daikanyama shop, which is constructed to mimic a traditional Japanese house.) Woven with extra-soft cotton, the Blue Blue Japan Bandana features an elegant swirling motif of cream-colored butterflies and flowers on its signature indigo-dyed fabric, and it would look great tied around your dad’s neck or stuffed in his back pocket. With its affordable price, it channels mingei, the Japanese philosophical concept of the beauty of ordinary folk crafts. And on the bandana’s lower corner, there is a mantra that would fit the ethos of almost any dad: “Life is a journey towards the guiding light.”