Father’s Day is upon us, which means one thing: resisting the recurring urge to buy dad a set of useless whiskey stones he doesn’t need, or another corny tie that he also doesn’t need. Don’t fall into the trap of boring, rote Father’s Day gifts that send the message, “I had to buy you something, so here’s the best thing I could find in Amazon’s dedicated Gifts for Dad section.” But Father’s Day gifts don’t have to be bland or run-of-the-mill.
“There are three classes of all-time great gifts,” says Joe Brown, who writes the newsletter one5c, which focuses on the ways individuals can help mitigate the climate crisis. “One is the thing you never knew you wanted, but somebody got it for you and it has dramatically improved your life.”
The second type of great gifts, according to Brown, is the upgrade — an elevated version of an item you already own. (For him, that was an outdoor pizza oven.) The third is an experience. “I have so much shit,” he says. “I want an encapsulated experience with my child that will be fun. Maybe we go to brunch and she makes me some silly drawing that I’m obliged to keep for 100 years.”
One of these types of gifts will be a slam dunk for dad, whether it’s an experience, an upgrade, or something they’d never expect to receive.
Ooni Pizza Oven
Even if this isn’t an upgrade for dad, it’s something he’ll enjoy tinkering with. “I was making pizzas in a really shitty little pizza oven that kind of bolted onto my grill,” Brown says. “So my daughter, who is four, got me a pizza oven because we do pizza every Friday.” Ooni sells pizza ovens in several different sizes and configurations, but this one is good for 12-inch pizzas and can work with either wood or gas. It’s a great starting point for a dad who’s just dipping his toes into at-home pizza making.
Pizza Camp: Recipes from Pizzeria Beddia
Buying dad a pizza oven? Operating on If You Give a Mouse a Cookie logic — which dads who’ve had young kids should be familiar with — if you buy dad a pizza oven, he’ll need a cookbook to go with it. This cookbook, from famed Philly pizza joint Pizza Beddia’s Joe Beddia, will give dad the tools to make an A+ pizza at home, from classics to new combinations that gave Pizza Beddia its reputation (ike roasted corn with cherry tomato and basil).
ENO DoubleNest Hammock
While some dads want to tinker with a pizza oven, others just want cool gear. “Perhaps I’m unique, but I always want toys,” says Matt Hardigree, a dad who serves as the publisher of The Autopian. “I think of camping as a way to, mostly, make my camping bag heavier. My family knows this and always gets me fun camping gear. One Father’s Day I got a sweet collapsible hammock that I love to set up every time we camp.” ENO’s portable hammock won’t make his camping bag much bulkier either, at just a little over a pound, and since it’s super portable, dad can use it anywhere he wants, whether he’s on an overnight excursion or he’s just cracking a couple cold ones in the backyard.
Parachute Home Slippers
Slippers. Are they something dad would go out and consciously buy for himself, or is he still rocking the same free pair he snagged from a hotel on a work trip ages ago? Chances are, he’s in the latter camp, and if so, go ahead and buy him some. This pair from Parachute Home is technically similar to what dad can get for free at a Hilton, but much, much better and softer. And they won’t look worn out after just a couple of wears.
Art Frame for Kids Art
If the dad you’re thinking of is anything like Brown, he holds on to every little scribble his kiddo has ever done — and he probably needs something to display it in. This art frame is hinged, so dad can regularly swap out one masterpiece du jour for the next. It also hits two key notes in that it’s expensive and thoughtful. Brown, for his part, is hoping to receive one this Father’s Day.
Thermoworks Instant Read Thermometer
A thermometer can be both a left-field gift and an upgrade. “Thermometers are great presents that nobody would buy for themselves,” Brown said. “I have an instant read Thermoworks thermometer that I have not changed the battery in for 10 years.” The Thermapen One will give an accurate temperature read in less than a second, and it promises accuracy within half a degree Fahrenheit.
Hotel Stay
Sometimes the best Father’s Day gift is time with the kids, but some years, dad might just want some quality time without them. In that case, a hotel stay and a babysitter to watch the kiddos is a great bet. Mom will be thrilled, too.
Rhoback Performance Polo
There are all kinds of dads in this world, and one of the most archetypal is the golf dad. Sure, he probably has tons of golf gear, but Rhoback’s lightweight moisture-wicking polos are more stylish than most, with tons of fun prints and colorways. They also sell half-zips, and some of their polos even come in kids’ sizes so dad’s littlest caddy can match.
Lie + Loft Print
Maybe said golf dad has played a course that’s particularly memorable for him. Lie + Loft sells unique, minimalist prints of golf courses around the world, including Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, and Casa De Campo. If the course you want isn’t available, they’ll even do custom illustrations of the course of your choice.
Asian Pantry Favorites Gift Set
Food gifts are always a solid bet, and Umami Cart offers a treasure trove of Asian groceries and ingredients. Check to make sure they deliver to dad’s zip code because he’ll love this set of pantry staples, which includes tasty things like Fly By Jing Chili Crisp, Kewpie Mayo, an Omsom Meal starter, and more.
Fly Fisherman’s Gold
Don’t worry. We haven’t forgotten the Fishing Dad. A volume from Fly Fisherman’s Gold will wow him, not least of all because you’ll have to do some legwork to even find a copy, whether it’s an edition on trout or salmon. However, these books are out of print, so look for them on secondhand sites or just go for broke and buy him the complete volume. Either way, “books are underrated gifts in general,” says Brown. “Old leather books feel good. You want to keep them around.”
Solo Stove
The Solo Stove is one of those ideal gifts in that everyone benefits from it. Give it to dad and there are sure to be many backyard bonfires in the future. The Bonfire 2.0 is the best-selling edition of Solo Stove’s smokeless, portable fire pit. It’s great if you want to have a fire but you want to keep it contained and don’t want to do much cleanup work. Dad will thank you.