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If your dad is a fan of tasty little fishes, these Cantabrian anchovies, from the woman-owned and sustainably run Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co., should be on his radar. Salty (yet not overly so) and perfectly textured (between firm and silky), these anchovies are packed in extra-virgin olive oil. They’re delicious on pizza and even better eaten right out of the tin. 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’s 100 Essential Films Scratch-Off Chart features 100 must-watch films, each concealed under a simple gray design. Once your dad watches a movie, he can scrape off the wax to reveal a full-color mini movie poster. The list spans 100 years, beginning with 1916’s Intolerance and finishing with 2017’s Ladybird. If the dad in your life has passions other than film, Pop Chart makes similar posters related to major-league ballparks and novels, among other worthy interests.

If your dad doesn’t want any more stuff, give him the gift of a cherished experience. Despite this year’s unsavory news about Ticketmaster, it’s still the place music and sports lovers go if they want to see big acts. The gift certificate amount is up to you, of course, but be aware that large tours don’t come cheap. Luckily, there are plenty of sporting events and tickets for smaller acts that start around $30 (before fees). You’ll score bonus points if you get yourself a ticket to accompany him.

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, non-restrictive built-in brief, the 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 your dad keep everything loose with our favorite massage gun. The triangular handle on the Therabody Theragun Prime lets the user change the grip and angle, for better leverage and pressure. This model offers five speeds, 30 pounds of force, and four head attachments. The app can learn from your dad’s activity, and it will suggest and demonstrate different massage techniques, as well as exercise ideas for what ails him.

All dads need a flashlight (or four), even if they don’t plan on exploring the great outdoors after dark. ThruNite’s battery-powered, compact Archer 2A V3 flashlight is our top pick, and your dad will appreciate it whether he’s camping or maneuvering his way around the home when the electricity goes out. Our testers liked this model’s two-beam design and the different brightness options (which can be clicked through one-handed). This flashlight is water-resistant, won’t roll off flat surfaces, and can survive a 1-meter drop. Bonus: It’s small enough to stash in a glove box or junk drawer—perfect for power outages and snipe hunts.

The Core Home Fitness adjustable dumbbells are our pick because they’re easy to adjust and comfortable to hold. And, frankly, they’re just cooler than the Rocky-era barbell that your dad swears he’ll use again one of these days. With a twist of the handles, each dumbbell can go from 5 pounds to 50 in a matter of seconds. But what testers especially liked was that the weights, at 14½ inches long, are a manageable length when fully loaded, and they get shorter—and therefore more ergonomic to handle—as you reduce the load.

SpaceTime Coordinates can create a Personalized Art Print that depicts how the solar system looked at a specific moment in time. We think this 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 (like the date of your birth). For a more-symbolic present, you can opt to include the date and event name on the print or just show the solar system. This token is sweet and simple, and it will look great hanging on a wall.

Most patriarchs could use more-stylish footwear, full stop. We think the dad on your list will love walking around in these sharp white sneakers from Onitsuka Tiger, one of our favorites from testing. These slender shoes are incredibly soft and flexible, with suede accents that create a sporty flair. The Onitsukas were also the most comfortable leather shoes straight out of the box, with thinner leather than that of many other sneakers. So break-in time was minimal.

The late Burt Bacharach and crooner Elvis Costello wrote and composed together for more than three decades. This newly remastered 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 cocktail party and a solo listening session.

Mugs from Hasami—a centuries-old Japanese ceramics company—are gorgeous porcelain pieces. And no matter what size or color you buy, together they always look like a set. These mugs are stackable, so they look great displayed on shelves, and they come in three color options. We are confident they’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 puked 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—to be life-altering, both in terms of comfort and their impact on sleep quality. This is the ultimate practical present that your dad may not know he needs.

Whether your dad is a hunter, a nature observer, or just someone who wants to know what goes bump outdoors in the night, an inexpensive trail camera is a surprisingly effective tool for capturing clear images and videos of wildlife. We’ve been recommending Wildgame Innovations’ previous model for years, and we’re currently in the process of fully updating our guide to reflect our affection for the updated model. It retains the good (720p video resolution, a quick-fire flash to 60 feet, and a straightforward interface to get it up and running quickly), and it adds some small changes to the setup menu and switches. This model is great for beginners. Just be sure to include eight AA batteries.

If your dad is fascinated by how things work, Grid takes apart old cell phones, gaming consoles, and watches, and it 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 game of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening in black and white.

If your dad just needs to chill out (and he’s open to it), consider giving him the Pax 3 Complete Kit. This is our pick for the best portable cannabis vaporizer—after we researched more than 50 models and tested over a dozen in the past seven years. Whether he’s completely new to cannabis or was once a casual smoker, a vaporizer is a great way for him to bypass the sticky, ashy, black mess that comes with smoking joints, pipes, or bongs. The Pax 3 also offers a cleaner taste, less lingering odor, and reduced throat irritation.

If the dad in your life likes to tune in to the weather app daily, take that as a sign of his preparedness and commitment to understanding Mother Nature. Dull conversationalists give weather tracking an unfair rap. But, as your dad will likely tell you, anticipating and observing the wind, rain, sunshine, and snow is actually an exciting, rewarding, 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. Your dad can also access past readings and check on conditions remotely from a smartphone, tablet, or computer, or with voice via an Amazon Echo or Siri.

If your dad hasn’t experienced the pleasures of the Smartwool Men’s Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer, then he’s in for a treat. The 87% merino wool and 13% nylon blend somehow creates a soft, breathable, non-itchy layer to keep your dad cozy on a bone-chilling day. And this shirt also works as an airy standalone piece on sunny days. The washer-and-dryer–safe fabric holds its shape well, so your dad needn’t launder it after every use. (This item’s supreme versatility is one of the reasons it’s a long-standing favorite in our thermal underwear guide.) 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, one of our favorite laptop backpacks? This waterproof, recycled-polyester canvas bag has a sleek and stylish silhouette. But our testers especially appreciated its inner beauty, including the contoured memory-foam shoulder straps, the multiple pockets and sleeves for staying organized, and its overall quality and construction.

Whether your dad is an adventurer or a handyman, a proud new parent or a trick-or-treating chaperone, a headlamp can serve many fatherly functions. Our favorite, the Black Diamond Spot 350, features a bright light with various modes (including a red light and a floodlight), and it has a long-lasting battery life (over 12 hours). Our testers—who have been recommending this one for nine years—also note its reliability. So even if your dad puts it aside for a season, it should still shine perfectly whenever he straps it on next.

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 your dad spends a lot of time tinkering with various repairs around the house, a great screwdriver is essential. Although most screwdrivers are fine, the Megapro 13-in-1 will help your dad work faster and expend less effort. Plus, as its name suggests, the Megapro 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).

If your dad devours crosswords or is always the first to share his Wordle score in the family group text, hook him up with a subscription to The New York Times Games. A yearly subscription grants him unlimited access to over 10,000 archival crosswords (including the thrillingly quick Mini puzzles, which some of us, ahem, can solve in under a minute). He will also have access to several unique games updated daily by in-house game gurus at the Times. Your dad will likely be familiar with some games, such as sudoku. And others will challenge him anew, including Vertex, which has you connect dots to reveal a hidden geometric image (kind of like playing virtual Tangrams).

By now, your dad knows he’s supposed to wear SPF every day. But if he still pouts about the slimy feeling or the chalky look, a bottle of Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 will change his perspective. One of our absolute favorite face sunscreens since 2018, the Play Everyday lotion rubs in so smoothly and looks so transparent that your dad will forget he’s even wearing it. But don’t let him forget to reapply every two hours.

Hot, fresh waffles need not be reserved for restaurant brunches and hotel buffets. With one of our favorite waffle makers, you can whip up a batch for your dad, and he’ll be ladling his own creations in no time. If your dad prefers his waffles thin and crispy, the Cuisinart WMR-CA Round Classic Waffle Maker is an especially thoughtful choice. Among the 30 models we’ve tested since 2014, this one stood out because it’s easy to use, performs consistently, and has a 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, snacks, and sunscreen for an afternoon with kids or a laptop, notebook, and headphones for work. Of the 40 totes we researched for our guide to the best tote bags, this one stood out for its light weight, sturdiness, 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 do. But if you’re still worried, it comes with a lifetime warranty.

One of our favorite smart LED light bulbs, the Philips Wiz Smart Wi-Fi LED Color Bulb will make it easy for your dad to create a relaxing environment at home, using nothing more than Bluetooth and his smartphone. It casts bright white light and all kinds of terrific colors. He can program the bulb according to his schedule, and he can create special effects—like pre-setting certain colors to correspond with his circadian rhythm throughout the day. The Philips Wiz also has a Vacation Mode, which randomly turns the bulb on and off, to make it look as if your dad’s home, even when he’s not.

We love Field Notes notebooks, and this special 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 green 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.)

Danish brewery Mikkeller is renowned not only for its beer but also for art director Keith Shore’s distinctly funky label design. If your dad loves cracking a beer with friends and playing cards, he will delight in the Henry & Sally Playing Cards, featuring Shore’s unique art. For even more brownie points, pair a deck with a few cans of Mikkeller beer (we’re partial to its stouts, but a tasting bundle will please all palates).

A 2,000-plus-piece Lego set paired with a cup of coffee could be the perfect Saturday-morning escape from the usual doom-scrolling. We’ve been pining after the Lego Architecture Taj Mahal set since we first saw it. Not only is it absorbing without being too frustrating, the finished piece looks good displayed on a bookshelf afterward. Supervising editor Joshua Lyon said, “I appreciated all of the informative tidbits peppered throughout the instruction booklet that detail construction of the actual UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

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. 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, we think he’ll 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 your dad routinely unwinds with a glass of vino (or two) after work, he’d undoubtedly appreciate the chance to explore the world of natural wines. Deputy editor Jason Chen recommends Stranger Wines, a natural and organic wine shop in the heart of Brooklyn. For $75 a month, this club will send your dad two to 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 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.

Among the drippers we tested for making great pour-over coffee, the Kalita Wave 185 produced the most consistent, flavorful, and balanced coffee, perfectly suited to your dad’s sophisticated taste buds. After brewing more than 150 cups, we found the Kalita dripper’s flat-bottomed design promoted more-even water drainage. So beginners can easily get consistent results: This dripper produced great coffee even when we eyeballed the amount of water per pour, or when our aim and timing were off. The Kalita Wave 185 comes in heat-resistant glass (which is thin but still durable) and stainless steel (for a utilitarian vibe), so there are options to choose from, depending on your dad’s aesthetic.

For dads who enjoy birding from their kitchen—or escaping to the yard for solo observation time—the Droll Yankees 18-inch Onyx Bird Feeder is our pick for the best bird feeder. Of those we tested, it was the sturdiest and best-built model, with tough metal components that secure tightly to the body. The Onyx is versatile enough to hold several different feed types, and it’s backed by a lifetime guarantee against the damage pesky squirrels can do. The base is easy to take off and clean, and—most importantly—there’s plenty of room for birds to perch.

If your dad occasionally needs to tune out distractions or lives in a louder part of town, we recommend the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, the best noise-cancelling set we’ve tested. The Bose 700 headphones are lightweight, so they’re comfortable to wear for hours, and they fold flat for storage. Plus, the controls are easy to use, even if your dad isn’t tech-savvy. And anytime he might need a bit more awareness of the outside world, such as during walks or peak times on mass transit, your dad can adjust the level of active noise cancellation (ANC).

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 has great accessories, including 14 guide combs and a nose-hair-trimming attachment (remind him it can be used 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 Glerups Wool Slippers for years, and no other felted-wool slippers we’ve tried have been as durable or supportive. The open-heel and leather outsoles make these slippers ideal for sliding on and stepping outside on Dad-style errands, such as grabbing the newspaper, filling a bird feeder, or gazing at the gutters with intensity. For longer jaunts, these are also available with a rubber sole. If he prefers 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 a lot of fuzzier pairs.

Although cooking is a fun, collaborative, and often unifying task, it can also be extremely laborious. Instead, consider treating your dad to delectable items from Katz’s Delicatessen, located on New York City’s Lower East Side. The Birthday Box is perfect for any occasion, and it includes 1 pound each of pastrami, corned beef, and Swiss cheese, plus rye bread, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, 1 quart each of full-sour and half-sour pickles, mini black-and-white cookies, and mustard (of course!). 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.

Your dad could drive around with an old, all-purpose blanket tucked in the back of his car or truck. But this is a gift guide, and we’re here to spark joy, so consider getting your dad the Yeti Lowlands Blanket, our upgrade picnic-blanket pick. For starters, the puffy throw is plush enough to sleep with, but it’s also truly waterproof. Therefore it’s a superior picnic blanket, even on dewy mornings or sodden afternoons. Yet it’s soft enough for starlight snuggling or padding cold stadium seating. And because it’s designed to repel dirt, burrs, and dog hair, this blanket is ideal for lining a backseat full of muddy soccer players and paws. Most notable of all: Unlike all of the other blankets we tested, this one is entirely machine-washable.

A white T-shirt is a sartorial blank slate, making it equally perfect for the casual dad who lives in sweatpants and the fashionable father who wants to showcase his accessories. Wirecutter’s style team researched and tested dozens of white T-shirts, and the J.Crew Broken-In Short-Sleeve T-shirt was a crowd favorite. It fit most of our testers nicely, was well constructed, and felt comfortable and light to wear.

For those who love cheese, the only gift that’s better than cheese is more of it. We enthusiastically recommend the offerings from Jasper Hill Farm, a cheesemaker located in Greensboro, Vermont. (The Vermonter collection pulls double duty as one of our favorite gift baskets that don’t suck.) Everything the farm sells is made at its on-site creamery or ripened in its underground aging facility, and the Vermonter basket in particular features the perfect assortment of three mouthwatering cheeses, a box of cranberry-pistachio crackers, and maple-roasted pecans.

The easiest way to give your father a theater-quality surround-sound experience at home is to give him a soundbar. And among those we tested, the Yamaha SR-C30A, our budget pick, produced the best sound for the lowest price. Its soundbar/subwoofer combo is easy to set up, and it provides very good audio performance. This model also comes with one HDMI eARC port, two optical audio inputs, one analog audio input, and Bluetooth—all the standard features we’d expect. The dynamics don’t match what you’d find with pricier models, and the bass output won’t rattle your dad’s teeth, but this soundbar will add plenty of audio kick to his TV watching (especially compared with sound from the set’s built-in speakers).

If your dad 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 and dissecting three of them, we found that none 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.