father's day 2023

All the Best Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Everything the Strategist recommends for Dad in one helpful place.

Photo-Illustration: Strategist; Photos: Getty, Retailers
Photo-Illustration: Strategist; Photos: Getty, Retailers

Believe it or not, Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18, so it’s beyond high time you found his perfect present. But never fear — our writers and editors have been working tirelessly to help you shop for your dad, your dad’s dad, or another paternal figure in your life. And because no two are alike, we’ve compiled a lineup of gift guides for each and every type of father in your life.

To find items even the hardest-to-please dads can’t turn down, we consulted cookbook authors, outdoorsmen, brewmasters, PGA directors, and more to bring you this list of 45 standout gift ideas. We’ve added father-friendly Strategist favorites — some that we’ve tried ourselves or given to our own parents, plus others that are longtime top sellers on our site. With that said, we made sure to feature gifts at every price point so you can find something that fits your budget. Everything below should arrive by the holiday unless otherwise noted. But as we update this post for the last time, beware that stock and delivery dates can change. (Consider browsing our best last-minute gifts that will arrive on time — or selecting an e-gift card, if you don’t want to think about shipping.) As always, if you want to stay on top of our gift coverage, sign up for our newsletter, so you won’t miss a thing.

For an all-in-one shopping guide, we suggest consulting our list of the best Father’s Day gifts for every type of dad. Take his golf game to the next level with this 14-sensor kit — one for every club in his bag — that’s designed to analyze his swing and keep track of how far his shots go. Afterward, if he’s complaining about his back, he’ll appreciate the heated massage cushion he can secure on any chair. And for achy arches, this electric foot massager with five pressure settings has been a best seller on our site since 2019. Read more here.

[Editor’s note: The Arccos sensors will arrive in time with Prime shipping.]

To celebrate Dad with a high-tech gadget or gizmo, look no further than this roundup. There are 35 electronics gifts at every price point, from a set of fast-charging phone stands to the adapter jet-setting food stylist Judy Kim uses to watch in-flight movies with her AirPods. And to add a little oomph to his at-home viewing experience, this light adjusts in response to the movie or TV show playing so his setup feels like a mini movie theater. Read more here.

In case you find yourself at a loss, now that we’re at the tail end of down-to-the-wire territory, we’ve put together a roundup of 20 last-minute ideas for every type of dad. Last year, the most-gifted Father’s Day item was this tumbleweed fire-starter kit, which comes recommended by Strategist contributor (and sworn fire father) Steven John. He says they “last for nearly ten minutes, which is plenty of time for Dad to get larger logs or a pile of charcoal going.” If he’s not a fan of open flames, go for this water-resistant Bluetooth speaker for listening to Spotify playlists in the shower. And if you’re too late to ship a present to Dad’s door, drop a Goldbelly e-gift card in his inbox that he can use to order from hundreds of restaurants and food businesses nationwide. Read more here.

If you need even more gifting advice, our year-round edit of ideas for every type of dad has 52 stellar options (and is arranged by price). Strategist editor Maxine Builder declared the Drillbrush — a nylon-bristle attachment for your power drill — the most effective way to clean your bathroom ever, while we once recommended this brainy cooperative party game to a reader looking for a gift for their “neurosurgeon son who is into Magic: The Gathering.” Or consider a Tom Colicchio–approved, “perfect meat every time” thermometer Dad can use during his next barbecue. Read more here.

Consider the best gifts for dads who love to cook (or eat) — which includes a giant tub of Maldon’s crunchy salt backed by chef Jonathan Waxman, John Derian, and Cameron Diaz, plus a subscription that will introduce him to some of the nation’s best coffee roasters (and more than 450 bean varieties). And if his grill spatula has seen better days, here’s a clever multitool with tongs for flipping, a fork for piercing, and a bottle opener for cracking open a refreshing beverage. Read more here.

While he may gladly accept a six-pack of his favorite brew, we found 25 practical presents this Father’s Day for every type of beer-loving dad — like this handy rapid cooler for chilling his cans or bottles in minutes and the Spiegelau glasses favored by brewmaster David Zuskov for more flavorful IPAs. And for brewery aficionados, this stainless-steel growler will keep craft beer cold for up to 24 hours. Read more here.

If he prefers Prada to Patagonia, you might expect your gift-giving hunt to be pricer than most — but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why we found the cheapest, nicest items from designer brands, such as Aesop’s low-foaming shaving serum. Other highlights: All-Clad’s measuring cups (that resemble the brand’s beloved pots) and this sleek Zwilling travel set, which includes the trimmer Strategist writer Kitty Guo calls the Goldilocks of nail clippers. Read more here.

[Editor’s note: The shaving cream and Zwilling five-piece set may arrive on time if you order using the fastest shipping option.]

Rather than picking out one individual item, a gift set is an ideal way to make sure you (and your dad) have options. Scroll through to find 33 excellent bundles — all of which are available on Amazon — including the stainless-steel Japanese blade set described as “a trowel on steroids” by Max Martin, the co-founder of the Cactus Store; a globe-like decanter (with matching handblown glasses) to display one of his prized whiskeys; and a garden kit with 20 different seed packets for a highly personalized vegetable plot. Read more here.

To bring him the best books this Father’s Day (and one he probably doesn’t already have), we perused the top releases from the past year and found titles for the many multitudes of dad. In Ghetto Gastro’s first book, the Bronx food collective curated more than 70 (primarily plant-based) recipes — many of which take inspiration from their home borough. For biography buffs, there’s Dan Charnas’s chronicle of the life and legacy of music producer J Dilla, or Stacy Schiff’s portrait of one Founding Father during the heart of the American Revolution. Read more here.

When shopping for a first-time father, you’ll want to find something that marks this momentous occasion but is still practical (so he’ll actually use it). With that in mind, we’ve rounded up 55 Father’s Day gifts for any new parent that aren’t all about the baby — like a hammock for swaying him straight to dreamland or our favorite digital frame that he can link to Google Photos or his iCloud library to sync photos automatically. If it’s a brainteaser he needs, gift him this book of 50 crosswords by expert puzzler Cathy Allis, plus one bonus classic from the New York archives, created by Stephen Sondheim in 1968. Read more here.

We searched for philanthropic presents from brands we’ve written about before, like LifeStraw, which donates safe drinking water to a child in Kenya for an entire school year for each personal filter sold. Another idea for the outdoorsman is this packable, frog-printed chair from Parks Project, which works to preserve parklands through volunteering and education. But if he enjoys the kitchen more than a campground, this Lucca & Sons box contains Parmesan herb cheese and beef-and-garlic sausage — and 20 percent of proceeds benefit Smile Farms, a nonprofit creating work opportunities in the agricultural industry for those with disabilities. Read more here.

[Editor’s note: The LifeStraw will arrive in time with Prime shipping.]

Being an outdoorsman means being prepared — and the Wave+ does just that all in one: It’s 18 different tools along with a central pair of pliers, which is a classic Leatherman feature, says Chase Anderson, industry relations manager at Utah State University’s Outdoor Product Design and Development program and creator of the Outdoor Recreation Archive. Other supplies for when he goes off the grid: a polyester-spandex towel for kayaking that “absorbs a crazy amount of water,” says John, and the GPS device Ben Gibbard calls “literally a lifesaver” for its SOS-calling capabilities and smartphone pairing, which allows him to send texts when hiking in remote places. Read more here.

A golf-loving dad may say playing 18 holes is the best gift he can get on Father’s Day, but you can still surprise him with something nice before (or after) he tees off. Joe Ostrowski of the Concession Golf Club calls this Garmin range finder (a GPS laser device for measuring distance) the most technologically advanced one on the market. For gear, choose a thicker glove for a dad who’s just getting into the sport or a pair of golf shoes praised by Aaron Flink, EVP and chief strategy officer at Pebble Beach Resort in Pebble Beach, California. “It gives me the structure I need while playing, but I can then throw on jeans and go out to dinner and they are still fairly classy,” he says. Read more here.

For the lowdown on the best gifts for the grandfather(s) in your life, we went straight to the source (and consulted some thoughtful grandkids). If he’s the sentimental type, this book comes with 12 prompted “letters” for Grandpa to fill out, complete with envelopes and stickers for the full effect. But if you always find him observing nature, this kit, which you can assemble together, comes with all the pieces needed to build a “bird bungalow.” And if he needs an outdoor-friendly place to sit, John says that even though this lightweight foldable rocker is technically made for camping, it’s so comfortable that “more often than not I use the thing in my own backyard.” Read more here.

Your kids’ macaroni necklaces and handwritten cards might get pride of place on his desk and the fridge, but why not add on your own gift for your spouse? As seen in our roundup of 60 delightful items for every type of husband, this blue-light-free book light comes recommended by writer Molly McGhee for its soft hue that she says lets her read without waking up her partner. To further upgrade his bedtime routine, this digital alarm clock will encourage him to keep his phone away from the nightstand, and our best affordable weighted blanket — which Strategist associate editor Jenna Milliner-Waddell calls a worthy dupe of Gravity Blanket’s (much pricier) option — will keep him snug. Read more here.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultraflattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

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All the Best Father’s Day Gift Ideas