28 Christmas Gift Ideas for Dads

Panasonic's portable radio brings ballgames and local news to a garage-loving father, no phone needed.

He sets it on the workbench and follows the game by ear while sorting screws and tools. That way his phone stays in his pocket, and his hands stay on the project.

This CD player boombox lets a dad with a shelf of albums play them out loud.

He pulls out a disc he forgot he owned and sets the boombox on the back steps. That way the music he chose himself gets played instead of sitting on a shelf.

The Amazon Kindle is an e-reader for a dad forever reaching for the next novel at bedtime.

He keeps his reading list on it, so the next book is ready when he finishes. That way new paperbacks stop stacking up on the nightstand beside his lamp.

This Anker power strip gives a dad with a crowded desk room to plug in his whole setup.

He tucks it behind his monitor and plugs in his laptop and lamp without moving the desk. His phone charger lives there too, so a dead phone never sends him hunting for a socket.

This Perfect Practice putting mat gives a golfing dad a green on the living room floor.

He can roll putts during a commercial break and see whether his stroke holds a straight line. His putter can lean against the couch for whenever he wants another go.

This magnetic flashlight suits a dad who fixes things in the garage or driveway.

It sticks to a metal surface and points the light at the job. His hands stay free for the wrench.

Coleman's big rolling cooler is made for the father who hosts tailgates and camping weekends.

The wheels roll it over grass or gravel. At the game he sits on the lid and reaches a cold drink without getting up.

This mini flashlight multipack suits a dad who wants a light within reach in every spot.

He can leave one in the truck and tuck another in a drawer. Wrist lanyards keep each light handy during a blackout.

Weber's Smokey Joe is a charcoal kettle grill for a dad who loves cooking over real coals.

He waits for the coals to glow, then lays sausages and peppers across the grate. At a tailgate, he closes the lid over the food and keeps talking with friends nearby.

The Morakniv Companion is a fixed-blade knife for a father fond of camping, fishing and hiking.

It rides in its sheath on a belt or pack. At the campsite he reaches for it to cut rope or shave kindling.

This EXIT puzzle advent calendar turns December into a Christmas countdown for a dad hooked on riddles.

Each morning he opens the next day's puzzle and works out the answer before breakfast. If a clue stalls him, the kids can pull up chairs and crack it with him.

Carcassonne gives a strategy-minded father a tile-laying board game to bring out at family game night.

Each turn he studies the growing map and picks the spot where his tile pays off most.

These highball glasses hand a home-bartending dad a tall glass for every drink he stirs up on weekends.

He builds a whiskey and ginger ale over plenty of ice, then adds a lime wedge to finish. Between cocktails, the same glasses hold his iced tea or a cold beer.

A meat thermometer suits the dad who runs the grill and wants every chicken thigh cooked through.

He pushes it into the thickest piece and checks the reading before anything leaves the heat. So he stops cutting into burgers on the platter just to peek at the middle.

The YETI Rambler can insulator gives a grill-minded dad a sleeve for his drink at backyard cookouts.

He slides a can in, then sets it on the grill's side shelf between flips. It matches how he already hosts, spatula in his right hand and his drink in his left.

This crystal decanter suits a dad who opens a bottle of red with Sunday dinner.

He sets it out while he cooks, then carries it to the table and pours for everyone.

Casio's G-Shock GD100-1B digital watch is for a dad who would rather check his wrist than his phone.

He wears it through yard work and errands, glancing down whenever he needs the time. So even with his hands full of rakes or tools, the hour is right there on his wrist.

A leather bifold wallet suits a dad whose old one has gone limp and worn.

It folds to fit a back pocket and keeps cards and bills sorted. He swaps his cards over at the kitchen counter and heads out.

These moccasin slippers suit a dad who shuffles around the house in the morning and walks the dog.

A memory foam insole sits under his feet, and the rubber sole works outside too. Grubby pairs go in the washer.

The Wager by David Grann gives a dad fond of true adventure history a book to settle into.

He can read it in the armchair on weekend afternoons. Once done, it fits on the shelf beside his other history books.

Outlive by Peter Attia gives a dad focused on his health a nonfiction book to learn from.

It suits a dad keen on tracking his workouts and sleep. He can bring up what he reads at his next checkup.

Project Hail Mary gives a sci-fi fan dad a novel by Andy Weir to get lost in.

It suits a dad keen on space stories. Afterward, he can pass it to a curious teenager at home.