Father’s Day is rapidly approaching, and we fun folks at GeekDad would like to give you some inspiration for your gifts for Dad this year. From our moms and dads, these gifts range from rugged to hilarious, and we are sure a perfect gift can be found right here.
Deadpool [Bluray]
Everyone’s favorite Mercenary, Deadpool on Bluray is currently Amazon’s #1 Most Wished For movie. With his brash attitude, dark sense of humor, and a penchant for powerful one-liners, Deadpool is a perfect gift for Dad this year. Remember, though, Deadpool is rated R for its mature content.
RB. Buy it on Amazon: $19.96
Char-Broil Simple Smoker with SmartChef Technology
There’s no meat or vegetable that can’t be improved by cooking it over real wood. As Father’s Day approaches, so does barbecue season. This smart smoker from Char-Broil takes all the guesswork out of smoking. Use the connected app to set your cook based on the type of food, keep track of temperatures, and know when to add more wood chips. No more overdone brisket or poorly timed chicken.
RS. Buy on Amazon: $168.86
Cards Against Humanity is a party game for folks willing to embrace all of the horrible aspects of being human. With cards ranging from rude to risque, hilarious to hurtful, and fun to fantastic, CAH is a great game for Dad. CAH is Amazon’s #1 Most Wished For game, and it’s no wonder; few have played this side-splitting game and walked away without a lighter heart. Fair warning, though: Cards Against Humanity is an adult game, not at all appropriate for kids.
RB. Buy it on Amazon: $25
The Black+Decker POWERCOMMAND 20V cordless yard tools are perfect for taking care of light regular tasks around your domestic castle so you can keep things looking good without dragging long cords, or filling up gas tanks. Each tool is lightweight, includes handy features, and carries enough juice to get the job done. Battery packs and chargers are low-profile, and won’t clutter up your workbench. Perfect for weekend yard maintenance.
KD. Buy on Amazon: $87-$99 ea.
D-Link DIR-879 Wireless 802.11AC Router
Ready to upgrade your home router to use the same protocols as your newer mobile devices, and wring the highest speeds out of them? D-Link’s newest router offers 802-11AC dual-band connections that reach into the far corners of your house, and keep the microwave from dropping your signal. We swapped out our old 802.11n AirPort, and saw instant improvement in connections all over, especially our mobile phones that also use the AC protocol. (D-Link provided a review unit.)
KD. Buy on Amazon: $140
ThinkGeek Star Trek or Doctor Who Bath Towels
ThinkGeek, my favorite place to find nerdy accoutrements, sells a variety of bath towel sets in geeky styles including Doctor Who and Star Trek. High quality embroidered sets will be the perfect fluffy gift for the dad in your life.
JB. Buy from ThinkGeek: $49.99 each set
It’s no secret that LEGO is a popular gift for nerdy families. But many of the sets are meant to be built just once. LEGO Creator sets, however, are designed with at least three different setups in mind, allowing plenty of room for building and rebuilding. The latest in the affordable Creator buildings, the Corner Deli, can start or complete your main street of Creator shops.
JB. Buy it on Amazon: $30.64
Nintendo 2DS with Mario Kart 7
While I certainly don’t want to dissuade anyone from surprising dad with a shiny new PS4, Xbox One, or Wii U for Father’s Day, the line between “dad’s console” and “family console that dad never gets to play” is dangerously thin. Instead, why not surprise dad with his very own handheld? The Nintendo 2DS was originally marketed toward younger gamers, but it’s a fantastic on-ramp for the new (or lapsed) portable gaming adult as well. While it’s missing its predecessor’s 3D capabilities, it can still play all the best titles from the expansive 3DS back catalog. Best of all, after the recent price drop, you can pick one up for a song and get his game collection off to a rousing start with a free downloadable copy of the excellent Mario Kart 7 to boot.
Z. Buy it: $79
Sock It To Me Socks and Underwear
If your dad’s not a tie guy (or if you’d just like to buck that ancient tradition), an excellent sensible gift idea is socks and underwear. And if that seems entirely too sensible, I humbly suggest Sock It To Me. This Oregon-based clothier is currently readying its Fall 2016 product line, which boasts all the quirk and comfort the discriminating GeekDad would expect from SITM. With designs that include taco-dinosaurs, 8-bit junk food, and tentacled sea captains, these underclothes promise to delight and amaze while also skillfully directing your papa away from worn out tube socks and tighty-whiteys. Sock It To Me has even rolled out a special design just for Father’s Day; the “I Love Dad” socks blend the pop of iconic tattoo flash with a neutral color scheme that’ll serve your old man well from the boardroom to the bass boat.
Z. Buy it: $11.50-$20.00
Cross Century II Marvel Collection
With so many digital choices for writing available, it would be easy to dismiss Cross’ Century II Marvel Collection pens as something only well-heeled Marvel fans will be interested in. But writing things down on actual, physical pieces of paper changes how your brain deals with them. It helps you make different connections between ideas, it engages different parts of your brain. Writing with a superior instrument helps your thoughts flow freely. And there’s no doubt that the Iron Man Pen is such a superior instrument. Cross also makes a Captain America version in dark blue with the appropriate deco. Whichever you choose, you’re getting an amazing pen with some serious geek cred. Unlike many high-end pens out there, there’s no mistaking these as anything other than the perfect pen for that Dad who’s both a Marvel-phile and Pen Aficionado. Find them on Amazon and choose your side!
AK. Buy it on Amazon: $150
Ask any parent what they want for their respective holiday, and “More Sleep” is going to be at the top of that list. I was waking up with a sore neck and shoulder for months, even after getting a new mattress. I started to suspect my ancient down pillow was the culprit. Sure enough, once HIBR sent me one of their cooling foam Side Pillows, those aches and pains disappeared. Not only does the HIBR have a foam core that gets comfortably squishy when it warms up, it has a breathable outer foam layer that stays cool all night long. The Side Pillow is the perfect shape to accommodate side sleepers. Sleep on it a couple of nights and Dad will wonder how he managed before he got it. Grab one from Amazon and give the gift of better sleep for Father’s Day.
AK. Buy it on Amazon: $79
A real-life Porsche 911 might be out of reach for many of us, but thankfully LEGO has us covered. Developed in partnership with Porsche AG, this authentically recreated 1:8 LEGO Technic model contains 2,704 pieces to capture the design and functionality of the actual Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The accessible cockpit features a detailed dashboard, working gearbox, steering wheel with gearshift paddles, racing seats, and a glove compartment containing a unique serial number. Functions include opening doors and hood with storage compartment and suitcase, and an opening rear lid that houses a detailed flat 6 engine with moving pistons. The fully assembled car measures over 6″ high, 22″ long, and 9″ wide. It’s exclusive to the LEGO online and retail stores, though, so be sure to grab this one early!
JG. Buy it: $299.99
If you’re reading this, you probably had or played with a slot car track when you were a kid (or your dad did). Anki OVERDRIVE is the slot car of the modern age. A perfect blend of fun, technology, and nostalgia, it’s perfect for all ages. There are also plenty of expansions and cars available now and a completely new type coming soon for even more fun!
WJ. Buy on Amazon: $143.71
LittleBits Electronics Smart Home Kit
Want to dabble in electronics but have no idea how to use a soldering iron? Want to dip your toes into the Internet of Things world, but aren’t sure where to start? The littleBits Smart Home Kit is the perfect jumping on point to start making your home smarter while also having the freedom to be creative and build just about anything you want without having to know anything about electronics. Like other littleBits kits, the Smart Home Kit comes with modules that easily snap together in myriad ways. This also makes it a great tool for teaching kids about electronics. This kit also integrates with IFTTT.
WJ. Buy it at littleBits: $249
Zootopia on Blu-ray and Digital HD
Zootopia hit the shelves on Blu-ray and Digital HD download on June 7th and it would make an outstanding Father’s Day gift! Wait, what? I thought Zootopia was a kid’s movie? Based on the incredible 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating, it is clear that the storytelling and stunning animation had an impact on audiences of all ages. Kids, give Dad something you will love just as much! Among the extras in the Blu-ray and Digital download are deleted scenes, research about the animal characters, storyboards from the original storyline, roundtables with the voice actors, and a glimpse behind-the-scenes of how the movie was scored.
PV. Buy it on Amazon: $19.99
AcuRite Pro Color Weather Station
What Geeky Dad doesn’t want DATA for Father’s Day? AcuRite’s line of professional quality weather stations provides everyone in the house instant access to temperature, humidity, wind, pressure, and rainfall data, and those who are more tech-savvy can even set up the system to share the data through assorted weather crowd-sourcing websites. In GeekMom Patricia’s circle of friends, the AcuRite weather station has been one of the most popular gifts in recent years. Patricia’s has lasted her family over 3 years and they couldn’t be happier!
PV. Buy it on Amazon: $119.97
Bluetooth speakers can feel like a dime a dozen, but UE knows what they’re doing. We’ve looked at several of their bluetooth speakers over the years, and the Roll is waterproof, light and portable, with crisp sound and great bass. GeekMom Jackie started using it in her backyard as soon as spring arrived, and it has survived several hose attacks from her four-year-old.
JR. Buy it on Amazon: $89.99
Logitech Harmony Elite Remote Control
Logitech simply make the best universal remotes, and the Harmony Elite is the newest upgrade. It has a nice 2.4″ touch screen color display, and the screen is now at the top of the remote. This is a great change from the previous design, which had the screen so close to other top buttons that it was easy to accidentally activate a screen option. The smartphone app is seamlessly integrated, and this is a great starting point for a home automation control center. Use it to control your Nest devices, dim the lights, open the blinds, and control the entertainment center. Set up individual preferences, or settings for certain times of day, and Dad can control the house with a few buttons.
JR. Buy it on Amazon: $296.79
Ammo Box “K Cups” from Black Rifle Coffee
Dads who love a strong coffee can enjoy this set of clever “K Cup” in an ammo box container. There’s also a “Mission Fuel Kit” of four of this independent coffee company’s blends for those who don’t use K Cups, but they don’t come with the ammo box. Some of the blends, however, don’t bear family friendly names, so make sure to read the package fine print before ordering the “CAF” blend. Especially fun design for those military or veteran dads.
LT. Buy it: $12.99 12-cup ammo box
This will go down as the late, great Darwyn Cooke’s definitive work, a reimagining of the DC superhero universe as the dawn of the 1960s, a time full of possibilities. When people ask me why I love superhero stories, I hand them this book.
CL. Buy it on Amazon: $31.20
We hope you found the perfect gift for Dad this year. Tell Dad happy Father’s Day from us, and comment below if you bought one of our suggestions: We’d love to hear about it!
