Your dad does not have high expectations this Christmas. Any man who is being completely candid with you will admit that most gifts he has received during his adult life fall under “It’s the thought that counts.” But it needn’t be so. With a little research and some thought, you can give the father figure in your life the best gift for a dad that he’s ever gotten.
I am a dad, and I spent a lot of time thinking about what people should get me. Luckily, since I work here, people are happy to send me those very things for testing. I take this sacred responsibility very seriously and have spent hundreds of hours thinking about the gifts I’d give to, say, a dad like yours. The ideas below are the sum of that work for the year 2025 and feature all new picks from the version of this guide I did before Father’s Day. I’m confident the list below has the perfect gift for your dad. If somehow you don’t like any of these ideas, you’re probably wrong, but might I still suggest you stick with something sharp or that catches on fire?
The Best Christmas Gifts for Your Dad
A Super Shave
Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Henson
AL13 Safety Razor Shave Set (2 Year)
Like many dads, I am bombarded with advertisements for shaving devices. The Henson AL13 razor caught my eye with its unique value proposition, which is the opposite of Mr. King Gillette’s famous maxim to “give ’em the razors and sell ’em the blades.” Rather, here you are paying a premium for a precision-machined razor that’s designed to work wonders with the cheapest of blades. Henson was founded by machinists who work in aerospace, and they built this razor with insane standards (tolerances of less than 0.0005 inches) so that it will hold a generic double-sided blade at an exact angle with zero jitter, so you get a close, clean shave. You can buy enough replacement blades to last two years for 10 or 15 bucks, making this a razor your dad can keep forever.
A Soft Shirt
True Classic
Carbon Premium Pima Crew Neck
Your dad probably needs a new T-shirt. If he’s anything like me or most dads I know, he likely wears the shirts he owns well past the socially appropriate levels of stainage and frayedness. True Classic tees won the praise of the tailors we asked to help us find the best T-shirt, and I’ve enjoyed the True Classic pima crew neck immensely in my testing. The fabric is soft but heavy and drapes in a pleasant way.
The Perfect Medium-Rare
I’ve tested the wireless meat thermometer that one of our contributors named the best, and also this Meater Pro Duo. I like the Meater a lot better, though I am less of an expert chef than that writer. What I love about the Meater Pro is that it reads internal and ambient temperatures of a given cut of meat, and if you set your preferred finishing temperature it will estimate the remaining cook time and then alert you when it’s done. This is all done via an app I find very intuitive and stable. If your dad will be cooking any kind of roast this Christmas, put one of these under the tree.
Top of the Tipples
LIITON
American Peaks Heavy Crystal Whiskey Glasses
If your dad is a whiskey aficionado of any kind, these American Peaks glasses are a winner. The set of four American Peaks glasses features four iconic peaks at the bottom of impressively hefty glass. Each glass weighs more than a pound and is freezable if your dad likes a little chill but would prefer not to dilute his spirits with ice. If you need to jazz this up a bit, give it along with a bottle of allocated bourbon or a fine Scotch.
A Clear Morning
Photograph: Martin Cizmar
I said above that you should give your dad something sharp or that will light on fire, but I realize now that I also strongly recommend things made of clear glass, such as this Pure Over French Press. I’ve used this to make my morning coffee for a few months. It makes a great cup and looks both vaguely modern and completely neutral, so it will fit into any kitchen.
A Lazy Afternoon
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar
You already know if this kind of item is a good or bad idea for your dad, but if he’s the type to appreciate it, he’ll surely be impressed. The Pax Flow is the newest device from the premium loose-leaf vaporizer maker and is a very different experience than its older models. This device is designed to offer less resistance, with every puff coming out with the lightest of draws. It charges via USB-C cord and not a magnetic cable, which means fewer proprietary parts to worry about. As with the whiskey glass above, it’s easy to jazz this gift up with something on the side.
Do Your Chores
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Patagonia
Iron Forge Fleece-Lined Jac-Shirt
Like so many dads who work in white collar professions, in my off-hours, I want to look like I don’t. This Patagonia Iron Forge chore coat artfully splits the difference, as it’s workwear by “Patagucci.” I love this coat an unreasonable amount. I wore it almost every day for a month this fall, and I look longingly at it on my coatrack now that it’s a little too chilly to be everyday outerwear. But if I were working in the garage or basement, or once spring comes, it will be back in rotation. This jacket is warm, rugged, and stylish—I like it better than vintage Carhartt, even. I especially like the fleece-lined hand pockets, which blend in from the front but are very useful on a brisk evening walk.
A Hood With Range
True Classic
Fleece Full Zip Hoodie
Few men I know wouldn’t appreciate a simple, logo-less, well-fitting hoodie, and given my age, nearly all of those men are dads. This True Classic hoodie happens to be the most oft-worn hoodie owned by my husband (also: a dad), who loves the slim, athletic fit—pictured is men’s medium—and exceptionally soft fleece lining. It’s sure to appeal to minimalists, American Apparel nostalgists, brogrammers, or even partners looking to send a message to their husbands or boyfriends regarding their choice of graphic tees. (Couldn’t be me!) —Kat Merck
Tool Time
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar
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A multi-tool is always a safe gift idea for a dad, as they tend to be a little spendy and you can never have too many of them lurking in glove boxes or desk drawers. I’ve been carrying the Leatherman Wave Alpha around for a week, hoping to have something to fix with one of the 16 included tools. All I’ve done is open boxes and test the blades, but it’s obvious it will also handle small tasks like loose screws or wires requiring cutting and crimping. The most impressive upgrade this device has over other Leathermans I’ve used is the MagnaCut Knife Blade, which can be opened with your thumb alone and locks into place. This is a new “super steel” that’s impressively sharp and will keep an edge longer than standard blades.
A Cut Above
As I said: Buy your dad something sharp! These Craighill Chroma scissors are one of those gifts I’d recommend for the “dad who has everything,” as no dad I know other than me has a pair of exceptionally cool scissors. Craighill is known for its thoughtfully designed wine openers and knives and is a regular on various WIRED “stuff we like and/or want” lists. These scissors feel great in the hand and cut with confidence but also have striking colors that make them a statement piece on a desk.
The Big Light
Infinity
X1 Dual Power Rechargeable Flashlight
I am something of a flashlight aficionado and could happily make an entire guide to gifting lights. Olight’s Arkfeld Pro remains my favorite, but this big, budget light by Infinity is a more affordable option. The Infinity X1 flashlight boasts 7,000 lumens of brightness—that’s “BMW headlight” brightness—in a big, sturdy case. What I like best about it is that it can be powered both with a rechargeable battery that gets juice via USB-C or with nine standard AA batteries. It’s large and heavy at 3.3 pounds. As with the Maglites of yore, you could bludgeon someone to death with it. But with that heft comes some peace of mind—this is a flashlight you won’t easily misplace and which will provide a sense of security in a power outage.
Power Up
I used DJI’s midsize Power 2000 power station on my annual summer camping trip to Maine—I do not own a drone, and reviewer Simon Hill says that’s what it’s optimized for, but it did a good job with a bunch of phones used to scroll Instagram and iPads used to play Roblox. I misplaced the main AC power cord for most of that trip and had to top it off with solar, getting about 25 percent back on any sunny afternoon when I could finagle it past the shadows of pine trees. The station slowly faded over eight days in the woods but continued to charge our devices—it will charge a mobile phone more than 100 times via two 140-watt USB-C ports, two 65-watt USB-C ports, and four USB-A ports that put out 25 watts each. Compared to other power stations I’ve tested, it has excellent carry handles, and you can recharge it from 20 percent back to full in about an hour. With 2,000 watt hours in a station that remains carryable, this station is the Goldilocks size for most dads, as it’s big enough to take you through basically anything you need for a weeklong camping trip without being difficult to move or load into a vehicle. It would also take you through a typical blackout situation and doesn’t require two people to move from the basement or garage.
Listen Up
Soundcore by Anker
Aeroclip
The Soundcore Aeroclip open earbuds are the ideal “upgrade his daily life” present. Open earbuds like this allow folks to work out, do yard work, or otherwise listen to things while still hearing the world around them—good for safety and socialization. These earbuds clip on securely and comfortably, the sound is excellent for the price, and they have all the smart features (like long battery and multi-device pairing) without being complicated. Your dad will use them all the time, and you’ll look like a hero for finding something so spot-on. —Parker Hall
A Portable Treehouse
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Tentsile
Safari Stingray 3-Person Tree Tent
Think of this more like a portable treehouse than a tent or a hammock—though certainly it’s a little of all three. The Tentstile Stingray is a three-person tent that is suspended from three trees. It took me more than an hour to set up during testing, as finding suitable trees in the right configuration in a campsite can be a challenge, and the ratchet straps that hold it taut between trees take some strength and time to get right, but the payoff is a space that’s great for sleeping or relaxing. It was a hit with my daughter and my best friend’s daughter during a week in Maine, and it drew lots of attention from other curious campers. If your dad still talks about his childhood treehouse or fort, or loves hammocking, this is a unique gift that will make for some fun memories.
A Nap-ready Hammock Chair
Photograph: Martin Cizmar
As you can probably tell, I am very bullish on hammocks as gifts for a dad. When you give a hammock, you are inviting your dad to relax while tacitly acknowledging how hard he works. I have recommended the Nemo Stargazer chair in previous versions of this guide, and it remains my favorite camp chair, but the Yellow Leaf Vista Hammock is a luxe alternative I prefer for the backyard or porch. It’s hand-woven from soft but strong yarn, with a frame that’s oriented like a traditional chair but will allow you to kick back almost to the degree you would in a hammock hanging between trees. It’s very comfortable, and while I would not take it tailgating, it’s light and packable enough for a day at the beach or a weekend in the woods.
A Cold One
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar
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There are a lot of great coolers out there, but Yeti is still the gold standard and the best-known premium brand. This is the new version of the Roadie 24, a midsize model perfect for road trips. It will hold 33 cans, or a 24-pack, and an appropriate amount of ice. The Roadie 2.0 bested the original in a YouTuber’s ice retention test, but the real reasons to prefer the upgrade are the new handle, which converts into a shoulder strap, and a new drain plug. I’ve had mixed results with previous Yeti drain plugs, but the new design has performed flawlessly in my testing, with not a drip on the back seat of my car.
A Cellar Temp One
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Rocco
Rocco Super Smart Fridge
The Rocco fridge is the most stylish beer fridge in the world—in fact, it looks so good it could even pass for a wine fridge. Better yet, you can do both. The dual temperature zones let you keep beer just above freezing on the higher shelves while red wine sits at a perfect 58 degrees Fahrenheit below. The app control allows you to pick between quieter operation and more powerful cooling. The reeded glass door gives it a mid-century modern flair, and the fridge comes in a number of bright statement colors that could theoretically be picked based on your dad’s favorite sports team for man-cave use (I would have done orange) or matched to the look of a living room (I did go with green). I’m still futzing with the app’s camera control, which will help you keep inventory, but even without that, this is a great high-end gift for a dad, especially one facing complaints about the appearance of his current beverage fridge.
Oiled Up
Courtesy of Fresh Pressed Farms
Fresh Pressed Farms
Holiday Pack
We have a whole guide to the best gifts for cooks, and if you’re specifically looking for something for the avid home chef, that’s the place to start. But if you’re looking for something a little less expected, or a gift that will get your dad a whole year of use (this depends on how Mediterranean he is—the average Spaniard consumes 3 gallons per year!), this gift set from Fresh Pressed Farms could be a winner. Each aluminum jug is 25 ounces and comes from vertically integrated farms. Each has a unique flavor profile: The Italian is very grassy, while the Spanish has a slight stone-fruit thing going on. Pair it with the Veark Tool One (a $65 designer stick!) for a trendy touch.
Iced Down
Green Pan
Frost Ice Cream & Frozen Drink Maker
Some elements of my gifting philosophy depend on how Mediterranean your dad is, as is mentioned above. This one is for dads who are very [pinched fingers emoji]. The Greenpan Frost excels at making Italian ice, also known as water ice or sorbetto or granita, depending on how [pinched fingers emoji] we’re going here. I’m obsessed with the stuff, but live in a place where the best version comes from Culver’s and is called a “Lemon Cooler” (not very [pinched fingers emoji] at all). The sorbet setting on this ice cream maker gets fruit, sugar, and ice to an ultra-smooth consistency. I’ve delighted guests by making Italian ice with Meyer lemons, which are the closest thing to Sicilian lemons available to me. It will also make boozy slushies or ice cream if you’re into that sort of thing. If Christmas feels a little chilly to gift an ice cream maker, maybe tuck this one away for Father’s Day six months from now.