Father's Day Gift Ideas for 2021

Although buying for your dad often isn’t as difficult as buying for your mom, it can still be a tough job. The best starting point is to narrow down the categories by asking: “what does he do in his spare time?”, “what does he talk about that lights up his eyes?”, “what has he told me he wants?” (having said that, you wouldn’t be here if you answered that last one..).

However, since you’re here, it’s a safe bet that he has a man cave. If so, we guarantee one of the gift ideas below will fit the bill. We live and breathe this lifestyle, and here’s what we would be thrilled to get.

Home Brew Starter Kit

See Current Price Thousands of beer lovers have enjoyed drinking craft beer for decades but have not actually made it themselves. Whether it’s because they’ve never wanted to; thought it was too difficult; assumed to was too expensive, brewing your own is an awesome experience and one that your dad will love!

We highlight recommend Brewery in a Box’s starter kit as it has everything required from start to finish (including an amber ale recipe set, fermentor, kettle, and siphon tube to name a few) and easy to follow instructions.

He dad should expect to enjoy his creation 4-5 weeks after starting, with the majority of time being for fermentation and carbonation.

More ideas for creating the ultimate home bar can be found here

Black Dresser Valet

See Current Price You’ve no doubt seen a movie where the main character gets out of bed, heads to their dresser, picks out a watch from their valet, and heads out on a mission. There’s a reason why filmmakers include them in those shots - they combine elements of style, utility, and organization in one little item.

Although typically found in bedrooms, valet trays make the perfect addition to any man cave.

This black faux leather valet has all the style, utility, and organization needed but at a more affordable price point. No, a master craftsman hasn’t spent weeks painstakingly carving wood and stitching the finest leather, but it is well-made and will be cherished by your dad nonetheless.

Dimensions (LWH): 12.5” x 9” x 1.25”

Home Assistant - Echo

See Current Price There are two types of father’s day gifts out there: those which make them do more work and those which make them do less. Coming from a team with several dads, we personally prefer the latter.

A prime (pun not intended) example is the Amazon Echo!

Have him use his voice to flick the lights on and off; turn on the TV; set the air conditioner to the right temperature; order new tools online; set up reminders; record thoughts, play his favorite classic rock track - all without getting up from his recliner.

With the announcement and launch of Apple’s Homepod earlier this year, expect even greater investment in home automation by the other big players. The future is bright, people!

Note: New 3rd party companies are always signing up, meaning the feature count keeps on increasing, and at no additional cost.

AeroPress Coffee Maker

See Current Price Behold the mack daddy of coffee/espresso presses. The AeroPress took off right from its inception in 2005, and with good reason. It brews the ultimate coffee by combining consistent air pressure with water at the precise temperature. The whole process takes a single minute and both preparation and cleanup is a cinch.

Now Pops doesn’t need to venture to the kitchen (or buy some overpriced espresso from [insert franchise name here]. He can do it from his cave!

Mine came with 350 paper filters which I’m only just now getting to the end of. They can even be reused for a second time if he’s a frugal fellow.

In the words of Dave Barry: ”It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity.” - from Decaf Poopacino

Cookbook - Meathead

See Current Price When someone is known simply as Meathead, they’re either a loud, gym-going savage or a master in the art of cooking meat. Meathead Goldwyn definitely falls into the latter group.

Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling is a 400-page treasure trove of ideas covering everything from what temperature each type of meat should be cooked at, to making mouth-watering rubs.

He dispels various myths that have plagued BBQing community for years. So even if your old man BBQs and smokes meat occasionally, this book will take his game to the next level and pay itself back after one dinner.

Two formats: Hardcover or eBook

Fiction more his thing? The Fix by David Baldacci (can be purchased here) was only released a couple months ago and is an enthralling story of an FBI agent who sees something he shouldn’t have and is committed to finding the answer. Note: It is part of a series so be sure to pick up each one.

Whiskey Glass Set

See Current Price Remember how I said valet trays always appear in classic movies? Well, this whiskey set is what the businessmen would use for their afternoon pick-me-up.

If your dad loves winding his day down with a smooth glass of scotch, this is the gift to get.

It contains six 9.5oz identical glasses and one 33.75oz decanter with plastic stopper. Made in Italy, each piece uses is top notch, heavy, and decorated with unique geometric patterns.

Novelty Coaster Set

See Current Price These coasters are the perfect companion to the aforementioned glass set. He deserves better than soggy napkins and drink stains on magazines.

Four themes available:

Hunter’s camo (with a tree trunk holder)
Fisherman’s bait (with a wooden creel holder)
Gold buckshot (with a matching holder)
Fisherman’s lure (with a weathered reel holder)

Each has rubber feet which prevent slipping, are roughly 3.5” in diameter, and 0.25” tall.

Man Cave Tin Sign

See Current Price If there’s one thing every den should have, it’s a sign. We’ve got a whole section on sign ideas here, but this one we particularly like.

Text: “What happens in the cave stays in the cave” Material: Weathered metal (tin) with holes drilled in each corner for easy hanging Dimensions (LH): 12” x 16”

Heated Massager

See Current Price As cool as it would be to surprise him with a brand new recliner that has full body massage integration, a better (and more realistic) alternative would be something smaller.

Weighing in at 3.5lb, the Zyllion Shiatsu Massager is light enough to hold anywhere on the body, durable enough to last for years, firm enough to get right into your muscles, and smart enough to turn off on its own. So even if the rotating heated pads put him into a trance state, it won’t continue to run into the morning.

Note: There are other brands with similar products, but you are assured reliability and quality with Zyllion.

No Frills Headphones

See Current Price Whether he uses headphones to play games, listen to music, or simply to escape outside noise, he deserves to do with a quality pair.

These noise-isolating headphones are a fraction of the price of the flashy ones but have nearly identical sound output.

Key features:

Ergonomic fit (adjusts to his head shape)
Precise bass & treble calibration
Weight: 13.6oz
Lengthy 6ft cord
Folds flat for traveling
Comes in four colors: Black (pictured), black with silver trim, blue/black, and white/cream
Option to get it with or without a microphone.

Compact Waffle Maker

See Current Price There’s no better snack to make in a den than a sizzling Belgian waffle. All you need is a waffle maker, some freshly whipped up mix, and some electricity. And better yet, cleaning just takes a few wipes.

While Presto’s FlipSide contraption is on the pricey side, it is miles ahead of the competition. Everything from the ingenious design (can be folded upright and stored away) to the nonstick iron is built to be used over and over again.

For its first use, tell him to use less mixture than he thinks he needs. I made that mistake once and had to spend the next 30 minutes cleaning up the mess.

Gift Card

If all else fails, the humble gift card is here to save the day. Choose from hundreds of designs, patterns, and theme; add a personal message, and then print it from home, email it directly to him, or mail it across the country in an awesome box.

View Gift Cards

Spend Time With Him

If possible, please spend time with him as well. It doesn’t matter if you take him skydiving, to a movie, to dinner, or home to share a cigar, any time is better than none.

If you have a friend in a similar struggle, share this below and let’s make this year’s Father’s Day the best ever!