10 Great Gift Ideas For Lifehacker Dads

So you still haven’t picked out a Father’s Day gift for your old man, eh? Join the club. Instead of grabbing a “World’s Greatest Dad” mug or an obligatory slab of beer down the supermarket, show him you care with one of these life-hacking pressies. Categories range from virtual reality to “smart” cooking with prices starting at just $29.

Father’s Day gift picture from Shutterstock

The following products are all available from local online retailers which means you should get them in time for Father’s Day. Where possible, we’ve linked to the manufacturer’s official e-store instead of online deals which have a tendency to disappear without notice. With that in mind, you can probably find cheaper prices by searching around online.

Lifehacker’s Father’s Day Gift Guide is brought to you by the new Fitbit Charge HR activity wristband — now with continuous heart rate tracking — and the Fitbit Surge fitness super watch. Heart rate, calories, steps and sport tracking with long battery life, call and text notifications, auto sleep monitoring and more.

Certa Tyre Repair Kit: $29

Sure, your dad probably has one of these already, but we’re willing to bet it’s the same crappy version that came with his car. The Certa Tyre Repair Kit can quickly fix punctures using a spiral probe reamer. It comes with a steel T-handle insert tool, spiral probe reamer, insert rod, reamer rod, two Allen wrenches, lubricant, glue, a knife and 30 tyre-repair strings, plus a compact carry box. The kit is suitable for 4WDs and family cars. Buy it here.

Dodocase Cardboard VR Kit: $30

If your dad has an interest in virtual reality, the Dodocase Cardboard VR Kit is a great, cost-effective way for him to dip his digital toes. The DIY kit is compatible with a range of Android and iPhone handsets and can be assembled in 20 minutes. It comprises pre-cut cardboard, bi-convex lenses, Velcro and an NFC tag. Once it’s up and running, your dad can hop into iTunes or Google Play and snap up a range of virtual-reality apps. Who needs an Oculus kit when cardboard can do the same job? Buy it here.

Aeropress: $49.95

The Aeropress takes coffee brewing and strips it down to the bare essentials. Yes, it’s just a coffee press but it’s a damn good one. Using the ideal water temperature and gentle air pressure, the brewing yields rich flavour with lower acidity and reduced bitterness. It also uses a micro filter to ensure coffee remains grit-free. The best thing about this gift is you’ll get to personally enjoy the results every time you visit your parents. Buy it here.

Dick Smith Wireless Headphones: $50.80

If your dad is getting a bit hard of hearing, a pair of wireless headphones will be the best gift he ever receives. He’ll finally be able to enjoy his Blu-rays and DVDs without resorting to subtitles. This Dick Smith model comes with an adjustable 2.4GHz headset, a digital wireless transmitter and a headphone charging cradle with AC adaptor. Buy it here.

Lifeproof nuud iPad Case: $129

The Lifeproof nuud case can withstand some pretty severe punishment; which makes it ideally suited to heavy-handed and accident-prone dads. The ruggedised case will protect his tablet from water, dust, snow and heavy knocks. Unlike many waterproof cases, the screenless design allows you to touch the actual display without a protective film getting in the way. Despite this, it can still be dunked in the bath without causing any damage. You also get complete access to all buttons, ports and controls while the case is on. Buy it here.

Wine Making Kit: $189

A bottle of wine is a fine Father’s Day gift, but it’s not particularly imaginative. Instead, why not get him a DIY wine-making kit from the Sydney-based home-brew supply shop The Hop & Grain? These kits provide everything you dad needs to start making his own wine (well, apart from grapes and a big bucket). You can purchase it online or head into a Coles supermarket. If your dad prefers beer, you can also get home brew kits from the same company. Buy it here.

Tefal OptiGrill Smart Grill: $199

You’ve heard of the smart phone: now meet the smart grill. The Tefal OptiGrill boasts an automatic grilling mechanism that adapts the cooking time to the thickness of the ingredients and indicates the precise cooking level from rare to well done. If your dad is rubbish at cooking, this should help to make family BBQs tolerable. Buy it here.

Fitbit Surge: $349.95

The Fitbit Surge is a “Fitness Super Watch” designed with runners in mind. It comes packed with eight sensors (including a built-in GPS) that can track your dad’s running routes and give him access to all kinds of workout data. Naturally, it also comes with every other Fitbit feature including the Fitbit HR’s heartrate monitor, and gives you a manufacturer-estimated seven days of battery life too. Buy it here.

Navman MY650LMMT: $199

In a bid to stand out from its smartphone competitors, Navman’s latest GPS unit has packed in more features than ever before. This includes spoken safety alerts, live traffic updates, a Zomato Restaurant Guide and free lifetime monthly map updates. If your dad is getting long in the tooth, the MY650LMMT should serve him well: it gives spoken directions based on what’s outside the windscreen (such as the colours and brand names of buildings.) 3D landmarks are also presented on the mapping screen. Buy it here.

Leatherman Tread: $394

The Leatherman Tread is a wearable multi-tool that includes everything from a screwdriver to a box wrench. It’s basically a toolbox you wear on your wrist. It even comes with obscure essentials like a cutting hook, glass breaker and oxygen tank wrench. On the downside, it kind of looks like rapper bling-bling; a style that not many dads can pull off. Buy it here.

Anyone got a better suggestion? We want to hear about it in the comments!