Do you have a dad in your life who is hard to buy gifts for? These practical gift ideas for dads make gifting a breeze!
My husband is notoriously hard to buy gifts for. He doesn’t want stuff just to get stuff. And experiences are hard for my kids to gift at their current ages. They want to pick out something for dad, wrap it, and watch him enjoy the surprise. We find ourselves in a conundrum every gift giving opportunity.
Over the years, I’ve found that the best gifts for the dads in my life are practical things that he wouldn’t necessarily buy himself. Think slightly elevated versions of everyday essentials or items that help him do something but aren’t absolute necessities. This is the sweet spot.
If the dads in your life are similar, here are some practical gift ideas for dads that I’ve given to my dad and/or husband over the years that have been hits. There may also be some items on this list that I’m considering for future gifts that I don’t have personal experience with yet. I’ll note those where that’s the case.
Are you ready to make gift giving easier with practical gift ideas for dads? Let’s go!
Practical Gift Ideas for Dads
Bedroom & bathroom
The bathroom and bedroom present lots of great practical gift ideas for dads. Most dads I know don’t pay attention to things like sleep quality, skin care, or fashion, so if you’re struggling to find a good gift for the dad in your life, I often suggest you start here.
Electric toothbrush
Everyone needs a toothbrush, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a toothbrush that provides a better clean and a better experience than the freebie from the dentist? If the dad in your life is still using those freebies he gets every 6 months, a great practical gift is a toothbrush upgrade.
My husband has the Oral-B Pro 1000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush. It’s no frills, but he likes it a lot!
Skincare
If your husband or dad uses a bar of soap as his only skincare product, you are not alone. The next gift giving opportunity is the perfect excuse to push him toward actually taking care of his skin. Don’t go all-in too fast, though. My advice is to build him up to a full routine. The list below moves from basic to advanced – start where your husband leaves off and introduce one product at a time.
SPF
If he’s not wearing sunscreen on a daily basis, start here! You don’t have to get him a fancy SPF, just something that works and that he will actually wear day-to-day. My husband likes (and mostly uses) the Vanicream Facial Moisturizer SPF30 (mineral SPF) or SCINIC Enjoy Super Mild Sun Essence SPF 50+ (Korean chemical SPF).
Face wash
Dads shouldn’t be using bar soap to wash their faces. It strips and dehydrates their skin, which leads to irritation and cracking. Not a good look. Make washing his face with face wash approachable by gifting him a face wash he will actually use. Steer clear of anything in packaging that is too feminine or has a scent to it. My favorite face wash (that my husband also uses) is CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser. It ticks all the boxes and feels good to use too!
Face lotion
The dad in your life might not need a separate face lotion for the daytime if he’s using an SPF on his face that feels sufficiently moisturizing (like the Vanicream). If he’s using a lighter SPF (like the SCINIC) or he needs an additional moisture step because he’s still feeling dry and itchy, he needs a separate face lotion. My favorite day time facial moisturizer (for men and women) is the Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer (without SPF).
Whether or not he needs a daytime moisturizer, he will need a nighttime moisturizer. The best product in this category, for men and women alike, is CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream. Yes, it’s in purple packaging, but he can get over it. This stuff is good.
Body lotion
The dads in your life probably need body lotion. It boggles my mind that men seem to just not use lotion at all. They need it just as much as women do. It doesn’t have to be sparkly or smelly, it just needs to moisturize the skin. I have two favorites that men can get behind: Equate Hydrating Moisturizing Cream for the winter months and Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion for the summer months.
Pillow
Pillows are great practical gift ideas for dads because they make a huge difference in their everyday lives, but they would never go out and spend money on a fancy pillow for themselves. I bought my husband a fancy pillow years ago, but he’s due for an upgrade soon. I’ve been eyeing the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Adapt Pillow, but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet.
Shoes
Women are stereotypically obsessed with shoes, and dads stereotypically wear the same pair of shoes for 30 years. Help buck this trend by gifting dad a new pair of shoes. If you’re stuck on what type of shoes to gift, I suggest going with a classic pair of boat shoes. Dad can wear them dressed up with a pair of slacks and a button front shirt or dressed down with a pair of shorts and a polo shirt.
Belt
Dad probably also needs a new belt. He’ll keep wearing the belt that the dog chewed 7 years ago unless you buy him a new one. If you decide to upgrade his belt, I highly recommend buying him a reversible belt that is brown on one side and black on the other. It’s a great way to give him options without clutter and you get your money’s worth!
Outerwear Accessories
Does the dad in your life still wear his Army-issued PT hat in his daily life? No, just me? Even if you’re dealing with a less extreme outwear accessories situation with the dads in your life, they can still probably use an upgrade. A smart wool beanie and some cashmere gloves are a great practical gift for dads.
Kitchen & living
The kitchen and living room are another great place to find practical gift ideas for dads. Dads spend a lot of time in the kitchen and living room, so give them practical gifts to make their time in these rooms more enjoyable.
Mug
Does dad drink coffee or tea? Whether he consumes his hot beverage of choice at home or on-the-go, an upgraded mug is a great practical gift. If he drinks his coffee at home, a fancy heated Ember mug is a great luxury. We don’t have one, but I’m pining for one. If he takes his coffee to go, he needs a high-quality travel mug. In my opinion, you can’t get better than a Yeti Rambler travel mug.
Grill gloves
If the dad in your life likes to man the grill on the regular, he needs to be properly equipped to do the job. I’ve bought my dad and my husband lots of grill-related gifts over the years, but the gift that has gotten the most use has been a pair of grill gloves. These heat-proof gloves make cooking over an open flame safer and easier. These are a must!
Couch caddy
My mother-in-law gets all the credit for this one. She found this ingenious couch caddy that hangs over the side of the couch and is the perfect place to stash TV remotes, a beverage and a snack so dad doesn’t have to get up while he’s watching the game.
Car & outdoors
Dads love their cars and tinkering outdoors, so don’t overlook these areas when looking for practical gift ideas for dads!
Air compressor
Dads are typically in charge of all things inflatable. Help make this job easier for him by gifting him a compact air compressor. With this handy machine, he can make sure the car tires are at the correct pressure, bike tires aren’t flat, and balls are pumped up and ready to play.
Tools
Ok, it’s stereotypical to suggest that you buy dad tools as gifts. But this is a stereotype for a reason – dads love tools! And most of them use them pretty regularly. I asked my husband what his most used tool is and he said a cordless drill.
Landscaping equipment
My son’s favorite thing on earth is landscaping equipment. The dads in your life were probably just like my son at 6 years old, so it would be a thrill to receive new landscaping equipment for them. Whether it’s a leaf blower, weed whacker, or hedge trimmer, these are all practical items that make his heart sing too.
Office
Whether they work from a traditional office, a home office, or an unusual office, dad needs office items to make his time at work more enjoyable. Here are practical gift ideas for dads that shine in the office.
Calendar
Get dad a calendar! He needs to keep track of all aspects of his life, and nothing beats a paper calendar to do this. It doesn’t need to be fancy, a simple planner that he can carry with him does the job.
Pens
You might think pens aren’t gift-worthy, but you’d be wrong. A good pen is a great gift! My favorite workhorse pen is the Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.5. Slip a pack of these into your next gift for dad, no matter what else you include.
Backpack/brief case
Every dad needs a great bag to cart his necessities to and from work. My husband carries his black Army backpack to and from work every day, so I don’t have a recommendation to give you, unfortunately. If I was a dad in need of a work backpack, I really like the look of the Fossil Buckner Leather Backpack. And Fossil bags have never steered me wrong.
Other posts
Need more gift ideas? Here are a few posts that give more ideas:
I hope this list of practical gift ideas for dads has helped give you some ideas. Are you a dad? What would you add to this list? Please share in the comments down below or over on Instagram @sarainseason.