We all know how dads can be a nightmare to buy Christmas presents for. They’ll protest if you spend too much, but secretly be disappointed at yet another 10-pack of jazzy socks. What you need to do is, put the socks and Lynx gift set back on the shelf, and build up some confidence in your shopping abilities.
This means buying something that entirely replaces what he may already own. He’s already got a shaver, but he’ll love a shiny new one – and the same goes for everyday items like his card holder, suit bag, watch, and skincare routine. Out with the old, in with the new. We guarantee he’ll appreciate the change and an opportunity to try something new.
As well as wearable tech like fitness trackers and a golf watch, we’ve also included a new set of shaving products, a razor, and a couple of more left-field options like a Nintendo Switch. No, really. Not all dads want slippers, y’know.
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A handheld video game console, you say? Yes, we say! We can't stop raving about the Nintendo Switch, in fact we gave it five stars in our review, and so we think it's the best gift for dad this Christmas.
The Nintendo Switch's unique selling point is that it is both a console and a portable gaming device, and you can pick right up where you left on one on the other.
There are three gaming modes: playing on your television like an ordinary console, play tabletop, or play handheld, like you would a phone or Game Boy. However you play (or dad, let's not forget we're shopping for him here), there are hours of fun to be had.
The graphics may not be on par with an Xbox One or PS4, but the Nintendo Switch takes the best parts of older Nintendo tech (think the Wii and the 3DS) to create a smooth, easy to handle, unbelievably fun to play console.
You can buy the console on its own, or as a bundle, where you get some games too. Available games include The Legend of Zelda, FIFA and Super Mario Odyssey.
If your dad is a keen golfer then he’ll love the Garmin Approach S40. As well as being a regular Wear OS smartwatch and activity tracker, it also has a special golf mode. With this enabled, the watch shows the precise distance to the hole from anywhere on 41,000 golf courses worldwide.
The watch also alerts its wearer to hazards like bunkers, and is regularly updated so you always know the precise position of every tee and pin. Then there’s the Garmin Golf smartphone app, where dad can compete against his friends on weekly leaderboards and even create his own tournament.
The battery life is up to 10 days when used as a basic watch, but that falls to 15 hours when golf mode is enabled. Still, that should be plenty to get dad around the course a couple of times.
If your dad is a bit of a history buff, or is working his way through building your family tree, a DNA testing kit is the perfect gift for him this Christmas. It's a truly unique gift that he's unlikely to have thought about buying for himself, making it all the more special.
There a lot of different DIY DNA testing kits to choose from, with some offering health data as well as ancestry data. Our number one choice, 23andMe, does just that. The test can tell dad all about his ethnic background and where his family comes from across the globe, but it can also provide information on health factors.
Details on whether dad carries genes associated with health risks may dampen the festive cheer, but we love that this test can detail fun traits like a genetic fear of heights, and that the results are presented in multiple different, easy to digest ways.
Whichever kit you go for, they are simple for dad to use from the comfort of his armchair, and he'll have the results in weeks.
To find out more about how DNA testing kits work, read our guide to the best DNA testing kits.
Not everyone wants a fully-fledged smartwatch with a touch screen, and equally not everyone wants to wear a Fitbit-style fitness tracker 24/7. Striking a neat balance between the two is the hybrid watch, and the new Withings ScanWatch is one of the very best.
Your dad will surely love the ScanWatch’s classy stainless steel body, sapphire crystal and interchangeable straps, while onboard sensors discreetly track his daily exercise, heart rate and sleep. The ScanWatch can also take an ECG and features a multi-wavelength PPG sensor for measuring blood oxygenation and detecting sleep disturbances.
The ScanWatch is water resistant to 5 ATM, so dad can take it swimming without concern, and a small display shows notifications from his phone. All the data the ScanWatch collects is sent over Bluetooth to the excellent Health Mate smartphone app for further analysis.
We may be biased, but indulge us on this one.
Every month, T3 magazine reveals the best tech you never knew you needed to know about, and you can get it direct to your door before each issue hits the stops. It’s filled cover-to-cover with with gadgets that will genuinely make your life better, from TVs that give your favourite movies new life, to smart home gear that saves you time and money, to ways to make your commute more bearable, to cutting-edge new developments.
Our relentless focus on quality means we only recommend the creme de la creme, and there’s guaranteed to be something in every issue that will change your world.
The Philips OneBlade Pro is the ultimate accessory when it comes to grooming tech.
Help dad achieve exactly the style he wants to kick start 2021 with thanks to an unbelievable 14 lock-in length settings. He can get everything from a rugged 5 o'clock shadow to a long but neat and tidy beard.
It's also ergonomically designed to be comfortable to use, and offers dual protection in the form of a glide coating plus with rounded tips. The OneBlade is particularly good for men who suffer with sensitive skin as the blade won’t get too close to his skin, making the shave comfortable and rash free.
Practically speaking, it's a winner too. There's a LED digital display that will alert dad when the battery is low, and – our favourite nifty feature – a travel lock so dad can take the OneBlade wherever he goes without setting it off in transit!
Christmas is a time for parties, family gatherings and after work drinks, keeping your formal wear in high demand. So whether your dad usually wears a suit to work or not, this suit cover from Uniquebella is a great Christmas gift.
It's waterproof and tear-resistant so it can withstand even the roughest British commute, and there's an exterior pocket that provides quick access to essentials like travel documents or electronics.
On the inside hangers and ties have their own clips or a hook to keep them firmly in place, and there's even a small zip up section for a necktie.
What we love about it most is that it's not only a suit cover. Oh no, it doubles up as a duffel bag, meaning it can easily double up as a gym bag, or overnight bag for work trips or weekends away.
Treat dad to this travel shave gift set by Rituals. For starters, it’s bound to win some points for being called The Ritual of Samurai, this is also a great-smelling set of shave cream, face charcoal scrub and after shave soothing balm.
Rituals says this set is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, dry, oily or a combination of all three. This set is a great way to let dad try out a new skin care range without investing too heavily, and gives him a set to pack for his next trip away.
All of Rituals’ products have their roots in ancient Eastern tradition, and each offers its own signature scent. They are also suitable for vegetarians and are developed without any animal testing.
If your dad’s into running (or has vaguely suggested he might one day get into it) then he’ll want a great pair of comfortable, durable wireless earphones. Powerbeats fit the bill, thanks to their great noise, battery life and fit, with anchoring hooks to help keep them in place as he pounds the pavement.
They’re not fully wireless, but we consider this a good thing for running, as there’s no fear of the earphones falling to the ground if they become dislodged.
Powerbeats are available in black, white and red. And, while they work with all smartphones just like all other Bluetooth earphones, they have Apple’s smart W1 chip, making pairing them to iPhones even easier. They charge via Lightning cable, and just five minutes plugging in gives them an hour of battery life.
We love the woven look of this leather cardholder from MontBlanc. It's classic, but the cross-hatch pattern gives it a modern edge, as well as making it resistant to scratches and scuffs.
It's slimline, with two card slots and a receipt pocket. There are no frills when it comes to the design, but what sets this cardholder above the rest is the quality of the material and the gorgeous design.
Yes it's a little fancy (and a little pricey), but if you're looking for the best gift for your dad this Christmas, this card holder makes the cut.
We haven't forgotten about dads who just love DIY, and look forward with eager anticipation to what power tool Christmas 2019 will bring.
Last year our list of the best Christmas gifts for dad featured a cordless jigsaw, and previously we included our favourite sander. This year we've upped the ante again, with a wood router.
Wood routers are designed, unsurprisingly, for wood work. With one of these machines, dad will be free to trim, shape and hollow out wood. Importantly, despite spinning at 30,000+rpm, wood routers are designed not to cause friction that otherwise could lead to sparking a fire.
Our top pick is from Triton, and it's a hell of a machine. Yes it is heavy, but it's powerful, robust, and has several safety features to protect the user.
Moreover, you can get mum onside too thanks to the tool's dust extraction feature keeps the space dad is working in clean.
If you're new to the world of wood routers (where have you been?), it's worth noting that Triton is a trusted brand, and that less than £300 is a reasonable price, especially for one of this calibre and power.
If your dad's slippers are starting to look a bit worse for wear, then a new pair from Barbour this Christmas could be just the ticket. With a moccasin design, these slippers have a soft and comfortable suede upper and lining, with a rubber sole giving them a look that's as sturdy as it is comfortable.
Available in three colours and a wide range of sizes, the slippers feature a distinctive Barbour check pattern while remaining subtle.
Dad always complaining about that massive bunch of keys he carries everywhere? Time to help him out with the Orbitkey. This genius key organiser can hold between two and seven regular keys, plus has a D-ring for adding on a car key fob too.
The leather Orbitkey is available in a wide range of colour to suit Dad's style, and accessories include a handy bottle opener, a multi-tool, and an 8GB USB stick.
Keys can be added and removed in moments by unscrewing the Orbitkey, and once in place they all fold neatly into the leather holder, stopping them from damaging Dad's smartphone or anything else in his pocket.
- Check our picks of the best gifts for him
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