The best gifts for dad for Christmas 2018

Choosing the right Christmas gift for dad can be a tough job, but we’re here to help you ring the changes on your Christmas shopping this year.

He’ll tell you not to bother buying him anything again, and to save your money, but we all know he’d enjoy a sweet bit of tech on the big day.

Whether dad’s a TV fanatic, a DIY buff, a gadget nut or just a big kid at heart, we’ve selected the best toys, tools and tech to make his Christmas go with a bang. And you never know, buying the right gift might just make him easier to live with between now and next Christmas!

• Lots more Christmas gift ideas

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the old man setting up camp in front of the telly. This year, why not treat him to his favourite films and TV shows in 4K HDR with Apple’s updated streaming box?

The Apple TV app places top video services like Now TV and iPlayer, plus his entire iTunes library, front and centre. Dad can immerse himself in everything from live TV and the latest sports fixtures, to boxsets and movies whilst barely lifting a finger. And if he’s not sure what to watch, Siri is on hand to ask for recommendations.

HDR tech means he’ll experience greater detail and more vivid colours every time he tunes in, while the 4K resolution delivers additional pixels for an even crisper viewing experience. Inside, Apple’s A10X Fusion chip ensures rapid access to apps, games and TV shows.

Christmas overindulgence is usually followed by a health kick, but by mid-January the park is usually devoid of once-eager runners. If you want dad to stick to his new fitness regime, call on TomTom’s Runner 3 Cardio.

The running watch features a built-in heart rate monitor to keep tabs on cardio performance, while on-board GPS tracking measures time, distance, speed, pace and route to deliver live stats as he pounds the pavement. 

Even when he’s not breaking a sweat the TomTom Runner 3 Cardio measures daily steps, active minutes, distance, calories burned and sleep with the TomTom Sports app on-hand to manage activities and chart progress.

If running isn't his bag, the 40m waterproof TomTom Runner 3 Cardio tracks other sports including cycling and swimming.

If your old man lives for music, but you could take or leave Dark Side Of The Moon on repeat, you’ll both love these full-fidelity, active noise-cancelling headphones from Audeara. Created by Aussie scientist Dr. James Fielding, the A-01's  deliver a personalised listening experience, revealling new levels of audio detail. 

Setting them up is easy: dad takes a simple hearing test within the Audeara iOS/Android app and the headphones use his hearing profile to tweak and balance the sound. The A-01's constantly monitor what he’s listening to and in what environment, adjusting the sound to ensure optimum performance.

The Audeara A-01 headphones also feature hands-free calling, low latency streaming and Bluetooth 4.2 for a fantastic wireless experience.

Is your dad obsessed with the security of his castle? If so, a well-chosen home security gadget might be the ticket. As it happens, Motorola has released the Focus 72 connected security camera just in time for handling 24/7 surveillance of your dad’s pad this Christmas.

The weatherproof outdoor HD camera monitors movement up to 100 metres away (18 metres at night) and sends an alert to a smart device or PC whenever it’s triggered. Want to see who (or what)’s snooping around outside? A live stream can be viewed over Wi-Fi or 4G, or the incident can be recorded and used as evidence. 

Nighttime is no match for the Focus 72 Connect, either – infrared night vision keeps the camera rolling in low light, so nothing will go unnoticed. Even a visit from the Grinch.

Traditionally, Christmas is a time where dads the world over embrace the festive fuzz. But when the office beckons again come January, it’s likely the Christmas beard will need taming.

Whether he wants designer stubble or a stylish five o’clock shadow, the battery-powered Philips OneBlade can do it all. The small, ergonomic shaver is designed to trim facial hair to precise stubble lengths using three supplied combs: 1mm, 3mm and 5mm. The dual-sided blade is perfect for finishing edges with precision. 

The OneBlade is particularly good for men who suffer with sensitive skin – the blade won’t get too close to his skin, making the shave comfortable and rash free.

Hey, you can’t keep all the cool tech for yourself – dad deserves some stylish offerings too, such as Maui Jim’s vintage-looking Breezeway Polarised Sunglasses. 

The Breezeway shades feature Maui Jim’s PolarizedPlus2 tech, which not only shields eyes from harmful UV rays and eliminates 99.9 per cent of glare, but also enhances natural colours in the most vivid detail.

These sunnies feature Maui Jim’s most popular lens material, MauiPure, made using crisp optics and boasting a lightweight, scratch- and shatter-resistant covering. That retro lens colour creates a stunning warm tint that’s perfect for everyday conditions, even if dad will mostly be wearing them in the UK and not on a beach in Hawaii.

Christmas and LEGO go hand in hand, but the intergalactic NASA Apollo Saturn V kit is aimed squarely at big kids. 

The Apollo was the first ever rocket to land people on the moon, and this replica of the historic spacecraft features plenty of standout details including three removable rocket stages, the lunar lander and lunar orbiter, plus three astronaut microfigures. 

Did we also mention this baby is a whole metre high and includes 1,900 pieces? A stand is also included to display the rocket... once he’s finished playing with it, of course. 

Nothing hampers the festive period more than a Boxing Day hangover or a 4am wake-up call with the kids. If your other half succumbs to either, give the gift of revitalising rocket fuel.

The retro-styled Illy Francis Francis X1 is on hand to brew the perfect festive first-aid, whenever he needs it. State-of-the-art internals control coffee and steam temperatures, and a brass boiler ensures optimum heat retention. An automatic boiler refill means there'll always be steam for a cheeky cappuccino after the Queen’s speech.

Illy's all-metal machine also includes a built-in troubleshooting function to sort any technical issues so he doesn’t have to.

If your dad believes the Christmas holidays are the perfect time to crack on with DIY projects, he’ll love adding this pocket rocket to his power tool collection.

Whether he’s sanding a door or upcycling an old table, the 18V cordless Mouse Detail Sander dishes out 12,000 orbits per minute to ensure efficient and powerful surface removal. The compact size will position him closer to the action and a removable dust bag means there’s less to clean up, too. 

Dad will probably spend hours in the shed with his new toy. Just don’t forget to deliver a plate of turkey every now and then for sustenance.

A statement watch is an essential part of any classy gent’s wardrobe, and your old man will feel like James Bond with this stylish timepiece on his wrist. 

Not only does the dapper Victorinox Night Vision watch feature a rugged 41mm stainless steel case, quartz movement and 50-metre water resistance, it also includes a fully functioning torch.

When the lights go out, a built-in LED system lights up the dial to reveal the time, or it can be used to produce a handy torch beam at the push of a button. If there’s a power cut, dad’s lost his keys or he’s trekking home from the pub after dark, this Swiss Army watch will shine a light on the situation.

Want more? Here’s some other great gift ideas for dad for Christmas 2017:

• Pure Pop Midi
• Huawei Honor 9
• Shot Scope V2 Golf Watch
• Abbey Road Vintage Logo Mouse Mat
• Master Lock Select Access Smart
• Amazon Echo 2nd Generation
• Whiskey Wedge
• Junghans Max Bill Graphishe Reihe Watch
• Vodafone Smart Tab S8
• Sterline Automatic Motorized Revolving Tie and Belt Rack
• Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker
• Ecco Shoe Care Kit
• Monster SuperStar HotShot
• Neato Botvac Connected D7
• iFi iSilencer 3.0 USB sound booster
• nkd pod+ Water Bottle
• Edwin Jagger 3 Piece Shaving Set
• Juice Power Station
• Jekyll & Hide RFID Soho Backpack