Six Father's Day gifts your dad will actually use

Six things your dad will actually use if you get them for him this Father's Day

(Image credit: Future)

Father's Day is Sunday, June 19, and as a dad to four kids, I figured why not help you get your dad a gift he will actually use. That may sound harsh, but I've been through nearly 29 years of Father's Day gifts that I no longer own and mostly went unused. I appreciated every one of them; but how many ties, hand-drawn cards (still got them), and gift cards to restaurants with menus filled with things someone trying to live past 90 should never eat can one man receive?

This year, I wanted to give back to all the other fathers who toe the line and often never get the credit or gifts they deserve. There are no Zales commercials for us, nope, we get Fudgy The Whale, and nobody is out there making a commercial where the family chips in and buys dad his dream car.

After many years of buying my dad shirts from Kids Gap (he was 4'11) I decided to compile a short list of six techie things I would want, my dad would appreciate, and that most dads will actually use. These aren't "hey dad here are these tools now go fix this on your day off" presents, these are things to help dad relax, or make entertaining his buddies easier, and more fun.

Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Gas Grill

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The Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Gas Grill is something dads will love, you will enjoy, and your mom will be grateful for. Weber's Connect WiFi technology ensures dad won't burn anything since the app will remind them to flip the burgers, what temperature everything is cooking at, and even when it's time to take the food off the grill and serve it.

The all-steel Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Gas Grill is $1,479, which isn't cheap, but you'll get years of tasty, perfectly cooked meals and memorable moments with dad. The best things in life are worth paying a little extra for, and if your dad is anything like me, he will go out and grill a steak even if it's snowing.

Thermacell Liv Mosquito repellent system

There is nothing worse than trying to spend time with your dad and family members in the backyard, and you spend most of your time battling mosquitos. Thermacell has smaller units that sit on a table and safely keep those thirsty biters at bay up to ten square feet. But Thermacell has come up with a WiFi controllable perimeter system that offers protection for your entire backyard.

The Thermacell Liv system is highly adjustable to your space, and you can purchase a system with up to five units to protect your backyard spaces. No more will those tiny vampires suck the life out of you and your family as you try to enjoy a burger in the backyard.

The Thermacell Liv system is available in either 3, 4, or 5 Repellers you install in the ground around your area. You can then control the units via the Thermacell app and enjoy your Father's Day BBQ mosquito free.

bev by Black and Decker

After a long day at work, or if dad has a few buddies over for a game, having to handle the bartending duties the whole time doesn't leave dad time to enjoy his friends or family. Also, nobody wants little Timmy mixing drinks; that's illegal and wrong. So why not get dad the bev by Black & Decker personal bartender for Father's Day.

That's right, Black & Decker, known for everything from blenders to power tools, now make a personal bartender that takes the guesswork out of making delicious cocktails. The Bev allows you to set up five 750ml bottles of your favorite spirits, select the drink's strength, and choose from over fifty drink capsules (think Kuerig Coffeemaker meets bartender) to create many of your favorite mixed drinks.

The bev Black & Decker personal bartender is available on Amazon for $299.

Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook

Some of you may be thinking, a Chromebook, you must be daft. Usually, I would agree, but the Lenovo Duet 5 2-in-1 with its OLED display is pretty incredible. It's lightweight, and perfect for when dad wants to check emails, do a little work in Google Docs, or enjoy watching a movie on the gorgeous 13-inch OLED display.

I have been using it to play games on Google Stadia and was shocked by how much fun I had playing Hitman on Stadia, as the gaming experience on the Duet 5 was far better than I could have hoped. I also enjoyed the Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook in tablet mode by disconnecting the magnetically attached keyboard and using it as an E-reader.

You can pick dad up the affordable laptop for just $369 at Lenovo.

Check out our full review.

Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer

What's the point of having those perfectly cooked burgers dad just made on his new BBQ and no fries to go with them? With the Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer, you can ensure you have perfectly crispy fries ready to go. With a large 5.8-quart cooking basket, you can cook many of your favorite recipes and use less oil, making those old faves healthier for dear old dad.

The other great thing about the Proscenic T21 is it connects to your home network via WiFi, and with the Proscenic app on your phone, you can control it; via the app, Alexa, or Google Assistant voice commands. You can manage your air fryer, schedule the cooking, adjust and monitor the cooking process, and customize your recipes.

You can pick up a Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer at Amazon for just $129.

Jireno Cube 4

The Jireno Cube 4 is a great little projector we finally set up in our backyard for a movie night. The 1080p projector can deliver up to a 200-inch image to make sure everyone can see. Dad will enjoy that drive-in movie vibe while watching his favorite TV shows or movies, thanks to the built-in Android TV.

You can pick up the Jireno Cube 4 on Amazon for $299.

Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming.