Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18, which means you still have time to find a thoughtful gift for Dad. If you’re shopping for a tech-savvy dad but aren’t someone who keeps up with the latest gadgets and gizmos yourself, we’ve rounded up a variety of gift suggestions, including some of the best tech we’ve tested this year. The options cover dads who are into everything from home-security systems to fitness tracking. Whether he’s interested in experimenting in the kitchen, snapping photos of the fam, or setting up a beautiful audio experience with wireless speakers or portable ones, you’re bound to find something here that he’ll love. (But we also have guides to gifts for new dads, golf dads, grilling-enthusiast dads, and, well, every other type of dad.) We scoured our archives to find the best Father’s Day gifts for techie dads, and though most of these products will arrive by Father’s Day (or well before), some shipment times will depend on your location. (But these gifts are good enough that we don’t think he’ll mind if they’re late.)
This version of Google’s smart thermostat “makes suggestions on scheduling tweaks to help you save energy, while also tracking and alerting you to odd patterns in your heating and cooling usage,” says Strategist contributor Kyle Schurman. It’s a great gift for any father in the smart-thermostat market.
Stephen Farrell, director of merchandising at Hammacher Schlemmer, likes Nest’s smart security camera, which sends alerts of suspicious activity directly to the app and includes speakers and a microphone. Farrell says it helps his family feel more secure.
These plugs let Dad make any device smart. He’ll be able to turn a regular old lamp on or off from his phone or set up a schedule. As Strategist contributor Kyle Schurman explains, “You can also have the Wyze turn on any time one of your other smart devices is activated. For example, if someone approaches your video doorbell, you could have a lamp in the window automatically turn on to make it look like someone is home.”
A favorite of Strategist contributor (and former tech columnist) David Pogue, this wireless charger will keep Dad’s phone from running out of juice. Instead of having to keep your phone flat on a charging pad, the stand makes it easy to see your screen while you’re charging.
If your father is always doing that thing where he pats his pockets in a panic, looking for his wallet or keys every time he’s leaving the house, get him a Tile Sticker. The simple Bluetooth tracker is about the size of a nickel and can stick to anything he’s worried he’ll forget. Instead of spending 15 minutes searching the couch the next time he can’t find his keys, he can just pull up the Tile app.
If your dad is obsessed with being energy efficient and always yells when the lights are left on in an empty room (is there any dad who hasn’t
