The 26 Absolute Best, Wirecutter-Approved Father’s Day Gifts Under $50

Easy wine opener

The Zerodis Wine Opener is the perfect dad-gift Venn diagram of nifty gadget and useful wine accessory. He simply inserts the aluminum alloy needle into the center of the cork and gives it a few pumps, and out pops the cork, just like magic. Staff writer Samantha Schoech was introduced to this tool at a dinner party, where the hosting dad showed it off proudly. She has since given one to her husband, who is equally tickled. Up the Father’s Day ante and pair it with a bottle of vino.

National park socks

Like a heritage Pendleton blanket that pays homage to America’s national parks with signature stripes and tones, these handsome, comfortable socks are a subtle nod to favorite park visits—or bucket-list ones. Each cotton-blend pair has cushioned footbeds, and they are just the right amount of soft and stretchy. Samantha gifts a pair to her husband on the regular; the Grand Canyon set gets the most wear. All of his pairs stay up but don’t tug his leg hair—his ultimate sock standard.

A detailing brush

Some dads focus on the big picture. But this gift is for the dad who sweats—or sweeps—the small stuff. Perfect for brushing crumbs off keyboards or dust from narrow crevices, this wooden-handle boar’s hair brush is a neatnik’s wonder tool. This brush was originally designed for detailing cars (it’s great at that—goodbye cupholder crud), and it also works to remove schmutz from all sorts of nooks and crannies. Supervising editor Hannah Morrill’s partner got one for himself and finds it’s terrific for the car, dingy baseboard corners, and dusty jade leaves.

An analog notetaker

Give your dad the gift of organizing his thoughts in an analog fashion, with our all-time favorite notebook. Yes, he can type his grocery list into his phone or journal on his laptop, but the goal here is to reduce screen time (especially before bed). To make this gift even more festive, you can always include a nice fountain pen, such as the Lamy Safari, beloved by our photo director Michael Hession, or a box of these luxurious pencils.

Fancy playing cards

Whether your dad is an avid poker player or more of a solitaire fan, elevate his game with a set of elegant cards that benefit a great cause. These cards from Parks Project feature spare line drawings of some of the most famous sites from parks, including Yosemite and Yellowstone, and the company gives back 5% of each sale to benefit the National Parks Conservation Association. If your dad isn’t much of a parks guy, consider the Henry & Sally Playing Cards by Art of Play, featuring funky art by Keith Shore, of the famed Mikkeller brewery in Denmark.

Easy-to-make photo books

Chances are good your dad doesn’t often take the time to get photos off his phone (if he even takes them in the first place) and into a format where he can actually enjoy them. Enter these no muss, no fuss photo books. Chatbooks is one of our favorite personalized photo gifts because it’s blissfully streamlined and easy to navigate. The service takes images straight from your social media or Dropbox then places one photo on each page with the option to write captions or not.

Pressure reliever

Who can’t use a little pick-me-up stimulation now and then? The ProsourceFit Acupressure Mat is equipped with dozens of hard, spiked plastic disks meant to relieve muscle tension, increase circulation, and activate pressure points. Joseph Bernstein, a New York Times Styles reporter, first put these on our radar with the following testimony, “For five minutes, it’s torture. Then you feel great: relaxed, loose, maybe even a little sleepy. As a bonus, there’s no hangover. And you only have to pay for it once!” The removable cotton cover must be hand-washed and hung to dry.

Everyday hoodie

There is a reason the classic Hanes EcoSmart Zip Up Hoodie appears in so many of our gift guides: We’ve never met a person who didn’t appreciate this ultimate throw-on sweatshirt and its excellent price. Soft and cut generously, it’s good for exercising, lounging, or just going about the day. The 50/50 cotton/polyester blend holds color and texture better than 100% cotton but still feels breathable. It comes in six sizes, up to 3XL, and 15 colors. What’s not to love?

An anywhere light

This tiny, portable LED Moji Lantern is only about as big as a tangerine, yet it casts a cool white light that’s bright enough to be useful but not so bright that it’s blinding (plus it includes a dimming switch). Camping dads can hang from tent poles or tree limbs, and tinkering dads can set it on a work table or use the magnetic backing to stick it to the garage door. But even if your dad isn’t a hobbyist in need of 100 extra lumens, this is a great, hands-free alternative to a flashlight when the electricity goes out.

A film education

One part bragging board, one part movie-night idea generator, this poster has 100 essential films concealed under scratch-off-ticket wax. Once dad watches the movie, he can scrape the wax off to reveal a full-color mini movie illustration. The list spans the last century of films, with seminal flicks like Citizen Kane up to Black Panther. If films aren’t his thing, Pop Chart makes similar posters for ballparks, novels, and birds of the Northeast, among other worthy pursuits.

A roller for sore muscles

You can help your dad get rid of back knots and muscle tightness by giving him our favorite foam roller. The slightly rough texture prevents this roller from slipping against clothes or the floor. And the 36-inch size allows for techniques that smaller rollers don’t, like stretches that involve lying along its length—especially nice for a post-workout back release. If you’re wrong and your dad actually has no interest in foam rolling, it can double as a thwacking stick for shooing away children and pets.

The perfect banneton

You don’t need a banneton for proofing bread—any old bowl will do. But if your dad has recently taken to baking or is trying to up his sourdough game, the Sugus House Banneton Proofing Basket will make him feel like the town baker in an old French village. And when he isn’t using this basket for baking, he can use it as a countertop fruit bowl. Just remember that it’s not microwave-safe, in case he gets any new culinary ideas. It also comes in a round version.

An affordable wallet

The Slimfold Micro Tyvek Wallet is made of a waterproof soft-shell material (from the Gore company, which is behind the Gore-Tex brand). It’s almost as thin as a piece of paper, yet it is also durable and stretchy. One of our favorite slim wallets, it easily accommodates cash and 10 cards (our testers carried 12, no problem), and it comes in plain gray and several colorful patterns. Like all Tyvek items, this one is not built to last (after two months of regular use, ours started to fray), so it may not be a good gift for the dad who’s less than tender with his belongings. Still, when it comes time to replace it, the company gives you a $5 credit for the next wallet (and the opportunity to try out a different pattern).

A workhorse weeder

When Wirecutter’s deputy audience director (and dad) Sebastian Compagnucci was faced with a backyard full of weeds (and we mean very full), he found solace in this straightforward yet effective loop hoe. If your dad has a yard—or even just a strip of dirt along the house—he has weeds to tackle. This lightweight workhorse (alternately called a scuffle hoe, an action hoe, a loop hoe, or a hula hoe) will enable him to clear large patches of weeds or reach between delicate plants to remove invaders, no matter what kind of soil he’s dealing with. As Sebastian wrote in a blog, “The stirrup hoe has made my life substantially better. It makes weeding suck less.” What a gift to give to your dad.

A beloved grilling accessory

We wouldn’t dare promote the beleaguered stereotype that all dads love to grill, but some really do. If your own father is a grilling devotee, make sure he’s getting in some vegetables alongside all of the burgers and steaks, and give him a grill basket. Of those we tested, this one from Grillaholics performed best, thanks to its large perforations for better heat and air circulation.

The chillest hangout

What activity is more relaxing than swinging from a hammock in the shade of an old oak tree, serenaded by chirping birds above as a gentle breeze glides over sun-dappled skin? That was a trick question—there isn’t one. Buy your dad a hammock. Our budget-hammock pick, the Grand Trunk Ultralight, measures 9.5 by 4.5 feet and has a 300-pound weight limit. Also, the polyester fabric is water-resistant and dries quickly, so if your dad leaves this hammock outside in the rain, it’ll still be ready to lounge in soon after the clouds clear.

A mushroom maker

If your dad likes to cook with mushrooms or geeks out on fungus science, a mushroom grow kit—equal parts icky and miraculous—makes the perfect gift. All he needs to do is mist the 6-pound bag of myceliated sawdust with water a few times a day and wait for the magic to happen. Lion’s mane, known for anti-inflammatory properties, is especially easy for beginners, and the company supplies recipes with the kit. Once the mushrooms are harvested, the kit can be reused a couple of times. Smugtown Mushrooms also has kits for reishi and oyster mushrooms.

Low-effort libation

Fancy cocktails are a true pleasure, but maybe your dad doesn’t like to fuss with all the measuring, stirring, and straining. Allow this premade Via Carota Old Fashioned to come to the rescue. Made with four-year rye whiskey aged in charred oak, aromatic bitters, natural orange flavor, and brown sugar, this cocktail has all of the depth and deliciousness of the freshly made version without the effort (or the stress of trying to get a table at the James Beard Award–winning Manhattan restaurant that developed it). One beautifully textured, pressed glass bottle equals four cocktails, and that brings the price down by about half compared with sipping them in the establishment itself. Garnish with our favorite Luxardo maraschino cherries, and your dad’s got himself a real evening.

Pocket power

Spare your dad the stress and drama of the dying phone battery by giving him one of our picks for best portable chargers. The pocket-sized TravelCard Plus weighs just under 3 ounces, and it comes in a bunch of fun colors. Its USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C cable, and built-in Lightning cable can fast-charge most smartphones or other handheld devices.

Tarzan workout

If your dad is looking to get cut or just, you know, stay healthy, he can simply loop this poly-Dacron (a nylon and polypropylene blend) rope through a secure ring; hold the reinforced, non-slip ends; bend at the knees (not the back!); and start flipping. The secret to the Yes4All 50-Foot Battle Rope isn’t in its weight (25 pounds for the 1.5-inch diameter version) but in the cardio fitness, balance, and strength it promotes. Erik Vance, a staff editor for The New York Times’ Well section, writes, “They looked silly and, frankly, a little too easy. But now I’m hooked. They’re a killer arm workout, killer cardio, and it’s almost impossible to hurt yourself.”

Hand protectors

If your dad is the house grill master or firepit tender, these grippy, heat-proof gloves will protect his hands from sparks and burns. Though they’re not great-looking, they’re very useful. These gloves can also be used indoors to pluck things from the oven, and when they get grimy, your dad can throw them in the washing machine.

The best flashlight

Everybody needs a flashlight (or four), even if they don’t plan on exploring the great outdoors after dark. This compact, battery-powered flashlight is our top pick for dads and everyone else. Our testers liked its two-beam design and the different brightness options users can click though one-handed. This light is water-resistant, doesn’t roll off flat surfaces, and can survive a 1-meter drop. Bonus: It’s small enough to stash in the glove box or junk drawer, for easy access.

The comfiest sweats

Rather than letting your dad lounge around in old pajamas, give him something a little more dignified. Uniqlo’s sweatpants are among our favorite pajamas. And, thanks to their slim silhouette and slight leg taper, they’re also perfect for running errands, school drop-offs, and neighborhood strolls. But beware—they sell out often.

On-the-go tunes

The dad in your life deserves a better music experience than the one he gets with his phone tipped upside down in an empty mug. Give the man a Bluetooth speaker instead: Without any cords or cables, it will sync to his smartphone or tablet to play his favorite songs and podcasts. Though the Tribit XSound Go doesn’t have quite the same sound quality as our more-expensive top pick, it still sounds pretty darn good. And due to the speaker’s compact, waterproof body, your dad can safely take his music poolside.

A camping throne

Even if he’s not a camper, your dad can use a comfy portable chair for picnics, backyard hangouts, or beach days. This Coleman chair is one of our favorites, thanks to its nice price, tough construction, and wide seat. And since it has a four-can-capacity cooler pouch, two cupholders, and a pouch to hold a magazine, newspaper, or tablet, he can park himself in the yard for several hours with no need to come in and be disturbed.

A no-fuss dopp kit

If there’s some travel on the horizon for your dad, make it easy for him to tote all of his bathroom essentials: Give him one of our favorite dopp kits from Topo Designs. This bag has space to hold all of the usual gear, including toothpaste, floss, a razor, and sunscreen. And due to its unique prism shape and color-block design, no one else will mistake it for their own dopp kit. In addition to being available on the Topo Designs site, this kit is available in varying stock at many retailers, and it comes in more than a dozen bold color combinations.

We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.

Dorie Chevlen contributed reporting. This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.