Dads can be notoriously hard to please when it comes to gifts. But say no to socks and ties this year and yes to super cool gadgets.
Father’s Day is coming up, and your hardworking dad deserves a gift that will make him smile. Here are some ideas to connect with your favorite guy, help him find the TV remote and make it easier for him to become king of the grill.
King of the grill
Summertime means barbecue and some dads take it very seriously. The key to cooking anything is getting the temperature just right. But it can get boring standing in front of the grill waiting for the meat to hit the perfect temperature. Give dad the ability to set it and forget it when it comes to the grill. The $199 ThermoWorks Smoke X4 is a long-range wireless alarm thermometer that lets dad know when the meat is ready.
An air probe goes on the grill grate and three other probes can go right in the meat. Those attach with cables to the basic unit that sits outside the grill. Then dad can put the alarm unit in his back pocket or wear it around his neck with a lanyard.
“You’ll know in real time when your meat has reached the temperature you’ve set,” according to Kyle Halvorson with ThermoWorks. “You don’t have to babysit your grill.”
The range on this device is 1.24 miles line of sight. It even reaches through walls.
“We can confidently say you’ll get a signal anywhere in your home or yard,” Halvorson said.
The gift of connectivity
Digital picture frames are a great way to share photos with dads and grandpas since most of us don’t print out many pictures these days. The Facebook Portal Mini can act as a digital picture frame and much more. It gives users the ability to make video calls and has Alexa built in with all its usual offerings.
The 8-inch Portal Mini is on sale right now for $99 and has everything you need. Use the Superframe function to upload photos from your camera roll, Facebook or Instagram and these will roll through when the Portal is idle. Users can call anyone by using Messenger or WhatsApp and the gadget will even show you when your contacts are available to chat. For video calls, the camera zooms and pans to make sure you’re always seen and it minimizes background noise.
Grandpa would especially have a lot of fun with the Storytime feature. The Portal comes with a bunch of stories built in and the storyteller can use augmented reality to make the adventure really come to life.
The Portal can also show birthday reminders, and Alexa can help you listen to music, check your smart home, set timers, get weather and more.
Lost and found
Finally, if the man in your life has a habit of misplacing things (the remote, keys, phone) then a four-pack of Tile stickers might be the right gift choice. These waterproof trackers are a little bigger than a quarter and can stick to anything. If you lose something and it has this Tile attached, open the app and it’ll show you exactly where your misplaced item is hiding. These Bluetooth trackers have a 150 foot range and a 3-year battery life. Right now you can pick up a four-pack of these stickers for $59.99. There’s also a Slim choice that is in the shape of a credit card and slides right in a wallet. It’s also waterproof with a three-year built-in battery.
If you think dad might need something a little louder, Tile has a Pro option that hooks to things like a keychain and reaches 400 feet. It has a replaceable battery and is water-resistant. A similar, although slightly smaller, choice is the Mate that can reach 200 feet. The app is free to use and has a handy “you’re getting closer” feature that shows you when you’re nearing the missing object in case you can’t hear the alert.
Whether your dad is a grill master, a storyteller or an absent-minded professor, one of these techie gadgets is sure to please this Father’s Day.