Father's Day Gift Guide: 10 Gifts For Your Techie Dad

Gadget Gifts For Dad

For those of us with gadget-loving dads, there are plenty of options for a great Father's Day gift this year -- too many options, probably. So we've tried to narrow the field down a bit so you can really nail your gift for Father's Day, which is taking place on Sunday, June 17. Top gadget gift options that should appeal to plenty of dads include a wireless smartphone charger, a connected meat thermometer and the Sonos One smart speaker.

In the following slides, check out our list of top Father's Day gift recommendations.

Weber iGrill 3

Dads and grills go together. But traditionally speaking, that's meant dad has needed to remain standing over the grill to make sure everything turns out right. It's 2018, however, and grilling success no longer requires this sort of effort. Weber's iGrill 3 meat thermometer connects to an app on your dad's smartphone, enabling him to monitor the progress on up to four cuts of meat at a time. And once the meat is ready to serve, he'll get an alert on his device (both iOS and Android are supported).

The Weber iGrill 3 is priced at $86.56 on Amazon.

CampStove 2

For your techie dad who also loves to camp, there's now a way to ensure he doesn't have to totally leave civilization behind on an outing. The CampStove 2 is a portable camping stove that not only cooks meals and boils water, but it keeps your devices charged up, as well. The heat of the fire in the stove generates three watts of electricity, which can be used to charge devices or the integrated 2,600mAh battery. Recent upgrades include a 50-percent boost in power and the addition of an LED dashboard for better controlling fan speeds, fire strength and battery level.

The BioLite CampStove 2 is priced at $129.95 on Amazon.

iOttie Easy One Touch 4 Car Mount

It's time for your dad to get that smartphone mount that he's been needing. It's not only a more convenient and safer option, but hands-free driving is increasingly becoming the law in many states, too. This mount from iOttie offers easier locking and releasing of a smartphone, and also attaches to the dashboard or windshield using a suction cup. Additionally, the mount's "telescopic arm" will let your dad easily move his device for optimal viewing angles.

The iOttie Easy One Touch 4 Car Mount is priced at $24.95 on Amazon.

Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand

Whether your dad is an Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy user, he's going to appreciate the convenience of wireless charging. Samsung's Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand works for both brands: The device will charge up any Qi-enabled smartphone, which includes the most recent iPhones (X, 8 and 8 Plus) and Galaxy phones (S9/S8, Note8). While it's specially tuned for the Samsung devices -- it charges Galaxy phones up to 1.4X faster than other wireless chargers, according to Samsung -- it works perfectly fine with iPhones, too. The charger can also switch between two modes, allowing your dad to lay his phone flat on the charger or prop up his phone in stand mode.

The Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand is priced at $39.99.

Sennheiser HD 4.50 Headphones

In category of Can't-Go-Wrong gifts for dad, near the top of the list is a pair of noise-canceling headphones; they're simply a life-saver while trying to recuperate after a taxing workday or on a flight. Among the top noise-canceling headphone options out there is Sennheiser's HD 4.50, which has the added feature of connecting wirelessly over Bluetooth. The headphones are also significantly less expensive than competing options from Bose.

The Sennheiser HD 4.50 Headphones are priced at $149.95 on Amazon.

Tile Mate

If your gadget-loving dad has a tendency for misplacing things, there's now a simple solution: Just make everything wirelessly connected. The Tile Mate is a Bluetooth-connected device that helps track down misplaced items; the Tile Mate attaches to items such as keychains and then will "ring" when commanded on your dad's smartphone. Likewise, when his phone has gone missing, a double press on the Tile Mate will make the phone ring.

The Tile Mate is priced at $19.99 on Amazon.

Kensington Contour Pro Notebook Case

Maybe you've observed that it's time for your dad to update his laptop bag situation. Kensington's Contour Pro Notebook Case is an excellent option, with its stylish design, comfort-enhancing weight distribution system and variety of pockets. Those include a padded rear compartment--fitting laptops up to 17 inches--as well as pockets for chargers and other accessories.

The Kensington Contour Pro Notebook Case is priced at $67.85 on Amazon.

Sonos One

If you gadget-loving dad happens to also be a music lover, he might appreciate a smart speaker that's a bit more serious about audio quality than the barebones Amazon Echo or Google Home. The Sonos One is a terrific option for a voice-enabled speaker, with great sound and a price that isn't too far above that of standard smart speaker offerings. The Sonos One has the Alexa assistant built in and works with several leading streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and Amazon Music. In terms of the speakers themselves, the Sonos One features two class-D digital amplifiers, a tweeter and a mid-woofer.

The Sonos One is priced at $198.90 on Amazon.

DBPOWER U818A

This quadcopter is one of the most popular drones for good reason: the DBPOWER U818A features a 720p HD camera; real-time transmission of photos and videos to your smartphone; easy control capabilities for flying the drone; and an affordable price. Additionally, the drone includes two high-capacity batteries so that it can fly for up to 10 minutes per charge, compared to the average 6.5 minutes of other drones.

The DBPOWER U818A is priced at $99.99.

Fossil Q Explorist

To help keep your dad connected on his next adventure -- or just to help him stay in shape -- the Fossil Q Explorist is a handy (and fashionable) choice for a smartwatch. The Q Explorist features a large 46mm case size, fitness tracking, access to Google Maps and voice control. The smartwatch runs Wear OS by Google, making it compatible with iPhones and Android smartphones. Features include an activity tracker (steps, miles, calories burned) along with notifications (texts, emails, calls) and customization options (interchangeable watch band, personalized dial).

The Fossil Q Explorist (Gen 3, smoke stainless steel) is available starting at $275.