2016 Father’s Day Gift Guide: Gadgets

Gadgets dominate our everyday lives, so a good starting point for your gift shopping is with dad’s phone. If he has the latest and greatest model, don’t bother, but if it’s been a while since he upgraded, he’ll probably appreciate a new iPhone or Android device.

If you’re looking for something a little different, however, we’ve put together some ideas for you. And for more great suggestions, be sure to check out the other categories in our Father’s Day gift guide.

Fibit Charge HR

fitbit

A Fitbit can be a great gift whether dad is already into fitness or needs a nudge to take better care of himself. It’s available in a wide variety of colors, and it’s a great gadget to track daily progress for all types of health and fitness measurements. It’s a particularly good tool for someone who needs to be reminded to be more active. Does that sound like someone you know? The Fitbit Charge HR is the brand’s most popular model and can track workouts, heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes and steps taken. It can also sync stats wirelessly and automatically to your computer and smartphones, as well as monitor your sleep automatically and wake with a silent alarm.

Fluance Turntables

fluance

Vinyl has made a huge comeback, and dear old dad may love a new turntable if he held on to his old record collection. Sure, we all loved the convenience of compact discs, iTunes and then streaming, but the rich sound of a vinyl record on a great turntable and stereo system is hard to replicate. Fluance has just introduced its new RT80 and RT81 turntables that leverage the company’s extensive experience in audio engineering, signature sound and impeccable design. These belt-driven turntables utilize styluses that provide freedom from noise and distortion, clarity on musical peaks and channel balance. Pick up some new vinyl records for his favorite bands as well and enjoy some great music on Father’s Day.

Grillbot

grillbot

There’s nothing quite like grilling out in the summer – that is, until it comes time to clean up. No one likes doing it, and it often gets postponed until you’re ready to grill again. Enter the Grillbot: a fully-automated, Roomba-like device that cleans your grill so you don’t have to. This little time-saver is super easy to use – just push the button once for 10 minutes, twice for 20 minutes or three times for 30 minutes – and even easier to maintain. The three wire brushes attached to the bottom of the unit are dishwasher safe, and you can choose between nylon, brass or stainless steel brushes depending on the type of grill you own. There’s even an LCD alarm that notifies you when it’s finished and a built-in sensor that will automatically shut it down if the grill is too hot. We were skeptical at first, but after using the Grillbot several times, we’re impressed with how well it cleans with such minimal effort. It’s time to throw away that old, frayed grill brush and embrace the future.

Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting

For those that still haven’t jumped on the smart house bandwagon, Lutron’s Caseta Wireless lighting system is a great place to start. The product line includes plug-in dimmers for lamps and wall switches for ceiling lights, both of which can be controlled using the free mobile app, the included Pico remote or on the face of the dimmer/switch itself. (The system also works in conjunction with Lutron’s Serena remote-controlled shades to really set the mood.) Beyond the basic dimming capabilities, you can also schedule specific lights to be turned on/off at certain times; utilize geofencing technology to turn on lights when you arrive home; and control multiple lamps and/or lights at once by creating Zones. Additionally, the Caseta Wireless system also works with devices like Amazon Alexa and Logitech Harmony remotes, as well as Nest, Honeywell and Apple HomeKit-enabled thermostats for controlling the temperature in your house. Though it’s a little more expensive than similar products, the quality and performance is so superior that it’s definitely worth the investment.

lutron

T-Fal Ultimate EZ Clean Fryer

tfal

Who doesn’t like deep frying foods? It’s relatively easy to do, and it makes pretty much everything taste better – from potatoes and wings, to crazy fair concoctions involving sugary treats. Of course, fryers can be a bit messy (especially if you plan on recycling the oil), which is why we love the new EZ Clean Fryer from T-Fal. Using a unique and patented technology called Oleoclean, the fryer literally filters the oil by itself, draining it through a sieve and into a removable plastic container underneath the unit to ensure that your oil is clean and can be used again. The fryer also features an immersed heating element that guarantees crispier, less greasy food and can be fully disassembled for easy cleaning; everything apart from the main unit (like the stainless steel bowl, lid and basket) is dishwasher safe. There are certainly more impressive deep fryers on the market, but you won’t find one that provides as much bang for your buck as the T-Fal EZ Clean Fryer.

Fire Avert

fireavert

Every man likes to think that he can protect his family from all the dangers that the world has to offer, but sometimes we need a little help. After all, did you know that unattended cooking ranges are the #1 cause of home fires in the U.S.? We can’t always be around to keep our loved ones safe, and while we’ve grown to trust smoke detectors to warn us of potential fires, the truth of the matter is that it’s still not enough. Created by firefighter Peter Thorpe, the Fire Avert works in conjunction with your household smoke detector by wirelessly syncing with the device so that when it hears the alarm beep for more than 30 seconds, it automatically cuts the power to your stove. Setup is a breeze (if you know how to use a surge protector, you can install the Fire Avert), and the benefits are obvious. Not only will it help prevent injury and death but property damage as well, which makes its $100 price point seem like a no-brainer.

RCA SLIVR Amplified Indoor Flat HDTV Antenna

rca

With more and more people joining the cord-cutting revolution, HDTV antennas have become essential to retaining access to local broadcast channels like NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox (largely for news, sports or major events) for free. While there are plenty of models to choose from, the RCA SLIVR Amplified does the job without breaking the bank. It has a sleek profile that allows for it to be laid flat or hung on the wall and will blend in with most home décor. Additionally, the multi-directional indoor antenna operates up to 50 miles from broadcast towers and features SmartBoost amplification to strengthen weak signals and deliver better channel quality. Much like the other HDTV antennas we’ve reviewed in the past, there were issues with picking up a good feed of The CW, but that has less to do with the quality of the SLIVR Amplified than the network itself.