The best outdoor gift ideas for dad

Every dad can use a way to keep canned beverages cold on a hot day, and Brumate’s Hopsulator Trio functions as a koozie and a travel mug. There are a few different models, but I prefer the Trio’s 3-in-1 abilities. For 16 ounce cans, it’s an insulated aluminum holder. For 12 ounce cans, the Hopsulator comes with a reusable cold puck for even more efficient cooling. And as I mentioned, it comes with a lid so you can use it as a cup if you want. I use mine year round, but it gets the most work during the warmer months when I’m out at the grill or sitting on the deck.

I’ve been using Thermacell’s mosquito repellers for years now, reaching for them every outdoor season to keep the biters at bay. The company’s products are consistently effective, they’re affordable and the most recent models have rechargeable batteries instead of liquid fuel. With the E65, Thermacell has added a fast-charging dock (full charge in two hours). You’ll get six and a half hours of use overall, but you can keep the E65 going while plugged in as long as you need it. (You can't use the repeller while it's on the new dock, but there's a separate USB-C port on the front that allows you to use it while charging the old-fashioned way.)

Like many of the company’s other models, the E65 diffuses liquid repellent with the faintest smoke from the top of the device. This provides a 20-foot zone of protection that’s ready in 15 minutes when you turn the device on. Best of all, there’s no scent and there’s no oily spray on your skin or clothes. Each refill lasts up to 36 hours, and you can probably find them at your local hardware or sporting goods store.

What do you get the dad that has seemingly everything already? Something to make his life easier. TP-Link’s Kasa line offers a range of smart home products, including smart outdoor plugs. These work well for things like patio string lights and other items you’d rather not venture outside to simply plug in. You can control the outlets via the Kasa app or with your voice via Alexa and Google Assistant. The app gives you the ability to set timers to automate things and the IP64 rating means you won’t have to worry about dust or rain.

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is a dependable and adorably compact Bluetooth speaker for audio-related lessons or just enjoying some music while out and about. Its tiny barrel-shaped frame is rugged, small enough to tuck in a bag and waterproof with an IP67 rating. At the same time, it sounds surprisingly clear and spacious for something that’s only about four inches tall (though you still shouldn’t expect tons of deep bass). Battery life checks in at more than 10 hours per charge, and the whole thing comes in a handful of lively colors. Best of all, it’s not super expensive. — J.D.

Ooni’s pizza ovens are outstanding and Solo Stove’s Pi is a solid second option, but when it comes to ease of use, the latter company’s Pi Prime is where it’s at. This is the best outdoor pizza oven for people, dads included, combining the ease of a propane burner with a wide curved opening for unrestricted access when rotating pies. The Pi Prime has a similar circular dome design to the Pi, which is an aesthetic the company borrowed from its fire pits. That big opening on the front also allows you to monitor progress without opening a door. Front-mounted temperature controls make for easy adjustments and the gas-burning setup means your dad can focus on making great pizza rather than feeding wood to the flame. Plus, the Pi Prime can get hot — up to 950 degrees Fahrenheit — making it a great option for Neapolitan-style pizzas that bake in as little as 90 seconds.

Stanley’s Ice Flow Tumblers are some of the most popular cups on the planet, but the company makes a number of other options that are great for dads too. The AeroLight Transit Bottle is certainly a more compact everyday travel mug, keeping beverages hot for eight hours and cold for 12. This lightweight, insulated bottle can retain ice for up to 40 hours, too, which is way more than dad will need to get through a work day. The locking, drink-through lid is leakproof and the AeroLight fits in a cup holder. Perhaps most importantly, it’s dishwasher safe, so your dad can easily clean it for the next trip to the office.

Every dad needs a good cooler, but you don’t have to splurge for a Yeti to get one that’s capable of keeping things cold for a long time. I’ve been using Brumate’s Hopsulator can hugger for years, but the company also makes a few different coolers for food and drinks. With the MagPack line, Brumate offers a “soft” cooler with a rigid, puncture-proof shell that has both a shoulder strap and handles for carrying.

So-called IceGuard insulation will keep your goods cold for a full day as the company promises over 24 hours of ice retention. I can attest that this claim holds up. There’s also a magnetic, leak-proof lid with a water-resistant zipper pocket on the outside for dad’s wallet or phone. The lid is secure, but it’s easier to open than a big zipper — especially with one hand. MagPack comes in 12-, 18- and 24-can sizes, and the largest option is equipped with backpack straps for easy transport.

When it comes to grilling, monitoring food temperatures is vitally important. It ensures you don’t make anyone sick and that you don’t overcook that expensive steak. To help dad with that task, ThermoWorks’ RFX wireless meat thermometer combines the company’s supreme accuracy with a highly durable (up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit external heat) wireless probe so that cables don’t constrain any movement. The company also includes a separate ambient temperature probe with the Starter Kit so dad can accurately monitor grill temperature too. All of the stats are sent to an app, where he can set various alerts and keep tabs on progress from a comfy deck chair.

A regularly cleaned grill will ensure food tastes good and that your outdoor cooking machine runs properly. To help dad with this chore, Traeger’s Deep Cleaning Kit has everything needed to get the job done. He’ll probably need extra gloves, but two types of cleaner, a scraper, a scrub pad and two microfiber towels are also in the box. I’ve been using Traeger’s food-safe grill cleaner on every smart grill I review, so I can vouch for the company’s product quality here.

When it comes to shade at the beach, mileage can greatly vary depending on a lot of factors. After years of resisting the bandwagon, I caved two summers ago and bought a Shibumi Shade. I haven’t looked back. The simple, lightweight canopy is easy for dad to set up each morning of vacation without an extra pair of hands.

The company changed the material for the shades a while back, so they don’t flap as loud in high winds. Plus, the latest version comes with Wind Assist: two extra sandbags that can anchor the back corners if there’s no breeze at all. Shibumi Shades come in two sizes, provide UPF 50+ sun protection and are made from recycled materials.

I’ve had several fire pits since I bought a house in 2014, and none of them can compete with Solo Stove. The company’s products are designed to channel smoke upward, keeping you from being choked out while you’re trying to enjoy some time outdoors. The pits come in various sizes, so you have options if dad goes camping often or just needs a place to chill in the backyard. The interior design of the Solo Stove pits also facilitates proper airflow, so fires always burn nicely.

Wi-Fi-connected pellet grills can turn any dad into a backyard pitmaster, but some models are more dependable than others. Weber’s Smoque does all the things a pellet grill can do — namely low-and-slow smoking, roasting and baking — in a thoughtfully refined design that offers consistent and reliable performance. This means dad can start cranking out briskets and pulled pork right away, and the Weber Connect app is there to help if needed.

Weber outfitted the Smoque with an updated display and controller that’s both simplified and easily visible from a distance. Grease and ash funnel down into a slide-out tray for easy cleaning, so dad can spend more time cooking. The Smoque comes in two sizes and starts at $799, and the company gives you the option to add on accessories like a folding front shelf. Both sizes offer Wi-Fi connectivity, too, which lets you control the grill and monitor cooking and food temperatures from anywhere.

Thanks to brands like Blackstone, flat-top griddles are some of the most popular backyard cooking devices right now. Weber has put its decades of grilling expertise to use designing them too, and the company’s second griddle model, the Slate, offers some unique features most of the competition doesn’t. First, the cooking surface is rust resistant, which addresses one of the biggest headaches for griddle owners. Weber the carbon-steel cooktop is made using “extreme heat and pressure” in a process that reduces the ability for rust to form.

Next, Weber included a digital temperature gauge on two versions of the Slate, giving you a reading from underneath the cooktop and taking the guesswork out of when the griddle is ready for action. Lastly, the company developed a collection of accessories called the Weber Works system that includes a versatile caddy, clip-on condiment holder and more. Plus, the Slate already comes with two big side tables and the pricer models include two slide out storage bins instead of the typical open grill cabinet.

Sometimes dads want to fix things – or simply hang out – where power outlets don’t reach. BioLite’s BaseCharge 600 combines a 622 watt-hour battery with a slew of ports and an informative display panel. When I tested it out, it easily powered a drill and hand sander long enough to finish a simple woodworking project, with plenty of charge left over. And when I pretended to be in a power outage, it kept my laptop, monitor, gateway and lights running for one and a half work days. It recharges from the wall in just over three hours or, for a fully off-grid experience, BioLite’s portable 100-watt solar panels can refill the station to about 75 percent with eight hours of unobstructed sunlight. Combined, the battery and panels cost an epic $1,000, but they are just the sort of cleverly designed gadgets dads tend to love. — Amy Skorheim, Senior Reporter