Best Gift Ideas for Your Father-In-Law: Put a Smile on His Face

Check out Amazon's Deals of the Day ! Grab the Special Discounts Now.

Buying gifts is supposed to be fun, but it can be quite stressful, especially when buying for your father-in-law. That’s because your father-in-law is like your second dad, so you need to find something he’ll love, and your spouse will approve of, or you could wind up in the dog house.

Best Gift Ideas for Father-in-law

To make sure that doesn’t happen, and make the whole shopping process fun again, we have a Top 10 Gifts for Your Father-In-Law guide that is sure to please everyone. Featuring buying tips and tricks, as well as a list of unique, affordable gifts, this guide is great for Christmas, birthdays, Chanukah and more. Best of all, it is guaranteed to put a smile on your father-in-law’s face- and your spouse’s too!

Top 10 Gifts for Your Father-In-Law

Apple iPad Air 2 16GB HDD Tablet

iPads are more affordable than ever, with some models under $400, making it a great gift for tech-loving in-laws. The iPad can be used for business or pleasure, so if your father-in-law does a lot of work from home, streams movies or has an e-reader this is a great gift.

The iPad comes in different sizes and has a ton of accessories too, like leather covers, so you can completely customize it.

And if you really want to make it personal, and earn brownie points with your spouse, you can upload family pics, or a subscription to his favorite online magazine, before you wrap it.

Fitbit Charge 2 Fitness Wristband

Young or old, if your in-law loves to exercise, or you and your spouse want him to do it more often, then a Fitbit is a good choice. There are a host of different styles and features, so even those who aren’t that tech savvy will get good use out of one of the simpler models.

Ranging in price from $79-$200, this gift really shows you care, helping him to be more active and monitor his health. It’s also great for bringing you closer, as you can go on walks together or have a little friendly competition.

Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Player

If you have a father-in-law who loves to stream music, TV shows or movies, or is looking to get rid of cable, an Amazon Fire TV is the gift that keeps on giving. The Box costs around $80, and Prime membership can be purchased for $99 for the year, or $10 a month, which is quite affordable.

You could get just the stick, or pay for part or all of the membership. Prime gives him access to thousands of shows and movies, as well as live TV through the apps. A great gift the whole family can enjoy when they visit.

Trademark Gameroom Dartboard

For the father-in-law who enjoys watching games with the guys and hanging in his man cave, a dart set is a fun gift. Sets start at around $40 and are great fun year-round. It is also another gift that helps you to bond, as you can have friendly games when you visit or during the holidays.

Chess Wooden Handmade International Set

Fun and thought-provoking, a chess set is great for father-in-laws who like strategy games or are into table games. Quite affordable, it provides a great platform for you and your father-in-law to spend more time together and is lots of fun.

It is also an intriguing game that stimulates and keeps the mind sharp and focused. You can get a basic set or, if your dad is a collector, a fancier set made with more elaborate materials.

Coffee Mug

A mug may sound generic and common, but if dad loves coffee, tea or hot chocolate then there are a lot of great ways to make it awesome, and a gift your father-in-law will love. To start, there are an assortment of cool designs to choose from, like owls, cartoons and TV show characters.

You can also have the mug inscribed with his favorite saying or a family picture. Finally, you can give the mug with a bag of coffee or blends of tea he might enjoy, making this a creative, inexpensive gift.

Portable Cooking System

Outdoor lovers, tail-gaters and campers will really appreciate a nice outdoor grilling system. Perfect for cooking up steaks in the park after a game or while camping, these gas grills are lightweight and have legs with wheels, so they can go anywhere.

Most run on gas and have a large size cooking surface, along with side burners to hold food.

Film Collections

If your farther-in-law is a movie buff, a collector’s edition of his favorite movie, like James Bond, will have him smiling from ear to ear. Collections can go for $60-$200, and are packed with extras, like director’s commentary and deleted scenes that fans will cherish.

Miniature Keg

Dads who love tap beer will absolutely adore this miniature keg, giving them ice cold beer in their own home. It will also make him a hit with the guys (and make his house the place to be during football, baseball, basketball and every other sports season).

The keg keeps beer at an ideal temperature and pours a perfect mug every time. Great year-round. And don’t worry ladies, he can take it to a friend’s house every once in a while too!

Kindle Paperwhite E-reader

For guys who love to read, and don’t want to be bothered with a full-fledged tablet, a Kindle Paperwhite makes a good gift. This e-reader can hold thousands of books and magazines that he can access anywhere, anytime.

Lightweight and great for those who travel, you can load it up with a newspaper subscription or a few books to really impress him.

Buying Do’s & Don’ts

Buying for “dad” is easy once you know the do’s and don’ts of choosing a gift. Here is what you need to know:

    • DO consider his taste. You may love how your father-in-law looks in a sweater, but if he always wears jeans and a tee-shirt, stick with what HE likes, otherwise, it will end up in the back of his closet.

This is especially true for guys, who tend to buy what they like, then “borrow” it from their father-in-law (like my husband, who bought my dad a power tool that is in our garage).

    • DON’T buy generic gifts. Even if you’re newly married, buying socks or a tie is a no-no, unless they are a collector. Generic gifts are for office parties, unless it is personalized in some way.

Ask your spouse or another family member what he likes if you’re not sure.

    • DO get something you can bond over. A gift that can bring you closer is always a good idea. For instance, if you and your father-in-law are both golfers, you could get him a pass to your club and go together sometimes.
    • DON’T break the budget. You can get a gift that is thoughtful and cool without emptying your pockets. There are gifts at every price point, and for every taste. Is your father-in-law a lover of gourmet food and wine? Get him a subscription to a foodie magazine or a day trip to a wine tasting.

We hope our Top 10 Gifts for Your Father-In-Law guide helps make shopping a little bit easier this holiday season. The gifts featured are smart, fresh and fun, so your father-in-law is sure to love them, and you. Share this article with family and friends so they can shop smart too. Who knows, you may even end up with something on this list tool.