Best Gifts for a Father-in-Law

A slim steel dress watch powered by Citizen's Eco-Drive technology, which runs on any light and never needs a battery change.

The pick that is generous, worn daily and completely unloaded, which is an unusual combination and exactly the brief for this recipient. A slim steel dress watch powered by Citizen's Eco-Drive technology, which runs on any light and never needs a battery change — not a long battery life, no battery change at all. That single property is the reason to choose it over any comparable watch: the most common ending for a watch a man of his age owns is a dead battery nobody got round to replacing, and this removes the event entirely. The dress styling works from an office to a wedding to a funeral, which means it is the watch he reaches for rather than one of several. And a watch says nothing about him as a person, which matters in a relationship that is still being negotiated even when it is a warm one. Two honest points. It needs light, so a watch shut in a dark drawer for months will stop — it restarts in daylight but the time needs setting. And the bracelet will probably need sizing, which is a job for before you wrap it.

A handheld 12V lithium jump starter rated at 1000 amps, for starting a dead car battery without a second vehicle.

The pick for the father-in-law who fixes things, drives a lot, or simply likes owning the right tool for an emergency. A handheld 12V lithium jump starter rated at 1000 amps, which starts a dead car battery without a second vehicle — and that is the whole point of owning one, because the alternative is standing in a car park waiting for a stranger with jumper cables and the confidence to use them. It is spark-proof with reverse-polarity protection, so clamping it on backwards does not damage anything, which matters because the moment you need it is the moment you are least careful. It is rated for engines up to 6.0 litres gas and 3.0 diesel, covering almost every car, truck and SUV on a driveway. Two honest points, and the first one matters. It is a battery, so it needs topping up a couple of times a year or it will be flat in exactly the emergency it was bought for — say that when you hand it over. And a larger diesel than 3.0 litres needs a bigger model, so check the engine before buying for a truck owner.

A waterproof e-reader with an adjustable warm front light and weeks of battery life.

The pick for a father-in-law who reads, and the reason it belongs here rather than on a general gift list is the font size. Reading glasses and small print are the quiet reason plenty of men read less than they used to, and an adjustable font fixes that completely in a way nothing else on this page fixes anything. A waterproof e-reader with an adjustable warm front light and weeks of battery life, and the screen works in bright sun, which neither a tablet nor a phone manages. Waterproofing means it goes in the bath, to the beach and out on a boat without being thought about. Weeks of battery means it is not another thing to charge nightly, which is a real consideration for this recipient. Two honest points. A committed print reader may genuinely not want one, and a few people feel strongly about paper — if he has said so, believe him. And his books have to be bought again in digital form, so it is the start of a spend rather than the end of one.

A small smart speaker that answers questions, sets timers and reminders, plays radio and music, and makes hands-free calls.

The pick for the man who finds phones and screens tedious, which is a sizeable share of this recipient group. A small smart speaker that answers questions, sets timers and reminders, plays radio and music, and makes hands-free calls — and voice control is the feature that matters, because it needs no screen, no login and no small print to read. For a father-in-law living alone, hands-free calling without finding a phone is genuinely useful, and radio stations he has not heard in decades are a better demonstration than anything else it does. It is cheap enough to put one in more than one room, which is how most people end up using them. As a gift it has the useful property of being easy to decline gracefully — it goes in a cupboard without anybody being insulted. Two honest points, and the first is not a technicality. It is an always-listening microphone, and some people will not want one in the house; do not push past that. And it needs home wifi and a short setup on somebody's phone, so budget twenty minutes on the day.

A stainless multi-tool with pliers, wire cutters, a locking knife blade, screwdrivers and a file, backed by Leatherman's 25-year warranty.

The pick when he fixes things but a full-size multi-tool would be overkill. A stainless multi-tool with pliers, wire cutters, a locking knife blade, screwdrivers and a file, backed by Leatherman's 25-year warranty — and the warranty is the reason to buy Leatherman rather than an unbranded tool that looks identical in a photograph. A locking blade is safer to use one-handed, which is the situation a multi-tool is always used in, and the pliers are the tool that justifies carrying one at all. For a father-in-law who already owns a workshop full of tools, this is the one that lives in a bag or a glovebox rather than on a bench, which is why it still has a place. Two honest points. It is heavy in a trouser pocket, so it belongs on a belt or in a bag rather than being carried loose. And it cannot travel in hand luggage, which catches people out — if he flies often, say so rather than letting an airport bin it.

The classic borosilicate-and-steel French press, made in the same shape since 1974.

The pick for a coffee drinker, chosen specifically because it does not try to improve on what he already does. A French press is the most forgiving brewer there is: nothing to learn, no filters to buy, no technique to acquire, and it makes several cups at once rather than one — which matters for a man who drinks coffee with his wife rather than alone at a counter. The classic borosilicate-and-steel Chambord has been made in the same shape since 1974, which means it looks like an object he might already have chosen, and replacement glass beakers are sold separately, so a breakage is an inconvenience rather than the end of the gift. This is the safe coffee gift: the unsafe one is buying somebody a brewing method they did not ask for. Two honest points. The glass carafe is breakable, and in a busy kitchen that happens eventually. And the coffee keeps brewing unless it is decanted, which is the one piece of technique it does require.

A leather bifold with RFID-blocking lining, card slots and a full-length note section, from a brand sold almost everywhere.

The pick when you have noticed that his wallet is held together by habit, which is extremely common in this recipient group and is one of the few genuine gaps you can spot from across a room. A leather bifold with RFID-blocking lining, card slots and a full-length note section, and the important thing is that it is a bifold: a man who has carried a bifold in the same pocket for thirty years is not switching to a minimal card sleeve because the sleeve is nicer, and a gift is a bad place to request a habit change. RFID blocking is built in at a price where it is often an extra. It is also sold almost everywhere, which makes an exchange straightforward if the color or size is wrong — worth more than it sounds for a gift bought without him present. Two honest points. It is fashion-brand leather rather than a lifetime piece, so it is a good wallet rather than an heirloom. And most versions have no coin pocket, which matters if he carries change.

A cordless beard and body trimmer with a self-sharpening steel blade and a full set of guide combs, washable under a tap.

The pick when he has a beard, and the only grooming gift on this page because the category is a minefield with a father-in-law. A cordless beard and body trimmer with a self-sharpening steel blade and a full set of guide combs, washable under a tap — and it works as a gift precisely because it is equipment rather than a product: it replaces three devices he probably owns in various states of disrepair without implying anything about how he currently looks. Rinsing clean under a tap is the detail that decides whether a trimmer gets used or shelved, because the alternative is a brush and a bin. The long cordless runtime means it travels, which is where an old trimmer usually gets left behind. Two honest points. There are a lot of attachments to store, and a drawer full of combs is its own small irritation. And it is not a replacement for a razor on a clean shave, so a clean-shaven father-in-law is not the recipient for it.