Editors' Choice: The Best Father's Day Tech Gifts for Your Dad

Lockly Smart Safe

It's not always the case that you are worried about a burglary. Sometimes you just want a safe place to store a few documents that are difficult to replace. Think passports or birth certificates.

And, sure, something to help should you find yourself robbed is super helpful, too.

The issue with a lot of safes is size. Living in a small apartment means I have to consider every square foot before adding anything to my home. The Smart Safe from Lockly fits nicely on the top shelf of my closet (it's a sturdy shelf; the safe does have some heft) and is low enough that I can still put another box on top of it, so it doesn't get in my way and doesn't remain particularly conspicuous. -Bob Schulties, Senior Editor

AnkerWork M650 Wireless Mic

If you know someone who is constantly on the computer, especially a content creator, then the AnkerWork M650 is a really terrific lavalier mic to give them. It attaches easily via clip or magnet to shirts or jackets to keep it close for speaking, comes with Lightning and USB accessories, and almost instantly lets you start recording with very little setup. 

Plus, it offers 7 hours of file storage. My guy loves the fast charging features with lossless pickup and says it’s super easy to use while providing better sound than his standard computer mic. It doesn’t hurt that the interchangeable covers let him look good no matter what he’s wearing. -S.E. Slack, Senior Strategy & Editorial Director

Google Nest Learning Thermostat

What’s better than giving Dad the gift of comfort? Not much! The Google Nest Learning Thermostat learns Dad’s habits and always keeps the temp perfect. And ours has helped us save so much money! When we’re not home, it adjusts the temperature automatically to keep from heating or cooling an empty house, but it also knows when we’ll be home, so it kicks on in enough time to adjust the temperature to that perfect setting. You can even create a custom schedule if you’re not that predictable. -Jerri Ledford, Senior News Editor, Fact Checker

Backbone PlayStation Android Controller

This Android gaming controller is super fun to use—you can play all sorts of games from the Google Play Store, NVIDIA's GeForce NOW subscription service, and of course, your favorite PlayStation titles using Remote Play.

I had a good time playing racing and puzzle games, but the controller also works with popular titles like Call of Duty, FIFA 23, Fortnite, Minecraft, and The Last of Us.

Backbone has Android-compatible versions for the Xbox Edition and iOS versions, too, so there are lots of options for Dad. -Molly McLaughlin, Senior Editor

Sowinski Grow Lights for Indoor Plants

Any Dad who loves plants will love these Sowinski Grow Lights for Indoor Plants! If you have a dark corner or even a room without any natural light you want to liven up with plants, they’ll definitely do the trick—at an affordable price. 

The Sowinski Grow Lights for Indoor Plants with LEDs that emit full spectrum light (380nm to 800nm) are suitable for all stages of plant growth, including sprouting, growth, blooming, and fruit ripening. You can set the timer for anything from one to 19 hours, which is more than ample, considering most plants only need eight to fourteen hours of light.

These grow lights offer 3200 lumens of light, which you can adjust from levels one to eleven, making them super versatile for different types of plants and varying times of the year. The photo shows the lights set at level three for low-light ferns and an arrowhead plant—the perfect supplement for a room with partial sun for no more than seven hours a day. -Tim Fisher, Senior Vice President & Group General Manager

Runhood Power Station

Dad is likely off on another outdoor adventure this summer, and what better way to help him keep his gadgets charged up and running while he's out there?

We've used this amazing electric power generator with a projector and a powered speaker to show movies on the tent walls while camping, run a powered cooler all day, and keep our phones and gaming devices topped up. Sure, we could be enjoying nature without all these things, but it's kind of transgressively fun to bring such a large power station into the woods.

It charges easily via your home outlets or outdoors with the optional solar panel. There are up to four separate internal battery pods, too, which let you charge even more things at the same time. Swap them out when the first two in your power station are empty.

Get a setup now, and Dad will benefit from all this juice on the go! -Rob LeFebvre, Editorial Director, News

Soundcore Space A40 earbuds

These are my go-to earbuds. I have AirPods, but I love these so much more. They connect to multiple devices, have adjustable Active Nose Cancellation, and they’re so comfortable I could wear them all day! Is Dad getting a pair to go along with his new iPhone 14? Yep, it’s a done deal! -Jerri Ledford, Senior News Editor, Fact Checker

Black & Decker Portable Air Conditioner

When Dad and family want to stay cool this summer, let a brand he’s come to trust do the trick. The Black + Decker portable air conditioner, complete with remote control, exhaust hose, and window kit, easily rolls into whatever room you need and gets to work cooling and adjusting the air to your comfort level. And when not in use, you can simply roll it into the nearest closet without a hassle. Unlike exterior hanging units, this portable air conditioner can be set up or stored away in minutes.  

In addition, Black + Decker offers several sizes of portable air conditioners to suit every Dad’s room size and environmental needs. Most units are 3-in-1 air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and fans, with some units also offering heat options. -Tim Fisher, Senior Vice President & Group General Manager

Thunderbolt Go Dock

Look, Dad's Mac needs a lot of things connected to it, but modern MacBooks only have two Thunderbolt ports. Plug this delightfully aluminum-looking powered dock into the wall and then into one of those ports, and you suddenly have a host of connectors available.

I use it to extend my monitor out to a larger display, slide in an SD card full of photos instead of having to plug my DSLR into USB, and use the several USB peripherals I have without having to convert to USB C. It's a great way to turn my Macbook into a quasi-desktop, and then when I want to head out with the laptop, it's only one connector to pull.

Don't you want Dad to have more ports? Grab one of these today. -Evan Killham, Research Coordinator

Nord Buds 2

Looking for a solid, inexpensive pair of Android-compatible earbuds with active noise cancellation? These Nord Buds 2 may fit the bill, especially if you're rocking a OnePlus phone, which lets them get amazing sound via Dolby Atmos3 and Dirac audio tuner tech.

I use them all day to listen to music, podcasts, and even during Zoom meetings (sadly), and they rarely need a charge. When they do, though, you can just pop them into their cute little charging case, and they're ready super quick. They block sound pretty well, too, while sounding fantastic.

Grab a pair for your good old Dad. He'll thank you for knowing quality AND a great deal. -Rob LeFebvre, Editorial Director, News

RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller for iOS

Sometimes when Dad just wants to sit down in front of the living room TV to unwind with some console gaming, it's being used by someone else in the family.

That means this little magic number here will be the favorite gift this year.

RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller for iOS lets your dad turn his iPhone into a gaming console with (unlike the Backbone controller in this list) a traditionally-shaped game controller. It works with pretty much any cloud gaming device your dad can get on his iPhone. I used it to play Microsoft's Game Pass and Sony's Remote Play games anywhere in the house except in front of the TV, making this a great way to game in larger family homes. Plus, it's got a passthrough charging port so Dad can keep his iPhone charged while owning all them noobs. -Evan Killham, Research Coordinator