Since you’re reading this article, chances are that you are either out of ideas for the old man, don’t know what that geezer likes, the child of a man ‘who has everything,’ or simply the one person in the family responsible for or responsible enough to actually pick up the birthday presents for dad every year.
Well, never fear because we’ve got some simple, man-made ideas for you that are great fits for most hearty men.
Does your dad or man have anything like this? Then he's probably due for a nice power tool and tool chest.
By now, you may have noticed that we are a tool-oriented site. Since you are still here reading this, we’ll take that as a sign that your old man is either a man-gear collector or at least dreaming of it. With that in mind, allow us to present a few suggestions for your consideration. I have, after all, bought my dad birthday gifts many times so I think that I know a little something about it (we’ll discuss later my ability to make my mom cry with ‘the perfect gift’).
Now, on to the recommendations:
First, almost all men like some types of tools and the related tinkering, fidgeting, messing, observing, fixing, head-scratching, and the like that come with them. The true key in selecting the right birthday presents for dad first lies first in knowing exactly what he DOES. Does he work with his hand at his job or at home? Does he tinker with anything in particular, such as a car, old truck, motorcycle, or even abandoned spaceship? This knowledge will help you, so think about it.
After you have a clear idea of just what he does (or would like to do), then you can begin thinking about how to make his time in that field more pleasant, and this is where good gift-giving comes in. We realize that we don’t know your father (or possibly husband, for those looking for gifts for their man), but there’s one thing we do know, and that is practicality in the home Do-It-Yourself repertoire, and no DIY man should be without a few handy power tools. Power tools, such as the cordless impact wrench, get those manual home or road tasks done so much quicker and easier.
Which is why our first recommendation, of course, is:
The Cordless Impact Wrench!
What is it? You can read up on them HERE (feel free to also read any additional articles you like—we’ve done a lot of work so you don’t have to—just like a good impact wrench!).
Impact wrenches are one of the perfect birthday presents for dad—even the man who has everything. Many men have drills and even the impact drivers have become popular nowadays, but how many of them sport a powerful impact wrench capable of taking the lug nuts off of a truck rim or removing bolts from a car engine? Not many.
You might wonder why such a strong tool is necessary but I’ll remind you of two things: first, Tool Time from the TV show Home Improvement. Do you remember it? While we may laugh at how Tim is constantly looking to beef-up his tools with insane torque and speed, there is still a lot of truth in that. Just look at how men are always looking to build, create, explore, go faster, lift heavier things—the list goes on and on. As it relates to tools, it is always better to go a bit over the bar than to fall short, even if only by a little. This is true in golf, as well! Push the envelope a bit more from this day forth and insure you get dad birthday gifts that will be not only highly appreciated but amazingly useful as well.
Yep, even an old military Jeep would be easy work for a nice impact wrench.
That being said, we’ll briefly add that cordless impact wrenches are portable, strong, last a long time, and have many applications besides simply ripping rusty nuts and bolts off of military Jeeps. This is why they make such great gifts for dad or any man—they can strong enough to get the big stuff done without relying on a trip to the mechanic, but they are also versatile enough to be used in other areas as well. Pick one up and see, your dad or man might just toss out that old, tiny drill of his after this beefy upgrade.
Recommendation Number Two: The Tool Chest!
What an amazingly simple suggestion—is it truly possible for a tool chest to put a smile on dad’s face? Absolutely! This reasoning is simple: if your dad or husband or boyfriend or alien is the type of guy or being who already has some tools (Jesse James type or amateur), then chances are he could use some organization help. This isn’t to say that you should try to tell him that he’s disorganized or scatterbrained, but rather willing to give him the best possible environment to ply his trade or at least feel like he’s part of a NASCAR pit crew.
Don't make your old man use this for all of his tools. Get him something that's both nice and practical.
Note: this is yet another one of those areas where you shouldn’t skimp or go El-Cheapo. It doesn’t mean that you need to spend a lot of cash but it does mean that, no matter what type of item you decide to purchase, it should be useful and of high quality (do not fall short in these areas!). How would a woman feel if a man gave her a gift that was only slightly useful and even then for a short time? How loving would it be to receive a leftover cake or perhaps some day-old roses? This is how a man will feel when he receives a so-so tool. Honestly—and get this point—I would rather receive a super-nice screwdriver set with case rather than a pseudo impact wrench with a name I’ve never heard of. It just makes sense and is THE way to go when considering birthday presents for dad—or any man, for that matter.
Rolling tool chest, or...
So, what kind of tool chest is best for dad? You’ll have to ask yourself that question because only you know what kind of space and application your pops or ball-and-chain has on-hand. Does he work in the driveway often on automobiles or old Novas that will ‘not go?’ Perhaps a nice rolling tool box would be best. Another good spot for the rolling tool chest is the garage, if he has one.
Portable tool box?
Feeling like spending some cash and winning brownie points with the old man? Check out this beast.
Keep in mind that a tool box on wheels, while being a great and practical thing for daily use and storage, can be a bit pricey for many so this is mainly good for those whose budget allows. If you follow the advice above, then picking up a quality, wheeled mechanics tool chest for your man wouldn’t be particularly cheap.
No matter what kind of wheeled wonder you give him for his birthday or Christmas, what if there’s no practical way for him to access and use it? After all, if you bestow upon your dad birthday gifts such as tools, then he would feel obliged to put them into the roll around toolbox, no matter how far he had to walk to get there, just because he loves you. It’s also possible that the large monstrosity you bestow upon him becomes a burden and you see an ad in the paper ‘tool chest for sale.’
Please don’t do that to your poor old man.
Again, think about the application and what HE needs and wants, not what YOU think. This is about giving the perfect gift, remember? It’s quite possible that a simple hand-carried toolbox will do the trick and be just what he’s looking for. He may already have one and you may dismiss this suggestion altogether; before you do, however, please consider just WHAT he’s using to keep his instruments of happiness. Is it truly what he likes, needs, or even wants? Perhaps it’s just to make-do or save money. In either case, it would be easy enough for you to replace that with a brand-spanking-new, spiffy upgrade! If you’re unsure of this decision, here’s a suggestion: be sneaky and find a way to get it out of him without being too direct. Make a comment about how useful his toolbox seems, or say that you can’t imagine how difficult his tasks must be with such a tool chest (or the lack thereof).
Don't make your old man look like this because of a useless gift!
In the end, as we said before, DO think about the man himself and his habits, as well as what he says or even complains about. This can help you fill that void.
Second, be sure to FILL THAT VOID. Do not toss a baby’s life preserver into a crevasse, expecting to fill it up. Be sure that the gift you give is appropriate! To get dad birthday gifts that are the perfect fit, they needn’t be expensive but shouldn’t be useless, either.
Now get out there and get those birthday presents for dad!