Useful Gifts for Dad Under $25 (2026)
By @pickwiseUseful gifts for dad under $25: things he'll use every week, each a winner in a hands-on test by Serious Eats, Wirecutter, America's Test Kitchen, Project Farm or ToolGuyd. No novelty socks or joke books.
Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
The pan he'll still be using in thirty years. Serious Eats rates it its top cast iron pick: it sears steak and releases eggs and cornbread cleanly, and it goes from stovetop to oven to campfire. It's heavy, at 5.66 pounds, and it needs hand-washing and a wipe of oil to stay rust-free.
Lavatools Javelin PT12 Instant-Read Thermometer
Ends the habit of cutting into the chicken to see if it's done. It reads in three to four seconds, folds away and sticks to the grill with a magnet, and it was the cheapest model Serious Eats recommended after testing 24. The screen isn't backlit, and the short probe puts his hand near the heat on a big roast.
- Range
- -40°F to 482°F
- Accuracy
- ±0.9°F (from -4°F to 302°F)
- Battery
- 1× CR2032 (4,000+ hour life)
- Water resistance
- IP65 splash resistant
Klein Tools 11-in-1 Screwdriver (32500)
One handle replaces a drawer of screwdrivers: Phillips, flathead, square and Torx bits plus three nut-driver sizes, all stored in the shaft. ToolGuyd calls it one of the few multi-bit drivers it would rebuy without thinking. It doesn't ratchet, so a long run of screws is wrist work.
- Bits
- Phillips #1/#2, slotted 1/4"/3/16", square #1/#2, T10/T15
- Nut drivers
- 1/4", 5/16", 3/8"
- Magnetic
- No
- Length
- 7.25 in (18.4 cm)
Milwaukee Fastback Folding Utility Knife with Blade Storage (48-22-1502)
For the dad who opens boxes with his car keys. It's Wirecutter's top utility knife after testing 34: press a button and it flicks open with one hand, then locks both open and closed, and five spare blades ride in the handle. Hemmings' reviewer found the blade tray can sag about an eighth of an inch unless his hand is over it. Only one blade comes in the box.
OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs
Out of nine pairs, these won Serious Eats' grill-tong test. They held everything from hot dogs to a two-pound flank steak, kept hands off the grate, and the tester was still using them two years on. They're dishwasher safe; closing the lock takes two hands.
- Size
- 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Care
- Dishwasher safe
Contigo West Loop 3.0 Travel Mug (16 oz)
Wirecutter's pick for drivers, for two reasons: it fits most cup holders, and the lid seals itself between sips, so a tipped mug doesn't spill. Contigo says it keeps coffee hot for up to 11 hours. Only the lid is dishwasher safe.
Black Diamond Astro 300 Headlamp
Wirecutter's inexpensive headlamp pick, for camping, dog walks after dark or working under the sink. It handles rain (it's rated IPX4), puts out 300 lumens and remembers the last brightness he used. It takes three AAAs, which are included, and the rechargeable pack is extra.
- Brightness
- 300 lumens max
- Battery
- 3× AAA (included); BD 1500 rechargeable sold separately
- Water resistance
- IPX4 (withstands rain and sleet)
Apple AirTag (2nd Generation)
For the dad who loses his keys or wallet weekly, if he has an iPhone. It's Wirecutter's top tracker for iPhone owners, and the new version finds things from farther away and rings louder than the first. It won't work with Android, and a keyring holder costs extra. Its $24 price is a sale; it's normally $29.
- Works with
- iPhone with iOS 26.0 or later; iPad with iPadOS 26.0+
- Battery
- User-replaceable CR2032 coin cell
- Water resistance
- IP67 (1 m for up to 30 minutes)
- Weight
- 0.42 oz (11.8 g)
Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter
Retires the lighter fluid. It won both Serious Eats' test of nine chimneys and America's Test Kitchen's, getting a kettle's worth of coals ready in about 24 minutes with a handle that stays cool. Lump charcoal sometimes needs a second sheet of newspaper.
ETENWOLF T300 Plus Digital Tire Gauge
The best-value gauge in Project Farm's test of 23, and the most accurate of the group at 16 PSI. The lit screen is easy to read in a dark garage, and it comes with an adapter for bike tires. Under $10, so it works as a stocking stuffer.
- Range
- 3–200 PSI
- Accuracy
- ±1 PSI (ANSI B40.7 Grade 2A)
- Battery
- Replaceable AAA
- In the box
- Gauge, 2 AAA batteries, Presta valve adapter
Seki Edge SS-112 Nail Clipper
It sounds like a strange gift until he uses it. Wirecutter tested 14 clippers over six years with a nail technician and picked this Japanese pair for cuts so clean you can skip the file. The jaw opens only about 3 mm, so very thick toenails may need a toenail clipper.
- Material
- Stainless steel blades; nickel-plated zinc alloy lever
- Size
- 95 mm long
- Weight
- 60 g
How to choose
Match it to the dad: for the cook, the Lodge skillet or the Javelin thermometer. For the griller, the Weber chimney and OXO tongs (together about $46, a good pair from two kids). For the fix-it dad, the Klein screwdriver, the Milwaukee utility knife, or the $9 tire gauge as a stocking stuffer. For the commuter, the Contigo mug. And for the dad who loses things, the AirTag.
Ordered by how often a dad is likely to use each one, everyday things first.
Prices checked October 4, 2026.
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