WIRED Brand Lab's Gift Guide for the Connected Dad
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Dads do so much for us—and with all the additional challenges they’ve had this year, this is not the holiday to give them socks. Whether the Dad in your life is a serious technologist, or he thinks downloading java involves drinking a mug of hot Columbian brew, these gadgets are sure to add fun and function to his life for years to come.
1/7Yummly Thermometer
It’s time for the Dad in your life to up his cooking game from simply charring meat over an open flame to roasting his first transcendent turkey. Yummly’s wireless monitoring and assisted cooking programs help you cook almost any protein to your preferred doneness while multitasking in another room—or just putting your feet up in your man cave. With smart features that even tell you when to flip your steak and how long to rest it, this gadget will quickly become your Dad’s new culinary staple.
2/7Kindle Oasis e-Reader
With libraries going digital nationwide, a solid eReader can let Dad give up overdue fines for good. The Oasis boasts an adjustable backlight that automatically aligns the color tone to day or night time, and it offers more pixels and faster processing than most models on the market. Better still, it’s fully waterproof, so your Dad can leisurely read his World War II spy novels in the tub without worrying about someone sinking his battleship.
3/7Wahoo Kickr Smart Trainer
If your Dad is pinned down by remote work or making sure the kids are distance-learning Shakespeare instead of the latest TikTok moves, then he needs an endorphin-laden outlet more than ever. Why not bring the open road into his home this year? The Kickr is the gold standard of smart trainers, offering optimized spin accuracy and responsiveness that deliver an unparalleled ride feel. Just sync the trainer up with a cycling app and dad will be able to cycle a stage of the Tour de France in between Zoom calls.
CAPTURE4/7Arlo Video Doorbell
Your Dad became truly dangerous when he discovered that Siri told knock-knock jokes, further deepening his already intimidating repertoire of Dad humor. Now he can get literal with it, as he remotely engages with whoever comes to the front door. The Arlo video doorbell will also allow him to customize his own motion detection zones, allowing him to differentiate between the neighbor’s cat, a visitor, or a package he’s been expecting.
5/7Tile Essentials 4-Pack
Your dad’s memory will always be crystal clear about that time you backed the car through the garage door when you were 15, but he just can’t seem to remember where he put his phone, wallet, and keys, this simple gadget will help him to forever unforget. All he has to do is attach these bluetooth trackers to his crucial possessions and any time his memory slips, he can hop on his Tile app to locate them or trigger a sound alert.
6/7Level Touch Smart Lock
Leave it to Dads to derive an outsized amount of joy from having functional tech in their home that, to the rest of us, seems a bit superfluous. Why have a smart lock when a conventional-keyed door lock works just fine? Because the guy next door can’t open his front door with his phone, that’s why. The Level Touch is easy to install, and it can be operated via an app, key card, or for the traditionalist, an actual key.
7/7Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller
Among the requisites for membership in the Dad club are the ability to build a fire, catch a fish, fall asleep on the couch immediately upon sitting down after dinner, and—perhaps most under-appreciated—being in full command of one’s sprinkler system at all times. The Rachio 3 integrates with your smart home system to remotely manage water flow to multiple zones, drawing upon local weather info to determine output. With Rachio’s smarts, your dad will never have to worry again about being the guy with his sprinklers going off during a rainstorm.
