About twenty years ago a book called “The Five Love Languages” was doing the rounds. The thesis was that each of us expresses love, and feels most the most love when it is expressed, when the expression matches our personal “love language”. That might be time spent together, acts of service, supportive words, even physical touch. But, heh, let’s get real. For most dads the one real love language is the gift, and for most dads, the best gift is a gadget.
Here are ten great gift gadgets that we reckon will make Dad really feel loved!
Oppo F1s smart phone – $348
Dad’s phone a bit old? Screen a little small? Memory a bit tight? The new Oppo F1s mid-priced smart phone has a large 5.5 inch screen, room for a 128GB memory card, a respectable camera, full 4G data performance, and comes in a nice gold-tinted metal enclosure. All for just under $350, including a silicon case. Read about it here and check back in coming days for our full review.
iRobot Roomba 980 automatic vacuum cleaner – $1499
Does your Dad help around the house? Or does he merely feel guilty for failing to do so? Either way, a Roomba will make life easier for him as it scoots around, making sure the floor, whether carpeted or hard, is clear of dust and dirt. The Roomba 980 is the top model of the line up. If it’s too rich, there are much lower cost models without the fancy WiFi that’ll still do the trick. Read our review here.
Astell & Kern AK70 portable music player – $999
If Dad’s both active and a music lover, then a high quality music player is just what he needs. The Astell & Kern AK70 comes with a leather case to add protection to the already solid aluminium build. Its 128GB card slot gives it space for a full music collection, and it’ll play just about any music format, including super high resolution ones. Read our review here.
BenQ WiT LED desk lamp – $249
We were thinking of putting in BenQ’s wonderful new W8000 home theatre projector, but we figured $4499 might be a bit rich. So how about something more affordable that he will soon come to love: BenQ’s intelligent and stylish LED desk lamp. It spreads the light wide, allows you to set the colour of the light and it uses very little power. Read our review here.
Fitbit Alta fitness tracker band – $199.95
Nothing says to Dad “I Love You!” more than the clear indication you want him to still be alive come next Fathers’s Day, and the one after, and the one after that. A fitness tracker from Fitbit works with the Fitbit software to keep an eye on his exercise regime and to encourage more. With a long battery life and stylish look, he can wear it all day … and night. Read our review here.
Rega Planar 2 turntable – $849
If you look carefully, you’ll find that your Dad has a box somewhere of classic vinyl LPs he accumulated in his youth. Does he still have a way of playing them? Take our word for it, no music sounds as great as your favourite tracks from when you were eighteen which you haven’t heard for a quarter century. A quality turntable such as the Rega Planar 2 will make them sound even better. Read about it here.
Laser SPK-WFADAPTOR WiFi Adaptor – $99.95
Perhaps your Dad doesn’t have a cardboard box of old vinyl, but wants to move into the 20th century of multiroom digital audio. Laser’s range of wireless speakers use the widely supported AllPlay system. Use a smart phone to control what music goes where. The Laser WiFi adaptor lets an existing stereo become part of the whole-house system. Read about it here.
LG 65UH950T Ultra High Definition LCD TV – $5499
Imagine a TV that’s near the top of the heap with both performance and style, and you’re thinking about this TV from LG. It delivers not just High Dynamic Range, but Dolby Vision, combining both brightness and subtlety. And most of the panel is less than 7mm thick! If your Dad really enjoys TV viewing, there isn’t going to be a TV that makes him happier. Read our review here.
DeLonghi PrimaDonna Elite coffee machine – $3599
“Elite” is in the title, and Elite this Delonghi coffee machine is. The trick isn’t that it produces great coffee. Nor that it’s easy to use. The trick is that it does both at the same time. Your father will appreciate being able to have the quality that the built-in barista programming of the machine delivers, yet the flexibility to take control himself if he wants. Read our review here.
New Gear VR from Samsung – $159
New tech sometimes flares up briefly and then fades away into a niche (Segway, 3D TV), and sometimes it revolutionises the world (Smart phones, flat panel TVs). Which will virtual reality be? We reckon the latter. If your Dad has a recent premium Samsung phone (S6/S6 Edge or later), then he can experience high quality virtual reality with Samsung’s New Gear VR headset right now at a very modest price. Read about it here.
