33 of the very best gifts for new dads (that aren’t for the baby)

Kopiko is an Indonesian coffee candy that’s popular among coffee drinkers who want to enjoy the flavor of coffee without the trouble of preparing a cup. It has a distinct combination of actual coffee bean extracts and milk that has made it a popular confectionary around the world. And yes, they do have caffeine — about three or four of the candies has about the same amount of caffeine as a shot of espresso. 

Amazon reviewers give it 4.7-stars. One five-star reviewer has this to say: “I’ve been seeing this brand coffee candy in a lot of K-dramas so wanted to give it try and WOW it is so good now I am hooked into this thing. It’s also very convenient when you don’t have time to make coffee or drink it it’s easy on the go just anywhere. I keep some in my purse and at work.” 

For the tea lover on your list, gift them something unexpected rather than another tea mug or gadget they’ll only use once. This tea candy taste like a sugary glass of iced tea, with a hint of milk. It’ll satisfy their sweet tooth and their tea craving in one go.

Because new dads can never have too many comfortable easy-to-wear, easy-to-style tees. These T-shirts are available in sizes S to 5XL in a large selection of colors. Choose from two-packs all the way up to 72-packs (!) for whatever your needs are. 

This Expert Grill is the perfect size for smaller gardens and patios, or as a backup grill for camping. It has a warming rack to keep cooked foods hot and ready to eat, and the main grill offers plenty of area to cook multiple items at once, from hamburgers and hotdogs to roasted corn and grilled peppers.

It might look silly, but this neck reading light is a great gift new dads who need a helping hand — literally. Whether he likes to read during 3 a.m. feedings or prefers to pass the time by doing hobbies, new dads will love this gadget that keeps his hands free while his little one is snoozing.

Out of over 120,000 reviews, many of them “highly recommend” this neck reading light and say it’s “great for reading without disturbing” their partner in bed.

If the dad is too long distance for you to hand-deliver some homemade baked treats, Milk Bar’s cookie sampler is probably the next best thing. The sampler includes six assorted cookies, one Milk Bar Pie slice, a three-pack of chocolate birthday cake truffles and a three-pack of regular birthday cake truffles.

Maybe he’s trying to cut back on sweets and treats, or perhaps he’s just not a foodie — either way, this World Of Coffee sampler from Atlas Coffee Club is a great alternative to food gift for new dads. This sampler pack includes four of the brand’s best single origin coffees, with no commitment to a monthly subscription. 

Of course, if he ends up loving a brew in particular, he can sign up for an Atlas Coffee Club subscription where he’ll receive new and flavorful coffees from around the world each month.

He can create cold brew easily at home with this cold brew coffee infuser. It’s an airtight pitcher that produces four servings of smooth cold brew from any type of coffee grounds. The end result is a less acidic sipper than traditional coffee brewing. It comes with a fine mesh filter that prevents grounds from steeping into your brew, but can easily be cleaned and reused for your new brewing session. 

Book Of The Month is a great way to gift the dad something you know he’ll use. But if you don’t know his literary tastes, don’t worry. Once you give the gift, he’ll share his tastes and choose which books he’s most excited to read each month. Your recipient will get to pick from their curated hardcover or audiobook selections each month. If he doesn’t want a book that month, he can skip without using his credit.

Prices range from $60 for a 3-month subscription, to $200 for a 12-month subscription.

Sure, you can probably pick up some flaky Maldon sea salt from the grocery store, but this smoked variety can be a bit trickier to find. The salt is gently smoked over oak to give it a robust, thick flavor that reminds one of good American barbeque. While it can be used to punch up pretty much any dish, it’s also delicious, simply sprinkled on a thick slice of sourdough with unsalted melted butter. 

Because every dad needs a cheesy dad mug. Add some of your favorite photos to this customizable mug so every sip he takes will bring a smile to his face.

For the tea or coffee lover who really hates when their cuppa goes cold, the Ember temperature-control mug is a no brainer. I’m a long-time owner of the original Ember mug (this is the model No. 2) and I love it because it prevents me from having to heat up my drink over and over when I’m having a leisurely morning. 

The charging base keeps your drink warm to your preferred temperature for up to 80 minutes. It comes with an app where you can set temperature preferences, make presets and more. The charging base also works without an app and remembers your last preference settings.

Low effort, tasty and healthy: those are the three biggest selling points of Blue Apron’s pre-portioned meal kits and prepared meals. They also happen to be three big must-haves that new dads are looking for when it comes to preparing easy meals with a newborn in the house. Blue Apron is not only our top-tested meal kit for seniors, it’s our top-recommended meal kit for everyone.

AOL’s very own April McCormick, who calls her “a meal kit connoisseur,” has tested several meal kits through the years. “One of my all-time favorite weekly meal delivery services — and the one I recommend the most — is Blue Apron.” Choose from meal kits with pre-portioned ingredients or prepared ready to heat-and-eat meals with more than 80 choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks. New dads will enjoy having ready-to-eat meals that not only taste good but are good, meaning they’ll finally take that break from Seamless.

“The bottom line is that Blue Apron saves me time from planning meals each week and creating a shopping list, and money from not having to grab a large cart when going to the grocery store and inevitably filling it with junk I don’t need,” McCormick writes.

Because sometimes a cup of coffee isn’t enough to tackle those dark circles and under eye bags. This caffeine eye cream from Kiehl’s is formulated with caffeine, vitamin B3 and menthol to tackle dark circles and tired, puffy eyes. The caffeine restricts blood vessels to reduce the appearance of puffiness while vitamin B3 rejuvenates the skin. Menthol provides a gentle cooling sensation that helps wake you up.

Whether he’s doing midnight feedings or is on bedtime duty, this hands-free tablet stand holder is a useful gadget that’ll let him watch his favorite show or read his current page-turner without needing to use both hands. 

Over 14,000 Amazon reviewers have found it useful, too. “I read every night on my iPad as part of my bedtime ritual. Only problem being that I was getting tired of holding the iPad up,” said one five-star reviewer. “So I was looking for something to attach to my headboard and hold the iPad for me. The MAGIPEA Tablet Stand Holder thus far has worked perfectly. My hands are now free.”

If he doesn’t own one of these already, odds are his dad or granddad does. This classic Stanley thermos is designed to last a lifetime (or two!) thanks to its high-quality stainless steel design. It maintains temperatures for several hours, making it a favorite among hunters, hikers and fishermen. The lid doubles as a bowl or cup, so it’s great for keeping hot liquids like soup or coffee warm for hours.

Give him a gift that’s truly unexpected. Design him a pair of socks with any image and text — though we recommend photos of a family pet as a way to bring a smile to his face. 

Keep in mind that these customized socks do require some production time so purchase them early so that they’ll arrive in time.

New parents carry around a lot of stuff. Make it easier for them by gifting a new diaper bag — but one that doesn’t look like a diaper bag. This one looks like a backpack, but holds all of baby’s essentials. It can easily clip onto a stroller and includes an easy-to-access zippered pocket for wipes. It comes with a mini changing mat and extra pouches that can be used as shoe bags, dust bags and to store other small essentials you don’t want to loose. It’s also a good size to store a small tablet or e-reader, too. 

He might not be the one breastfeeding, but he’ll still need a way to keep milk and snacks cool for the little one. This Carhartt cooler bag is made of heavy duty fabric and is stylish enough that nobody might suspect it’s full of breast milk and fruit pouches. When he’s not on baby duty, it’s big enough to store a six-pack for his weekend fishing or hiking trip.

If the dad you’re shopping for loves a good (or bad) dad joke, he’ll be obsessed with this book of family-friendly dad jokes. With thousands of five-star ratings on Amazon, you can bet dads are loving this book. Just be prepared to roll your eyes if you end up being the victim of one of these jokes.

Does he always empty his pockets as soon as he walks through the front door? This catch-all doubles as a useful wireless charging station and is made in stylish Italian leather. Whether he keeps it on the entryway table, his nightstand or on the dresser, he’s sure to put this to use. 

If they don’t already own an espresso machine, this is a solid beginner option. We dubbed it our most versatile pick in our guide to the best single-serve coffee makers of the year because it can brew Nespresso pods and regular ground coffee. It even comes with an Aeroccino milk frother so you can make lattes and cappuccinos.

Slippers, PJs and robes are the go-to loungewear gifts for men, but we can’t forget about the MVPs of loungewear: sweatpants. Every guy could use a new pair of sweatpants to replace the old pair he wears on repeat at home. These ComfortSoft ones from Hanes are extremely affordable and have over 53,000 reviews — it’s a wardrobe staple he’s sure to use.

He might not have any hips, but with this hip seat carrier he can make sure he has a comfortable way to carry the little one around when they get tired of walking. This small hip bag comes with space for a bottle, a large storage pocket, phone pocket, side zippers and loops for toys and hand sanitizer. 

Everything that’s old is new again, as evidenced by the fact that these retro-style Casio watches are on trend once again. They’re a great fit for dads who don’t care about the latest fads or gadgets. Reviewers love the “old school” and “retro look” of this watch, which includes a stainless steel wristband and beige clock face. It includes an LED screen and is water-resistant, too.

You could gift him an Amazon Echo Dot, a Sonos One or another type of smart speaker devices, but sometimes simplicity is best. This vintage-inspired radio from Victrola — one of the leading turntable manufacturers of the early 1900s — is Bluetooth compatible, giving him the best of what’s new and old. Use one dial to switch between Bluetooth, AM or FM, another to tone the bass and treble, and another for volume. If he’s a fan of retro technologies, he’ll especially love the satisfying crackle of using the tuner dial to find his favorite station.

Sperry’s are the ultimate dad shoe. Make sure he’s ready for summer with a brand new pair. These ones have over 3,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.4-star rating, so you know they’re good. 

In fact, one five-star reviewer put it best when they said, “I have a black and brown pair that is at least 19 years old. Still look good. Never wear socks with these boat shoes, in a short while they fit like a glove.”

These Birkenstock Clogs can be slipped on or off hands-free — important for new dads! — and are comfortable enough to wear all day, with or without socks. Plus, they’re not all that terrible looking for when you need to step outside for a quick stroll to the mail box or a grocery-shopping errand. After all, practical gifts oftentimes make the best gifts of all.

 These shearing-lined Birkenstocks are the cozy sibling of the cult-beloved Arizona Birkenstocks, making them perfect for wearing around the house on chilly mornings. They’re a great pick for guys who need a house shoe that they can also wear to the mailbox and on the back porch. 

Let’s be honest, new dads aren’t spending much time in anything other than loungewear. Even if he is no longer on parental leave, a well-made robe is something he’ll use for years. I highly recommend these “super plush” robes from Brooklinen that are made with 100% Turkish cotton and feature deep pockets, cuffed edges and a piped collar. I’ve owned one for years and it’s still still the robe I reach for every morning. I love that it’s thick enough to keep you warm on a cold morning, and plush enough to use like a bath towel after a shower, if that’s your jam. Best of all, it keeps its fluffy feel even after dozens of washes. That might not mean much to you, but to the new dad who is adjusting to a new routine full of messes to clean up, he’ll be grateful for a cozy gift that’s easy to clean.

If he wants an ereader that’s not an Amazon Kindle, might we introduce you to the Rakuten Kobo? I’ve owned one of these for nearly three years, and it still works as well as it has since the first day I got it. It’s easy to connect to Libby, where you can access your local library’s database of ebooks, and has all of the features you’d expect for an ebook, like adjustable screen brightness, bookmarking, note taking and more. You can even find Kobo-specific cases to protect them, too.

The Tidbyt is a retro-futuristic pixel display that’s as fun to use as it is to look at. Use the app to program Tidbyt to display useful info such as the weather, stocks, news, sports scores, time zone maps and even train and bus schedules. It makes a good gift for the tech guy who already owns all of the gadgets and devices he could possibly want. Extremely techy folks can even develop their own apps to display on the Tidbyt, too.

Family and friends know that I’ve long been a fan of Breville’s smallest espresso machine, the Bambino, due to its ability to pull a quality espresso shot in a compact size without sacrificing taste. Not only is it easy to use, but it includes single and double-shot features. There’s even an automatic steam wand for milk texturing — though you can use it manually if you’re feeling fancy. Pair it with some cute espresso cups, and you’ve got a gift they’ll use for a very, very long time to come.