#40 Practical Gifts for Dads Under $40 – LifeSavvy

Shopping for dads can be tough because they can be so downright practical. All of these gifts are useful, sure to be appreciated, and under $40, so you’re bound to find something dad will love.

Whether you’re shopping for a dad that’s into DIY stuff, outdoor activities like camping, or a tech-loving geek at heart, we’ve searched high and low for the perfect gifts you can score for under $40.

And if you’re worried these gifts aren’t truly dad-approved, as a practical dad myself I assure you’d I’d be happy to get any of them (and already own most of them).

Happy Holidays! This article is part of our Holiday 2021 Gift Guide where you can find the best-of-the-best recommendations from LifeSavvy, How-To Geek, and Review Geek to help you pick the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

Shaving and Beard Gear

Whether your dad shaves his face clean every morning, rocks a Grizzly Adams beard, or is somewhere in between, get him some gear to keep his face looking the way he likes it. Shaving and beard care gear is always a welcome gift because a lot of it is consumable. Beards eat beard balm for breakfast so an extra tin is always welcome.

Arko Shaving Stick

This is the cheapest but best lathering shaving soap you will ever find. Ever. Embrace the weird intense lemon scent and enjoy the lather.

Omega Boar Hair Shaving Brush

Shaving soap requires a shaving brush. This boar-bristle brush is more economical than a badger-hair brush. Lathers great despite the budget price.

Edwin Jagger Safety Razor

Dads love old school stuff that works and saving money. You save a fortune on razor blades when you shave with a double edge razor. And you get a closer shave too!

Kent Moustache Comb

A proper mustache needs a proper mustache comb. This classic model is a must have.

Flashlights, Headlamps, and Lanterns

Flashlights of all kinds are the most practical gift you can give. You’re never going to find a dad who wishes he had fewer (or crappier) sources of lights. You could give me a different kind of flashlight every week of the year and I’d be thrilled.

I don’t want to speak for every kind of dad out there, but I love flashlights and I rarely run into another dad who doesn’t also love flashlights and every other kind of portable light out there. There’s a lot of moments in the average dad’s year where more light is better and more ways to cast light on projects, campsites, and other things is even more welcome.

Hausbell 7W Mini Flashlights

The only thing better than one flashlight is multiple flashlights. With a multi-pack dad can leave a flashlight everywhere he needs one.

Cosoos Widebeam Headlamp

This cool headlamp casts a wide soft light and include a red safety light on the back. Perfect for early morning or late-night outdoor exercise.

LE LED Camping Lantern

This camping lantern is both a lantern, flashlight, and powerbank. Features six lighting modes and a built-in hanger.

Vont LED Lanterns

Just like lots of flashlights is good, lots of lanterns is good too. In a power outage, everybody gets one!

LuminAID Lantern

Dustproof, waterproof, and rechargable, this collapsible lantern provides 24 hours of light per charge.

Outdoor and Camping Gear

While the flashlights and such we just shared are definitely outdoor gear, there’s a lot more to spending time outdoors than blasting 1000 lumens at everything that goes bump in the night. Here are some other great outdoor gear picks.

Whether you’re shopping for a dad that wants to get a closer look at the birds at the feeder or hike through the woods to find them in their natural environment there’s a little something for everybody.

LifeStraw Water Filter

It’s a super powerful portable water filter that can clean up to 1000 gallons of water. You buy one, they secure clean water for a child for a year. What’s not to love?

Fatwood Firestarters

These fatwood kindling sticks are harvested from the heart of pine tree stumps and make starting a roaring fire easy-peasy.

Fiskars X7 Hatchet

The baby brother of the Fiskars X27 splitting ax, this lil guy is perfect for campsites and light duty around the house.

Nylon Rigger Belt

Save the leather belt for the office, this super-strong nylon belt is perfect for outdoor activities.

SOG Entrenching Tool

From stashing it in the trunk to packing it to a campsite, this handy little shovel fits anywhere and is always ready for action.

Smart Home and Tech Gear

Between general tech gear and smart home gear, there are plenty of cool products to choose from. Here are some of our favorite inexpensive tech gifts that cover everything from keeping tech tidy to dabbling in smart home fun.

Kasa Smart Light Bulbs

This highly-rated little two-bulb kit is perfect to play around with and just the right number to jazz up the porch lights for the holidays.

WYZE Cam v3

From keeping an eye on the dog to catching that damn raccoon in the act, this little smart cam can help.

Echo Dot Smart Speaker

Ol’ dad hasn’t picked up a smart home speaker yet? This is a super economical way to get started.

Oontz Angle 3 BT Speaker

Beach, backyard, or bathroom, this little waterproof speaker will blast classic rock in a dad-approved way.

Whether you’re shopping for a dad that can’t wait to get outdoors after a day at the office or a dad who loves accessories that help him look sharp before heading into the office, we hope you found something fun in our gift list. Want more ideas? Check out all the gift guides in our massive holiday gift guide list!