Father's Day 2016: 11 best last-minute gifts
Left things late again? There's still time to nab a great present for your old man
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Don’t panic if you’ve left Father’s Day until the last minute. We’ve found a selection of goodies, from new clothes to a clever coffee machine, that you still have time to get delivered before or on Sunday. Where possible, we’ve included suggestions with free next day delivery (though you may need to spend a certain amount), or items on offer where the current price cancels out those pricy express postage charges. There are also a few e-vouchers that you can print out and put in a card so he’ll still get a present of sorts on the weekend.
1. Maine New England Black Fur Lined Carpet Slipper: £20, Debenhams
There’s a danger with most online department stores of the next day delivery cost coming to more than that of the product itself. Debenhams is among the cheapest we found, promising to get the gift to you by Father’s Day, as long as you by 6pm on Saturday, for just £3.99. There are a number of discounted gifts to choose from, offsetting the delivery price, including these snug, faux fur-lined slippers.
Last chance to order: Saturday 18 June
2. Honest Brew Craft Beer by Email: from £48, Honest Brew
We included Honest Brew in our round-up of the best beer and subscription boxes back in April, thanks to their accessible approach to craft beer discovery. Send this email gift voucher to your old man on Sunday, and he’ll be entitled six beers, glassware and a tasting guide, along with either one, three or six separate deliveries of 12 beers (depending on how much you’re willing to spend).
Last chance to order: Sunday 19 June
3. Mr Porter Virtual Gift Card: From £25, Mr Porter
If your dad’s picky about clothes and grooming, it might be easier to choose himself. Mr Porter would be our suggestion for an e-voucher that will be a real treat. The online retailer stocks clothing and accessories from over 300 luxe brands, curated on its slick website. We don’t want to make sweeping dad-friendly generalisations, but he’ll find togs from the likes of Polo Ralph Lauren, Gant Rugger, Paul Smith, John Smedley, Levi’s and loads of others that will help him give his wardrobe – or washbag – an update. Denominations run from £50-£10,000(!). If you’re buying before Sunday, remember to send it to yourself to print off and pop in a card to avoid it going straight to him before the big day.
Last chance to order: Sunday 19 June
4. Kindle Paperwhite: From £87.99, Amazon
The e-tailer is your best friend when it comes to down-to-the-wire presents, and we reckon its e-readers are always a good bet for book-loving dads. Forget the pricey new Oasis, for our money, the Paperwhite is still a great buy; it’ll store thousands of books, the battery lasts weeks and there’s no glare from the pin-sharp display. If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll know you get free one-day delivery, or you can sign up for a free trial – just make sure you cancel it before the payment is taken.
Last chance to order: Saturday 18 June
5. Spotify Premium Home-Print Gift Voucher: 6-month subscription for £32.94, PayPal Digital Gifts
At the click of a button, you can give your dad Spotify Premium: advert free access to Simon & Garfunkel and all the rest for an entire six months for the minimal price of £32.94. He can even download the free Spotify app to his smartphone and stream music on the go, or download it for offline playback. All you have to do is buy the voucher online and print it.
Last chance to order: Sunday 19 June
6. Thorntons Box Of Personalised Chocolate: £10, Thorntons
Instead of the late-night supermarket chocolate purchase, Thorntons is offering a more sentimental, affordable and tasty option with its personalised box of lettered chocolates. If you purchase online with £7 next day delivery service by 8pm on Friday, it’ll arrive in time for Sunday. If you’re looking to justify the postage, there's a £5 reduction on the box itself, which essentially makes it a more bearable £2.
Last chance to order: Friday 17 June
7. Graze Five Week Subscription Voucher: from £11.97, Graze
If Dad's a hardworking, on-the-go person, he'll have limited time for healthy snack prepping. Help him out by sending over a Graze gift voucher, which, at this price, will entitle him to three boxes of delicious, ready-to-eat snacks, from from lightly toasted pistachios to basil and garlic olives. You can either print the voucher off or email it directly to him.
Last chance to order: Sunday 19 June
8. Soxboxm Brilliant Bamboo Socks Five Pack: £14.95, Joules
Don’t underestimate the usefulness of socks for dad – he wears them every day, after all. We’re fans of Joules’ bamboo-mix stripy ones, which will keep his feet at the right temperature, as well as being comfortable and soft. The bright colours and the fact they come packaged-up in a neat-looking box, makes these present-worthy. This selection is currently half price, so we reckon that will soften the blow of the £5.95 next-day delivery charge. For any full-priced item on the site, use the code SEAFRONT to get 20 per cent off.
Last chance to order: Friday 17 June
9. Smarter Coffee Machine: £143.99, Firebox
For dads who can’t start the day without a decent cup of Joe, try this smart coffee machine. With a few clicks on his smartphone or tablet via the app (compatible with Android and IOS) he can take full control of the strength and temperature of his brew. The machine takes fresh coffee beans, or he can use pre-ground beans if he prefers, and it makes up to 12 cups. This one is currently on offer, though you’ll need to pay the £5.95 next-day delivery charge.
Last chance to order: Friday 17 June
10. Revell Control Rayvore Quadcopter: £49.99, IWOOT
We reckon most dads secretly want a go at controlling a drone and this is a robust one that will survive if his flying skills aren’t up to much. There’s two speeds, LED lights for night flying and it has a fun flip function so he can nail stunts – just make sure dad doesn't hog it too much. Free next day delivery is covered for items over £40.
Last chance to order: Friday 17 June
11. Thames Dinner Cruise for Two with Wine: £109, Last Minute
Last-minute.com does what it says on the tin. The site offers e-vouchers for experiences you can send instantly, so you will never get caught out. There are loads of options, from driving a supercar to a night of top-notch comedy. We think the evening cruise along the Thames will be a crowd-pleaser. You get a four-course meal and live entertainment provided, while taking in views of the likes of The Shard and The London Eye. Vouchers get delivered instantly so make sure you send it to yourself to avoid spoiling the surprise.
Last chance to order: Sunday 19 June
Verdict
If you want to give him a present to unwrap on Sunday, go for one of the free next-day delivery options. Buyers on a budget should try Joules, or if you have a bit more to spend, consider the coffee machine or Kindle (just remember to sign up to Amazon Prime if you’re not already a member to get the one-day delivery on the latter). Left it to the very last minute? Go for the Spotify subscription that he can get playing straight away.