Father's Day Gift Guide — 10 of the Best Tool Gift Ideas

Stuart’s tool reviews and recommendations can be found at ToolGuyd. Follow @ToolGuyd on Instagram.

Tools are always tricky when it comes to Father’s Day gift ideas. Some Dads have a garage full of tools, while others can fit their entire tool kit into a small shoebox.

I have been writing about tools at ToolGuyd.com for more than 10 years, and I wish I could provide you with some sure-fire ideas. The fact of the matter is that every tool user, from beginner to expert, has different needs and wants. What works great for one person might not work as well for the next.

Learn more about the tools the Dads in your life need, want, or could use – and might not buy for themselves, and you can trade the element of surprise for greater certainty that you’re getting them something they will use.

With that said, here are some ideas that I think stand a good chance of WOWing you or the Dads in your life that you might be shopping for.

If you need more ideas, check out my Mother’s Day Gift Guide at The Home Depot Blog, and my DIY and Tool Kit Buying Guides over at ToolGuyd.

Let’s say you take $50 out of your bank account. How would you spend it? Now let’s say someone else gives you $50 and sends you off to spend it. I don’t know about you, but I shop differently with a gift card.

A gift card can make a larger purchase more affordable, or it can cover the costs of hand tools the recipient has always wanted to upgrade to. Or, sometimes it can pay for supplies for their next project.

Some might think that gift cards require less thought or effort than other types of gifts, but when it comes to tools, it can enable the recipient to get something they’ve really wanted or needed for a while.

Quite a few of my own tools were purchased with gift cards; thanks to gift cards, my parents bought me my first high-powered flashlight, my in-laws bought me full-polish wrenches, and a wedding present helped me buy my first woodworking router. What would the alternatives have been - 2 ties I’d never wear and a toaster?

I have given away and donated a lot of tools over the years, and every so often I receive follow-ups from friends, family, contractors, and other sample recipients that I have passed products onto for further testing.

More than anything else, it’s always the Husky LED flashlights and worklights that I hear back about.

I passed along a Husky worklight last week and a day later I received a phone call – “It’s so bright, I love it, thank you!” They added “and I still use the Husky headlamp you gave me, all the time.”

I am regularly shocked at how broad Husky’s lighting portfolio has grown, with the Home Depot-exclusive brand offering everything from pocket flashlights to floor-standing worklights.

Could the Dads in your life benefit from a lighting upgrade? You can’t go wrong with Husky.

A laser distance measuring tool is one of those tools that a lot of DIYers and homeowners need but just don’t know it yet.

Are you measuring inside a window to get new shades? How big is your living room? How tall are you ceilings?

Tape measures can be used for a lot of these things as well, but laser distance measuring tools are simpler and easier to use.

A laser distance measuring tool won’t replace your tape measure, it will complement it.

This new Dewalt Atomic laser distance measuring toolcan measure up to 55 feet and it has a rechargeable battery that can be charged via USB.

At just $19.97, it’s a great buy.

This Dewalt 9ft Pocket Tape measure, with belt clip and magnetic mounting, would be a great complement to the Atomic laser measuring tool, or really any of the tool gift ideas here.

I reviewed the Dewalt Pocket Tape measure on ToolGuyd, and it continues to be a personal favorite.

I have never really been a plastic socket set type of person, and I instead favor neatly organized tool trays.

Husky really sold me on their customized foam-lined tool trays starting with the 144-position ratchet set that I reviewed a few months ago on ToolGuyd.

This 70pc set looks to offer a good starter selection of mechanics tools – you get 2 ratchets, 42 sockets (all 6pt), 12 accessories, and 14 hex keys.

If you or the person you’re shopping for already has a socket set, Husky also came out with a new 144 position ratchet and drive tool accessory set.

The 144 position gearing means you can still turn the ratchet in tighter spaces than you could with a coarser-geared ratchet with fewer positions.

Also equipped with adapters, extensions, and universal joints, this ratchet and drive accessories tool set is a solid upgrade.

Husky’s 9-drawer mobile workbenchhas been incredibly popular over the years, and it’s easy to see why – it has a spacious hardwood worktop, a large top drawer that can even fit taller socket organizers, and a convenient selection of half-width drawers.

On top of the useful drawer configuration, you get a power strip with USB ports and also precut drawer liners.

Generally, if it’s from Milwaukee Tool, it’s a winner.

From power tools to hand tools, personal safety products to tool boxes, Home Depot often has the latest and greatest Milwaukee Tool products.

If you’re looking for something the Dads in your life don’t have yet, check out this 3/8” impact-rated socket set, which has both metric and SAE sizes. If the Dads on your list don’t have any 3/8” drive tools or you have a smaller budget, consider some of the other set options – Home Depot has a full section online.

I came across these new Husky socket organizers in a local Home Depot recently, and think they would make for a great toolbox upgrade. The socket rails are very study and feature a strong magnetic backing. The moveable studs can hold shallow or deep sockets.

This is a big upgrade from many of the flimsy plastic socket rail products I’ve seen and purchased in the past. It’s more of a “treat myself” gift idea than a “buy for someone else” recommendation. If you’re shopping for someone else, you might want to double check with them before you buy.

• 3/8 in Swivel Magnetic Socket Rail
• 1/2 in Swivel Magnetic Socket Rail
• 1/4 in Swivel Magnetic Socket Rail

Alternatively, HomeDepot.com also has a nice selection of well-made Hansen plastic post-style socket organizers.

Socket Organizers

To be perfectly honest, I don’t like big socket sets. Years ago, I bought two very small sets and then expanded with a small mixed assortment set that I continued to add to over time. I don’t regret my choices or hodge-podge approach, as I had a limited budget and evolving needs at the time, but I would make different purchasing decisions today.

Today, with a $100 budget, this Husky 230pc set is what I’d buy. You get 3 ratchets, 131 sockets, 10 wrenches, and 86 accessories. The included tool case is also highly functional and leaps better than typical clamshell-style blow-molded tool cases that can be clumsy to work out of.

When shopping for socket sets, it’s usually worth paying attention to the ratchet and socket count. This set gives you 1/4", 3/8”, and 1/2" ratchets and a good selection of sockets and auxiliary tools for the money.

This can be part of a portable tool kit, or the cornerstone for beginners. For intermediate or advanced users with existing tool sets, buying a socket set can be tricky as there’s the potential for a lot of overlap.

This Husky Silent Air Compressor features a 20 gallon air tank, 165 PSI max pressure, 4.0 SCFM at 90 PSI airflow volume, and it’s quiet with a noise level under 73 dB

Beyond that, it has a low voltage start (to help prevent tripped circuit breakers), a steel cage to protect the motor, 8” rubber wheels, large regulator knob, and 2 quick connect couplers.

This is a big step up from the super-noisy 6 gallon pancake compressor most users start out with.

If you’re looking for something similar bit a little smaller and lighter, this California Air Tools compressor has a 10 gallon capacity and a more powerful motor, but it’s also a little more expensive.

I can never have enough tape measures, multi-bit screwdrivers, or utility knives. The same goes for scissors, pliers, and hammers. Is the same true for the Dads you might be shopping for?

Home Depot always has some great deals and upgrades for Father’s Day, such as the pictured Milwaukee Tool “special buy” display that launched in stores in late May.

With deals like this, I never leave the store empty-handed.

Here are some great upgrades that I wrote more about in my Mother’s Day gift guide on the Home Depot blog.

If Dad doesn’t need any new tools (something few would ever admit to!), splurge on some project supplies and make new memories.

Happy Father’s Day!