Gadgets: Gifts for Dad—that he really wants
You think you really know what your dad wants for Fathers Day but really, you don't. Let me fill you in on what he really wants; you can't go wrong with any of these.
The House of Marley Stir It Up turntable sounds as good at it looks, or you can say looks as good as it sounds. Either way, the eye-catching turntable plays the records dad has stored away in his closet or new ones in the vinyl resurgence.
It features a belt drive turntable with a replaceable needle cartridge, which runs manually with an auto/stop to play 33-1/3 RPM or 45 RPMs. It connects to a stereo system with the USB output or use headphones with the 3.5 mm port.
The turntable is build with an aluminum alloy platter and a natural bamboo body, which translates into a piece of art.
www.thehouseofmarley.com $229.99
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Grilling and dads are as perfect of a combination there is, but getting the non-gas grill or fire pit going will no longer be a problem after you get dad the Pine Mountain Extreme Start fire starters.
With the strike of a match, the small (3.5-by-1-by-1-inch) starter lights up on the grill grate. Then place your charcoal or wood on the starter and in a few minutes you're ready to cook.
They are mess-free and designed for indoor or outdoor use. They come in a box of 12 individually wrapped starters and each burns for about 20 minutes.
pinemountainfire.com/ $6.45
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What dad doesn't want an Ultimate Pigtail Flipper? The Cave Tool accessory is so much more unusual than a typical grilling tool. This one is perfect for grabbing a big piece of meat for flipping or removing it from the hot fire.
A comfortable handle fits perfectly in the palm of your hand and the other end has the pigtail flipper to grab the meat. It comes in a set with a 17-inch Long Pigtail Meat Flipper and a 12-inch Short Pigtail Bacon Flipper.
The cleanup couldn't be easier since both are dishwasher safe.
cavetools.com $17.99
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V-MODA's Forza Metallo high-performance Bluetooth ergonomic neckband headphones will rock dad's head with incredible sound.
It's amazing what's packed into this compact sound machine, including dual noise-canceling microphones for handsfree calls and sweat-resistant technology for the brand new 5.8 mm dynamic micro Hi-Res drivers.
V-Moda describes the sound as "balanced vibrant bass, vivid mids, and natural stress-free highs surrounded by a vast 3-D soundstage." The neckband is designed so you can hide it under a shirt collar and it has unrivaled all-day ergonomics so you don't even know it's there.
The complete sound kit includes eight pairs of color-coded soft silicone fittings and three sizes of patent-pending detachable ActiveFlex sport fins. V-Moda tested the construction of the Forza Metallo beyond military-level test standards to withstand everyday activity.
You'll get up to 10 hours of music playback, ultra-fast USB charging and a carrying pouch is included.
v-moda.com $170.00, available in gunmetal black and white silver
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Garmin's Dash Cam 45 compact standalone driving recorder will help dad keep an extra set of eyes on the road.
Its results might be as good as your summer vacation videos but the importance of the high-quality footage can be priceless. Along with the dash cam recordings, the features of this little gadget are amazing. Voice controls let you start and stop the recordings, which are captured at 1080p, or 720p with a 2.1 megapixel camera.
It has a 2.0-inch LCD display screen, automatic incident detection and GPS capabilities with location and time. Driver alerts include lane departure warnings for drifting off road or too close to another vehicle. Instantly when the camera is plugged in recording starts and built-in Wi-Fi allows for easy syncing.
Recordings are stored on replaceable microSD cards (Class 10 required) of up to 64GB.
www.garmin.com $149.99
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Pelican is known for making durable/high-performance storage solutions for photography gear, aerospace, military and law enforcement uses, so you can trust the company's new line of Pelican drinkware bottles.
The ergonomically designed stainless-steel bottles are great for the gym, camping, skiing or poolside to keep beverages hot for up to 12 hours or cold for 24 hours.
Each bottle features a leak-proof twist-on carry handle lid with soft grip to transport the sweat-proof bottle with ease. They come in 18, 32 and, 64 ounce sizes ($29.95, $39.95, and $59.95, respectively) in black or white powder coat finishes and have Pelican's industry-leading lifetime guarantee of excellence.
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The Skylink ATOMS garage door opener will make dad's garage door the talk of the town.
After the easy do-it-yourself installation you can control and monitor the garage door from anywhere with a smartphone (iOS and Android). Along with opening or closing the door, you'll get email notifications when it's in use.
It has a battery back-up in the event of a power outage and an LED light for bright illumination. Your garage door will now be compatible with the IFTTT (If This Then That) platform, allow it to connect to other home control accessories such as Amazon Echo, News Cam, Phillips Hue and WeMo.
A passcode protected, three-button remote is included.
www.skylinkhome.com $299
©2017 Gregg Ellman
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
