Knock Dad’s socks off with a great Father’s Day gift

Father’s Day is a little more than a week away, and the team and I have put together a few gift ideas to help you and your dad celebrate right!

Have you ever heard of an infra-red non-contact thermometer gun?

This cool gadget is a “gun” with a laser pointer that gives an instant temperature reading for everything you aim at. It can measure temps from negative-32 to around 700 degrees Fahrenheit. You can buy a decent device for about $30 or less.

It’s not a necessity, but it’s sure convenient to have and fun to play with!

The possibilities:

• It’s great for identifying the source of drafts or leaks in your house or finding out if your double-paned windows are really keeping the heat out.
• Measure the temperature food before serving or storing
• Make sure your coffee is hot enough
• Check the actual temperature inside your car (or the steering wheel for that matter) on one of our notoriously super steamy days

Another similar device?

Buy a digital meat thermometer with an extra-long probe to use on barbecued meats. They cost about $60 or less.

Another possibility is a set of new, sharper barbecue tools. Throw out the old greasy ones that are falling apart before he catches you in the act. These cost about $10 to $20 or more.

Buy a shop vacuum for $50 or less

Assemble it and clean out the garage before you actually present it to Dad.

What about tickets to the Diamondbacks?

Try to pick an opponent who’s sure to lose (though that’s been an up-and-down situation this season). Tickets are available at a wide range of reasonable prices, depending on the day you choose. And you don’t necessarily have to sit in the outfield.

Is Dad a golfer?

If so, the latest golf gadget is a golf GPS watch that will work as a distance finder as well as telling time. These watches automatically recognize the course you’re playing and give distances to the front, center and back of greens and more.

Features to choose from

• Amount of battery life
• Weight and color
• Number of pre-loaded courses
• Other features like an odometer; and compatibility with a PC.

You’ll spend at least $100 on this one.

Noise-canceling head phones

Ideal for dads who travel a lot. You can’t hear the crying babies or the incessant announcements on the airplane. The white noise from the head phones will put you to sleep. A good set costs about $200 to $300.

They are available for less but they don’t work as well.