Geeking Out: Father's Day Gift Ideas

This grill from Weber checks all the boxes you'd want in a grill. It's well-made. Easy to light. The burners cook evenly and maintain temperature, but there's a hidden benefit. It has built-in Smarts. A little dial on the side displays the current temp of the grill. Plug in an (included) smart probe into that dial and you can now tell the perfect internal temp or doneness level for anything you're cooking on the grill. The best part? It connects to an app to notify you when everything's at the right temperature so you never overcook your food again. The grill is available with either propane and natural gas hookups.

If dad's already got a grill he loves (and you don't feel like shelling out a thousand bucks for a Father's Day gift) you can simply add the smarts from the previous grill to his existing BBQ setup. The Weber Connect Hub is an accessory that allows you to monitor the temperature of your grill and the things you're cooking all from your smartphone. While there are four slots for probes, the device only comes with two: one of which you use to measure the ambient temperature under the BBQ hood, the other you'd use for food.

There's one more option to look at, and it's the latest grilling accessory from Weber. The Weber Smart Probe and great sensor lowest-cost option of all that still gives you this app-enabled experience. Just like the two other options, you can use the app to monitor temperature (specifying this by choosing your food and doneness level from options within the app or simply inputting the desired temperature you want). This probe can stand alone within the app or work alongside multiple probes so you can track varying temperatures of chicken, fish, or anything else on the menu.

Even if your dad already has a PlayStation controller, it's quite possible he didn't treat himself to the very best PS5 controller available. The DualSense edge is a modular controller designed for the ultimate level of customization for gaming. You can physically swap in and out (included) parts to make the controller feel perfect for your game style. There's heavy-duty metal components that attach to the back to trigger customized functions. Different height and texture options for the thumbsticks, and a premium case for storing the controller. It comes in white and black options.

The library of PlayStation titles is vast but the big one that's come out this year that every PlayStation fan is raving about is one called Saros. Made by the same team behind a beloved PS5 launch-era title (Returnal) you're an adventurer on a foreign planet trying to extract a valuable resource while looking for clues related to missing crews who explored the planet before you. It's a roguelite game, which means the gameplay is structured for you to do relatively short "runs" to try and beat each level, and if you're unsuccessful, you've likely gained a slight advantage for your next attempt.

This is as good as it gets when it comes to audio and Apple. The AirPods Max 2 are the company's latest headphones (released earlier this year) and have every bell and whistle ever released in AirPods. The "active noise cancellation" (tunes out noises around you so you can enjoy your music better) is magically good. The battery gives you as much as 20 hours of listening time between charges. And if you happen to wear these while travelling, you can tap into live translation features to understand people around you. They come with an included USB C cable so you can enjoy lossless audio when you plug into your iPhone.

The last option is not budget friendly, but this one is, and that's why so many people are now switching back to wired earbuds. Apple's EarPods are their standard wired headphones. They have a built-in microphone so you can take calls, and they're having a real moment now as many people move toward simpler tech. You never have to worry about charging these earbuds. If you lose 'em they're only $25. And since they're wired it means you'll actually enjoy lossless audio when you use them with your iPhone. Pro tip - make sure to buy the lightning connector version if your dad has an older iPhone (iPhone 14 models and older)