Gifts for dads who say they don't want anything

He already has one. It's from 2009 and the cuff is coming apart. Get him the same hat, new, in a color he won't argue with.

Socks are the joke gift. These are the exception. They're merino wool, and Darn Tough guarantees them for life, so when he finally wears through a heel, he sends them back for a new pair.

His coffee's cold before he's out of the driveway. This one keeps it hot most of the morning, and it'll ride around in the truck cab for years without complaining.

For the dad who still washes his own car on Saturday morning with dish soap and an old T-shirt. Bucket, dirt trap, wash mitt and real car soap. He'd never buy it for himself, and he'll use it every week.

One on his keys, one in his wallet, one in the truck, one on the TV remote. That's a lot fewer "has anybody seen my keys?" mornings. iPhone only. If he's an Android guy, skip this one.

He grills every weekend and still cuts the chicken open to see if it's done. This reads the temperature in about a second. Juicier pork chops, and nobody has to watch him poke holes in dinner.

Eighteen tools that fold into his pocket. He'll say he doesn't need it, then use it on every package that shows up at the house. It's covered by a 25-year warranty, which may outlast the box in the garage.

This one isn't a thing at all, which is the point. Every week for a year he gets an email with one question, like "What was your first car?" His answers get bound into a hardcover book. He gets to tell his stories. You end up with the gift.

A backyard fire without the smoke following him around the circle. It's small enough to throw in the trunk for a camping trip.

The big one. It runs on propane, heats up in about 15 minutes and cooks a pizza in about a minute. Split it three ways and nobody's out much. On WishSumo, each of you can chip in what you can toward the same gift.

A tee time, a fishing charter, seats at a ballgame. Pay for it, put the date on his calendar, and go with him. For a lot of dads, this is the only gift on the list that actually lands.