22 of the very best first Father's Day gifts for new dads

Because dads spend a lot of time in slippers. These ones from well-known slipper brand Dearfoams are made with high-density memory foam and include a rubberized sole so he can wear them to the mailbox and back in a pinch. 

Whether he's doing midnight feedings or is on bedtime duty, this hands-free tablet stand holder is a useful gadget that'll let him watch his favorite show or read his current page-turner without needing to use both hands. 

Over 14,000 Amazon reviewers have found it useful, too. "I read every night on my iPad as part of my bedtime ritual. Only problem being that I was getting tired of holding the iPad up," said one five-star reviewer. "So I was looking for something to attach to my headboard and hold the iPad for me. The MAGIPEA Tablet Stand Holder thus far has worked perfectly. My hands are now free."

Gift the new dad a personalized piece of stylish jewelry with his little one's name. This necklace is available in sterling silver, 18k gold plating or 18k gold vermeil.

Low effort, tasty and healthy: those are the three biggest selling points of Blue Apron's pre-portioned meal kits and prepared meals. They also happen to be three big must-haves that new dads are looking for when it comes to preparing easy meals with a newborn in the house. Blue Apron is not only our top-tested meal kit for seniors, it's our top-recommended meal kit for everyone.

AOL's very own April McCormick, who calls her "a meal kit connoisseur," has tested several meal kits through the years. "One of my all-time favorite weekly meal delivery services — and the one I recommend the most — is Blue Apron." Choose from meal kits with pre-portioned ingredients or prepared ready to heat-and-eat meals with more than 80 choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks. New dads will enjoy having ready-to-eat meals that not only taste good but are good, meaning they’ll finally take that break from Seamless.

"The bottom line is that Blue Apron saves me time from planning meals each week and creating a shopping list, and money from not having to grab a large cart when going to the grocery store and inevitably filling it with junk I don't need," McCormick writes.

New parents carry around a lot of stuff. Make it easier for them by gifting a new diaper bag — but one that doesn't look like a diaper bag. This one looks like a backpack, but holds all of baby's essentials. It can easily clip onto a stroller and includes an easy-to-access zippered pocket for wipes. It comes with a mini changing mat and extra pouches that can be used as shoe bags, dust bags and to store other small essentials you don't want to loose. It's also a good size to store a small tablet or e-reader, too. 

If he loves coffee, then this coffee subscription gift from Trade Coffee is something he’ll actually use. Choose from 2-, 3- 6-, 9-, 12- or 24-bag subscriptions to brews from some of the nation’s best coffee brands. We recommend the 3-bag plan, which allows your giftee to choose their preferred frequency of delivery for their grounds. Each delivery includes freshly roasted coffee that’s personalized based on his unique tastes, so he’ll always receive a blend he’s guaranteed to love.

If he finds that the stroller is sometimes more trouble than it's worth, he might enjoy having an all-seasons baby carrier. This affordable one from LÍLLÉbaby allows you to carry your infant or toddler face in or face how — whatever works best — and it's also washable, which is an absolute must for a baby carrier. It even includes a removable sleeping hood for protection from the sun and to support baby's head while sleeping.

If the dad you’re shopping for loves a good (or bad) dad joke, he’ll be obsessed with this book of family-friendly dad jokes. With thousands of five-star ratings on Amazon, you can bet dads are loving this book. Just be prepared to roll your eyes if you end up being the victim of one of these jokes.

He might not be the one breastfeeding, but he'll still need a way to keep milk and snacks cool for the little one. This Carhartt cooler bag is made of heavy duty fabric and is stylish enough that nobody might suspect it's full of breast milk and fruit pouches. When he's not on baby duty, it's big enough to store a six-pack for his weekend fishing or hiking trip.

Does he always empty his pockets as soon as he walks through the front door? This catch-all doubles as a useful wireless charging station and is made in stylish Italian leather. Whether he keeps it on the entryway table, his nightstand or on the dresser, he's sure to put this to use. 

Slippers, PJs and robes are the go-to loungewear gifts for men, but we can’t forget about the MVPs of loungewear: sweatpants. Every guy could use a new pair of sweatpants to replace the old pair he wears on repeat at home. These ComfortSoft ones from Hanes are extremely affordable and have over 53,000 reviews — it’s a wardrobe staple he’s sure to use.

New dads don't spend a lot of time in anything other than PJs and loungewear, but if he needs something else to throw on to feel slightly more put together, these wide-legged cargo pants are basically lounge pants in disguise. 

Fatherhood comes with its own set of aches and pain. This bag has a unique, double-sealed clay core that retains cold and heat, so water is not necessary. You can warm it up or freeze it for pain relief — whatever feel's best.

He might not have any hips, but with this hip seat carrier he can make sure he has a comfortable way to carry the little one around when they get tired of walking. This small hip bag comes with space for a bottle, a large storage pocket, phone pocket, side zippers and loops for toys and hand sanitizer. 

Everything that’s old is new again, as evidenced by the fact that these retro-style Casio watches are on trend once again. They’re a great fit for dads who don't care about the latest fads or gadgets. Reviewers love the “old school” and “retro look” of this watch, which includes a stainless steel wristband and beige clock face. It includes an LED screen and is water-resistant, too.

You could gift him an Amazon Echo Dot, a Sonos One or another type of smart speaker devices, but sometimes simplicity is best. This vintage-inspired radio from Victrola — one of the leading turntable manufacturers of the early 1900s — is Bluetooth compatible, giving him the best of what’s new and old. Use one dial to switch between Bluetooth, AM or FM, another to tone the bass and treble, and another for volume. If he’s a fan of retro technologies, he’ll especially love the satisfying crackle of using the tuner dial to find his favorite station.

These Birkenstock Clogs can be slipped on or off hands-free — important for new dads! — and are comfortable enough to wear all day, with or without socks. Plus, they're not all that terrible looking for when you need to step outside for a quick stroll to the mail box or a grocery-shopping errand. After all, practical gifts oftentimes make the best gifts of all.

 These shearing-lined Birkenstocks are the cozy sibling of the cult-beloved Arizona Birkenstocks, making them perfect for wearing around the house on chilly mornings. They're a great pick for guys who need a house shoe that they can also wear to the mailbox and on the back porch. 

Let’s be honest, new dads aren’t spending much time in anything other than loungewear. Even if he is no longer on parental leave, a well-made robe is something he'll use for years. I highly recommend these “super plush” robes from Brooklinen that are made with 100% Turkish cotton and feature deep pockets, cuffed edges and a piped collar. I've owned one for years and it's still still the robe I reach for every morning. I love that it's thick enough to keep you warm on a cold morning, and plush enough to use like a bath towel after a shower, if that's your jam. Best of all, it keeps its fluffy feel even after dozens of washes. That might not mean much to you, but to the new dad who is adjusting to a new routine full of messes to clean up, he'll be grateful for a cozy gift that's easy to clean.

If he wants an ereader that’s not an Amazon Kindle, might we introduce you to the Rakuten Kobo? I’ve owned one of these for nearly three years, and it still works as well as it has since the first day I got it. It’s easy to connect to Libby, where you can access your local library’s database of ebooks, and has all of the features you’d expect for an ebook, like adjustable screen brightness, bookmarking, note taking and more. You can even find Kobo-specific cases to protect them, too.

Does he miss going on hikes since becoming a dad? If so, he'll love having a gift that allows him to get back to his favorite hobbies once the little one is old enough to take on a hike. This child carrier backpack has a 22-liter gear compartment and easily accessible side zippers. The ventilated back panel keeps parents comfortable and cool, while the dual access lets you load the child from the top or the side panel.

In this collection of essays, Michael Chabon delivers a handful of funny, heartfelt messages on what fatherhood really means. In the book’s first essay, Chabon opens up about a writer he met who warned him not to have kids, because for every child you have, “you lose a book” and called children “notorious thieves of time.” Over time, Chabon changes his tune about having kids—and ends up with four. A slim book that Dad will tear through in a day or two, there’s a lot to love about these essays.