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WIRED
03-06-2025
- Business
- WIRED
20 Best Deals on Father's Day Gifts (2025)
Shopping for a Father's Day gift doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. We've rustled up real discounts on WIRED-approved gear. All of it is actually on sale—no fake discounts here—and set to arrive before Father's Day on June 15. In need of gift ideas? Check out our curated, hand-picked gift guides, including the Gifts for Dads, Gifts for Men, and Gifts for Golfers. WIRED Featured Deals: Tech Deals Photograph: Parker Hall The Ambient Weather WS-5000 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is an excellent gift for the dad who loves to talk about the weather. This station shows everything from daily rainfall to the current UV index, with the kind of intensive precision only a father could love. You can also pick up a ton of different accessories to measure things like humidity, detect leaks, check your fridge efficiency, and more. This deal comes around quite frequently, but it's a match of the best price we've seen on some of our favorite headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM5 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) have wonderful overall value, with frankly excellent noise cancellation and sound. They're no longer the newest addition to the lineup, but this pair is still fantastic—lightweight, comfortable, and sleek-looking with the user experience to match. The Nextbase 622GW is our very favorite dashcam. This deal gets you the base model that records the front-end view of your car, and it's been on sale for a couple of weeks. The camera is easy to mount and can record video in 4K at 30 frames per second, and it offers clear views of license plates and the vehicle's surroundings. It's got solid night vision and image stabilization. There's also a companion app with options for Alexa-based voice support, video review, and subscription-based SOS alerts in case of an accident. (Though Dad's smartphone probably has crash alerts, too, so consider those options before shelling out for another subscription.) Courtesy of Amazon The Sonos Roam 2 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best smart Bluetooth speaker. It's dust- and water-resistant, has 10 hours of listening time, and is about as big as a 16-ounce beer can. It has fantastic sound and USB-C charging, and it won't take up too much room when Dad is toting it to tailgates. Maybe your dad doesn't need a smart speaker like the Sonos mentioned above. In that case, check out the Beats Pill (8/10, WIRED Recommends). This feature-packed Bluetooth speaker is available in several discounted colors. It has fast pairing, a built-in speakerphone, and the ability to charge other devices. It also has Beats' Fast Fuel feature, meaning 10 minutes of charging gets Dad five hours of playback time (a full charge gets him 24 hours of battery life). And finally, for a super-portable Bluetooth speaker option, check out this discount. This speaker has a built-in carabiner, making it perfect for clipping to a camp chair, a belt loop, or a cooler handle. It sounds solid and has on-board controls, plus 12-hour battery life. It's also durable, with dust and water resistance, and it comes in several Dad-approved color schemes. Photograph: Ryan Waniata If Dad likes hitting the links, we recommend this golf watch, and this price is a goodie. It's comfortable to wear and easy to use, with foolproof buttons and seamless setup using the companion app for Android or iOS. It has GPS data for over 43,000 courses, and it can record your score as well as provide range tracking for how far you're hitting the ball or how far away hazards and doglegs are. The Nothing Ear (a) earbuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are the best earbuds for most people. They're super stylish, with a sleek clear charging case, and they also have great sound and decent noise cancellation. They're also comfortable to wear and have super intuitive controls. Combined with the affordable price tag, it's hard to find a better pair for the money—especially with this sale price. The Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ (10/10, WIRED Recommends) are some of our favorite AirPods Pro alternatives. They offer fantastic sound for the money, with clear highs and dynamic bass. It boggled the mind of our reviewers that these headphones were as affordable as they are, and with the sale price, this deal is a no-brainer if you're on the hunt for the best sound at the lowest price. This specific gadget isn't in our list of the best portable chargers, but we generally like Anker gear, and the price is too good not to mention. The 10,000-mAh capacity and 30-watt charging means it's capable of topping off most phones very quickly. It's also small at 5.4 inches, and there's a built-in USB-C cable so Dad doesn't need to worry about finding a cord. Home and Outdoor Deals Courtesy of Birdfy This is our favorite smart bird feeder. We've linked to the version with the solar panel included, but the version without the solar panel is also on sale for $120 ($80 off). Both have been on sale for a couple of weeks. We think the solar panel is worth it, since having to bring the feeder inside to recharge it just adds another chore to the list. The feeder is durable and easy to clean. The camera will send smartphone notifications when a bird is feeding, and it has AI recognition that (usually) correctly identifies the species. Note that the AI recognition does require a separate subscription; you can choose to pay for it ahead of time by purchasing that bundle and save some cash in the process. Another leftover from recent Memorial Day sales, the Aviron Victory Treadmill (8/10, WIRED Recommends) makes running fun. We haven't seen a better discount yet. The screen provides access to games and shows, and the deck is nice and low to the ground, so it's easy to step on and off. The membership that grants access to the fun content costs $29 a month or $288 per year, and there are also optional $299 loadable weights to add strength training. But if you're OK with the yearly costs, this is a good choice for making home workouts more enticing. Check our guide to the Best Treadmills for more. I'm in the process of reworking our guide to the best coolers, but this Pelican option is still a good one. It's durable and waterproof, and the tall, narrow design and small footprint make it ideal for road trips. It also features four cupholders and raised rubber feet so it can double as a small drink table while camping or at the beach. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson The Celestron 8x32 TrailSeeker (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are excellent binoculars for hiking and birding. They're lightweight and powerful enough for most people, and the glass is easy to see through, with very few chromatic aberrations coming through—even in bright conditions. The Dreo Chefmaker Combi Fryer is the best air fryer for roasts, steaks, and chops. The combination function allows this air fryer to reverse-sear cuts of meat—just add water to the atomizer atop the device before cooking. There's a built-in temperature probe that helps cook steaks and whatnot to your desired rarity before blasting them with heat to brown them. There's also a companion app with recipes that'll help you keep track of dinner progress. Our favorite budget body massager hasn't sold for less than this. It can target the back, neck, and shoulders, and even the lower back if you get creative. There are four kneading nodes, three intensity settings, and a heat therapy option. It can strap to a chair if you'd like, the remote control lets you easily adjust the settings, and there's a 15-minute automatic shutoff too. This is our favorite meat thermometer for kitchen use. It comes with four probes, which connect to the included base station via Bluetooth. Pair it with your phone and the companion app for at-a-glance temperature readings, and customize the experience further with notifications when dinner is reaching its ideal temperature. The system is safe to use for everything from sous vide to smoking, and the app has recipes and guided cooking as well. Deals on Everything Else Photograph: Julian Chokkattu Photograph: Julian Chokkattu These sweatpants are WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu's favorite of the many pairs he tested. He liked the Cloud Leg Straight even more. That pair is on sale, too, but the most popular sizes have sold out already. Both pairs are supremely soft, made with a cotton and recycled polyester fleece blend, which makes them perfect for lounging around. Despite being so comfy and cozy, they don't look too sloppy or oversized, so Dad could wear them out and about without feeling too underdressed. If Dad's water bottle is gross or dented, consider this replacement. It's the most durable water bottle we recommend, and it's available in a lot of neat colors. The slim design fits easily into a cupholder in the car or at the gym. It'll keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours, it's leakproof, and it's dishwasher-safe. It's reliable and gets the job done—just like he does. The best protein powder fluctuates in price often, but many different flavors and serving sizes are on sale right now. It offers 24 grams of protein per serving, it's easy to dissolve, and it has fewer additives than some other brands on the market. It's also available in a mind-boggling array of flavors. There's a chance you already know what Dad likes, but if not, the vanilla ice cream flavor linked above is a safe bet.
WIRED
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- WIRED
Aventon's Affordable Level 3 Is a Great Starter Electric Bike
I love step-through ebike frames, not just because it allows my much-shorter wife to borrow the bike when she's wearing a skirt, but also because when a bike is this heavy (67 lbs), it makes it much easier to balance and hop on and off of. I never felt sketchy hitting an intersection or trying to keep my bike upright when I had a saddle bag full of groceries. The gearing and drivetrain is entry-level Shimano Altus stuff and includes an 8-speed trigger-controlled transmission. It also comes with decent Kenda tires that provide plenty of grip, even on slippery Portland roads. There is a built-in 4G connection that allows you to GPS track the bike—nice for thefts and also in case you, like me, forget where you parked your bike at the Portland Timbers game. The 500W motor was more than powerful enough to get me over hills, even with gear or food in tow. Even for my large, 210-pound body, the range proved more than enough for long commuting rides. I took it over 20 miles across town in a single session, over big hills, and still ended at my destination with over 20 percent battery. If I hadn't ran the bike at full speed the entire way, and had pedaled more on the flats instead of using the thumb throttle, I would easily have made it with half my battery left. Good for Most Photograph: Parker Hall Most folks aren't riding 40 miles a day on their ebikes. They're just riding a few, and this bike is more than capable of doing that. The included charging brick easily charges the bike in a few hours, you will only really need to charge once a week if you're doing a shorter commute or just riding a bit around town. There aren't a lot of downsides to this model, but the main one is the gearing. I just wish that the top gear allowed me to keep up with the 20-mile-per-hour speed limit on the motor with more ease; I sometimes felt like I was pedaling like a crazed hamster when trying to go max speed. At lower speeds and assistance rates, the gearing works just fine, so you're better off riding slower when you want to pedal, and using the thumb throttle to go full speed. I generally prefer mid-drive ebikes for this reason; they use the actual drivetrain of your bike to deliver the power, rather than a motor on the hub of the rear wheel, so things pair better together. That said, it's nice to have the option of a thumb throttle when you're feeling lazy and just want a glorified electric scooter to take you home, which isn't offered by mid-drive ebikes. For daily commuting, trips to the farmers market, and occasional long weekend rides, the Aventon Level 3 is a great choice. The price is right, the specs are solid, and it's a confidence-inducing ride that has every feature most folks will need. Just snag a good helmet and a solid bike lock. These bikes look more expensive than they are.
WIRED
15-05-2025
- WIRED
Sony's New Noise-Canceling Headphones Are the Best Wireless Over-Ears Right Now
For over a decade, Sony has been taking direct aim at Bose's noise-cancelling domination. Every year or two, Japan's best and brightest engineers revise its flagship WH-1000 noise-canceling over-ears to beat out whatever the folks in Boston have cooked up, to great effect. The battle has led to some of the best headphones in history, with one or both brands topping our list of the best wireless headphones in nearly endless succession. Photograph: Parker Hall With Sony's new WH-1000XM6 ("1000X mark six'), we're now half a dozen iterations into a pair that began life as a good pair of headphones. This new version uses that experience to create something astonishing. You get a dramatically refined sound signature and streamlined design, you get 12 microphones and, Sony claims, seven times the processing speed of the previous model (9/10, WIRED Recommends). It's enough to have even the famously superlative-averse brand calling the noise canceling offered by the WH-1000XM6—accurately, in my experience—the best noise canceling headphones on Earth. If you are shopping for a pair of premium over-ears for work, travel, or just to escape your neighbor's annoying dog while you watch Netflix, these are probably the best all-around wireless headphones on sale right now. They cost $50 more at launch than their predecessors, but they're more than worth the extra cash. Recent Revisions Photograph: Parker Hall There are two distinct eras of Sony's WH-1000 line visually, with the latest starting with a refined, streamlined look in the WH-1000XM5—abandoning the more businesslike Bose design it used for generations 1-4. Visually, the latest version is even prettier than the model that came before, with clever folding earcups that help them fit more easily inside a streamlined hard case that now uses a magnetic clasp instead of a zipper. It's a sleek hard-shell protector that comes with a clever pocket inside for cables and adapters like most high-end headphones offer these days. A slightly protruding clasp at the edge of the case keeps it from ever tumbling open.
WIRED
04-05-2025
- General
- WIRED
AquaRest's Affordable Hard-Sided Hot Tub Is Great for Soakers
You'll want to make sure that you have a good level space that can handle the thousands of pounds a full hot tub weighs before you place this thing there: it's not light, and it absolutely shouldn't be placed on an unreinforced deck or a raised patio you don't want sagging into the ground. My location was disused and very nearly level, with pavers over sandy soil that can take the weight. Make sure you investigate this before even considering a hot tub. The only real assembly, apart from making sure you have enough power (either a standard 120V circuit or 240V dryer outlet will work, with 240 being noticeably faster to heat), is installing the lid. It's a normal flip-top style hot tub lid with foam insulation. It comes with drillable clips so that you can make sure it stays secure on windier days. Photograph: Parker Hall The tub has 12 jets and four clear seating positions, with a common footwell for everyone to share once inside. It's a bit tight with larger folks, but you can pretty comfortably fit four adults in the tub, and very easily fit two (and a baby, my wife and I discovered, if the temp is low enough). Controls are simple buttons on the side of the tub, with a temp readout that tells you what the current temp is, with the set temp adjustable by arrow keys, as well as the small spa light, and the jets. The jets themselves are easily turned on and off with said switch, unless the spa is heating, at which time they remain on to circulate the heated water. You can adjust how strong the bubbles are with clever little knobs on top of the tub rim next to the cupholders (essential for a hot tub). Hot Tub Life Photograph: Parker Hall If you're a new hot tub buyer, it's essentially as easy as filling up the tub, then waiting the 24-ish hours it takes to heat up water to your desired temperature. I set the tub to its maximum 104 degrees Fahrenheit for a proper heat soak, and it took a bit over 24 hours to heat the tub from tap-cold water on 120V in the middle of winter. Your mileage will vary, but plan on a day or two until it's properly rocking.
WIRED
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- WIRED
These Noise-Canceling Headphones Deliver Gorgeous Sound for a Pretty Penny
I am fully immersed in the tones of Jonathan Wilson's stereo guitars on 'Desert Raven,' practically able to hear the pick on each jangly strum. The stereo image is as wide as you can possibly expect from a pair of closed-back headphones. It's still leaning out to each side more than fully spreading out into space like it might with speakers or open-backed headphones, but the gorgeous tonality of the reproduction never makes anything feel smaller than it should. The ability to fully recreate the entire soundstage in warm and exacting detail is like a French chef making something simple with only the finest ingredients. These headphones don't add a hi-fi Instagram-filter tonality to your favorite music; instead, they act like a beautiful Leica lens. Old favorites simply sound better when played through these headphones, especially in DAC mode. Photograph: Parker Hall Plugging into your laptop via USB-C and using DAC mode essentially lets you use these headphones as their own digital audio decoder—better than Bluetooth, and in the vast majority of cases better than using your laptop or tablet's built-in 3.5-mm port, if the device even has one. By plugging straight into USB, you can enjoy full digital fidelity the likes of which you won't get wirelessly, and it makes these a real treat to take with you for wired listening on the go. Instead of having to bring a dedicated headphone amp like the Astell & Kern HC4 ($220), you can just bring these and a USB-C cable. The dongles I usually bring aren't large, but I'll take one less thing in my travel kit. I loved cueing up old favorites like The Commodores' 'Easy,' to hear the difference between DAC mode and wireless listening. It's particularly noticeable in the high end, where the hi-hats and cymbals just seem to shimmer a bit more when listening with the USB-C cable. That said, wireless playback is shockingly on par, which is telling to folks who continue to pooh-pooh any form of Bluetooth listening at the high end. I was able to deeply enjoy music both wired and wirelessly on the Bathys MG. As a do-it-all audio accessory, you can think of this pair as something like Bentley or Rolls-Royce class, rather than a Ferrari. Sure, they're not as sharp, shiny, or perfect as more premium wired models for true analog nerds (which Focal also makes), but this pair is the type that you really want to drive daily. They're comfortable, and they sound good enough that you can truly forget the mess that is the world around you for at least a song or two. Isn't that what money is for?
