In 2006: boxer shorts. In 2007: socks. In 2008: underwear. Getting Father's Day gifts can become a monotonous exercise but fret no more as we bring you a guide to Father's Day gadgets.

Swiss Army pocket knife

The gift that every father shouldn't be without, the Swiss Army Knife is the original and best. With tools such as scissors, knife blade and removable tweezers, the Swiss Army Knife is the epitome of masculinity. A versatile tool for many occasions, there are many iterations, starting at R140.

XP3 Ultra Message Clock

The XP3 clock has a rather unique display that makes the time appear as if it were floating above the clock. This nifty clock also allows you to also programme messages into it. A great gift for the corporate dad who needs meeting reminders, this little gadget has quite a steep R499 price tag.

Bark Stop Dog Master

The neighbour's dog keeping your dad from having his Sunday afternoon nap? Then the Bark Stop might just be the perfect gift. Resembling a ray gun, the Bark Stop uses "a discomforting but not harmful high-frequency sound" to deter dogs and cats. Despite this, not everyone will approve of this device and the hefty R425 price tag may put others off.

Oregon handheld weather station

About the size of a cellphone, this handheld device is perfect for long hiking trips and camping. The weather station has a 24-hour forecast feature and a temperature and humidity display. The Oregon handheld weather station will cost you R499.

Sudoku handheld game

This gadget is ideal for the dad with a penchant for tackling puzzles. The Sudoku handheld electronic game fits into most pockets and features over 100 000 puzzles. It certainly beats having to wait a day to tackle the new puzzle in the newspaper. This device will set you back about R175.

Solar charger

So you're away from home, probably camping or travelling abroad, when your phone decides it's had enough and shuts down. But don't worry there are solutions that don't involve adaptors and converters, such as this nifty solar charger from webantics.co.za which weighs in at R385.

Breath alcohol tester

For the dad who loves to go out for drinks, this is a quirky yet practical gift. Powered by two AAA batteries, the tester features three warning levels, green for a blood alcohol level of less than 0.02 percent up to red for more than 0.05 percent. The breath alcohol tester sells for R153.

All-in-one Adventure Tool

Containing a compass, thermometer, FM radio, whistle and magnifying glass, among other useful features, the Adventure Tool is the ideal tool for the outdoorsy dad and it's compact too. Surprisingly enough, it only costs R170.

Braai fork with meat thermometer

A practical and cool gift for the braai-loving dad, this braai fork measures the temperature of the meat being grilled. If anything, it's bound to get people talking at the next braai.

R-rated swearing punch bag

A gift for the father with the stressful job, the little swearing punchbag comes in 13cm and 33cm sizes. Simply flick or hit the bag and it will utter a variety of swear-words, without you taking the blame. This is priced at R135.