Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Blender, available at Williams Sonoma, $549.95
Dad deserves the best of the best, so if a blender's what he needs, and if you're lucky enough to have the budget, get him a Vitamix. This workhorse of a blender makes smoothies, hot soups, dips, spreads, and even frozen desserts. It's the perfect vehicle for making easy, healthy meals and even better, it's a breeze to clean.
Find a sightly older version on Amazon here for $350