Gifts for plumbers land best between $30 and $100: a funny plumber tee ($34.95–$39.95), gear that saves his knees, and absolutely nothing shaped like a novelty plunger. Plumbers hear the same three jokes at every barbecue — the trick is a gift that's actually funny, not the gag he's endured since his apprenticeship.
1. A plumber tee (the crack, immortalised)
Our plumber tees are $34.95–$39.95 on heavyweight 220gsm AS Colour cotton, printed to order in Melbourne. The lineup: Master of My Trade — And the Plumber's Crack, a wombat under the sink with the trade's signature feature on display; I Fixed It — Now It's Worse for the honest history of every callback; and Quick Job — Back Tomorrow for the biggest lie on any quote.
2. Save his knees, win the year
Quality knee pads are the unsung hero gift of the wet trades — used daily, never self-bought until the damage is done. Round it out with gloves by the multipack and thread tape in embarrassing quantities. $30–$50 of the stuff he actually kneels on and reaches for.
What not to buy
Novelty plungers, anything with a poo emoji (he's seen it, he's over it), drain gadgets from late-night ads, and toolbox additions — the toolbox is a curated museum and you don't have accession rights.
FAQ
How much should I spend on a plumber gift?
$30–$100 does it properly. A tee stands alone at $34.95–$39.95; add knee pads and consumables and you're at a genuinely useful $90 without guessing at tools. Kitting out the whole crew — buy 3 tees and save $10, 4 and save $15, automatic at checkout.
What size tee?
Size up if you're guessing — plumbing means crawling, reaching and layering, and because every tee is printed to order, change-of-mind returns including wrong sizes aren't covered. Thirty seconds on the size chart beats a wardrobe donation.
Christmas cutoff?
First week of December. Printed to order in Melbourne, standard delivery 8–15 business days door to door, and the December queue stretches it. Express at checkout if you've left it to the last minute — he'd understand, he quotes the same way.
Trade unknown or mixed crew? Start with the general tradie guide or browse everything in Tradie Tees & Smoko Gear.