Phone Call

September 28, 2012 12:07 PM

This is the land-line phone I want. But I'd rather not pay $205. Does anyone know of an similar phone at a lower price? I want only four things from my phone: Phone calls, auto-dial, voice mail, and don't be ugly -- nothing more. But, the land-line phones that are typically available in the stores have too many features and, to my eye, are ugly. Someone must know of a basic, well-designed phone.
posted by partner to technology (7 answers total)

I just went to my local big box store and found one I liked. I usually throw them away and get a new one when the batteries die because it's cheaper that way.

Vitech makes a pretty good phone, not too ugly and decent features. When you say Voice Mail, do you want the phone to have an answering machine with it, or do you have Voice Mail through your local phone company?
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:15 PM on September 28, 2012

Vtech has this Retro phone that has a neat design.
posted by bluefly at 12:27 PM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

@Ruthless Bunny -- I mean I'd like the phone to have an answering machine.
posted by partner at 12:36 PM on September 28, 2012

I use the Uniden Dect 6.0 for the same purposes as what you're looking for, and Mrs. Digits purchased it at Target or Walmart for something like $20. It isn't the greatest design visually, and it does have a few other features, but they're easily ignored.

It's true that we've only had this particular model for maybe a month, so it could be that it'll develop cheap phone problems in the future, or something, but considering how cheap the technology is I should hope not.
posted by mr. digits at 2:00 PM on September 28, 2012

Having just peaked at the model on Google, I suspect she spent more like $35-$45, but whatever.
posted by mr. digits at 2:01 PM on September 28, 2012

[*ahem* read: "peeked"]
posted by mr. digits at 2:01 PM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

$79 on Ebay
posted by wongcorgi at 3:04 PM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]