Cordless phones: How to buy the best Dect cordless phone Cordless phone basic features

Cordless phone specifications often list a variety of different features. Which? explains what they mean and which you should look for in the best cordless phones.

Phonebook/caller memory

The cordless phones that Which? has tested allow you to store between 10 and 255 telephone numbers and assign names to them.

Caller display

Displays the name and number of the caller - if their details are stored in the phonebook.

Caller ID/CLI

CLI (calling line identification) is a generic term for the phone system that can identify the caller's number. Many phone providers charge for a caller ID service.

Call log/last number redial

The cordless phone remembers lists of the most recently dialled outgoing and incoming calls. 

Some only store outgoing calls, so check the cordless phone’s specification carefully if you want a log of incoming calls as well.

Call screening

You can decide whether to accept or reject a call, by listening to the message being left on the answering machine via the loudspeaker.

Call timer

An on-screen display of the duration of a call.

Call waiting

To use a call-waiting service - which alerts you during a call that someone else is trying to call you, you’ll need to subscribe to a provider that offers this service, and have a cordless phone that’s compatible.

Conference calls/internal calls/room monitor/baby monitor

Some cordless phones let you make ‘internal’ calls between handsets, or use multiple handsets to make conference calls. Others can be used as a baby monitor.

Mute (secrecy) button

A mute button is useful if you want to talk to someone else in the middle of a call without the person on the line being able to hear.

Page button

A page button allows you to send an alert to another handset, or use it to find a missing handset.

Visual ring indicator

A visual ring indicator provides a flashing light when an incoming call is received – ideal in a noisy environment where you might not hear the phone ring, or in a quiet environment where you don’t want to the phone to audibly ring.

Voice dialling

Lets you assign a voice ‘tag’ to a phone number and then automatically dial hands-free just by saying the tag phrase.

Check out Which? Best Buy cordless phones to find handsets with all the features you need.