Cordless phone reviews: Features explained
All the models we've tested can use several handsets from the same base station and can be used like an internal intercom system. Most can be used ‘hands-free’ via a speakerphone built into the base.
The basics
Range
Most cordless phones claim to work over a distance of about 300 metres outdoors (without obstacles) and 50 metres indoors. There are some models that will work over greater distances than this.
Some home phones have speed dial
Speed dial
Assign all your most commonly used telephone numbers to a button on your phone.
Phonebook
The phones we tested allow you to store between 10 and 255 different telephone numbers and assign them to different names for easy retrieval.
Screens
Screens range from those with a basic monochrome display to ones with colourful mobile-style menu systems.
Names and numbers can be difficult to make out with seven-segment displays (like an old calculator). Fourteen-segment displays are clearer, but matrix characters are the best.
Cordless phone with a Sim-card reader
Advanced functions
Sim-card reader
Pop the Sim card from your mobile phone into the reader and you can transfer all your stored numbers directly over to your cordless phone.
SMS messaging
Further bridging the gap between mobile and cordless telephones, several of the models on test allow you to send text messages.
Voip
Voip stands for voice-over-internet protocol. Put simply, your voice is carried over a broadband internet connection, which is much cheaper than a traditional phone line. If you call like-minded Voip enabled family and friends dotted around the globe, it's a fantastic money-saving option.
You may have to pay a fee to set up your Voip service to receive calls but calling other people using the same service is usually free.
Fees are often charged on calls to traditional landlines but it’s still cheaper because the type of connection is much more cost-effective. Some cordless phones are Voip enabled and can work with either a traditional phone line or over the internet.
For more information see our guide to making phone calls over the internet.