From Nokia to the Barbie phone - can these dumbphones help you spend less time on your phone?. Copy link. twitter. facebook. whatsapp. “Bricks, dumb phones or feature phones are seeing a revival,” says Rob Maule, consumer expert at Currys – one of the leading sellers of phones, smart and otherwise. “As a whole, sales of these back-to-basic phones are up 13 per cent year-on-year, with the retro Nokia 2660 and Nokia 105 up 50 per cent and 49 per cent year-on-year respectively.”.
If you’re considering buying a dumbphone, I’ve tested out eight of the best below. And full disclosure: I am a millennial, whose first phones resembled the kinds of devices on offer here. If you came of age after the iPhone came out – or indeed before the original Nokia 3310 took hold – then these slightly user-unfriendly phones might be a bit of a chore to use. If you need help choosing, here’s a brief look at my top five:.
The word “dumbphone” sounds pejorative but really serves to distinguish these products – more flatteringly referred to as brick phones, feature phones or flip phones – from modern-day smartphones, which these days are large, powerful and complex devices. Basic mobile phones are the antithesis of smartphones, instead offering the core mobile phone functions of calls and text messages, which for many users is ample “connectivity” to be getting along with.
Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product at the best price. No manufacturer ever sees copy before publication and we do not accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. Primarily, I have been assessing these phones for ease of use. I’ve noted how many clicks it takes to access core features like phone calls and texts, and assessed how difficult the menus and settings are to navigate. I assessed call quality and volume. I also checked how legible each screen was in a variety of lighting conditions – outdoors in the daylight, indoors under electric light and in the dark.
Each phone is a different shape, so I tested how bulky they were to carry in the pocket of jeans and blazers. And while each handset pretty much does the same thing, I did take into account the other apps available on even the most basic phones, like a basic calculator, a calendar function or games. I’ll also admit that most of the time, I kept my smartphone on me as well – there are some parts of my daily life that require apps. But all duties that could be undertaken by dumbphone, were.
£59.99, HMD. Best dumbphone overall, 8/10. We like: simple retro design. We don’t like: cheaper dumbphones are available. If you just want a basic mobile phone that will make calls and send texts, the Nokia 3210 will be difficult to beat. It contains all the functionality you need to stay in touch with people or to call for help in an emergency, plus a few extras – in a svelte frame that fits neatly into your pocket. Weighing in at under 90g, it’s a cleverly designed machine, and while it lacks most modern smartphone features, it’s still an impressively compact device.
Its useful functions include a timer, an array of calculators and conversion apps and a basic FM radio that will play over very tinny speakers or through headphones attached by a 3.5mm jack – which will double up as an aerial to improve signal. It also has a torch, which is about bright enough to find your front door key, or in a pinch on the walk home from the pub, and two SIM slots. Despite this being a dumbphone, there is a very basic browser, albeit one so slow that you’d never want to use it for anything important. I was able to access the headlines on a news website but I can’t imagine ever surfing the web with this device. Similarly, Nokia might as well have omitted the half-dozen low-quality games that ship in “demo” form with the 3210 – known as bloatware – which you can only play them a couple of times before you have to buy them.
Call quality is good, and it’s easy to find essential functions like text messaging. The camera is extremely basic but will capture adequate pictures. There is a simple Facebook web app but if you want to stay in touch via social media, you should really get a smartphone. Overall, the well-designed 3210 resembles its 1998 namesake and does pretty much the same job. Best value dumbphone, 7/10. We like: chunky buttons.
We don’t like: rubbish camera. Buyers who just want a cheap dumbphone would be hard pressed to find a better option than the 2660 Flip. It has most of the same features as the more expensive 3210, plus the added benefit of a flip phone design. On the back is a simple display that lets you know the time and whether you have any notifications, and inside are some large, squishy keys. Call quality is good and texting is straightforward, although I personally like slightly more rigid keys for drafting long messages. The menu layout is fairly easy to navigate, and while there are some “bloatware” games, most are concealed in their own folder. Crucially, the message alert and ring tone are both loud – and you can choose from a generous handful of extremely Nineties options for both.
