Cordless phone on a table

Cordless Phones Buying Guide

Cordless phones are adapting to a world increasingly crowded with wireless and Internet-based devices. New phones can happily coexist with home networks or let you place calls over your cell phone service or the Internet. Some can even switch from regular landline service to Internet phone service to help you save on long-distance charges.
Cordless phone selector (beta)
Sort our Ratings based on features, brands and other factors.

Brands

 
AT&T  |  GE  |  Panasonic  |  Philips  |  Radio Shack  |  Uniden  |  VTech

AT&T

This well-known cordless phone brand is actually owned by VTech. It offers a wide range of phones, with and without answering machines, for consumers and small business. Form factors include single- and multi-handset models, cordless-corded combos, and multi-line phones. AT&T still offers stand-alone corded phones. The company has made a serious effort to go green with its packaging.
 

GE

Thomson uses the GE brand name for consumer electronics in the U.S. and Canada. Its products include a diverse collection of models with and without answering machines. Among its single- and multi-handset models and cordless-corded combos are phones with built-in networking for making calls over the Internet and Bluetooth technology for linking to your cell phone service. Some phones can tap into Internet data services for news, weather, etc. GE also offers phones for the hearing impaired, and corded models with large buttons for easier dialing. One of its interesting products integrates a phone with a digital picture frame.
 

Panasonic

The company has long-focused on mid-to-higher priced models in every form factor. Some trademark conveniences found on Panasonic phones include Talking Caller ID, Talking Alarm Clock, and Talking Battery Alert. Some models have Bluetooth technology for linking to your cell phone service or built-in networking for making calls over the Internet. Some models claim to be drop- and splash-resistant, while others have amplified earpieces for the hearing impaired. Panasonic also offers phones with “bone conduction technology” that claims to clarify conversations for people with conductive hearing loss. The technology might also be helpful in noisy environments.
 

Philips

Part of Philips Consumer Electronics, this cordless phone brand is a relative newcomer to the U.S. cordless market that focuses on high-priced models that use DECT 6.0 technology. Some of its models also have built-in networking  for making calls over the Internet.
 

Radio Shack

This well-known brand offers a small selection of phones, made by several manufacturers, which are sold exclusively through its stores.
 

Uniden

This market leader in the entry-to-mid-priced category boasts a wide-range of phones for consumers and business. Its specialized offerings include rugged and waterproof handsets, as well as phones for the visually and hearing impaired. Some of its phones have built-in networking for making calls over the Internet.
 

VTech

This market leader boasts a wide-range of phones for consumers that emphasize technological innovation. It was one of the first companies to introduce the 900 MHz cordless phone in 1991, and one of the first to introduce 5.8 GHz cordless phones in 2002. Its current offerings include a large selection of DECT 6.0 phones. VTech's Lifestyle series of phones include changeable back plates, Bluetooth connections to your cell phone, high-resolution screens, and recordable ring tones. The company also offers a cordless phone with instant-messaging capability. Like its other brand, AT&T, VTech has made serious efforts to go green with its packaging.
 
Next in this section: Shopping tips