Smartphones are great devices that can do a lot, but sometimes they’re just not the right tool for the job, nor the right choice for everyone. You or a relative of yours could instead be in the market for some burners, feature phones, or dumb phones as they are affectionately known. Feature flip phones may not be as popular anymore, but as long as there is demand for them, they will be there. And there will probably always be demand. Some people just need a base phone that lasts a long time on a single charge, can make calls and can be easily operated with gloves. And let’s not forget durability. For certain professionals, walking around with a glass-sandwich phone is a recipe for disaster. That makes standard flip phones a good choice, in particular. The clamshell design ensures that their displays, however small, remain intact even after an occasional drop. Also read:
Best feature phones, a summarized list:
Best Verizon Flip Phone
Talk time: 9.5 hours
Standby time: 18 days
Feature phones are often seen as the cheapest mobile phone you can get. But just because someone wants to buy a flip phone doesn’t mean they want something cheap and poorly made. The Kyocera Dura XV Extreme costs $240, which is a bit steep, but the phone has good justification for it.
As you might have guessed from the name, this is a rugged flip phone. Not only is it IP68 certified for dust and water resistance, but it also meets U.S. military standards for sustained shock, drops, vibration, and extreme weather conditions. In other words, it’s built like a tank. Even if you accidentally drop this phone in concrete before it sets, chances are it will still work after you loosen it with a jackhammer a few days later.
Best T-Mobile flip phone
Alcatel GO FLIP 4
Standby time: 18 days
With T-Mobile, the choice is easy, as the carrier only offers one dumb phone, and it’s the Alcatel GO FLIP 4. At $96, the GO FLIP 4 doesn’t offer any special durability features, but it does support Google Assistant, which you can use in any case. case you can use. case can save some time when typing in a long Google search. The phone also has a web browser, on the 2.8-inch 320×240 screen.
Overall, the GO FLIP 4 is the epitome of a basic phone. You open it, call, fold it back and for everything else you use your smartphone.
Best AT&T flip phone
Sonim XP3
Talk time: 21 hours
Standby time: 17.8 days
AT&T also has a rugged flip phone on its list, though the fact that it’s occasionally out of stock isn’t a reassuring sign that it’ll be around for long. In any case, it is the Sonim XP3. Probably not a brand you’ve ever heard of, but the Sonim offers the same protection against damage as the Dura XV, while costing just $190. It comes with 1 GB of RAM, which is a lot for a feature phone, and 8 GB of storage. You can also use it as a super-durable 4G hotspot, which can be quite useful in some situations.
Best Unlocked Feature Phones
But maybe you want to link your basic phone to a cheap subscription from some MNVO providers or just leave a SIM card lying around unused. Well, an unlocked phone is the way to go. Below we have two of the best unlocked base phones to choose from in 2022:
Standby time: 31 days
We can’t have a compilation of the best basic phones without this revisited classic. Of course, this isn’t the original “indestructible” Nokia 3310 you’ve seen in hundreds of memes, but the modern equivalent. However, the design is close enough to the original and some even call it cute. This Nokia 3310 is probably the only dumb phone that people today will be happy to see if you take it out of your pocket.
If you don’t care about IP ratings and military standards, but like to blow people up with nostalgia, the Nokia 3310 isn’t wrong.
Plums Aries 9
Talk time: 24 hours
Standby time: 37 days
The only reason you wouldn’t get the Nokia 3310 if you don’t want a flip phone is that you need robustness. So here it is, the Plum Ram 9. IP68 rated and military grade shock resistance, all in a cool looking case. It also has the best battery life of all the phones on this list. If you’re about to trek the Appalachian Trail, you better have one of these bad guys with you. But even if you don’t plan on spending weeks outside of civilization, this is a great backup phone to have, and one of the best unlocked base phones you can get right now.
A great basic phone for everyone
These are the best unlocked phones and cell phones you can get in 2022. Whether you’re looking for the best feature phone for seniors, or are a hard worker who needs a durable phone you can rely on, any of the above should be more than enough.
Alternatively, if you just want to avoid smartphones, or need a great dumb phone as a backup phone, hopefully you’ve found one that you liked. But if you want to continue your search for the perfect phone for your needs, you may also find helpful: