Ten phones for seniors

Nokia 100

This is not explicitly a phone which is aimed at older folks but performs the function of “I just want a simple phone” very well. It relies on Nokia’s user interface from before it started to try clever things. It’s quite small for a senior phone, the screen is only 1.8in but it’s clear and uncluttered and numbers are well displayed.

The buttons are well separated and, if you buy it in red, there is good demarcation between the buttons and the body of the phone. A month’s standby time and 8hrs of talktime make it a good emergency phone. At under half the price of rival senior phones it’s the best bet for those on a budget.

Panasonic KX-TU 301

Panasonic is the only major manufacturer to sell senior phones in Europe, with the KX-TU301 being part of a small range of devices. It looks like a domestic cordless phone to put older users at their ease, but is substantially larger than Panasonic’s own cordless.

The OLED display is bright and crisp and it reads digits out loud when you dial. There is a well recessed but easy to press emergency button on the back and it has hearing aid support. The metal chassis gives it a good heft and makes it feel of a higher quality than most of the phones here.