If you can rig the electric supply, just put the handset and its charging unit inside a kitchen cabinet.

Looking for something myself. Let me know what you find!

Okmoreh - that's my plan B, but far less convenient. Also, units like shown above (what I have) take up a ridiculous amount of space.

The least horrifying option I've found:

Quality doesn't look great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Swissvoice Digital Cordless Telephone

Finding a decent looking wall-mounted phone is impossible these days. I was even willing to buy one that is corded, but everything out there is junk.

I think the swiss voice phone is inteded to be used as adjunct to your smartphone.

Not sure if it is still around but you might find the Orefon on eBay. It was made for a short time by Oregon Scientific. Bang & Olufson phones are sometimes on there too if you like that sort of thing.

I've seen the swiss phone referred to as a landline phone, so it should work?

Those two other phones are cool-looking, probably more futuristic than I'm looking for. Thanks for the recommendations Zeitgast.

I've been waffling among phones for so long the one I already have is almost retro!

Here is a link that might be useful: phone assortment

They still make landline phones? Why?

edb2n- I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking this. I haven't had a landline for 14 years. My parents really held on to there's for a long time thinking it was necessary but they finally, about 4 years ago got rid of it and reclaimed that monthly cost.

Unfortunately, some of us still live in the land of no cell reception.

And we just built a house with a metal roof and some metal siding. Good luck getting your phone to ring inside there! (But maybe that could be a good thing. Using your phone will be like smoking-- you'll have to go outside, and thus at least be more aware of mindlessly indulging...)

I have to have a landline so I can have internet. We don't make any calls with it because they charge us long distance for every prefix that isn't ours. There might be 200 people who use my prefix! I can't even call 800 numbers or my own cell number. I am looking for a wall phone for my kitchen that doesn't take up much room. Free incoming calls! $110.00 a month for medium speed internet.

Peke- \(`o')/ 110.00 just for internet?!?! Eek, that's pricey.

I don't have the greatest cell phone reception where I live, outside of town in the country, but thankfully I have cable internet that I pay 50 a month for.

Crosley is the brand that makes cool retro phones. Here's my favorite wall phone on Amazon, but they have desk phones, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crosley retro phone

Oh - sorry. I just noticed you specified cordless. Hmm.

How about this? Also, I found the cordless Pottery Barn one on ebay, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cool cordless phone

Cool circle phone, not quite the right look though.

Cell phones are expensive! My landline is cheaper, even with using a pay-as-you-go cell phone for convenience. I'm in a city in Canada. Also, my children don't have cell phones but I want it to be easy for them to make an emergency call. My older child is starting to be left alone for brief periods.

You are aware that a cordless phone won't work if the power goes out, right? (With kids at home, I'd probably still have a landline, and not a cordless one).

I'm interested in this thread, too. Our phone in the kitchen had become invisible to us until we began planning a remodel. Then we realized how ugly it looks jutting out of the wall. But the location is really convenient and I know it would be annoyingly impractical to hide it in a cabinet.

Much like the MW - homely, but needed and used often.

>You are aware that a cordless phone won't work if the power goes out, right?

Yes, but it's no big deal to keep an old corded phone in the closet for when that happens.

I agree with Feisty. Where I live cell reception is horrid,but even if it weren't landline+prepaid is still way cheaper. I pay about $50 a month for unlimited landline use and $100 a year for cellular.

I have 0 interest in getting rid of my landline. I tend to have phone conversations more than 10 minutes long, and I've never used a cell phone that I could use as comfortably for more than a couple of minutes. I can't tuck my cell phone under my chin so I can do laundry while I talk, for example.

>I have 0 interest in getting rid of my landline.

Likewise, but ATT is going to force me to do that if I move. At least in most places in FL, there's no option but the horrid U-verse when changing service now.

I have a panasonic cordless phone that works when the power goes out. I purchased it on Amazon. Panasonic KXTG7875S was the model number. Great phone all around.
Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Panasonic cordless phone with battery backup

"I have 0 interest in getting rid of my landline"

same with me!! my phone line is my internet line too. The 2 together = about 85.00 a month. LD is free.

I've been using an old phone from my sister - it has caller ID and large keys on it. I need both of those.

I had a cell once. one got stolen. then I got a trac phone. it's dead in a drawer... needs new sims card. I packed it somewhere... would only want it for emergency on the road. otherwise I have no use for one. I use the phone as little as possible. I seldom talk to anyone but my kids and a good friend or 2. that might be once or twice a month.

but I'll check out the sites listed cause I probably should be looking for a new phone. This one is probably 15 yrs or so old!

Wouldn't someone still need to be paying for LL svc in order to pull an old phone out of a closet during an emergency to use it?

anyone used the phone resource site? recommend it?

I found 2 on there I like - a RCA @ 58.00 a Uniden @ 48.00. Both have features I need and a few I should have.

- RCA amplified corded speakerphone
- Amplified handset volume
- Audio tone adjustment
- Amplified ringer
- Enhanced visual ring indicator
- Base speakerphone with volume control
- Call waiting caller ID
- Tilt screen display
- Large keypad
- 3 one-touch speed dial
- Hearing aid compatible

both can be wall hung. I probably won't but should - that'd keep my pup from disconnecting me... she doesn't like it when I'm on the phone and jumps around - often with her paw hitting the disconnect button.

Slightly OT: just another reason (for me) to keep the land line.

I live in a three story house - if we include the basement (where I keep kitty litter & laundry) it's four stories. Without a land line, I'd constantly be putting the phone down - on top of the washing machine in the basement, on the bathroom tub ring on the 3rd floor, in the second floor guestroom... and then forgetting where I left it.

And no way to call myself (I live alone) to find it. Not to mention just getting into bed (on the third floor) & hearing the phone ring, on its charger, on the first floor.

The post at 1:21 needs a can opener.

Phones and landlines can be two different issues nowadays as most likely know

When I still had the landline I purchased a 4- handset phone from Panasonic. Works just fine. There's the main phone with the base and 3 extensions for other rooms. That landline was a nightmare because Verizon doesn't want to maintain landlines. It would go out and when we lose power -- and need it -- it was just dead. It also was $40+ per month.

When I changed my cell provider, after we moved, I was able to cut the "landline" cost in half by switching the number to Verizon's at home cell service. Same phones. Better reception, no static ever and it doesn't go dead when the power goes out as it has a backup battery. $20/month. Fortunately, there was good coverage where we live -- pre-checking coverage is key. Ours was excellent. If it's marginal, don't.

Feisty, I live in Canada too (Ontario) and you're right about the cost of cell phones. We still have landline, and use pay as you go with President's Choice, at $100/year.

My parents have this phone on their wall. Not exactly retro, but it gets it off the table. They have the dial pad facing the wall, so the back of the phone faces outward.

I just got that Crosley phone that Julia42 posted. Ours is black. It's our kitchen wall phone and I love it. Reception is perfect, it's always there when it need it, and is super comfortable to talk on. I find cordless to be very uncomfortable, poor reception , and always "walking" off somewhere else. I also like the fun retro look it has. Sorry that doesn't answer your question, but I was on the hunt for what you are looking for and never found it.

This post was edited by beanpiele on Mon, Dec 1, 14 at 8:16

desertsteph, if your 15 year old phone still works you'd better keep it! I just hate having to replace any electronic. There are too many bells and whistles; especially bells and whistles I will never use.

Have you looked at cordless phones from VTech? Our last landline phone which we had for several years was VTech and were happy with the quality. They have several retro cordless options and slim, modern unassuming phones as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: One cool retro one

If you have lousy/no cell service in your homes, you can get mini cells from your cell company that give you cell service over your internet. Voice over IP. It really works - takes us from minimal signal inside our house to full service. Of course, it does require electricity and internet service - not so good during service outages...

Sorry, gladys, but I wish. Hereabouts VOIP over cable is just about impossible to understand through all the crackling, and VOIP over spotty ADSL is, well....

Here's one that isn't ugly, but it's not retro.

I use land line mostly and keep a non-powered phone handy in case of power outage. I have a cell phone but do not turn it on unless I am traveling. I do not use text at all and have no desire to. No one ever calls me any more anyway.

Publickman, that one isn't bad! I'll keep that in mind.

I've used Vtech phones before...they're OK. I'm not sure what to think about the Vtech Retro phone posted - the styling is an odd mix of modern and retro. I could see it working in some spaces but not mine.

Thanks for the input...I'm still looking.

Brookstone has a large selection of retro phones right now. Maybe someone can use one?

Here is a link that might be useful: Brookstone Retro Phones

Or buy the pottery Barn one off eBay

Here is a link that might be useful: eBay cordless

I'm here to second the recommendation of homepro01 for the Panasonic cordless phones. I've had the KX-TG6572R DECT 6.0 model for 3 years with 0 problems using VOIP thru Phone Power. No cool factor, just cheap, reliable and with a very small footprint. To me the retro phones look like clunkers. I would focus on reliable before looking at cool. My phone research 3 years ago showed most cordless phones had very poor track records.

A couple of people have mentioned keeping a landline in case of power loss. It depends on your phone company. Our last local phone company had no generator which meant loss of phone service every time they or us lost power. Check out that before making plans.

Regarding the Pottery Barn or other no name phones I would trust a company which actually makes it their business to design/manufacture phone and other technology rather than a company that makes pillows.

VOIP does not work for everyone. My DH works from home, and it's too expensive at this house and just didn't work at our last house.

IowaCommute, it's a phone not a heart valve. Honestly not trying to be rude, but I have had in the past 2 Pottery Barn phone for years and they worked great. Although I doubt very much that Pottery Barn made it, they probably just design the outside (or copy the design, ðÂÂÂ) and brand it and one of the phone companies make it.

ETA: you do bring up a good point about keeping the landline. We have a landline but it's through Verizon fios so it does have a limited battery life in case of power outage. It's something everyone should look into, what happens to your basic utilities in case of long term power outage.

This post was edited by kiko on Mon, Dec 1, 14 at 16:00

I really like this corded wall phone. I will always need an enterphone in this home (doorbell for our complex), and it's good to have a corded phone for emergencies as long as we maintain our land line. The Crosley wall phone is still an option as well.

I think I might hide my ugly Vtech cordless and call this issue resolved?

Here is a link that might be useful: Cortelco Single Line Wall Telephone