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Simple Big Button Mobile Phones for the Elderly

Simple Big Button Mobile Phones for the Elderly

Big button mobile phones are a popular choice for older people who are looking for a simple phone that’s easy to use. For those who may be unfamiliar with touchscreens, or if dexterity or poor eyesight are problems then a large button mobile phone can be much easier to use.

Choosing the best mobile phone for your elderly relative will depend on what they need from it. Though most big button phones are pretty basic, certainly at the moment, there are still differences between them.

Read on below for our top picks of the best big button mobile phones for elderly people.

1. Doro 780X Big Button Mobile Phone

The Doro 780X is the definition of simple and is a great option for older people who really struggle with tech or who have dementia. There are really only 6 buttons that your elderly relative will have to work as the Doro 780X only lets you call one of three contacts.ย 

As well as big bright call and hang up buttons, the Doro 780X also features an emergency call button that, for a small additional monthly cost, contacts all three contacts with a GPS location.ย 

Doro 780X Mobile Phone with Big Buttons
Screen
4/5
Battery
3/5

Cameraย ย 

Easy to Use?
4.5/5
Price
2/5

Weight – 300g

2. TTFONE Mercury 2 TT200 Big Button Basic Senior Mobile Phone

The TTFONE Mercury 2 has very large keys and a simple, clear screen which make it easy to operate for older people who are not used to typing on mobile phones.

It is a basic phone with three main functions – making calls, an FM Radio and an MP3 player. A nice feature though is the dock charger, which makes charging much easier for an older person who struggles with wires.

TTFONE Mercury 2 TT20
Screen
4/5
Battery
3.5/5

Cameraย ย 

Easy to Use?
4/5
Price
4/5

Weight – 90g

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3. Alcatel 10.66 Big Button Mobile Phone

The Alcatel 10.66 is a brilliantly simple mobile phone, with large, well-spaced keys which are easy to use. It is compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry round in hand or in a pocket.ย 

It is also incredibly cheap and lightweight. The screen and battery life are sacrificed a little to accommodate this and you will have to buy a small (and cheap) micro SD to add memory to the phone.

Alcatel 10.66 Best big button mobile phone
Screen
2/5
Battery
1.5/5
Camera
2/5
Easy to Use?
3/5
Price
5/5

Weight – 40g

4. Nokia 130 Big Button Mobile Phone

The Nokia big button mobile (2017 edition) does the basics really well. A trusted brand with a sturdy build and a brilliant battery life, this phone is made for just phoning and texting – no internet here! It does have a camera on the back but it’s nothing to write home about.ย 

It is easy to use and will last for at least a couple of days without charge – perfect for the more forgetful elderly parents! The downsides are that the buttons aren’t as big and spaced out as others on this list, and the screen might be quite small for some.ย ย 

TTFONE Mercury 2 TT20
Screen
2/5
Battery
4/5
Camera
2/5
Easy to Use?
3/5
Price
4/5

Weight – 73g

5. Geemarc CL8500 Big Button Mobile Phone

The Geemarc CL8500 is a big-buttoned flip phone with an amplified speaker to make calling easy for seniors. It can reach up to 40dB with the volume boost key, making it a great phone for someone hard of hearing!

It has 3 โ€˜one touch memoryโ€™ buttons to make calling preferred contacts easier than ever. The name of an incoming caller will flash up on the back of the phone when someone calls, so that the receiver will know who is calling before having to answer.

geemarc mobile phone for elderly

This Geemarc clamshell phone also has a helpful charging dock, which makes it easy for an older person to keep their phone fully charged without fiddling about with wires.

Screen
3/5
Battery
2.5/5

Cameraย ย 

Easy to Use?
3/5
Price
2.5/5

Weight – 340g

Features to look for when buying mobile phones with large buttons for the elderly

Well apart from big buttons of course! With large button mobiles phones for the elderly often some of the features normally seen on modern phones are sacrificed in favour of usability. The idea is to make it as simple to use as possible by focussing on the following features:ย 

The layout of the buttons

For the more fumbly of finger, big buttons are one of the most important features in any new mobile phone. Not only should the actual area of each number be big but also the space between numbers - so that it is harder to accidentally press the wrong one.

Big, bright, clear screens

The best big button mobile phones have large, clear, bright screens that just show the most useful information. No more squinting or searching for glasses.

Loud ringtones

For the hard of hearing you should look for big button mobiles with either hearing aid connectivity or extra loud ringtones. There is very little point in buying a phone for your elderly relative if they never answer it because they can't hear it!

Simplicity is key

If the person you're buying for has never had a mobile phone before, or just doesn't need it to do anything but call and text there is no need to go out and buy the latest ยฃ1,000 smartphone. A simple mobile phone with big buttons should be more than adequate for them.