The Best Dumb Phones (for Getting Back in Touch With Reality)

Listen, pal. If you’re alive in 2024 (whoa), you’re likely aware that we’re all just too damn plugged in. I’m no Luddite—I love testing new espresso machines, blasting movies from my powerful sound bar setup, and cooking delicious pizzas in my electric pizza oven, but that’s due, in part, to the fact that those things are very different from the demonic, rectangular NSA spy tool that lives within two feet of my body 24/7. I’m not going to sit here and try to convince you that you use your phone too much—that’s up to you to decide. (And if you’re unsure, I recommend reading this recent VICE article about a woman who got digital dementia from using too much tech, as well as Jordan Castro’s The Novelist and Adam Alter’s Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked, and see how you feel about your life afterward.) 

I wasn’t always a big phone guy myself, but after building a career as a food writer, it started to seem Very Important to document everything I ate on Instagr*m and to rely on the ‘net to make reservations and read everyone’s thinkpieces about The Bear. The more I was on my phone for “work,” the more I would surf Reddit and refresh websites that I didn’t even enjoy in the first place. And for all but the most iron-willed among us, abandoning the smartphone, whether it’s periodically or permanently, may seem like a good option. 

Enter the “dumb phone,” aka a basic cell phone that lacks much of the browsing, social media, notifications, and “smart” features that keep us transfixed on the tiny computers in our pockets. Some people are reassigning their numbers to old Nokia or Motorola models from the early aughts, but there are now many brands that specifically make dumb phones for those looking to remain connected to the basics (calls, texts) but abandon the extraneous. It might seem counterintuitive that in order to avoid the tech of the present we have to invent other new products to use (or just revert to hella old ones), but that’s modern life, baby! The good thing about it is that, at the end of the day, each of us gets to decide how connected we want to be.

Picking a good dumb phone is actually easy, since you’re likely not looking for a ton of features—you just have to be real about what your priorities are. If you want a phone that includes a GPS program and hotspot capabilities for working remotely, there are ones that check those boxes. If you want a phone that can stream YouTube vids or allow you to periodically check Facebook, you can find one to achieve those ends, too. Meanwhile, if you’re thinking Bro, I need tech that absolutely cannot handle the TikTok app, but that still has a pretty good camera, you’re also in luck. Here are some of the best dumb phones out there right now.

Light Phone

The Light Phone is one of the higher-profile dumb phones out there—likely due to its design, as it’s very attractive. It’s small and sleek, and uses an electronic paper screen, not unlike an e-reader. The screen is only black and white, and it has extremely basic features, including a music and podcast player, a calendar, an alarm, and a calculator. It does have a full screen for texting, which is a rarity among dumb phones, so that’s a huge plus if you love chatting with the gang. This one, like, is really minimalist, bruh: You can’t check email or social media (or anything online for that matter), and basically none of your fave apps will work here. That’s sort of the goal, though, right? It’s compatible with major networks such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, as well as several smaller providers.

Punkt

If your goal is having people say, “Wow, cool—what is that?” every time you take your phone out, the Punkt will certainly deliver. Designed by lauded English product and furniture designer Jasper Morrison, it has a really neat minimalist-modern shape with an angled back that makes it especially ergonomic. It does have Bluetooth, as well as a couple other basic features, like an alarm, timer, calendar, and calculator, but it’s otherwise meant to be used pretty much just as a phone and texting device. Oh, and its ringtones are designed by Kjetil Røst Nilsen, a Norwegian sound artist, so there’s another way to keep wowing your pals.

Nokia 6300

Trying to return spiritually to the good old days of Tony Hawk: Pro Skater marathons, hearing Matchbox 20s tracks 15 times a day, and excessive Taco Bell consumption? This Nokia phone probably looks most similar to the device  you had in the Before Times, aka high school in the early 2000s. Despite its retro look, the 6300 is actually one of the most modern of the dumb phones, as it has Facebook and WhatsApp access, YouTube, hotspot capability, FM radio (if you’re craving some Nelly), and a maps feature. Still, you’re not going to get stuck scrolling for hours on TikTok or Instagram, making it a great choice for bridging the “smart” and the “dumb.”

Nokia 2780 Flip

Trying to take some pics of your new NBA Jam high score (under the name ASS, obviously)? The Nokia 2780 flip phone (YES) actually has one of the better cameras for both photos and video at five megapixels (many phone cameras are only two) so if you spot an incredible vanity plate, you’ll still be able to snap it. This bad boy is also fairly souped up compared to its peers—it has music and is very app-friendly, with capabilities for internet, YouTube, maps, and more. Still, you’re here for what it doesn’t do, and since it’s a flip phone, you’ll have to reacclimate to T9 texting and a small screen.

TCL Flip 2

This TCL dumbphone is the nuclear option. It’s the “changing my name and going into witness protection” option. And that’s not a bad thing. If you truly want to abandon your contract and current phone, cop this tech and sign up for prepaid Tracfone coverage. You can buy as much prepaid time as you want, so the phone will be as economical as you need it to be (but, let’s be real, you probably won’t be using it enough to necessitate an expensive plan). This one does have access to Bluetooth, email, a browser, and all the assumed regular functions, like a calculator, calendar, and notes. It also has a camera. Oh, and the kicker: This phone is just $20. That’s less than I spent on dinner yesterday.

Call your parents! They miss you!

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.