Modern technology has made life become so much convenient. For example, there are the advancements of the automobile, computer, as well as telephone. This development is a blase as it shows that human is going forwards and the way to communicate and travel have become much easier. However, sometimes we tend to miss the memories from the past. Some old things are almost extinct which is the reason that those rare items are preserved and conserved in the museum for the next generation to see. Have you noticed that rotary phones are also gone out of sight? Just then, everyone realizes that it is true that we no longer use or keep the shadow of rotary phones or retro phones anymore.
In case you are looking for one to keep or to decorate some home or store decor, here is a place you can rely on. This review is going to show you the top 10 best rotary phones that totally catch your eyes and attention. All of them are not only for decoration, but some actually can still be used to communicate.
Table of Contents
- List of Our Best Top 10 Rotary Phones Reviews
- 10. Hewnda Creative Retro Rotary Dialing Telephone (Antique Rotary Phone)
- 9. Crosley Kettle Classic Desk Phone
- 8. IRISVO Rotary Dial Telephone Retro Old Fashioned Landline Phones
- 7. XICHEN Resin imitation copper Vintage STYLE ROTARY PHONE
- 6. ECVISION Vintage 1960’s Rotary Phones Dial Home Telephone
- 5. Wild and Wolf Rotary Design Landline Phone
- 4. Design Toscano Antique Phone
- 3. TelPal Bronze Retro Vintage Antique Style Rotary Phone
- 2. Sangyn 1960’s Style Rotary Phones Dial Vintage Corded Telephone
- 1. OPIS 1921 antique style telephone
- Buying Guide to Choosing the Right Rotary Phones
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Video Tip:
- Some Final Words
List of Our Best Top 10 Rotary Phones Reviews
10. Hewnda Creative Retro Rotary Dialing Telephone (Antique Rotary Phone)
This Rotary phone from Hewnda is a work of art. It is not a functioning rotary phone. However, it comes with a realistic look that is suitable to showcase on every countertop. In addition, the phone gives out a sense of communication in the 20th century which features old European Resin style with the blend of black, brown, and bronze colors.
Measuring approx. 9 x 8.5 x 5 inches, this retro art piece can fit on most shelves or small tables. Plus, it will contribute to an antique look to your home or business.
What We Like:
- Premium resin construction
- Vintage design
- Features retro nostalgia style
What We Don’t Like:
- The phone comes in a bit too long in size
9. Crosley Kettle Classic Desk Phone
This is a functioning phone that has the classic rotary phone look. Nevertheless, the makers have replaced the old rotary phone style dialing with push-button to ensure ease of usage. Also, there is a re-dial button for you to re-dial in case the person you are calling is not home. Furthermore, the phone comes with volume control which you can customize the level of sound for both hearing and ringtone.
Most importantly, you also get an on and off switch which makes it easy for you to use when you want to keep your privacy from the person on the other line. Meanwhile, there are also tone and pulse option to let you stay current with electronic needs.
What We Like:
- Push-button dialing making it easy for calling
- Comes with a re-dial button
- Features a volume control for both in-call and ringtone
- Has Nostalgia style
What We Don’t Like:
- Weighs about 3 pounds which is quite heavy
8. IRISVO Rotary Dial Telephone Retro Old Fashioned Landline Phones
You can now make a real call with this retro style desk telephone from the 1900s. Coming with sleek black and blended together with bronze dialing button, it seems like you are back to using a phone from the past. In addition, it features hand-free dialing technology which makes it easy for users to recall the person on the other line. As for this, you do not need to bother clicking recall again and again at all.
Besides its retro look, it also provides retro sound to the included ringtones as well. Users can enjoy hearing the sweet traditional chime of Mechanical once you receive the call. The phone is about 7.5 x 5.5 x 6.7 inches in size and weighs almost 3 pounds. What is more, the phone requires no external power supply and battery at all. It goes perfectly and directly with the telephone line.
What We Like:
- Sturdy build & classic look
- Hand-free dialing function
- Sweet and retro ringtone of Mechanical
What We Don’t Like:
- Comes with 1 ringtone only
7. XICHEN Resin imitation copper Vintage STYLE ROTARY PHONE
XICHEN Resin phone comes with an imitation copper build that is perfect for every setting’s decor. That is to say, it is plastic made, but it has metallic paint to look like a real one. It may look like this, but it is usable. Exquisite workmanship makes it look durable and sturdy. Additionally, the phone comes with a built-in speaker which makes it easy for users to hear the other line speaking. Plus, there is an included ringtone which sounds very nostalgic.
XICHEN Resin Rotary Phone is very easy to connect to the landline which takes you quite a bit of time. Weighing about 3 pounds, we think it is a bit heavy. If you are a person who likes something extremely vintage and with a complex design like this, it should be your choice. On the other hand, if you prefer something simple, we highly recommend you to look at the next product instead.
What We Like:
- Realistic Look
- Features built-in speaker
- Comes with a retro ringtone
What We Don’t Like:
- It is plastic made, yet it has metallic paint
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6. ECVISION Vintage 1960’s Rotary Phones Dial Home Telephone
If you watch old movies and television shows from America, this is the phone you will see most often. It is traditional, stylish and durable. They do not make phones like this anymore. More interestingly, the volume control system of this phone allows you to adjust the level of the mechanical bell sound. Coming with no radiation, it should be a peace of mind to use it. Also, the phone has a rotary dial and redial button that brings back the feeling of old time.
The product also has a built-in speaker that offers clear hearing and ringtone. Simple to connect, all you need to do is to plug it into the standard landline outlet in your home. If you are a person who likes to own a simple thing, this is definitely for you.
What We Liked:
- Just about everything this phone offers.
What We Don’t Like:
- None
5. Wild and Wolf Rotary Design Landline Phone
Something eye-catching is here now. If you like something bright and simple, we would like to recommend you to this one. You will find this phone in the dark which is a bright yellow color. Moreover, push-button technology makes dialing faster and easier. Then, you get a redial feature just in case you need to call the same number all over again.
Its mechanical ringer sounds like a bell and will let you know when you have a caller. To make it more convenient, the phone can be plugged simply into standard landline outlets. The phone comes from Wild Wolf collection which is also best selling on the market these days. If you own a colorful store, coffee shop, or home, this is highly recommended.
What We Like:
- Original ringer & push-button technology
- Bright color style
- Comes from Wild Wolf collection
- Has a redial feature making it easy for recalling
- Simple plug it connection
What We Don’t Like:
- A bit heavy
- A bit too small
4. Design Toscano Antique Phone
Emperors had good and extravagant tastes back in the 20th century. They also had the money to purchase such luxurious phones. If you are interested in something like this one, you should not miss this rotary phone from Design Toscano. This product features a Baroque styling which is perfect for big villa decoration. On top of that, it also presents a push button which is a technology to simplify the usage. Now, you can press every number as you like.
Inspired by real emperor phones, this one has modern touches. One of them is a redial feature. As already known, these features make it convenient as you do not need to press on call again and again if the other side does not pick up. Next, it is about the volume control which you can set the right one for on-call volume and ringtone volume. Similarly to the rest, it also uses modern landline outlets for its connection. Thus, there is nothing to worry about.
What We Like:
- The antique brass styling
- Features volume control
- Has a redial feature
What We Don’t Like:
- It is so heavy weighing 5 pounds in weight
3. TelPal Bronze Retro Vintage Antique Style Rotary Phone
Have you ever seen a fancy and look-expensive phone in ancient drama? Only those rich people own it or it can be seen in the palace and stuff. Now, you can also own a retro phone like that too. If you really like an old-style, should you try to look at this? The phone comes with antique style and real bronze construction. For this reason, the product can be a bit heavy, yet really durable.
This is an analog phone that can actually work, and not only for decoration. Like the previous product, it also comes with redial technology to make recalling easy.
What We Like:
- Durability
- Antique Design
What We Don’t Like:
- Too heavy
- A bit too much of style
2. Sangyn 1960’s Style Rotary Phones Dial Vintage Corded Telephone
These old rotary phones fill in the gap when your cell phone is busy recharging for hours. You will not miss a call when you have one of these units in your home. The bright blue color means it will not be invisible or hard to find. Plus, the phone requires no power banks, no batteries, and offers no radiation at all.
What is more, its simple old-fashioned is ideal to place in the office, coffee shop, and any store that features retro interior. The product is highly constructed from ABS materials which are very long-lasting.
What We Like:
- No batteries, no radiation, no misplacing it
- Bright blue color construction
- Made of ABS materials promoting durability
- Features anti-skid bottom
What We Don’t Like:
- None
1. OPIS 1921 antique style telephone
This rotary phone might be a bit weird to people in our generation due to its look and styling. However, it was a very worthy item that should be treasured. Further to this, this is real wood with brass highlights construction. This old rotary phone will support modern dial tones and work with real landlines. Because of its ringer, this will notify you to know when you receive a call.
The product has a built-in speaker which does not require you to place it to your ears at all. All you need to do is to speak to its mic system and hear back through the speaker. Also, the cloth cables are a real blast from the past as well.
What We Like:
- The overall design of real wood and brass highlights
- Ringer system
- Built-in speaker
- Simple landline connection
What We Don’t Like:
- Can be a bit strange to some specific people
Buying Guide to Choosing the Right Rotary Phones
Rotary phones are becoming more popular since people have started to like the decoration of the retro style. In this generation, the world wants to bring back the old-time while also advancing modern technology. Most of coffee shop, office, or even phone just pick up the idea of displaying a rotary phone at their sitting. No matter what your purpose of it is, you should have a glance at these tips first before making a purchase on any certain product.
Type of rotary phone
Smartphone plugin
A lot of the new rotary phones hooks up to your normal smartphone through its USB. In case you want to reduce the time you spend on your smartphone, this is very useful. This type requires a simple plugin. Just simply plug your rotary phone into your smartphone, and you can receive a phone call through the rotary phone too. What is more, it works as expected meaning that you lift the phone handle to answer and hang up by putting the phone handle down.
Classic rotary
Another type of a rotary phone is, of course, the classic version that connects to your landline. These are great for people who do not want smartphones or for another reason do not own one. They work just as they used to work in the time before smartphones were invented. And, they are very easy to manage. You will need a subscription to a landline service for the phone to work. Furthermore, you can usually get nationwide calling with different charging prices.
Artificial Rotary
By the name suggests, this is actually a functional phone. The need for this one is mainly for decoration only. The artificial rotary phone can be very small in size, and lightweight. Yet, it can be very attractive in construction as well as its coloring. If you do not tend to use it for calling, and just want to own one to complete your decor, you can just go for this. Most importantly, it is very affordable.
Designs
Like modern smartphones, rotary phones also come with different designs and styling. Those include old-french design, antique, simply vintage, classic retro, candlestick style, and a lot more. This may require you to think a bit of the interior so that you can choose a suitable product.
Materials
The next thing you might want to think about is the used materials. Generally, the rotary phone can be made of metal, copper, wood, or plastic. While plastic can be modern and lightweight, it might not be as durable as the ones made of metal or copper at all. Still, the metallic construction can be very heavy to hold. On the other hand, the wooden one is very elegant and can also be heavyweight depending on the types of wood the manufacturer uses to construct.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a rotary phone?
A: A rotary phone or rotary dial is a phone that features a retro style and vintage look. It comes with the design of the 20th century.
Q: How does a rotary phone work?
A: By the term rotary, this means users need to rotate the corresponding hole to dial the number. Usually, it needs to be rotated based on a clockwise direction. Once the users have enough digits, they can start dialing by clicking on the dial button.
Q: Can you still make calls on the rotary phone?
A: The answer is yes. Rotary phones can still allow users to make calls. There are a few types of the rotary phone including a smartphone plugin, rotary connected to a landline, and an artificial one which is only for decoration.
Conclusion
All in all, having a good memory brought back on the table, desk, or shelves can be a good thing. You might want to still keep ancient things to let your kids, and grandchildren to see and know what they are for. Whether you want to get them for dialing or receiving calls, or perhaps just for decoration, you can find a good quality product through the list above.
Video Tip:
How to use a rotary phone
History of the rotary phone and when was the rotary phone invented
Some Final Words
The past top 10 best rotary phone in 2023 may not have the convenience of the modern cell phone. But it had better durability, class, looks, and function. Plus, they did not have any health scares, batteries to lose or recharging time. They worked all the time and looked good doing it.