We’ve come a long way since the single-line rotary phone
The latest office phones carry features that were unthinkable only a decade ago. Modern handsets and even some cordless handsets sport state-of-the-art call management as standard. And higher-end models offer HD audio, video calling, CRM software integration, and more.
We compared entry-level, mid-level and high-end office phones from over 25 suppliers, rating them out of five stars for functionality, reliability and customer support.
We whittled that list down to the best five handsets in each price range.
Read on for our top picks, or request quotes from top office phone suppliers.
On This Page:
Entry Level ($0 – $150)
- Best for small business: Polycom VVX 300
- Best for build quality: Avaya 1616i
- Best for reception desks: Cisco SPA514G
- Best for style: Snom D712
- Best budget buy: Grandstream GXP 1630
Mid Level ($151 – $300)
- Best for conference calls: Polycom SoundStation IP 5000
- Best for multitasking: Yealink T46S
- Best for video calls: Samsung i3105
- Best for medium-sized business: Cisco 7841
- Best for call management: Mitel Aastra 6757i
High End ($300+)
- Best for executives: Mitel MiVoice 5360
- Best for call quality: Cisco 7975G
- Best for contact centers: Avaya 9641GS
- Best for large business: Alcatel-Lucent 8078s BT
- Best for plug-and-play functionality: Panasonic KX-UT670
The Top 15 Office Phone Systems
The top five entry level office phones are the Polycom VVX 300, Avaya 1616i, Cisco SPA514G, Snom D712 and Grandstream GXP 1630.
The top five mid level office phones are Polycom SoundStation IP 5000, Yealink T46S, Samsung i3105, Cisco 7841 and Mitel Aastra 6757i.
The top five high end office phones are Mitel MiVoice 5360, Cisco 7975G, Avaya 9641GS, Alcatel-Lucent 8068s BT and Panasonic KX-UT670.
| Polycom VVX 300 | Entry Level | Best for small business | |
| Avaya 1616i | Entry Level | Best for build quality | |
| Cisco SPA514G | Entry Level | Best for reception desks | |
| Snom D712 | Entry Level | Best for style | |
| Grandstream GXP 1630 | Entry Level | Best budget buy | |
| Polycom IP 5000 | Mid Level | Best for conference calls | |
| Yealink T46S | Mid Level | Best for multitasking | |
| Samsung i3105 | Mid Level | Best for video calls | |
| Cisco 7841 | Mid Level | Best for medium-sized business | |
| Mitel Aastra 6757i | Mid Level | Best for call management | |
| Mitel MiVoice 5360 | High End | Best for executives | |
| Cisco 7975G | High End | Best for call quality | |
| Avaya 9641GS | High End | Best for contact centers | |
| Alcatel-Lucent 8068s BT | High End | Best for large business | |
| Panasonic KX-UT670 | High End | Best plug-and-play functionality |
Many of these phone suppliers cover large areas of the country. But if you only need to make local or regional calls, there might be a better deal waiting for you with a smaller supplier.
Luckily, we’re here to help you find the very best deals. Just fill out our short webform, and we’ll crunch the numbers to find quotes from the best phone suppliers in your area.
Entry Level Office Phone Systems ($0 – $150)
Polycom VVX 300 VoIP Phone
Best for: Small Business
The plug-and-play readiness of the Polycom VVX makes this powerful 6-line handset a cinch to set up. Call quality is crystal clear, and the pairing of audio and video technology enhances communication, collaboration, and team productivity. Deployable in almost any business environment, it’s the perfect office phone for the multitasking needs of busy managers and knowledge workers.
Other Models in the Series
- 1500 – executive business media phone unifying voice, video and applications
- 600 – premium phone for busy executives
- 500 – a high-performance phone designed for Unified Communications environments
Avaya 1616i Deskphone
Best for: Build Quality
Avaya’s flagship deskphone is for users who monitor multiple line extensions in addition to their own. Out of the box, you get 16-line support, feature keys and dual Ethernet connectivity. For customers new to IP phones, Avaya handsets are reknowned for having intuitive user interfaces and gentle learning curves.
Other Models in the Series
- 1603 – designed for use in public spaces with three-line support
- 1603 SW – basic desk phone with 3 line appearances
- 1608 – basic desk phone with 8 line appearances
- 1616 – desk phone with 16 line appearances for users who monitor their own extensions
- 16CC – cost-effective desk phone designed for call centers
Cisco SPA514G
Best for: Reception Desks
From enterprise executives to remote workers, the SPA514G is versatile enough to meet the demands of most users. Easy installation and secure encryption give you high-quality VoIP service at a reasonable price. Like all Cisco phones, it delivers the excellent voice quality, connectivity and functionality you expect from an industry leader.
Other Models in the Series
- SPA 501G/ SPA 508G – fully-featured 8-line business-class phones
- SPA 502G/ SPA 504G – fully-featured 1 or 4-line phones for business or home office
- SPA 509G – fully-featured 12-line business-class phone with HD voice
- SPA 512G/SPA 514G – fully-featured 1 or 4-line business-class phones with dual Gigabit Ethernet switched ports
- SPA 525G – top-of-the-range model featuring Cisco Mobile Link, high-resolution color screen and support for multimedia functions
Snom D712 IP Phone
Best for: Style
Snom is an innovative, quality-led German company. Their phones possess sleek designs and many features that are essential for knowledge workers. Handsets like the D712, which features HD audio output and a bright backlit LED display, are rare at this price point. You’d be hard pressed to find another product line with comparable call management capabilities.
Grandstream GXP 1630
Best Budget Buy
The GXP 1630 is a next-generation IP phone that gives small and medium businesses access to superior sound quality and rich telephony features in a compact, affordable package. The only gripe we have about this handset is the relatively limited line functionality (three lines).
Mid Level Office Phone Systems ($151 – $300)
Polycom SoundStation IP 5000
Best for: Conference Calls
The IP 5000 is the perfect model for small conference rooms with up to six participants. The sound quality is so sweet that phone calls are as natural as talking face to face. Polycom’s SoundStation range is full of superb conference VoIP solutions. From startups to multinational conglomerates, there’s a great buy here for every budget.
Other Models in the Series
- SoundStation IP 7000 – executive conference phone with 20 ft microphone pickup
- SoundStation IP 6000 – 12 ft microphone pickup
Yealink T46S VoIP Phones
Best for: Multitasking
Although Yealink can’t actually give you an extra set of hands, the T46S phone supports hands-free headset use. Combine that with an intuitive key layout, and this is a great companion for multitasking managers. Other Yealink T4 handsets range from basic desk phones to highly programmable touchscreen models – there’s a solution here for every office.
Other Models in the Series
- SIP-T49G – top of the range model with TFT color display and HD technology
- SIP-T48S – rich voice communications and large graphical display
- SIP-T46S – feature-rich SIP phone with wide range of functions
- SIP-T48G – advanced IP phone with IP-PBX functionality
- SIP-T46G – cost-effective IP phones for small or large offices
- SIP-T42G – entry-level phones with advanced features, HD voice and large display
Samsung i3105 Phone
Best for: Video Calls
A popular choice for common areas such as hotel lobbies, this mid-range phone is incredibly easy to use. It’s equipped with several useful features, including short messaging, video calling, phonebook and a call log. Samsung phones are known for their smooth audio quality. The SMT-iSeries sports programmable feature keys and a polished interface. Samsung’s most advanced handsets even connect with mobile devices to let you make and receive calls on the fly.
Other Models in the Series
- SMT-i3105 – suitable for low-volume users and open areas
- SMT-i5210 – with backlit monochrome display suitable for office staff
- SMT-i5343 – top of the range executive phone with mobile connectivity
Cisco 7841
Best for: Medium-Sized Business
The Cisco 7841 keeps you connected in any kind of business setting. With excellent voice quality, clear displays and wireless capability on selected models, Cisco’s 7800 Series embodies convenience and user-friendliness. Sophisticated features like wideband audio, support for customizable information services and campus mobility on selected models are the cherry on the cake.
Other Models in the Series
- 7811 – high-fidelity wideband audio and color LCD screens
- 7821 – high-fidelity wideband audio and high-resolution grayscale display
- 7841 – high-fidelity wideband audio and backlit color display
- 7861 – high-fidelity wideband audio and high-resolution grayscale display
Mitel Aastra 6757i
Best for: Call Management
The Mitel Aastra 6757i is fully programmable, and integrates with leading VoIP services. 12 soft keys and more than 30 functions will equip your customer agents with the tools to handle any situation. Aastra phones carry more customizable line and speed dial functions than most, making them the perfect choice for regular users of those features. They also possess an impressive array of call management features. Businesses all over the world choose Mitel for their industry-leading equipment and support.
Other Models in the Series
- 6730i – enterprise grade VoIP phone with 3-line LCD display
- 6731i – enterprise grade IP phone with 3-line LCD display
- 6735i – suitable for moderate to heavy telephone users.
- 6739i – VoIP phone with full-color high-resolution touch screen display
High End Office Phone Systems ($300+)
Mitel MiVoice 5360 IP Phone
Best for: Executives
This executive class desktop phone integrates with the Mitel 250 communications platform. It even lets you create rich multimedia applications with a built-in HTML toolkit. The Mitel MiVoice line is designed for enterprise executives and managers, teleworkers and contact center supervisors. These are powerful but easy-to-use executive-level phones with advanced multimedia capabilities.
Other Models in the Series
- 5312 – 40-character white, backlit display with contrast control and auto-dimming
- 5324 – 20-character white, backlit display with contrast control and auto-dimming
- 5320/5320e – large backlit LED display
- 5330e – 24 programmable feature keys
- 5340 – color, display, productivity applications and programmable keys
- 5360 – executive desktop phone with color display
Cisco 7975G
Best for: Call Quality
Cisco 7975G combines convenience and user-friendly operation with killer call quality and wideband audio support. A crisp color LCD display lets you view a range of information services at the press of a button. With excellent voice quality, clear displays and wireless capability on selected models, Cisco 7900 Series phones offer a versatile solution for organizations with wide-ranging needs.
Other Models in the Series
- 7965G – features high-fidelity wideband audio and color LCD screens
- 7945G – features high-fidelity wideband audio and backlit color display
Avaya 9641GS
Best for: Contact Centers
The Avaya 9641GS features excellent sound and touchscreen access to web apps, calendars, and other productivity tools. Avaya 9600 phones are workhorses in enterprise and contact center environments. Low power consumption, advanced functionality and high bandwidth provide a powerful combination that improves performance while keeping costs low.
Other Models in the Series
- 9601 – a SIP only device for use in desktops and public areas
- 9608 – fully functional phone with 8 line access. Also available with contact center features
- 9611G – includes integrated, USB interface and 3.5 inch color display Also available with contact center features
- 9641GS – includes wideband speaker, gigabit capability and touchscreen functionality on 5 inch color display. Also available with contact center features
Alcatel-Lucent 8078s BT
Best for: Large Business
Installing this highly customizable handset (72 programmable soft keys) couldn’t be simpler, thanks to plug and play provisioning. Alcatel-Lucent phones feature full wideband audio. This, combined with their ergonomic design, makes them a breeze to use for extended periods. They have an alphabetic keyboard, which offers fast access to messaging and call-by-name functions. These innovative office phones were awarded TMC Communications Solutions Product of the Year in 2014.
Other Models in the Series
- 8068/8068s/8068s BT – premium desk phone with full color screen
- 8058 – premium desk phone with greyscale screen
- 8028 – premium desk phone with black and white screen
Panasonic KX-UT670
Best for: Plug-and-Play Functionality
Panasonic crams a suite of features into this handset, including a web browser, calendar, email and contacts manager. Menus couldn’t be easier to navigate on the 7-inch touch screen, making sure nothing gets in the way of your most important calls. Panasonic KX phones span the full range, from standard office handsets to executive terminals and touch-screen Smart Desk phones.
Other Models in the Series
- 133 – monochrome 3 line screen
- 136 – monochrome 6 line screen and backlit display
- 248 – graphical 4 inch screen
- HDV130 – 7 inch colour touch screen
Next Steps to Finding Your Office Phone
The information on this page should help you narrow down your search for an office phone.
Believe it or not, office phone suppliers aren’t trying to bamboozle you with their seemingly endless product lines. They’re just trying to serve the wide ranging needs of a diverse bunch of businesses.
When you’re shopping around, pay attention to the build quality and the combination of features on offer. Ideally, you should be able to scale your system to add more phones or features as your needs change and your business grows.
Finally, remember to keep your business’s goals in mind. Yes, the handsets covered here are all superb, but they’re also designed for different tasks. Do you want a conference phone that picks up sound from anywhere in the room? Or a call centre handset/headset combo that does the exact opposite? The handset you need depends on the work you want it to do.
You’ve done the hard part – now let us help you hone in on the best office phone for your business. Fill out our quick quotes comparison form and we’ll put top office phone suppliers in touch with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do VoIP services work universally with all office phones?
Generally speaking, you can use any VoIP service with any VoIP-enabled handset. However, some VoIP providers offer special integrations with particular handsets that you won’t get with another supplier. Vonage, for example, boasts unparalleled support for Panasonic and Polycom phones, while RingCentral favours Cisco handsets.
Our advice is to choose a VoIP service provider before you start looking for office phones.
Aside from purchasing the handsets themselves, what other costs do I need to consider?
Handsets aren’t the only expense. You’ll also need to budget for the following:
- Installation Costs: Most suppliers are happy to install your phones for you…for a fee. Costs vary according to the number of handsets you’re installing and the locations where you need them.
- Line Rental: Just like the old public switched telephone network (PSTN), hosted VoIP is a subscription service. Unlike the PSTN, VoIP doesn’t saddle you with bad reception and outrageous outgoings at the end of every month.
- Business Expansion: VoIP suppliers normally charge based on the number of handset users in your business or your bandwidth needs. It’s usually very easy to upgrade your subscription as your business grows, but finding the best deal for your business means shopping for quotes.
To learn more about the benefits of VoIP for business, check out our 2020 VoIP buyer’s guide. Or, learn more about the best phone systems for small businesses.
