The 8 Best Multi Line Phones

Editor's Notes

June 12, 2020:

There are a few things that make for a good multi-line phone, and a lot of those have to do with the integration of modern technologies. To that end, we removed some of the older models that offered feature sets limited to landline-only use. There are options on this list, like the AT&T Connect To Cell, for example, that can provide audible alerts when you get important emails or texts. That can actually help you if you need to focus on the task at hand by allowing you to keep your smartphone out of arm's reach and remove the temptation to spend screen time when you need to be working.

Of course, that's something that's a little more useful for a home office environment than for a small business. A lot of businesses today turn to VoIP services that offer features like dedicated extensions and mailboxes for each line or the ability to use your computer or smartphone for setup and maintenance. If you look carefully at our list, however, you'll see that a lot of these models offer some or all of those features, like the Mitel Aastra 6867I, which can interface with an optional keyboard or the Obihai Gigabit IP, which can be configured from a web browser when the base unit is connected to your Wi-Fi network. And the VTech Expandable System actually offers a digital attendant that can guide callers through a menu system to send them to the right extension.

You'll also want to think about those extensions, as well. Some models, like the AT&T Dect 6.0 Bundle, come with a small handful of handsets, allowing multiple employees or family members to access the lines. There are caps on how many extension stations a system can handle, however, with models like that AT&T set expanding to as many as 12 units, or the Obihai that can double that with a maximum of 24.