Top cordless phones 2012 - best landline phone handsets and how to choose the best home phone for your needs

It's just as important as finding the best cell phone/mobile phone handset, yet many people don't put as much thought into or spend nearly as much time choosing which cordless landline home phone system they should purchase.

The key is to find a landline phone setup that suits your needs and does what you want it to do with the least fuss. Make sure when you are buying a new cordless home phone that the kit has enough handsets/bases for the size of your home and the number of people who will be using it.

If you value having a built-in answering machine or a wider choice of ringtones, then ensure you take all of the features of the brands that you are considering into account. Also consider whether you will use Caller ID and whether your selected cordless phone choice includes that function. It's also a good idea to consider button size and ease-of-use, particularly in regard to features such as a backlit display screen and text size, especially if you have vision difficulties. You may also want to check if your phone system has a voice enhancer or a similar feature to improve voice clarity in the case of someone in the household being hard of hearing.

Read on to find out about my top choices of phone brands for 2012, their specs and features as well as the cheapest prices when looking for the best deal on each model. This is a quick rundown of the most popular and positively reviewed cordless telephone models for this year.

This Panasonic home phone setup features "Link-to-Cell" bluetooth and headset capability, phonebook copy from cellphone/mobile phone via bluetooth, eco mode, dual keypad, talking caller ID, silent mode and an answering system.

The improved antenna also extends the transmission range by up to 20%.

It comes in a metallic gray finish and you have the choice of either 2, 3, 4 or 5 handsets to go with the phone.

This Panasonic cordless landline phone system features DECT 6.0 Plus Technology, the choice of either 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 handsets depending on your house or office size and needs, built-in digital answering machine and comes in a sleek black finish.

It also features amplified handset volume with dedicated volume key, a bright LED display and large buttons for ease-of-use.

This cordless phone system from VTech comes in a sleek looking black and silver design and features a 3 handset setup.

It has the latest DECT 6.0 Digital Technology, HD audio quality and a built-in digital answering machine system. It also has a wall mount, Voice Announce Caller ID, Call Waiting and Intercom capabilities as well as a bright LCD display.

The phone system also features handset speakerphone, handset volume control and is Hearing Aid Compatible. It also boasts the latest Connect To Cell technology and access to your cellphone phonebook.