The Motorola CD5011 has made in onto our list of the best cordless phones in 2021 as it manages to stand out from the crowd despite plenty of competition. This is thanks to a solid feature set that you wouldn't expect from a cordless phone this cheap. this low.
This is a great cordless phone for anyone that wants the volume of the handset to go high for easy listening to calls. The Motorola CD5011 goes further with hearing aid compatibility too. On top of that, you get a large and clear display as well as backlit buttons, making this handset easy to use for people of all ages.
The unit we reviewed is the single handset model but there are options to pay more and get multiple handsets if you need total home or office coverage. Either way you get the answering machine as part of the base, capable of recording messages locally for playback.
Motorola CD5011 review: Design and build
- 1.8-inch display
- Large buttons
The Motorola CD5011 is a decent looking DECT cordless phone with a clean and minimal finish that's complemented by the smoothed and rounded edges. The rear of the handset is rubberized for great grip while the front, also with a grippy finish, features buttons which stick out just enough. They're good for tactile use but not so big that they're unsightly.
The base unit is quite compact, featuring an answering machine as well as small screen to display the number of messages. Buttons here are plenty big enough with clear writing and symbols. While these aren't lit up, everything on the handset itself is backlit for clarity in any light. The 1.8-inch display is bright and clear with high contrast fonts that make it easy to read.
The handset runs on two AAA batteries which are included and there is a battery level indicator in the top right hand corner so you know if the phone needs a charge or not.
The top of the handset features a red LED light which illuminates when a call is coming in. This is made to be clearly visible so as to help make calls obvious even for those that may struggle to hear the handset itself ringing. This makes it an ideal choice for the hard of hearing, or for busy offices where the noise of a ringing phone can be drowned out.
Motorola CD5011 review: Features
- Direct dial memory
- Hearing aid support
The Motorola CD5011 features some great audio support features. Primarily the volume can be controlled at five increments going up to as loud at 10dB for the voice audio in the handset's earpiece speaker. Beyond that there is also support for hearing aids which can be accessible via a dedicated button press and works with Type 3.3+ HAC units.
Direct dial memory allows you to quick dial a number with the press of a button with up to 150 name and number combinations stored on the handset. There are 20 ringtones available on the handset itself with varying volume levels. What isn't so helpful is that the base unit also rings but in a very loud way with a quite shrill sound that isn't for everyone. For those who are hard of hearing, though, it's ideal.
The phone can be expanded with up to four handsets all running off that main base. The base is capable of storing answering machine messages of up to 30 minutes in total. Playback is possible via the handset itself which is ideal for those listening using a hearing aid.
Privacy is also catered for here with the option to block up to 10 specific numbers directly from the handset itself.
Motorola CD5011: Performance
- Loud ringer
- Easy to use
The Motorola CD5011 certainly performs well when it comes to volume with that top end 10dB peak performance. What's important here is that the quality remains decent despite that loud volume, meaning calls are clear with voice audio defined well.
Visually this is a good handset thanks to that relatively large 1.8-inch display. It combines a bright backlight with clear white on black contrasting fonts for clarity. The buttons are easy to use and work responsively while the menus are relatively simple making them quite easy to navigate. That said, most regular functions can be set to a single button press so diving in to the menu shouldn't be required beyond initial setup.
The visual ringer light is a good idea although in full daylight, unless you're looking at it already, it's not likely to grab your attention. That said, the ridiculously loud base should help in this regard.
Motorola CD5011: User reviews
Users on Amazon who have bought the Motorola CD5011 have given in an impressive overall rating of 4.3 out of five based on 771 global ratings. One good review, from the US, said: "Love this phone.. Have used it for over a month now, and no issues. Had conference calls over an hour long, with not too much battery usage, and great sound quality."
One negative review, also US based, said: "No problem with most of the performance of this unit, but there is one thing that would keep me from ever ordering it again, and has me ruing the day I did so. In addition to a musical tone announcing a new call, there is an extremely loud screech emanating from it without any apparent way to turn down the volume."
On BestBuy this has just nine reviews but gets a perfect five out of five with the latest review, from someone who has owned the handset for a month, saying: "The phone looks good and works great. I have no issues with this phone."
Another on the same site said: "The large buttons and screen on the phone make it very easy to read and operate, as well as set up was very simple! Sound is very clear and I have not had any issues with reception around the house. Looking to buy more phones for every bedroom now!"
Should I buy the Motorola CD5011?
The Motorola CD5011 is a great option if you want a loud and clear cordless phone which works well alone and with hearing aids. It's also ideal for anyone that would benefit from a large and clear display, easy to use buttons, answering machine and the ability to block callers.
If you need multiple handsets, we recommend the VTech CS6719 instead, which gets you two handsets and lots of features for a similar price.
