Siemens Gigaset SL565

The basics

This cordless phone from Siemens has an answering machine with a 35-minute recording time, support for Bluetooth, ten hours talk time and 200 hours standby time, a 50m indoor range and 300m outdoor range, caller display, and a telephone book capable of holding 250 numbers.

The good

Like a sabatier-wielding midwife, Siemens has cut the cord from this ultra-snazzy DECT phone. Almost everything about the SL565 appeals, from the glossy black slimline handsets to the answering machine with a 35-minute recording time. Thanks to Bluetooth support, pinging over all of our mobile’s contact numbers to the SL565’s capacious phone book (it holds 250 numbers) was dead simple. Even the 300m outdoor range was impressive. And did we mention you can be smugger than Bob Geldof? It consumes 60 per cent less power than standard phones, see.

The bad

The battery only lasts for ten hours in use and 200 hours in standby. That’s no use if we want to spend all our waking hours on the phone. Fortunately, we don’t. It’s also pretty expensive for what is essentially a landline.

The bottom line

The luxury DECT phone we would sell our shares for – not that they’re worth anything now - that’s also greener than the Jolly Green Giant and Hulk’s lovechild.