In our continued quest to own phones that do everything from turning on our TV to keeping up with our social networking lives, it’s sometimes hard to wonder why you would need a phone as simple and basic as the Emporia RL1.

The answer is like the phone, simple. Some people just want a phone that makes calls and the Emporia RL1 is just such a phone.

There’s no camera, there’s no apps, there’s no Facebook connectivity, there’s not much of anything really apart from a 1.8-inch OLED screen that lets you clearly see the numbers you are dialling thanks to it’s wide viewing angle and a big large keypad.

When there’s an incoming call, the built-in torch blinks to let you know, yes it has a built-in torch, and the ringer is extra loud too for people that struggle to hear.

That simple approach is all over the Emporia RL1. The buttons are big and easy to read for example with the company using contrasting colours. There’s no soft greys, no yellow on green. It’s black and white. 

Not surprisingly with virtually zero features – you get an alarm clock and that’s about it – the battery lasts for what seems to be forever. In reality that’s about eight days, but the urge to have to remember to charge it every night like you do a regular state of the art smartphone won’t be needed.

Even when it does come to charging there is a handy charging station that sits on your sideboard so you don’t have to fiddle with a cable each time and it’s even wall mountable if you’re tight for space. That dock also doubles as a speakerphone too at the press of a button saving you from holding the phone altogether.

As for call quality we had no problems. People could hear us clearly and we could hear them.

The Emporia RL1 is simple and easy to use.

Yes this is one for the grandparents rather than yourself, but not only will they thank you no end, but probably reward you for your kindness in cakes and meat pies, and that is win win in our books. 

The Emporia RL1 is available for £60 on Vodafone Pre Pay.