Best Flip Phones 2011-2012

If you're on the go a lot or seem to always drop your phone, then it's hard to beat the ruggedness of the Samsung Convoy. The Convoy is built with military specifications which help it to survive in extreme water and dust environments. A 2-megapixel camera/camcorder is included as well as Bluetooth stereo music, a microSD memory expansion to 16 GB, and access to personal email and instant messaging services.

This particular phone uses Verizon wireless and is not unlocked. While I've listed the top rated flip phones for each major carrier below, if you're looking for an "unlocked" phone or a phone that isn't exclusive to a provider, then scroll to the unlocked section below.

What one customer had to say about the Samsung Convoy U640:

"I'm a returning college student and although I think smart phones are very cool I just wanted a phone that gives me good signal and great battery life. The Samsung Convoy U640 does both. And despite being a military grade phone I find it sytlish and and attractive. It does what I want it to do without requiring any extras such as a data plan. I have a Zune HD, iPod Touch and a laptop to do that for me. Verizon Wireless is a fantastic cell carrier and I always have signal. Overall I really like this phone and highly recommend it if you're looking for a phone that does what cell phones were intended for, making and receiving calls."

If you don't want to be restricted by what carrier you use, then you'll need to find an unlocked phone. While we listed several of our favorites below many times you can purchase a phone with a plan and then subsequently get it unlocked later. I suggest you call around to major cell phone retailers in your area and ask them if they can do so before purchasing. The phones listed below; however, are already unlocked.

You can also consider a refurbished phone. I've included a link to some of them below. You can usually purchase a refurbished phone for a fraction of the cost of standard retail.

Don't want a contract at all? Consider the Motorola Rambler which uses a pay as you go plan. The Rambler includes a Full QWERTY design uncommon to most pay as you go phones. The design is stylish and it includes Bluetooth for hands free talking. With a company like Boost mobile you can get an everything plan and pay as you go for just $50.

Here's what one customer had to say about the Motorola Rambler:

"This phone did everything I expected it to do. You can't beat the price of the phone and the service is great. The keyboard really comes in handy for surfing the web. With an added browser it's almost like having a smartphone."

We hope you've enjoyed this brief review of the best flip phones of 2012. If you would like to make a contribution or leave feedback about one of the phones listed above, then please use our comment section below.