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If you’re a parent of a child in their tween years, you’ve probably heard about the Tin Can, a “new school landline” phone that operates off your wi-fi. The phones have been so popular that they keep selling out every time the company gets a new batch off the assembly line. The company sent me one to test to see what all the hype is about.
When I told my ten-year-old son I wanted him to test a phone for an article that I was writing, he was excited. When I revealed it was not a cell phone, he was crestfallen. Zero enthusiasm. Things changed when he saw the jaunty yellow box in our entryway. The Tin Can’s packaging looked fun. Suddenly, he’d changed his tune about testing it.
My family spent a few weeks living with the Tin Can and making calls. Here’s everything you need to know if you’re considering buying one of these new “landline” phones.
It’s Cute and Easy to Set Up…
From the packaging to the copywriting and, of course, the phone itself, the Tin Can design team has spared no attention to details. The phone is adorable (we tested the Answer Me Aquamarine model), and I had no qualms with it being out on display in our living room.
After downloading an app, plugging in the phone, and connecting it to our wi-fi, I entered approved phone numbers into the app. These would be the only numbers that my son could call—and, in turn, that could call him.
But Adding New Numbers Takes Time
You can’t just pick up a Tin Can and call a new number on a whim—you have to add it to the password-protected app first. While this extra step allows a certain measure of parental control, and feels like a small price to pay to avoid telemarketing calls, it is a slightly annoying way to add new numbers.
The phone has four speed dial numbers, which are represented by icons. My kid thought choosing an icon for each parent was fun (my husband is not so sure about having been assigned the lips graphic, however). I also loved that we could set “quiet hours” during which the phone will not ring.
It’s More Affordable Than a Traditional Landline…
Before the Tin Can arrived, we’d been thinking about getting a landline in an effort to delay getting my son a cellphone. At ten, he’s just old enough to be home alone, and it’d be nice if he had a way to call Mom and Dad (or for us to call him) during the short periods he’s at home alone. Calls from a Tin Can to another Tin Can (called Can 2 Can calls) are free, as are calls to 911. But in order to call anyone else, you need to pay for their Party Line Subscription. At just $9.99/month, this a big discount from what it would cost us to get a traditional landline.
But It’s Not As Reliable
In our experience, the Tin Can network was a little spotty, with calls not consistently going through. This is an issue that the company is working on, but if you want a home phone for a kid to use in case of an emergency, this isn’t it—yet. Also: If your cell phone unexpectedly died, you couldn’t use the Tin Can because you need the app to add approved numbers. Likewise, it wouldn’t work if the wi-fi went out, whereas a landline would.
The Novelty of It Is So Fun for Kids…
Once we had the Tin Can up and running my son, who has never had a landline, was ensorcelled by the sound of the dial tone. When it rang, he raced to answer it with glee. (Hysterically, he did not know you’re supposed to say “hello” when answering a landline!) Plus, he was more excited to call family members, including grandparents, on “his” phone. And I had fun getting random phone calls from my kid while I was at the grocery store.
But They Need Someone to Call
My kid loved the idea of a Tin Can phone, but it turned out, he didn’t have that many people to call. Despite his constant complaints that ALL of his friends have phones already, he couldn’t actually think of more than a couple friends who had phones when I tried to help him track down phone numbers. I think the phone would get more use if his best friend(s) had them too—it’s definitely worth coordinating with other parents to make sure your kids get them at the same time.
My Assessment
A Tin Can phone will be a load of fun for a kid who has someone they’re dying to talk to—just make sure the other child has a Tin Can or regular phone of their own to receive your call. It’s not a true replacement for an emergency landline, but it could help stave off cell phone use for a few years. After a month of using the phone, we decided to continue the service for another month. I was honestly on the fence, but then my son’s friends who are twins came over and spotted our Tin Can. Apparently they have one, and immediately demanded I text their dad to connect the phones!