Pantech Breeze II (AT&T)Pantech Breeze II (AT&T)

The Pantech Breeze II ($29.99 - $229.99, 3.5 stars) is an easy-to-use, inexpensive AT&T phone with some good Internet features. Its intelligently designed menu system is far easier to understand than most phones'. And unlike other phones with similar features, the Breeze II doesn't require AT&T's onerous $20 messaging plan, making it a great pick for a cheap AT&T phone.

The Breeze II is almost eight inches long when opened up, but it still feels lightweight and manageable to hold during calls. Its 2.2-inch, 240-by-320-pixel screen is nice and bright for a low-end device. Dialing numbers is easy thanks to the oversized numeric keypad. A big five-way control pad and shortcut keys makes navigation simple, and there are three shortcut buttons underneath the LCD for speed-dialing your favorite contacts.

Voice quality is excellent over 3G. Calls sound loud, crisp, and clear on both ends. Reception is average, but the phone supports Bluetooth headsets and does a nice job with voice dialing. There is also a decent 1.3-megapixel camera.

Samsung Haven SCH-U320 (Verizon Wireless)Samsung Haven SCH-U320 (Verizon Wireless)

Samsung is targeting older consumers with the Haven ($39.99 - $169.99, 2.5 stars), a simple, basic flip phone that's easier to use than most. Ignore the relatively low rating we gave it; it got docked for missing features, but that's sort of the point with simple phones.

The Haven is made of high-impact textured plastic that feels able to take at least a modest beating. And despite its light weight, its screen is a decent size and is bright and colorful.

It includes large buttons, a large screen, and large fonts. It also features one-touch 911 emergency call and voice mail buttons.

Voice calls sound loud, crisp, and clear in both directions on the Haven. The earpiece is warm and full and sufficiently loud. Reception is also solid. The speakerphone is a bit tinny, and can stand to go louder.

The main menu is well organized and features large, crisp fonts. One unusual touch: a "Wellbeing & Health" category includes several interesting apps, such as a fitness trainer app that displays various exercises in step-by-step fashion.

For $39.99 (with a 2-year contract), the Samsung Haven is a good choice for an inexpensive, simple phone on Verizon Wireless.