The best dumbphones are an ideal cure for having a phone permanently glued to your hand. Whether you’re lying in bed, on the toilet or commuting, endlessly scrolling through short-form videos and social media might trap your brain in a loop of dopamine hits. I can say that I’ve lost countless hours poring over movie clips and meme videos on Instagram and YouTube. But is mindlessly scrolling contributing to brain rot? Possibly.
A 2025 study linked frequent Instagram use with heightened levels of depression, anxiety and stress in young adults – dumbphones might be the answer for your digital detox. They often look and behave much like regular smartphones, offering phone calls, messaging and camera functions. But they help curb screen time and social media use, often by blocking access to streaming or addictive platforms like Insta or TikTok.
