In Search of a Reliable Cordless Phone...
Written: Jun 06 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Answering Machine, Simple Set-up, Good clarity, Reasonable Price
Cons: The streamline design
The Bottom Line: 900 MHz is adequate for most homes, unless you own acres and acres and want to roam! The sound, features, and price makes this phone a good buy!
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| Shanti's Full Review: Panasonic KX TC1866 900 MHz 1-Line Cordless Phone |
Looking for a good cordless phone? Panasonic offers plenty of models with various bells and whistles to choose from.
Hands Free
I chose this model because it was one of the few that allowed me to keep my hands free when I talk. I just plug in a headset to the jack, clip the phone to my jeans or shorts, and viola! I’m free!
Answering Machine
I also wanted a phone that came with an answering machine. This model comes with an easy to use answering system. Your recorded greeting can be up to 2 minutes long, and the total recording time for incoming messages is about 15 minutes. Everything is stored in the digital memory, so there are no tapes that can wear out. (My old answering machine had an old, squeaky tape that made my voice sound like an old, rusty door opening.)
Clarity
For me, the most important thing about a cordless phone is the clarity of sound. This model passes my test for clarity; I want to feel like I’m talking to my next door neighbor, rather than someone in Antarctica. I have had one or two calls that have sounded ping-y, but I think that was a result of the other partys’ cheap cordless phone!
Power
Another important feature for me is the durability of the battery. I need a phone that I can talk on for hours during the daytime and still have enough power left over to talk to friends at night. This phone regularly travels around the house with me, from call to call, throughout the day and night, without power failure. Even if I forget to charge it overnight, it has always had enough power to get me through several morning calls. When the battery runs low, it beeps as I am talking. The beep apparently comes way before the power fails, because I have yet to be cut off during a phone call (most of which last at least 10 minutes).
Easy Set up
And, of course, ease of set up has always been a plus. I’m one of those impatient people who just want to plug the thing in and be able to figure out how it works by pressing a couple of buttons. This model passed that test also. Setting up and charging the phone was straightforward.
I thought I might have to refer to the instruction manual to work the answering machine, but that was also simple; buttons for recording greetings, listening to messages, and erasing are clearly marked. The button for listening to messages is large enough to push with my big toe (the phone is on the floor in my bedroom), and the small “erase” button requires that you press it twice, so that you don’t inadvertently erase any messages.
Features
The phone has a lot of features, such as: auto talk feature (which allows you to answer a call simply by lifting the handset, rather than by pressing the “talk” button), number directory, operation of the answering machine from a remote phone, and automatic channel scan. The unit also automatically selects a new security code (out of more than a million) when you place the handset on the base unit. (This helps prevent unauthorized use of your line by another cordless phone owner.)
This model also comes with caller ID and pager notification. I tend to try and keep things simple in my life, so I avoid pagers. However, according to the instruction manual (which I have now read not to operate my phone, but to write this review), the unit will page you either when you receive a call or when someone leaves a message.
As I was looking for a new cordless phone, salespeople in two different stores recommended Panasonic over other brands. I was replacing another Panasonic cordless phone that I had used for the past 6-7 years (it finally did die—an awful death—loud, screeching static got the best of it).
Range
This phone has 900MHz, which allows me to walk everywhere that I need to go—my yard is rather large, and so far, I’ve been able to walk to the edges of it without static. (A great improvement over my older Panasonic.)
The Lifesaving Intercom!
And, finally, perhaps the most important feature: the intercom. I frequently lose track of my phone, and the beeper is loud enough for me to track it down, whether it’s in the basement, garage, or upstairs. Without the intercom, the phone would disappear for days!
Comfort
As for comfort, I’m still getting used to the smaller handset. I prefer the bigger phones that are easier to hold, but these days, manufacturers seem to think that smaller is better. The problem that I’ve been having is that I seem to let the phone slip down closer to my mouth (so that I feel like I’m talking into something, rather than talking to thin air). This usually causes the voice of whoever I’m talking to to become quieter and quieter, until I finally realize that I’ve let the phone drop too far from my ear. Plus, the straight-line design of the phone causes the numbers to rest against your face, which means that it doesn’t stay as clean as a normal handset on a corded phone. (I hate to be gross, but you know, the grease or makeup buildup—I always have to wipe the phone clean.) Maybe it’s just a personal quirk, but I had to mention it.
(I don’t like cell phones either, for that exact reason, so take the last paragraph with a grain of salt—don’t let it prevent you from buying this phone!)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Shanti
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Member: Kimberly
Location: Colorado
Reviews written: 70
Trusted by: 32 members
About Me:
A Colorado girl always in search of creative expression and adventure!
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