Panasonic does it again!
Written: Aug 23 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Attractive, compact design. Antennas shorter than many Panasonics. Excellent range and sound quality.
Cons: Message access buttons/labels are very small. Oddly difficult to maintain handset placement on ear.
The Bottom Line: You can't go wrong with this phone!
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| pick2's Full Review: Panasonic KX TC1866 900 MHz 1-Line Cordless Phone |
Please note that the TC1866B is not the dual keypad version in the image used by E-pinions.
This is my second Panasonic, and I am convinced that they produce the best cordless phones on the market. The TC1866B is no exception. I've been through countless other brands - Uniden (a close second), Sony, V-Tech, GE and Bell South, and none approach Panasonic's functionality, reliability and ease of use.
The TC1866B isn't fru-fru or gratuitously high-tech looking. It has a very functional appearance, much like the driving environment of high-end German automobiles. The base unit is sleek and compact. The handset is one of the smallest, and the antennas the shortest, that Panasonic offers in their 900 MHz lineup. With batteries installed, it is one the lightest weight handsets I have found on any phone.
This phone employs Digital Spread Spectrum technology, giving it a noticable advantage in range and clarity over those using analog 900 MHz. I can roam around my 1-acre yard and not lose contact with the base unit. With that kind of performance, I wouldn't think of paying the price for a 2.4 GHz phone.
Unlike some cordless phones, It has a dual answering mode that allows a call to be answered simply by lifting the handset off the base unit.
The sound quality of the handset and answering machine is, IMO, superb. The handset has a nifty, multi-function toggle button for navigating the features menu and adjusting handset volume. The keypad is backlit (why aren't all phones?), and the buttons are of sufficient size and feel to simplify number entry. The backlit display is very easy to read under any ambient lighting conditions.
The answering machine works flawlessly. The generic greeting is not at all objectionable, so it isn't necessary to futz with recording your own. The length of incoming messages is, apparently, unlimited, and (I love it!)messages can accessed, repeated, skipped and erased individually. Message sound quality is excellent.
Battery charge time is a mere 6 hours, about half the time required by most other ni-cad equipped phones. Battery life is adequate, and the audible low battery indicator gives more than sufficient advance warning.
Having said all that, I have a few minor quibbles. First, the four message access/control buttons on the base unit are impossibly tiny, as are their labels.
Second, the business side of the handset has a slick, perfectly flat surface that houses both the earpiece and the display. I find that this makes it far too easy to allow the the handset to slide down my ear, and I frequently have to reposition the thing in order to hear the person on the other end. It also allows the display to become oily from direct ear contact, and I have to continually wipe it off.
Third, I have to conciously insure that the charge contact points on the handset properly connect with the contacts on the base unit. I can't just simply toss the handset onto the base unit and count on the thing being recharged a few hours later. Thankfully, there is an in-use/charge indicator light that lets you know that a proper connection has been made.
The TC1866B is not inexpensive - $99 at Best Buy, less a $15 mail-in certificate for a Best Buy gift card. But as with any other electronic device, you only get what you pay for. Cheaper phones are just . . . CHEAP! This phone is definitely worth the money.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pick2
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Member: Dave
Location: Houston, TX
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Nothing in life is guaranteed. So, until further notice, I'm accepting empty promises.
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