rorsteven's Full Review: Vtech VT20-2481 2.4 GHz 2-Line Cordless Phone
Cost
I paid 180 for the base (comes with one handset) and $70 each for two expansion handsets at Fry's Electronics. Costco apparently carries them for less, but I have not found any in their local stores. This price seems to be consistent with the other brands - perhaps a bit cheaper.
Alternatives
I have been on a quest for a well featured, expandable, reasonably priced cordless phone system. My first choice was the Uniden 5.8 Ghz TRU-5885-2 but I was disappointed that it can only support two handsets - despite what the salesman claimed - and the usability was poor.
After returning the Uniden I was faced with some alternatives: A Siemens Gigaset system (pricey), a Panasonic Multitalk, a Panasonic Gigarange, a VTech 2481 (8 handset, 2.4Ghz, two-line) or VTech 5831 (5.8 Ghz single line). The 5.8 Ghz VTech does NOT have an answering system.
Physical Design Issues
The one feature of the Siemens and Uniden systems that made them attractive is a small phone body and the absence of a LARGE antenna; you know, the kind that breaks on your cell phone when you drop it. The Panasonics all feel in the hand like a bulky remote control with a microwave tower on top. The VTech is more petite - though not perfect.
Originally I hoped to get a unit that I could wall-mount in the kitchen with a docked cordless handset. I learned that NONE of the models available are well suited for wall mounting - even the ones that say they are "wall mountable".
Features
I will not try to summarize all of the features since that information is available under "details" and on the web site:
Instead below I focus on the key features I found to be useful as well as the missing or poorly constructed features.
Beware what you pick because many Panasonic and VTech models have different capabilities even though they look very similar. For example some support single lines and have no answering system (2421), some multiple lines with answering (2461). The 2481 supports 2 lines, 8 handsets and has an answering system - and there are yet more models!
Here is a summary of the available systems:
2421: 1 line, 4 sets, No answering system
2431: 1 line, 4 sets, No answering system
2461: 1 line, 4 sets, Digital Answering System
202431: 2 lines, 8 sets, No answering system
202481: 2 lines, 8 sets, Digital Ans System
402481: 4 lines, 12 sets, Digital Ans System
5831: 1 line, 6 sets, No answering system (5.8 Ghz)
One thing that immediately pleased me about the VTech is that all parties can join the conversation - cordless handsets can join just by going "off-hook". By contrast, the Uniden would only allow the base station and one of the cordless phones to join. I do not know if the Panasonic has such restrictions.
Some of the most useful features I have found are:
Message Waiting indication on EACH phone. You can see at a glance if there are messages - you do not have to go check the base station.
Remote retrieval of messages from any handset. Listen to the messages recorded on the answering system - you can even record new greetings or turn on/off answering.
Handset Speaker Phone you can press the "handsfree" button and use any handset as a speaker phone. Great for listening to messages or when you have work to do with your hands (no crick in the neck). The clarity is good, too - but not as good as the Siemens Gigasets.
Status of the call The phone indicates if other extensions are listening in.
Page or transfer to a specific handset You can from the kitchen handset selectively page the bedroom handset. You can transfer from the office handset to the garage and/or the living room handset(s). You can use this feature as an intercom.
Individual adjustment of ring tone and volume you can have the bedroom extension ring quietly or not at all while the living room handset is set at high volume.
Name the phone e.g. "Kitchen" so if you find it in the garage, you know where it is supposed to be.
"Backup Battery"This is a great idea that is *almost* done correctly. See below for the caveat. The base station has a compartment that takes a battery like the phone battery. If power goes out, you can still use your phones and preserve your messages. I do not believe any other phone systems have this feature.
Phone anywhere all you need with the expandable systems is one location with a phone jack. Anywhere else where there is power you can add an extension.
The Answering System is of good quality and allows you to set separate messages up for each of the lines (makes it nice for a home-office or for a "kids phone line"). It can also be configured to answer one, none,
or both lines.
Not everything is wonderful, of course. Here are some Anti-Features:
No common phone directory If you store a number on the kitchen handset, it will not be known to any of the other handsets - you have to store it in each of them. (I would prefer a "common" directory - the Uniden 5885 did this)
Interference with computer speakers - I tried to place the base near my Altec Lansing speakers, but it fed back a buzzing sound (my cell phone and a 900 Mhz Uniden cordless both do this too). The handsets also induce buzzing when they are off-hook and near the speakers.
No matching of saved numbers if John Q. Smith calls and caller id reports "555-1212 Unknown" you can save it, changing the name to "John Smith". However when a subsequent call arrives from the same number it again says "555-1212 Unknown". I would be much more convenient if it matched the number with one previously stored and displayed the associated name (Uniden 5885 did this!).
No local area code configuration curiously, the phone has a nice feature called "Dial Options". When you display a caller id record, you can select dial-options and it gives you alternatives. For example if the number is 408-555-1212, dial options gives you a list of "555-1212, 1-555-1212, 408-555-1212, and 1-408-555-1212" This is handy as the number you call back may NOT be the number displayed. A better feature would be to configure your area code and let the phone pick the most likely number [the Uniden had this feature]. Unfortunately the "dial option" can not be used when storing the number, so you must first save a number and then edit it to remove or add the needed digits.
Backup Battery is not included! Great idea - unfortunately, the needed battery is not included and must be ordered separately ($25 plus $5 shipping per the order sheet; $19.95 on their web site; $15 + 3.45 from http://www.batterycountry.com). I think it may be wiser to just buy another handset and use the battery from that! I went with the additional battery from BatteryCountry.
Hang up detection the answering machine sometimes records messages "please hang up and dial again" - this seems to be because it does not detect that the calling party hung up before leaving a message.
Must program each handset to "register" it. Each handset must be supplied with a 15 digit code that matches the base station. A better design (as done in the Uniden 5885) is to just put the handset on the base station cradle.
Messages must be deleted on the base station. You can skip them from the handset, but it is difficult to delete them except at the base station.
Changing the base station TIME/date after installation requires looking at the manual. Fortunately it is about the only operation that is not intuitive enough to figure out without the manual in hand.
Limited number of ring selections - 6, and none of them are very different or exciting.
Something Else to add: Telezapper
I wish the phone had a built-in "Telezapper" (a device for dissuading telemarketers). Other single handset models have this, why not the expandable one?
More on the Handset
Please see the following page for a few more details on the handset:
VTech 2420 handset review
The Uniden revisited
I have made many comparisons with the Uniden 5885 which in several areas has stronger features. But I think I should also note that the USABILITY of many of the Uniden features was poor. Key sequences were not intuitive and in some cases maddeningly befuddling. I was able to do nearly everything I expected on the VTech without reading the manual. Much of what I wanted to do on the Uniden - including setting the current date and time could only be done by consulting the 85 page manual! Even if I could have overlooked the usability problems the restrictions of only two handets, and only one handset on the line at a time were unforgivable.
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