Vtech T2427 2.4GHz Cordless Phone: Good Now, But Will It Last?
Written: Jan 07 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to use, easy to program, good operation
Cons: Not many other features, questionable durability
The Bottom Line: I'm impressed with the phone now, but will the sound quality remain after a couple years?
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| kjell1979's Full Review: Vtech T2427 2.4 GHz 1-Line Cordless Phone |
This phone was a replacement to my Uniden phone. My wife and I decided to get it because the Uniden phone wouldn't charge if it sat in its cradle. Instead we needed to shove wadded paper in the cradle to balance it properly so it would charge.
Features
The unit fit our needs pretty well. It's a 2.4 GHz phone, which means that we can take it into the yard and out to the car in the driveway should the need arise without much if any interference. It has caller ID and call waiting, which is a nice feature to have. Unlike our answering machine / Caller ID device, we can delete all the stored caller ID tags at once. The caller ID stores up to 99 tags and can also be selectively deleted as well.
In addition to the signal strength and caller ID feature, the phone also features a phone book that can list up to 50 names and numbers. You can even assign 9 of those number to your speed dial (or memory number as the phone refers to it as). The call waiting feature also lets you view and store the caller's caller ID tag while you're on the phone with another caller.
The phone also has many other standard features like the ability to change the ringer tone and volume. The volume on the handset in general, redial, hold, and the ability to change the frequency channel should you experience interference with another phone or device. The battery life gives you 6 hours of talk time and 6 days of idle time (12 days with the ringer off).
Overall the features are pretty standard for a phone of this type. All of them function pretty well and are easy to use. Setting up the date, time, and phonebook was pretty easy and intuitive for a modern phone veteran. People who are used to older phones might seem a little overwhelmed at first. However, in terms of other phones these days, the operation is pretty easy. The one feature that I did miss on our old Uniden phone was the rocket dial feature. It allowed you to call a specific number with one button press. It was useful for those frequent calls to my in-laws which required a *82 prefix. However, given that my daughter is now becoming a phone veteran, and my son now grabbing at objects, the rocket dial might now be the most useful feature at this point.
Look and Feel
The handset is pretty slim. It's about a 8 inches long and about 2 inches wide. The antenna is enclosed in a plastic casing, though it doesn't seem to be attached to the base of the handset in a sturdy way. I can move the antenna a little but like a loose tooth. The buttons on the handset are pretty small. I have big fat fingers and sometimes I hit two buttons at once or rapidly in succession, causing me to have to start over the dialing process. The display on the top of the handset has 3 lines and is backlit. The time is displayed on the bottom, the phone number of the caller in the middle, and the alpha-numeric text at the top. It is pretty easy to see given it's backlit and also given the size of the handset. For some older folks it might now be big enough. My wife can read it without her glasses, but then again, she's nearsighted. The handset also features a small microphone jack for headsets. This is really nice on a portable phone like this that also features a belt clip. It's perfect for hands-free operation.
The base is also well-constructed. The base has some depth to it, but it doesn't take up much room on the desk. It also doesn't rise up that high even when you account for the base antenna. The base also has your standard page button to find the phone in case you or another person in the house loses the handset. The cradle on the base is also well designed. The handset fits snugly on it, which, unlike our previous Uniden phone, gives me the impression that I won't have to worry about readjusting it because it's not charging. The base also comes with a wall mount that is somewhat cumbersome because the base is really designed to lie on a desk or table.
Reputation
My experience with the Vtech brand has been ok, but certainly not spectacular. I had an old 900 MHz analog Vtech phone (model VT 9111) which lasted for about 5 years. The design was great in that I never had to worry about the connectors not allowing the phone to recharge, and I never had to replace the battery. However, the last couple years of its lifespan the microphone sensitivity decreased quite a bit to the point where hardly anyone could hear me. Given that I am normally very soft-spoken on the phone, it took me a while for me to realize it was probably the phone. But for a cheap (~$10) phone it served the purpose of the college student and recent graduate.
Would I recommend a Vtech phone to others? Perhaps, but I would be wary if spending more than $50. Five years of serviceable operation is pretty good, but for some people who are hard of hearing, it might not have been the best phone.
So far this phone is shaping up the same way the other one did. It's a serviceable phone for the right price. I haven't had any problems with it, nor have I had any problems with it co-existing with other cordless phones in the house. However, I am afraid that the microphone strength might start to give out in a couple years. If not, then my impression of Vtech will improve.
Recommended:
Yes
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kjell1979
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Ecclesiastes 6:11 (the NIV translation is the best)
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