Motorola MD681 5.8 GHz 1-Line Cordless Phone

Pros: Crystal clear sound; good range; does not interfere with 2.4GHz wireless setup.
Cons: Cannot share phonebook between units; lack of audio caller ID.

My wife and I have owned no less the 11 different sets of phones (cored and cordless) since we got married just under five years ago, in a seemingly fruitless search for the perfect cordless phone. For a moment we thought our search had ended ...

Pros: Voice quality, handset speakerphone, expandability, rugged construction, extra battery compartment
Cons: Expensive extra handsets, network interference

I'll get right to the point. This system is a fantastic cordless phone system if you are looking for a phone that has a long battery life and excellent voice quality. Of any cordless phone I've ever used, this wins hands down for voice quality. Now some ...

Pros: Great speaker phone, range, backup battery, wireless LAN friendly
Cons: So-so sound quality, lack of common expandable features, poor documentation

I bought this phone to replace a first generation 2.4GHz Panasonic DSS because it didn't hold up well and interferes with my 802.11g wireless LAN once in a while. The Panasonic was a good phone, but it started to fall apart after 2 years. When the LCD ...

Pros: clear sound, easy to read display, full functionality, great price and no interference.
Cons: can think of any.

For the longest time, we are searching for a cordless phone that doesn't hear someone else's conversation or loose connection when I go outside. It is tough to find. Then we come across this phone about a year ago. After reading some great reviews, we ...

Pros: Speakerphone capabilty Easy setup Very good clarity
Cons: Lack of speed dial

Update as of 11/28/2006: After nearly 2 years of service, I still love this phone! It still works like a champ and has never broken. An outstanding phone for its price!! Original review: Good cordless phones are darn hard to find, great ones near ...

Pros: SOLID construction, good sound quality, cool factor.
Cons: Can't check messages from handset, no speed dial buttons on base

We live in a big house, with a big family. For years I've been searching for expandable cordless phone system that can handle our needs. My criteria weren't extensive, but each attribute was very important to us. First, it had to be compatible with ...

Pros: Lots of cool features
Cons: "Very sensitive" to other electronic equipment - apparently requires 10 foot halo to function properly.

On the plus side The Motorola MD 681 5.8 GHz Digital Expandable Cordless Speakerphone with Answering System and Caller ID has got all the features the average homeowner could want and more. It includes: - Caller ID and Call Waiting Caller ID ...

Pros: The Motorola is a *beautiful* phone.
Cons: It broke nearly right out of the box.

When I read about all the problems people have with cordless phones here, I don't feel like I am particularly cursed. My first cordless phone was a Sony 900mhz that always worked just fine. The only problem was that we lost the signal when we walked ...

Pros: The phone book works well; sound quality is sometimes good.
Cons: Sound quality is often very poor. Phone is incapable of touch tone functions (banking).

I sought a top-quality phone with voice mail, and bought the MD681 at the suggestion of a Circuit City salesperson. The sound quality was sometimes very good, but often the reception and transmission “cut out” as if using a cell phone in a weak area. ...

Pros: Cool looking.
Cons: Quality, durability.

I purchased this phone on the advice of a friend, who has the same model. After 1 year and 3 months of ownership (conveniently just past the manufacturer's warranty), the phone became incapable of making or receiving calls. Although I only had the ...

Pros: Clear sound, long battery, handset speaker
Cons: Expensive expansion handsets, no way to turn off answering system display, no speed dial

I would agree to lot of other reviews that this phone is hands down a great phone. I make lot of calls using it and never had problems of any sort. The speaker phone in the handset is a great feature and works well to.
The charge holds up quite well and at times I do talk 3 hours at a stretch without issues.
One slight annoyance is the answering machine display keeps blinking even if the answering machine is turned off. It would be good to see no display if the feature is disable.
Another glitch is lack of speed dial.

Pros: quality construction, cool blue lights, excellent range
Cons: answering machine speaker is cheap and muffled

Message to Motorola: Stop putting cheap speakers in the answering machine base! I had the 481 before this, and that answering machine speaker was equally as bad. When I play back messages, I can typically only understand 75% of the message - voices sound muffled and garbled.

Otherwise the phone is basically solid. Features are good and menus are intuitive. Cool factor: blue lights and sound options. Solid quality construction. Grips on sides of handsets keep the phone in your hands.

Sound quality of the person I'm speaking with is marginal, but that seems to be the norm.

On a personal level, I wish manufactures would slightly curve the mouthpiece so the mic is more in line with mouth. This phone like most is straight and catches the general area of your voice, so it doesn't pick it up as well as it could. For instance, when talking to friends who are on a cell phone, it's harder for them to hear me.