Cordless phone recomendations?

DaveH

DaveH

Joined
Dec 2, 1999
Messages
12,249
Here's what I've had so far:

900 mhz Cobra, ok but didn't have headphone jack.

900 mhz Radio Shack, probably made by Uniden, quite right after the warranty period. new battery didn't help.

Same as above, I guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time.

2.4 GhZ GE- cheapie at $24 but worked like a champ for 2 years, new cell phone in proximity will disrupt signal, cause hangups.
 
I have a Siemens Gigaset 2420 that I bought after numerous other cordless phones failed. It has a corded phone on the base unit, and a cordless unit. Additional cordless units can be bought and used with the same system. Mine is a 2-line system, but I believe similar Siemens systems can be had with just one line. It also has a digital answering system and speakerphone.

I use mine for work on a daily basis, on average 2 to 4 hours daily (a lot of telecommuting), and have had zero problems, interruptions, etc.
 
I have few positive things to say about the quality vs. price of todays cordless phones. We get a new one every few months. 'Course it doesn't help that my wife or kids drops it in the sink, or toilet, or steps on it...etc. Of all the junk...Uniden seems to have been the least evil.
 
Make sure it's encrypted! The only cordless I use is my 900MHz digital spread-spectrum model. If you get a standard model, anyone with a scanner can listen to you. Back when 900 phones were toys for the rich, I had a blast listening to the old 46/49 MHz phones. With a good antenna you could hear people all over the neighborhood! With a smalled antenna you could hear a few blocks. People say the damnest things on the radio waves... LOL... It was great entertainment. And they are DAMN lucky I'm not a criminal! I heard enough SS and CC numbers to make a fortune... And heard a few personal things I didn't really want to know. People, PLEASE don't talk about your medical conditions on cordless phones! :barf: Same goes for you OM's on the ham bands.

So, when you go shopping, make sure it says digitally encrypted spread-spectrum or something like that. Security codes mean nothing, that just keeps people with a similar handset from using your base.
 
The only cordless phone that I have had great luck with is V-tech. I have had Sony,ATT,GE, and Panasonic and none have matched the V-tech.

It is a 2.4Ghz with two handsets and a base unit. You can operate u to 4 handsets. The base unit can be operated stand alone as a speaker phone. It also has Caller Id. I can use the handset all the way down the street-no problem! Plus, my wife and son have yet to break it, which is in itself, a miracle. :rolleyes:

Daniel :D
 
One word.....Panasonic.

I've tried most of the major brands (including V Tech) and have always found the Panasonic phones to perform better and last longer. I tried the V-Tech multi handset phone listed above and a Panasonic (both 2.4ghz) at the same time. The Panasonic smoked the V Tech in distance and clarity. My old Panasonic 900mhz phone worked almost as well as the 2.4ghz V Tech. I also bought a multi handset Uniden 2;4 mhz and again, the PAnasonic proved to be a much better phone.

Just my opinion, but I'm a major tech geek and I've tried most all the major brands repeatedly over the years and Panasonic cordless phones always seem to win out. They're more expensive for the same features as some of their competitors, but worth it IMHO.

jmx
 
we ended up with a vtech, if it doesn't work out I'll go get the panasonic model we liked.
 
Another vote for Panasonic. When we had V-tech we
had nothing but trouble. Switched to Sony (they
dropped out of the phone market)with good luck for
4 yrs. Needed to replace Sony's so we switched to
Panasonic phones. So far (1 year) our expaeriance
has been very positive. We really like the features
and range.
 
A vote against Panasonic...

I used to be 100% Panasonic until the past 2 years... we went through 3 in the past year -- the battery simply died in 5 months or so.

For 3 months it works fine, but then the battery life keeps getting shorter and shorter... until now the phone lasts < 30 minutes on talk and 2 hours on standby.

Woops.

-j
 
We have a Bang & Olufsen cordless and it works great. I've taken it down to the end of the cul-de-sac and it works great. Next door at the neighbors is no problem. Plus they look pretty cool.

Rob
 
Quote.....

A vote against Panasonic...

I used to be 100% Panasonic until the past 2 years... we went through 3 in the past year -- the
battery simply died in 5 months or so.

For 3 months it works fine, but then the battery life keeps getting shorter and shorter... until
now the phone lasts < 30 minutes on talk and 2 hours on standby."

Instead of changing phones because of the battery
change the battery instead. Nickel Cadium batteries
can get flakey like this so I replace mine with
nickle metal hydride batteries from ......

http://www.thomas-distributing.com/

I wore out two sets of batteries on my old Sony
phones before the phones wore out. Also if you don't charge Nickle Cadium batteries the right
way they won't last long.
 
Tightwad,

Cool! Thanks... I'll check it out. I didn't know you could get aftermarket cordless phone batteries.

This would be great... I love the phone, just hate the dead battery.

-jon
 
FYI: While my main phones are a Panasonic 2.4ghz and a two handset Uniden 2.4ghz set, I still use a 900 mhz Panasonic which is on it's third set of batteries. Ni-cads develop a memory if recharged before they're totally dead and then won't take a full charge anymore. My 900mhz Panasonic takes one battery in the handset and one in the base as a back-up (keeps base working in a power outage) so I wait until the handset goes dead, then just swap the batts and let the dead one recharge in the base. I get an average of about two years before I need to replace the batteries. The phone has been dropped, banged and the antenna moderately chewed on by a puppy but it still works great.

My Panasonic 2.4 ghz is my best phone if range and sound quality count, but I keep the 900mhz model by my bedside as I think it's a better tactical option in our safe room than a corded phone as it will still work if the power is interupted, even if it is only 900mhz, and I don't have to be teathered to a cord. It's also got a speakerphone built in so in an emergency I could hit 911 and the speakerphone button and let the operator listen in.

Panasonic all the way.

jmx
 
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