My POS Panasonic $200.00 cordless phone crapped out...need advice

[Chain777]

My 2 year old Panasonic 2-line cordless phone (900MHZ digital spread spectrum) with built in answering machine and caller ID, decided to stop charging the battery. I already tried a new battery, so I know that's not it. Besides this, the phone has been less the spectacular (supposed range of up to a mile; I can't go more than a block from the base unit and it's line of site, poor sound quality; callers always saying they can't hear me, etc.). So needless to say, I'm shying away from Panasonic phones.

Anyone have a recommendation on a quality 2 - line cordless phone with these features?

 

[StageLeft]

Not sure if it's what you're looking for but I paid $70 for a 2.4 ghz digital GE phone on the weekend with built in digital answering machine and caller ID. It's pretty sweet. I didn't necessarily want to get GE but I liked this one.

 

[Draco]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but I'm with you on the crappy quality of Panasonic phones. I had one of their 2nd gen 2.4Ghz cordless phones. It costs me like $175, and it was pathetic. It would say out of range when it was right nex to the base. Eventually it would buzz in a loud doppler like affect when on the phone. I eventually gave up and chucked it. Now I have a Sony, works flawlessly.

Bottom line: Skip Panasonic Phones.

 

[RossMAN]

I have owned nothing but Panasonic cordless phones over the past 10 years and they have been nothing but durable, reliable and a great buy.

If you have a CostCo near you, I've seen Uniden 2 line cordless phones for around $90 and some other brands like Toshiba, Sony, etc.

 

[narzy]

I got an undien (sp?) 2 line cordless w/ caller ID its a 900 mhz phone great phone just upgraded the house to another phone system so its sitting doing nothing, base has spkr phone too, looking to sell it for 30.00 but will settle for 20.00 if your interested LMK. this phone cost about 120 when we bought it. works great has belt clip and headset too if you want them (beltclip is on it, I have to find the headset.)

(sorry to hear about your POS panasonic tho )

"Uniden 2 line cordless "
I think this is the same phone maybe and earlier version thats exactly where we bought it from, costco.

 

[Doggiedog]

You have my sympathies. I bought a $200 2.4Ghz Panny phone when they first came out and it completely sucked. I finally just went the cheap route and bought a digital 900Mhz phone for $30.

I've decided I'm not spending big bucks on a stupid $200 phone that a $20 phone can do almost as well.

 

[Chain777]

Thanks for all the feedback!
Anandtech forums never fails. Anyway, I saw Sony mentioned, and unless they upgraded their phones (I had a cordless Sony 900MHZ cordless phone a couple years back, and returned it (almost a year later to Sears, still can't believe they let me exchange it with another phone with no receipt; for a Lucent phone which has been fine so far), anyway the Sony phone sucked as much as this Panasonic. I use the Lucent phone for my home phone, and the Panasonic for business.

Bottom line is I need the following:

2 line phone, cordless (best range and sound quality a must), caller ID on handset and speakerphone, all features this Panasonic POS has. Plus, there's a great feature that enables you to have the phone "call you" (they call it paging); great feature since I run a home based business and can get messages sent to my cell phone when I'm not home.

Anyone have a specific model to recommend?

Again, thanks for the feedback.

 

[Chain777]

No offense narzy, but I want a "new" phone. It's for business and is a write-off, plus I'd like to go with newer technology; i.e. 2.4Ghz.

 

[Thegonagle]

Those 2.4 GHz "nukro-wave" phones are a sales gimmick. 900 MHz is the way to go.

Anyway, I've experienced problems with a Panasonic 900 MHz phone's battery charger too, and I couldn't fix it. I assumed it must have been hit by lightning. My mom's property is practically the highest point in the county, so lightning is a problem. They've lost two modems in as many years.

But before you chuck the phone, make sure you clean the charging contacts. That sometimes does the trick. It's your only real hope.