cartan's Full Review: Panasonic KX-TG562 Trio 1-Line Cordless Phone
Update 1/20/07 Battery failure after about six months. OEM replacement costs around $18. Found an AT&T branded battery for $10. I find it unacceptable that an OEM replacement battery costs almost half the cost of the phone. Because of the premature battery failure and high cost of replacement, I have downgrades my rating for this product.
Original review:
Having returned more cordless phones that I have kept, generally because of noise problems, I am always skeptical about trying a new phone. Interference has become a more critical issue now that I am using a wireless router. My 2.4 GHz Uniden DCT748 phone system with four cordless phones lives up to its claim to be compatible with existing wireless routers. I was using another Uniden (EXI4246C) 2.4 GHz phone and found that while there was no interference when it was used alone, the noise was unacceptable if another 2.4 GHz phone was being used at the same time. Switching channels didn't seem to help. So the search was on for another phone to replace the EXI4246C.
The important features in my choice for a new phone were a voicemail indicator, Caller ID with Call Waiting, 20 or more programmed names and numbers, price, and pleasing aesthetics. Decided to limit my search to 5.8 GHz phones to avoid the possibility of interference with the other phones altogether.
With so many choices, so many specs to read, and so much turnover in stock, it was impractical to find something online, and trips to the local tech and big box stores were necessary. Target carried the Panasonic KX-TG5621S, listed on the shelf for $49.99 (as well as online), but it rang up for $44.99, a nice surprise.
Using the preferred NiMH battery which is not as finicky about charging cycles as NiCads, the manual emphasised an initial charge of 7 hours, but conceded that the phone could be used after 15 minutes on the charger. A nice option for those of us who can't wait to play with a new toy. In about two hours, the battery icon changed from one bar to two, indicating to me that there was sufficient charge to try out some of the features and make a few test calls. Programming names and numbers into the phone was intuitive and very similar to most every other phone I have used. The phone stores up to 50 names and numbers which are automatically sorted alphabetically. When a call comes in, the name that is programmed into the phonebook shows; otherwise, the name is displayed as provided by the Caller ID tag.
I like the voicemail feature where I can program my voicemail number followed by a series of pauses and then my six digit PIN, so that I just push a couple of buttons to retrieve my voicemail and the phone supplies my PIN for me.
The phone has only four ringtones and four melodies that can be assigned to names in the phonebook. While not enough choices to identify many callers by the sound, it is a nice feature to differentiate callers by family, friends, or persons to avoid.
The footprint of this phone is larger than many single cordless phones without a built in answerer, but it is a very balanced, unobtrusive design. I'm sure the short, dual antennas contribute to the clarity and range of this phone. Panasonic makes a similar expandable system with two (KX-TG5622) or three (KX-TG5623) phones for an
additional $20 to $30.
It appears that the designers of this phone were thinking "inside the box"; that is, from the viewpoint that this is the only phone in the house. One useless feature is the "in use" light. It only lights up when this phone is being used. It does not light up when another phone in the house is being used. Very informative, isn't it? However, the phone's display indicates "line in use" when another phone is being used. The user manual extols the flashing light on the antenna, so that you can turn the ringer off, still see incoming calls, and not disturb others in the house. Well, what about the other phones one might have? Run around and turn all the ringers off? If an incoming call is answered on another phone, it shows up as a "missed call" on the Panasonic.
But the most important test of this phone is clarity, freedom from noise and interference. This phone shines. It is as clear as a corded phone. We can talk for a long time and there is no deterioration in the sound. Both the 2.4 GHz Unidens and this 5.8 GHz Panasonic can be used at the same time, even being held a foot apart, and there is no interference. I couldn't determine any difference between having the "Voice Enhancer" on or off, during both a long distance call to my sister and to my automated voicemail menu. Perhaps it will help during a call from cell phone in a poor reception area. I wondered if the volume was adequate, as I had it cranked all the way up and it sounded low. Then I realized I was holding this compact phone too high on my ear, and when I positioned it properly, a medium setting of the volume was adequate. There is absolutely no hiss during periods of silence that I have detected on other Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum phones. When I stopped talking to my sister for a few seconds, she thought the line went dead. Totally quiet.
One clever feature is the voicemail retrieval. When a voicemail message is detected, the antenna flashes and the display indicates voicemail. Push a button or two and the voicemail number and PIN is automatically dialed *using the speakerphone*. I love it. The better half and I can hear the message at the same time, just as if we were using an answerer. Easier to push the proper buttons to skip, repeat or delete messages. Don't want others to hear the voicemail? Just hit the talk button and the speakerphone function is off.
It is not my intention to discuss every detail of this phone, nor to make this review an instruction manual on how to program and use this phone. Technical specs can be found at http://www.tiny.cc/KXTG5621 (If the link doesn't work, try copying and pasting). There is a proliferation of information available regarding this phone online and on the box. Just be reassured that clarity and freedom from interference, the most important aspects of any phone, which cannot be determined beforehand, are qualities you can expect with the Panasonic KX-TG5621S.
Update 12/14/06 It took me a while to figure out this slight flaw, but once in a while, someone I was talking to mentioned that my voice sounded soft. So I called a friend and had her listen to my voice from another cordless phone, and on the same connection, compare it to my voice using the Panasonic. Sure enough, my voice volume was lower, but still clear, even with the volume cranked all the way up. (The volume has three settings, low, medium and high). While the "Voice Enhancer" didn't do anything to improve the situation, the "Clarity Booster" helped. Turning on the Clarity Booster is awkward, since it can only be accessed through the menu 'during a call'. Once manually turned on, it stays on for subsequent calls. The specs claim that using the Clarity Booster reduces the talk time from 5 hours to three hours. Never a problem for us, as we usually place the phone back on the base between calls. But it is a bit disappointing that in order to make this phone operate in the normal range of volume, we must crank the volume setting to the high level and enable the clarity booster. No way to tell if this is a flaw in this particular phone or a design flaw in all phones of this model. Still, with this adjustment, we are still pleased with the overall functioning of this phone.
With This 3in1 Bundle System You Get 1 Base Unit 2 Chargers And 3 Handsets. Uses Frequencyhopping Spread Spectrum Technology To Ensure Great Sound Inc...More at Target
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.