Panasonic KX TG1050N 2.4 GHz 1-Line Cordless Phone

Pros: Small footprint, very stylish, good answering machine interface, NiMH battery
Cons: Limited range, somewhat delicate handset construction

Why is it that no one makes a phone that combines excellent cordless function AND an answering machine that doesn't take a degree in Phonitology to use WITHOUT all the extra crap that only two people on the planet will use? Many of the new designs out...

Pros: Good sound, long range
Cons: Poorly designed, functions are needlessly complicated

It's hard to believe that the designers of this phone ever actually USED one. Otherwise, they wouldn't have put the mute button where you'd hit it with your chin when talking which causes no end of annoyance. We finally resorted to using headsets to avoid this problem.

While I can usually work most any electronic device without reading the instructions, this phone's functions are the least intuitive of any I've ever seen. We've had these phones for years and I still have to think hard to look up a number. When you finally find the number you are looking for in the memory, it disappears before you have time to write it down. The phone also lacks a useful speed dial function, you have to scroll through every stored number and each handset has it's own unique list. So to find a number you have to get the handset it got stored in!

Pros: none
Cons: volume too soft, almost unusable

I'm only doing this review because I happened to be in this section looking for a replacement for this crappy phone. You just can't hear it, the highest volume setting is barely perceptible. I use the speaker all the time because that's the only way it's even remotely usable, and even that's way too soft. And the sound quality is nothing to write home about either. Other than that it's adequate, but I would recommend you decline if someone offers you one for free.