We picked up the KX-TG6512B the other day to try before taking the plunge on a larger system with 6 handsets. Our old Uniden 5.8 GHz system was great, but the batteries on all the handsets are losing their ability to hold a charge and it interferes with our wireless network. I started looking for a DECT 6.0 replacement system but never found one that had all the features we were looking for, but now that I virtually stumbled across the 6500 series from Panasonic it looks like I've found our perfect phones. Here's what I like:
- You can customize the banner on each handset. This may seem like a minor feature, but we had gotten used to it on the Uniden and liked it.
- You can check the Caller ID on one handset after someone else has already answered a call on another handset. We actually end up doing this quite a bit with our old Uniden phones, but I had read a review of the older Panasonic 6440 phones that said this wasn't possible. I was very pleasantly surprised to see this now works, since I was about ready to live without that feature.
- The handsets have jacks for wired headsets. My wife and I both work in the technical field and often end up working on the computer while on a call, and a headset is a better option than a speaker phone. This was a must-have feature for us, and many of the Uniden phones don't have it.
- The speaker phone quality is very good. We were always very happy with the sound of the Uniden speaker phone on the handsets, but the new Panasonic sound quality is at least as good.
- The batteries in the handset are standard NiMH AAA rechargeables rather than the proprietary (and expensive) battery used in the Uniden. Should we ever need to replace them it will be trivial and cheap.
- There are belt clips for the handsets. We don't use this a lot, but we do every once in a while, especially when using a headset. Some of the other models I looked at didn't have this. Note that if you put the belt clip on the headset it covers up the little grippy patch on the back that's there to help you hold the handset between your shoulder and ear, so if you like to hold your phone on your shoulder you may want to skip the belt clip.
- The buttons on the phone are back-lit and easy to find and push. On some of the new Uniden handsets the three buttons in an individual row are all run together and I heard that they can be less easy to find.
- The display on the handset is black-on-white and very easy to read.
- The phone will set its time and date from the Caller ID information.
- The message waiting indicator light on the phones can be manually turned off simply by pushing and holding the "#" key. Our old Uniden phone would sometimes miss the signal from the phone company to turn off the light, so it's nice that there's an option to manually do it easily on the Panasonic if the need arises.
There are many other features related to address books, etc. that are less important to us so I haven't bothered to learn about them or try them. However, based on the above I'm extremely happy with this new Panasonic phone. We've only used it a very short time, but I was impressed enough to order the KX-TG6545B with 5 included handsets to be our replacement for our old Uniden system. This adds a base speakerphone with keypad, as well as an answering system we'll never use (we have voice mail from the phone company).
So, to summarize, I really like this phone (love is too strong a word for a cordless phone). We've not used it enough to know how well it'll work down the road, but based on reviews of other Panasonic phones I'm optimistic about that. Panasonic KX-TG6512B DECT 6.0 PLUS Expandable Digital Cordless Phone System with 2 Handsets
These phones are a great value. I purchased this phone because it does not have an answering machine. I use voicemail, and didn't want to pay for a function or deal with a more complicated phone than I needed. The sound quality is excellent! I love the big caller ID - very easy to see the caller list with names & phone numbers. The voicemail shortcut button is a nice feature. This phone has prominent Speaker Phone and Flash (call waiting) buttons. While you're on a call, a Mute button becomes available, which is very important in my household with all of the kids and dogs! I use this phone in my big backyard, and it has a very long range. The only feature that I'd like to see added is a "Do not Disturb" button to turn the ringer off and send all calls directly to voicemail. However, I can access this feature through my phone company's voicemail system online. Overall, this phone sounds great, has a very long range, and all of the features that I need without an answering machine. It's a great value, and highly recommend it.
These phones seem to be really nice quality. They were priced well; I was looking for a nice set of phones for under $50 and these fit the bill. They have all sorts of features including call blocking, multiple ring tones and ring tone melodies. The speaker phone feature sounds clear and crisp as does the regular hand set. One of the coolest features as far as I'm concerned is the use of standard AAA rechargeable batteries instead of some unusual battery pack like most use. This way when the batteries begin to not hold a charge in a few years it's super easy to replace them and fairly inexpensive. The range is really good on these things too. I can go anywhere in my house and the sound is crystal clear and the phone never leaves ECO mode which is a mode where the transmitter in the phone works on lower power when the phones are near enough to the base; the feature saves power. The phones were really easy to program too. Very intuitive menu and a nice, large display that shows the date and time when the phone is not in use. - No Answering Machine - Caller Id - Speakerphone - Cordless Phone'
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