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(More customer reviews)Recently it became time to replace our aging Uniden cordless phone after years of good service, but for which batteries are increasingly hard to find and expensive. We looked at Uniden, AT&T, Panasonic, Motorola, and V-Tech models. We considered only DECT 6.0 units, which operate on a dedicated 1.9 GigaHertz band and offer generally superior performance.
Many units we looked at were eliminated by what we felt were poor handset ergonomics or one or more operating deficiencies. After much online research and reviews, and hands-on inspection, it came down to the Panasonic KX-TG4021N versus the AT&T TL32200, the latter being new on the market in September 2010. Both units are loaded with similar operating features.
Performance of the answering machine part of the system had a lot to do with our choice of the AT&T TL32200. The Panasonic unit has a very small speaker and low audio level making it sound tinny and hard to hear. It has no base display of how many calls have been received. The AT&T unit, on the other hand, has a bright 2-digit LED that blinks when there are messages waiting in queue and displays the number of messages. It can be easily read from across the room. The audio is crisp and at a comfortable level, making it easy to audibly screen incoming calls.
Pros: Handset is very comfortable, has a bright LCD display, and back-lighted key pad. Menus are easy to navigate, and audio level can be easily adjusted in multiple steps from low to almost painfully loud.
Speed dialing for up to 10 numbers. Pauses can be inserted for calls that involve two parts, such as the telephone number itself followed after answer by entry of a PIN number or ID code. In our case this reduced our toll phone card access from four keystrokes to merely one.
Excellent distance from base unit. We tested it at over 200 feet before any breakup at all occurred. Not quite as good on intercom, but still more than adequate.
Very good sound quality on both receive and transmit. Also has built in four-step audio equalizer to allow tailoring of frequency response to personal preference.
Ringers can be adjusted independently on each handset and the base unit in multiple steps from off to very loud. Visual ring indication on handsets as well.
Best-in-class manual. Very clear and complete, total of 84 pages including index. The usual syntax and translation problems are refreshingly absent.
Cons: These are mostly minor quibbles. The Panasonic unit uses two standard AAA NiMH batteries that simply plug in and can be recharged in a fast charger. Replacement is also simple. The AT&T phone also uses two batteries of the same type, but they are soldered together and plastic covered as a single unit with a pendant cable. Not as easy to replace and more expensive. The internal charger takes up to 16 hours to fully charge run-down batteries, although this limitation is shared with other makes of phones as well -- the chargers generally run at a trickle-charge rate to avoid overcharging.
If you use the speakerphone and then then turn it off to revert to the handset earpiece, the audio defaults to a low level rather than remembering where you had it set before. Although you can easily turn it back up, this is somewhat annoying.
Bottom Line: If we were in the equipment review business, which we are not, we would award the TL32200 a definite Editor's Choice.
Click Here to see more reviews about: AT&T DECT 6.0 Digital Dual Handset Answering System (32200)
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