Most businesses are moving away from the classic landline in favor of the cellphones. The reason behind this is the availability and convenience of mobile phones, but when you think about it, they are not as conducive for a business as you may think.
So, before you invest in a cell phone for your business, it is important you understand how a cordless phone can be beneficial to your business.
A landline cordless phone has lots of great features that cell phone probably doesn’t, such as good sound quality, better coverage, ability to look professional and a dependable reception.
You shall definitely not be embarrassed with dropped calls in the middle of important telephone conversations or discussions with potential clients.
It actually looks more professional when a company has a landline compared to a mobile phone.
During a recent consumer report testing, the voice quality of a cordless phone was found to be typically better than that of even the best cell phones.
This beauty from Panasonic is chosen as the “Top choice” for the cordless phone without answering machine because it contains all of the features you would need in a cordless phone.
It is made by PANASONIC, so you know you are getting a top-notch product, and in addition, it comes highly recommended and has an almost 5-star rating.
PANASONIC is also a trusted brand in the industry, and whenever you buy one of their products you know that you are buying nothing but the best.
Best Cordless Phone Review:
1. PANASONIC Expandable Cordless Phone XK-TGC352B
This phone has a blend of some of the best features you could be looking for in a cordless phone. It comes with some customizable settings, and an easy to use interface. It comes with three headsets that can be expanded into six.
In addition, it has a large digital display that has a high contrast between black and white readout. The buttons on the phone follow a specific color scheme which when backlit makes for very easy dialling even when it’s dark.
This handset is larger than many others you may find in the market and so it may not be as sleek or as pretty as you would wish for it to be.
The left side of the headset has a hands-free talking. Something you will appreciate when you need to double task while talking on the phone. There is a dedicated call button at the right-hand side of the keypad that makes it easy to evade telemarketers.
You can block your calls up to 250 numbers with the hands-free talking feature, but this can only happen if you subscribe to the ID service from your phone company. The caller ID will give you the name of the caller either in English or Spanish and allows you to hear who is calling you without even looking at the phone.
It has one of the best battery performances in the market and can work for up to 5.5 hours without requiring extra charging. It amounts to the best in the industry.
The phone also has a great emergency power backup feature in case of a power blackout or outage. It can draw the power from a charged handset and allow you to still make your calls.
It has an intelligent Eco Mode that enables the phone to conserve power and manages the phone with optimal battery performance.
It also comes with a silent mode that allows the handset to remain silent when you receive calls that you do not wish to pick.
In addition to all of the above benefits of this phone, it allows you to customize it to your liking, and you can change the volume and ring style as you wish. It actually has seven volume levels which include off as well as 15 ring tones.
This phone comes highly recommended as it is easy to use and has all of the most important features that one would love to have on a cordless phone.
- It is very easy to use.
- It comes with customized settings.
- It is a little small for office use.
2. VTech CS6529-4B 4-Handset DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone:
The beauty of this phone lies in its simplicity. You can be able to plug it in and start using it as soon as you bring it home without having to configure a whole bunch of settings and other features. While it’s not as advanced as some other models, it is ideal for most office environments and homes.
It is, in fact, one of the best phones in the market in terms of standard features which includes a battery that takes almost seven hours to charge from empty to full, but it works for at least 31 hours before the battery dies down. Now that is music to most user’s ears. This is the longest that a battery can last.
The setup process as I have already mentioned is quite a breeze and in a few minutes you will have set up the time, date, and even added some numbers to the directory. Adjusting the volume and ring tones will take you less than five minutes flat.
The menu of the phone is clearly labelled and explained to make it easy for you to start using the phone, plus all of the buttons make sense, which means that you do not have to waste time fiddling around with them wondering which is which.
There is a base light that turns on whenever you use the phone and a handset-locator button. This phone doesn’t have an answering machine, but if you want voice mail, all you have to do is contact your phone company and have access to it from the handset.
It also doesn’t have backup power, so you would have some trouble when there is a power outage.
The handset is perfect as it is lightweight and small, and has a green backlit display with some well-defined buttons. It also doesn’t have a headset jack, although it does a full support duplex with a speakerphone that allows you to speak and hear the other person simultaneously.
You can be able to connect up to five handsets to the phone using the one phone jack.
Though it is not packed full of features like the Panasonic above, this VTech phone includes a speed dial and a 50 number phone book directory with caller ID and an LCD display with a wide variety of ringtones that you shall appreciate greatly.
It also has an intercom that you can use to talk to people who are in different rooms at the same time.
This phone is budget-friendly if you are on a budget, and it makes for a good choice for those who are looking for simplicity in the phone. It is also compact and has customizable settings.
- It is easy to use.
- It is budget-friendly.
- It is compact and lightweight.
- The intercom makes it unique
- It doesn’t come with a power backup which can be problematic in case of a power outage.
3. AT&T EL52313 3-Handset Expandable Cordless Phone:
This phone is one of the best if you are budget conscious. It is white and metallic which gives it an excellent and sleek look which is very modern and perfect for the reception area in an office setup.
Unlike other phones, this phone does not look outdated or utilitarian but rather modern and beautiful. It also has a wall mounting bracket that is big and sticks out when around the base when mounted which is not really a good idea.
It has some basic features such as a quiet mode, a speed dial, a caller ID, a handset locator, and an intercom. The phone can store up to 10 contacts that were redialed and has 50 phone good entries for your caller ID history.
The base buttons of the phone are however difficult to read, which is a problem that is compounded by the delete and play buttons that are a little too close to each other. With this problem, you may end up deleting messages accidentally, instead of actually playing them, so, be careful with that.
The system can be expanded to five additional handsets, and you do not have to have headset jacks, but they support simulated full-duplex speakerphone which means that one person on one end can speak and be hart by the others.
It takes seven hours to charge the phone to full charge, and when fully charged, it lasts at least 26 hours which is good enough.
There are at least 10 different ring styles to choose from and seven-volume levels. You can also be able to assign specific ring tones to individual phone numbers.
This phone is reliable, inexpensive and can function as needed.
- Easy to use.
- Cost-effective.
- Can connect up to five different headsets without using a jack.
- It has more than 10 different ring tones to choose from.
- The keys are closely located together which can be confusing.
Cordless phone buying guide:
With so many options available, choosing the right one is the most important way of enjoying all of the benefits that a cordless phone has to offer.
Here are some points you should look out for when buying a cordless phone;
Extensions:
A single-handset phone is much smaller but the best for your home because you are never far from the phone, but, if you are buying the phone for your office, then a multiple-handset phone would be most ideal as it would support and include many different handsets from one base.
Each extra handset can sit on its own charging cradle and enable you to have lots of extensions in the office. It doesn’t really need a phone jack, and this makes it easy to station it on each of your employee’s desk.
Features:
These phones come with lots of features, such as a headset jack, caller ID, a speakerphone, and a ringer.
When you check on the phone’s packaging you can see all of the available features, and you can also go a step further to download the instructional manual from the manufacturer’s website in order to confirm all of the features that you are getting.
The more the features the phone has, the higher the cost shall be.
Performance:
At the end of the day, you want a phone that performs the best for you, and one that works excellently. Voice quality is one of the performance factors you need to look at. Some have excellent voice quality and can be rated with the top-rated corded phones.
Other features you should be looking at is the battery performance when fully charged how long the phone can operate? 8 hours or more before the phone requires charging again is ideal, as it enables you to have continuous conversations, rather than being cut short in the middle of a serious talk.
You should also buy a phone that comes with a replacement battery, which is useful when the battery you have can no longer hold a charge. Usually, this comes at an additional cost but it is worth it if you are going to use the phone in a business environment.
Pick up the phone and try it out first:
When you visit the retailer, you need to hold the handset in your hands to see if it fits with the contours of your face. The earpiece should be rounded around the edges and a recessed center should fit nicely over the middle of your ear.
Check out the buttons and the controls so you can be sure that they are reasonably sized and legible before you buy and take the phone home with you, and later on end up regretting your choice.
Usability issues:
Most new phones have designs that have been enhanced for easier usability. This includes easier-to-read buttons, a visual ringer that signals an incoming call, a volume boost, and even a talking caller ID. These are just a few of the usability enhancements that can help it much easier to use the phone.
Battery backup:
I think I lightly touched on this above. Most cordless phones do not work when there isn’t any electricity, which is bound to happen at one point or the 0ther. Having some form of power backup system such as a battery backup is always a good idea. Some of these phones have compartments within the charging base that house a spare handset and battery pack.
This is perfect for those instances where there is a power blackout, or you have an electrician working on power, which means he has to switch it off. Having an alkaline battery acting as a base power backup will save you plenty of headaches when using a cordless phone.
FAQs about Cordless Phones
Should I keep the cordless phone on the charger at all times?
This is not a must. After the handset is fully charged, you can either leave it on the charger without affecting the battery, or put it aside on your table, but it is always safer to keep it on the charger at all times when it is not in use.
Ensure to always use the Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries. Never use alkaline batteries as they could potentially damage your handset.
How long is the phone likely to work?
A good quality cordless phone should last for around 2 years. Others can last longer, but this is the most likely shelf life of the phone. In most cases, they do not charge after one year of use.
How does a cordless phone work?
Simply put, cordless phones use a radio frequency that is used to connect to the base unit, which is connected to the landline and the mains unit. The beauty of this is that you can receive calls from anywhere within the office and within your home.
Do I need to keep replacing the batteries on the cordless phone?
If the batteries on your cordless phone keep running out, then you may need to replace them. Most cordless phones have an appropriate talk time and a standby time as well when it is new. These talk times refer to the times when you can be on the phone without necessarily having to connect to the charger.
Which are the best batteries to use with a cordless phone?
The Li-Ion batteries are said to be the best. This is because they are not the most expensive and they have a 50% more capacity than the NiCd batteries. They are also lighter in weight and last longer when you are using them.
Benefits of a cordless mobile phone:
Being mobile in the office is instrumental to great productivity. This can clearly be seen with things such as wireless keyboards and mice. The same is true with communications that allow employees to move around as they talk.
Here are some benefits of a cordless phone:
Cost:
Depending on the business you are running installing phones in the workplace can be costly to the company. Cordless phones are the ideal solutions to this problem as all you need with this phone is a power outlet.
They do not make use of expensive Ethernet cabling which is also unavailable at most times. No jacks or wiring are required and this makes it the most cost-effective phone solution yet.
Flexibility:
There are many different types of businesses that require their employees to have the ability to access multiple locations at the same time while serving customers. Whether they are working in the office, in the store or in the warehouse, and as such, you shall need a good cordless phone where they can be free to move around as much as they want to.
Sound quality:
You may be thinking – why can’t I just use a cell phone which is readily available and flexible? Well, this is all good, but, besides making calls, these cordless phones sound a lot better. They are not affected by weather conditions or signal strength.
Studies show that the voice quality produced from a talking and listening cordless phone is better than that of the best cell phones, especially if you suffer from hearing loss or if you work in a noisy environment.
Functionality:
Another reason why businesses are investing in the cordless phone is the number of features these phones have. From the phone-to-phone intercom, the hold and three-way conferencing, the caller id, and of course the flexibility and freedom experienced with the cordless phone, this is definitely a win-win situation.
Cordless desk phones are actually more versatile than the rest and they offer businesses more features such as extension dialing, VIP ringtones, do not disturb, caller ID with the name of the caller, mute, full-duplex speakerphone, hold and volume controls on the handset.
Conclusion
When you are looking for a new cordless phone, finding the most reliable one that shall serve you well without failing in the next few months is the best option. Take time to search for what will best suit you and have a look at the buying guide we have given above for what you should be looking out for.