DECT 6.0 phones

[nupe]

Our old uniden phones are dying. They were fine except for batteries. We even used the paging feature every now and then. I don't really use phonebooks on them. I replaced all the batteries and looks like a couple of the batteries are bad or the phones are bad, so I figure it is time to get new phones.

I've shopped the costco collection in store (easy return if they stop working, as many amazon reviews indicate that many of these phones just stop working and they are warranty headaches) and am trying to decide between two brands. I'm unsure of how helpful vs annoying TALKING caller id might be. A dealbreaker for me is that the keys must light up since we use the phone a LOT in the middle of the night. Neither of the phones

Panasonic,
+snazzy boxes that explain the great features such as energy saving, talking caller ID, etc, high ratings in consumer reports
- I can't tell if the keypad numbers actually light up, or have a light ring of light around them (which would not work), can't page from one phone to another, apparently only from the base

Uniden
+system we know, keys definitely light up, cheaper, paging system-can page between phones apparently, instead of to all phones
-none of the fancy new stuff I'm not sure we'd even use

Have you recently purchased a dect phone or had experience with these brands?

[alirebco]

We just got new DECT 6.0 cordless phones b/c our Uniden ones sucked. They came with 3 handsets and 1 stopped working pretty quickly and then the 2nd one recently went kaput.

We went with Panasonic b/c they get the best reviews and I don't want to have rebuy phones again anytime soon. They also have some nice features like turning off the ringer during certain hours and talking caller id.

[nupe]

Alicia:

Do you like the talking caller id on your panasonic? Does it call out the phone number or the name of the caller or something generic like New York Call, or cell phone call? What color are the number keys and do they actually light up?

Thanks,

[alirebco]

This is the set we got:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036D5XH8/ref=oss_product

The number keys are silver and they don't light up. The talking caller id will call out the name if it shows up or the full number.

[Twin Mom]

I just bought the Panasonic KX-TG6545 at Costco. It is similar to the one linked to above but it came with 5 handsets. I only set it up about a week ago but so far it works fine. I didn't look at the details on all of the sets at Costco, but the phones I have can page from phone to phone, not just the base. The keys do light up. The talking caller ID is ok. Honestly I don't really pay attention to it but I think it says the callers name. It doesn't bother me at all. My father's had a set of panasonic cordless phones for years and he's been very happy with them.

I just replaced a vtech set where 2 of the batteries where dead very quickly and the keys were so hard to press it was getting ridiculous.

HTH.

[BigDog]

We love our Panasonic phones. We have two different Panasonic systems in our house since one is used solely as my work line. We love the talking caller ID feature and rely on it! At this point I couldn't survive without it. It's great for when you finally get that chance to curl up on the sofa after a crappy day... and then the phone rings... and you think to yourself "Come on! I just sat down!"... and then the talking caller ID announces that its your MIL calling... and then you immediately know that that's not a call that is worth getting up for. It's great! If you store specific numbers in the phone, the talking ID will announce it the way that the number is stored, for instance "Call from Bob cell". If you don't store any numbers in your phone, the talking ID will announce it the way that the number is registered with the phone company, "Call from Smith, Robert". Sometimes it'll say other things like "Call from out of area", which is usually a telemarketer, or someone you know you don't want to pick up for! HTH!

[nupe]

Thanks everyone. Good to know that talking caller ID is indeed desirable. And that at least one panasonic model at costco has light up keys!

[nupe]

Twin Mom:
I ended up buying the panasonic from costco. I could not imagine that they keys would light up (orange) based on how silver they are when not lit up and wouldn't have believed it but for your post. Don't know yet if the talking caller id is a good thing or a bad thing...