Panasonic Dect 6.0 Dark Grey Cordless/Corded Phone with Answering Machine (KX-TG1062M) Review

I was torn whether to rate this 4 or 5 stars. For my simple needs, it's definitely a 5, but it does have some quirks.

Good:

Great sound quality. Corded base for power outages. Speakerphone (which works great) on all components, both base and handsets. Access to answering system messages from all components. Functions as an intercom (and very well, too). 100-number phone book, which can be copied between units either in total or one entry at a time, and nine phone number groups that you can give custom names. Five-number quick dial buttons on base. Large, easy-to-use buttons. Uses rechargeable AA's (I *think* - might have been AAA's - standard batteries, anyway) instead of the expensive proprietary kind. Supports up to six handsets.

Not so good:

Some menus confusing. Direct-access to functions using "#" and a numeric code a joke, to me - I want to navigate to a function using an intuitive menu, not look up a code in the user manual. On base unit, LCD contrast is not high enough to read display without backlight (at least in the location we've got it). Does not have a memo function as our previous (but much lower quality) system did, so I'm in the market for a fridge magnet recorder thingie now - which is just fine by my husband, as he hated my leaving messages to myself on the answering machine....! ;-> ) Cannot copy phone number groups between units - if you use that function, you'd have to name the groups on each unit and put each phone number in a group individually.

The reason I gave it a "5" nevertheless is that the "not so good" things I listed mean virtually nothing to me for my simple needs, especially when bounced against the "good" things, which *do* mean a lot to me. Your mileage may vary, which is why I tried to list everything I've noticed about the unit so far.

Buy it here now!