Telephones (corded phone or cordless phone), speakerphones, and answering machines are still in surprisingly high demand, and manufacturers have responded by providing quite a bit of innovation. There are a lot of options in these product categories on the market today. Consumers have been reluctant to rid themselves of their landline telephones, although cell phones have taken over the majority of telephony traffic. This stubbornness is hardly irrational; mobile calls on cell phones simply do not provide the reliability and the clarity that a trusty home phone can.

Uniden CEZAI998 Large-Button Phone
Uniden CEZAI998 Large-Button Phone



Many people like the freedom of cordless chatting, but they don’t want to abandon the security of a corded desktop phone. For such people, Uniden offers the CEZAI998 Corded/Cordless Phone System, which offers a reliable desktop phone and a 5.8GHz cordless handset. Given the sizeable buttons, the large LCD, the talking Caller ID, and the visual ring indicators, the phone was designed with the elderly and the handicapped in mind, but the CEZAI998 is definitely an excellent product for regular consumers. The corded telephone also includes a built-in answering machine that stores up to 15 minutes of messages.

Most homeowners go for cordless phones, and this is where most of the advances in product design and features take place. Many cordless systems are expandable, and some even come with multiple handsets. In everything but the very low-end products, you’ll also get handset speakerphones. But it’s the range and clarity that should be your top priority.

If you live in a crowded area, avoid 2.4GHz models because they interfere with Wi-Fi networks. Panasonic makes some of the best cordless phones, followed closely by Uniden. One of the best products around is the Panasonic KX-TG5776S 5.8GHz Cordless System. Expandable up to eight handsets, this device offers excellent range and clarity along with a color LCD. After uploading photos through the handset’s USB port, you can have Photo ID for your callers. Another good option is the Panasonic KX-TG6700B 5.8GHz Cordless System, expandable up to eight handsets and it includes a 60-minute digital answering machine. People that want two handsets to space around their home will like the Uniden TRU9485-2 5.8GHz Cordless System, which offers very reliable performance in a handsome package. The system is also surprisingly inexpensive (under $100 MSRP).

Speakerphones are features that are commonly embedded in telephony products today, either built into handsets or added to cordless base stations. But sometimes people (particularly businesses) seek out products that specialize in this field.

If you’re looking for a high-quality speakerphone, Polycom offers some of the best products in the market. All of their phones are full duplex, which means that conversations won’t be clipped when the other person begins to talk. The Polycom VoiceStation 300 offers very rich incoming sound, and because there are three noise-canceling microphones positioned at the corners of the triangular unit, sound pickup is excellent. This product is aimed mostly for business markets and has a data port as well as an RCA port for sending audio to other devices.

After getting used to mobile headsets, many consumers now opt for telephone headsets around the house. Their commonality comes from their relatively inexpensive price tags and the freedom from wires they provide. Plantronics is a leader in the field of headset phones, providing excellent clarity and range. One of the better models is the Plantronics CS50 900MHz Office Headset, providing an entire workday of battery use (8 hours) and excellent transmissions in both directions. Furthermore, it is Wi-Fi friendly.

Stand-alone answering machines is the one category of home telephony that has suffered a significant drop in sales. This is due not only to the introduction of personal voicemail, but because many telephones now include built-in answering machines for a few bucks extra. But if you have a favorite phone already, an inexpensive stand-alone machine will give you access to call screening at a very low price.

Handsome and modern for a stand-alone machine, the AT&T 1738 Digital Answering Machine is one of the best products (and one of the least expensive) in its class. The machine can hold up to 40 minutes of high-quality recordings, which are time/day stamped and can be listened to remotely. You can also listen to the messages at variable speeds. The GE 29869GE2 Digital Answering System is another great option, with 40 minutes of messages and four mailboxes.