Cordless phone shopping checklist
- — 17 August, 2011 14:57
A cordless phone. (Image credit: Philips)
When you're buying a cordless phone there a lot of factors to consider. We've covered a couple of key points you'll need to think about:
Standard features
An LCD screen, caller ID, redial and call waiting should all be standard features. Make sure you double-check what the phone offers.
Range
The longer the range, the farther you can walk away from the base station with a cordless phone. If you have a large house then a long range is ideal, and out of range warning may be useful too.
Multiple handsets
Many phones can have up to three or four handsets linked together. Some can be purchased separately, while others are bundled together in a sales package. Be sure to check that the phone supports multiple handsets as you may need to purchase one at a later date.
Pager button
A pager button is ideal, and most cordless phones should include it. This button is located on the base station or charging dock and pressing it sounds an alarm on the phone. It offers a quick and easy way of locating the handset's whereabouts.
Backlit keypad
An often-overlooked issue is a backlit keypad, which is a blessing for night-time calls. Not all cordless phones have a backlit keypad, so check this before you buy.
Answering Machine
Some cordless phones come with an answering machine as one of their features. This bumps up the price of the handset considerably, so if you don’t need one, then be sure to let the sales assistant know this.
