For the longest time, I had a Uniden 900MHz that worked fine. When it finally died, I replaced it with a GE 2.4 GHz that gives just awful static. I never had any problems with clarity with the Uniden model, but I haven’t been able to find it at the Best Buys or Circuit Citys around here.
Suggestions for a good clear home phone, not crazy-expensive?
Do you have a home wireless network? The 2.4 Ghz frequency used in cordless phones is the same one used in wireless (as well as emitted by microwave ovens), so you might be experiencing interference from such a source. In which case, changing brands may or may not help, depending on their frequency switching schemes.
No- I don’t even own a cell phone, Luddite that I am!
I made the naive assumption that buying a phone of 2.4 GHz as opposed to 900 MHz would offer a clearer connection, but I guess it doesn’t really have to do with that?
I bought a Uniden 900 about 8 months ago-- mostly because it was top-rated by Consumer Reports, which is where I go for most of my electronic recommendations.
Good to know. Guess I’ll keep hunting for the ol’ Uniden.
Thanks!
I have a home wireless network, a microwave, and 3 2.4 Ghz cordless phones. Never had a problem with any of them.
Then again, the phone I have are fairly high end (Bang & Olufsen). I got sick of buying a new cordless every year and bit the bullet about 5 years ago and bought the niftiest cordless I could find (also came with a nifty 3 year warranty.) They were pricy, but I haven’t had to buy a new phone every year like I used to.
Athena, do you mind my asking how much the Bang and Olufsen was?
When I worked at a large electronic retail store (BBY) each of our 9 departments was required to use two phones, the generic corded one and a cordless one.
The cordless phones were taken out of store stock when needed. These phones were used 11 hours+ a day, taken as far as 300 ft. away from their bases, were used around lots of electronic devices, were often dropped multiple times by employees, and sometimes left off the base overnight.
I was in charge of supplying the departments with these phones and got the phones back when they died, stopped recharging, had a buzz, got poor reception, etc. etc.
We tried a lot of different brands since we could use whatever we wanted off the shelf, AT&t, Uniden, Sony, Panasonic, Motorola, V-Tech, etc.
Hands down the best most reliable cordless we found were the Panasonic . All departments eventually went to these because I got the least complaints about them and they lasted the longest.
Funny. We just switched to Panasonic (this model ) after having the same Uniden phones for about 3 years. I had gone to the store intending to get more Uniden, but noticed the Panasonic, and they looked like they offered more features for a better price. Figuring the worst-case scenario would be they would only last a year or 2, I bought them. So far (2 months), we have had 0 problems. 
Why not just order one?
So… is your B&O (Not to be confused with Baltimore and Ohio phones) phone shaped like a rectangle of plate glass?
I’m really happy with the 5.8GHz Vtech phones I got recently but the $9.95, 900MHz Uniden I got at the grocery store has been a good performer. I like the Vtech phones better since they have caller ID built into the handset and the display also functions as a phone book.
I went through a few cordless phones when I was buying my first one. They all sucked until I bought a Panasonic. I worked great for five years until it was dropped a few too many times and the battery door wouldn’t hold the battery in any more.
My second one worked very well until the new puppy got too it.
The third one is still working very well. I bought another one for the business line about a year ago.
In my experience, Panasonic is the way to go.
Haj
I went through a few cordless phones when I was buying my first one. They all sucked until I bought a Panasonic. I worked great for five years until it was dropped a few too many times and the battery door wouldn’t hold the battery in any more.
My second one worked very well until the new puppy got to it.
The third one is still working very well. I bought another one for the business line about a year ago.
In my experience, Panasonic is the way to go.
Haj
General Questions is for questons with factual answers. IMHO is for opinions and polls.
Off to IMHO.
DrMatrix - GQ Moderator