Home > Consumer Reviews > Uniden TRU3485 2.4 GHz DSS Titanium Cordless Phone with Caller ID, Speakerphone & Answering Device

I bought this phone a week ago and have gone through every feedback I could find about it on the net before doing so. Some of the comments about the phone made me think twice before getting this particular model but some of them who had good experiences with the TRU3485 made me try it out for myself. After all, I thought, I can always return it if it proved worthless.

Worthless is hardly what this phone is. This phone proved to be all function and performance. Let me tell you some of the TSU3485's nice perks:

The Base / Speaker Phone:

Set-up was simple and quick. Plug it in set up the day and time and you're set! The other settings are in simple toggle switches all around the phone which makes it really easy to set i.e. number of rings before answer, toll saver feature, message length, base ringer and the tone/pulse select switch. Other base features that I've tried include the intercom/page which allowed me to talk to my wife from the garage calling her on the base from the handset & vice versa, the speaker phone feature which has the useful mute button, the memo feature which allows you to leave a reminder message to yourself or other members of the household, the answering machine feature and the 20 number speed dial memory. I did not avail of the caller ID feature hence have not tried that function.

The Handset:

The handset feels great, has the right weight and is quite sturdy. I dropped it a couple of times by accident of course and it did no harm to the phone. I'm talking about carpet flooring though. So don't start dropping it on granite or any stone floor! The handset is filled with features too! I noticed that when you get a call it lights up when it is on it's base which makes it ideal if you're listening to loud music, have headphones on or switched the ringer off so as not to disturb a sleeping partner or child (I'm not sure if it will light up when it rings out of the base). It also has auto answer mode which allows you to simply pick it up from the base and answer a call without having to press any key. Another cool feature is the 20 number memory that you can use to store names and numbers on the handset which allows you to input names and numbers which you can scroll through later on using the 3 line LCD display. Scroll to the name you want and hit "talk" and it will dial the number stored for that particular name! I also like the headset compatibility! One user commented about wishing they had it in alphabetical order... good suggestion, but for now since it isn't, just arrange it so that you have the most important names and numbers on top of your list. Make sure it's your wife's office or cellphone number on the number 01 slot if you work from home or you'll have to explain many many times why pizza hut is on the number 01 slot!

The timer is a great feature on the handset. It helps in keeping track of those long distance or overseas calls and the lighted display and keypad helps when dialing in dimly lit areas. Using the functions on the handset is relatively easy if you take some time to read the simply written manual. Battery life is good and audio quality is I think loud enough even at medium setting. Range is excellent! Signal goes thru walls and floors without any problems.

The minor Issues:

You can hear a noticeable static noise if you really listen for it. I tried the phone near the microwave and YES there is noise when you talk near an operating microwave oven. The question is how often would you want to talk to someone on the phone at the exact same time you're near an operating microwave oven? No noise next to a TV or computer though. Another issue I found about this unit is that sometimes when my wife calls me from home she seems like she was calling from a cell phone. There was ambient noise and a little echoing but most of the time she comes in clear like she was on a normal corded phone. No choppiness or clicks.

The sound quality of the base and message playback needs improvement and I would suggest the following enhancements: The base could use a 3 line LCD for caller ID users and to make it easier to use the speed dial numbers stored in it, lighted keypads and a headset socket. Other than that it truly is a wonderful phone, packed with features to have for your home or office. Stop hesitating! Buy one and try it out for yourself!

From the first, the sound quality on this phone was poor, and we had some trouble hearing people, even on the highest volume setting. Sound quality on the digital message recorder was also wobbly. Now the head phone jack is loose, and it's causing us to be unable to use the handset -- sound cuts in and out during phone conversations. In short, it's junk. I've heard that Uniden is one of the better brands, but not with this model!

I'm 45 years old and just a couple of months ago had to start using eye glasses. Now I'm searching for a cordless phone that has a lot of volume.....I think my hearing is the next thing to go. This Uniden has tons of volume if your looking for a phone that need this. I would rather have a phone that has to much than not enough that way I can turn it down if it's to loud. But a cordless phone cannot be judged only on volume alone, it has to be clear and this one is definatly that. The speaker phone also a plenty of volume and callers on the other say it sounds pretty good.

This phone works very well with call waiting caller ID and another plus with call waiting caller ID with options. If you have this feature with your phone company you can (while your on a phone call) send a message to the caller trying to call you to hold, or that your busy, or you can conference them with the current call or you can drop the first call and answer the second....very handy and something I wish more phones had.

My only complaint about the phone is why only 20 directory numbers on the handset and why not in alphabetical order? Twenty numbers just isn't enough nowadays and if they were in alphabetical order it would be easier to locate the person that your trying to call. If the phone had at least 50 directory slots and was capable of putting them in alphabetical order I would have given this phone 5 stars. I noticed Uniden is getting ready to come out with a new line of phones, hopefully Uniden has addressed this short comming. The answering machine part works well and is easy to set up. Checking messages can only be done at the base unit, no part of the answering machine is accessable from the cordless handset.

Conclusion:

If your looking for a cordless phone with clarity and an abundance of volume and can live with the 20 number directory limitation than this is the phone for you.

I have been looking for a phone that has all the features this phone has for over a year and I finally found it! When I work from home, I need a phone that has a speakerphone with a mute button so I can take conference calls, which this does. Also, I like the fact that I can roam all around the house and even yard and beyond with it comfortably on my belt (and a headset not included)and the clarity doesn't change. I just enabled the caller ID and answering features and they work predicatably. I checked the consumer reports ratings and uniden fared extremely well in the cordless phones. Most of all, I like the fact that it is 2.5Ghz DSS which is about as secure as you can get with a cordless phone. I liked it so much I replaced our regular home phone as well.

February 2002, my review:
I recently purchased this phone and when I first tried it out, there was some background noise but the solution was simple. I looked at the settings of the phone and found that the handset volume came set on high so all of the static or background noise was being amplified. The solution is to turn down the handset volume to low and there is NO background noise AT ALL, ZERO. 2 seconds to perfection. In fact, I think the TRU3485 sounds better than my old corded phone (which also sounded fine). Additionally, at this low volume setting, the volume is not low at all, in fact, it is just right. All of the features seem to work just fine, of course, besides the higher volume handset settings. The speaker phone sounds excellent. Although I have not owned the phone for long, I think that I made the right decision. I did a lot of research and tried out a couple of other cordless phones, and this one seems like it is by far the best one for the money. Don't always believe these online reviews because people make mistakes and/or don't give the products a chance. My suggestion is to try out a product that you are interested in, especially, if it has some positive reviews and return it if it doesn't work out, so don't take my word for it--Try it out for yourself.

August 2002:
This is the best phone I have ever owned (corded or cordless) and I have not had a single problem with it in the almost 9 months that I have had it. People that do not like this phone must have gotten defective ones because mine works perfect in all ways. Great Phone!!! Great Price!!!