VTech ip5850 5.8 GHz DSS Cordless Phone with Dual Handsets and Digital Answering System

Amazon Customer Reviews

(4 out of 5)

So Far So Good

I take the reviews seriously when researching products but the reviews for cordless phones were so varied within same models that I could only take a chance. I bought the VTech ip5850 because of the 5.8GHz and the price. Other cordless phones I've had, mostly Radio Shack phones, worked awfully in my house. With the ip5850 I have not experienced any static inside the house, but in the garage however there was some (not a big concern for me though).

The calls come in very clearly and callers tell me that they hear me clearly as well.

The messages left on the answering machine are also clear.

The menu is easy to navigate and the User's Manual is equally simple to follow.

I like that the phonebook is automatically shared by both phones. For single folks its ideal, famlies might not want an entire phone book shared by all users.

I'm not crazy about the backlighting or LCD display, the backlight could be brighter and the LCD contrast should at least be customizable, which it isn't. But again, my greatest concern when choosing a phone was a clear connection which the ip5850 certainly has given me.

I have yet to have a problem with the rechargable batteries but then again I always keep the phones on their bases.

To sum up, great phone, great clarity, no interference from the many electronics I have in my home, an overall good phone for a good price. Hope this helped.

(5 out of 5)

Great phone and features for under $100

I recently purchased this phone to replace one that I was completely unhappy with. This one seemed to have all of the features I was looking for and so far, I have not been disappointed in the least.

First off, this phone comes with everything you could ever want: 2 handsets, answering machine, paging, intercom capapbility between the 2 handsets, 3 mailboxes, ear pieces for the headsets and the list goes on and on.

I have roamed far and near with this 5.8ghz beauty and have yet to experience any interference at all. My basement wreaked havoc on my old 2.4ghz system, but not a single buzz or squelch from the VTech.

We keep the base in the kitchen and the extra handset in the bedroom. If I get a call that is for someone else, I can page the other phone and transfer the call over. No more yelling in the house to pick up the other phone!

Seriously though, I've gone through all sorts of phones to try and find that perfect fit. So far, this one is living up to all of my expectations.

I was amazed at how long I had gone without using a handsfree set with our home phone. Since this set includes 2 earpieces I was able to try that out right away and I will never go back to holding the receiver in my hand.

The sound is great and design is sleek and handsets are lightweight and are easy to read in the dark.

If you are looking for a phone upgrade, this is a definite option for you.

(4 out of 5)

GREAT features, great phone, only a couple of quirks

I bought this phone based on the features-to-price ratio -- it was hard to beat! I went to physically look at this phone compared to the Uniden model. The Uniden was just too small, and had dozens of tiny buttons that were indistinguishable from one another. I've been very happy with the VTech 5850.

Clarity is great. I have a wireless home network and didn't want the interference, so the 5.8gHz is essential. The base is solid, but not too large, and well laid out. The voice-led menu system is easy to navigate through for settings.

I love the handsets. They sit sturdily upright, and the speakerphone is excellent. The buttons are logically placed and it's very easy to use.

One of my favorite features is that the phonebook is stored in the base unit, and is shared between the handsets. It's a breeze to enter new names/numbers, or add names to the #'s in the phone's call history.

My two minor quibbles:

(1) The way the 5850 plays messages is backwards from every other phone/answersystem I've used -- this unit plays the date & time FIRST, and then the message. This takes some getting used to, but there's a bigger problem: if you listen to a message and then hit the DELETE button (even while the date/time is being played), it actually erases the NEXT message, and you never get to hear it! (And, unless you're counting the new messages as they're played to compare with the number the machine said you have, you may never realize you've deleted one.) The only way I've found is to play through all messages, then play them all again and skip/repeat to delete the ones you want. It may sound minor, but wait until you've erased a few messages before you realize it.

(2) Really minor, but I wish there were some better ringers. We found one that's relatively benign, but most of them were fairly jarring.

Overall, I really love this phone. The price is right, and as long as you don't need to expand beyond the included 2 handsets, it's got everything you need.

(4 out of 5)

A tremendous value.

I have owned VTech phone systems from the first generation cordless up until this model, which replaced my 2.4 GHz system. This model is ideal for a single person or small family as it is not expandable, but you get two phone sets for a great price. The features are plentiful and easy to understand. I like the new rechargable batteries instead of the clunky cartridge in the older phones. Three mailboxes, 50 phone number storage (What's cool is you only punch in the numbers/names once and they are shared by both phones.), good sound quality, so I have no complaints yet. I didn't give this 5 stars because I don't know how it will stand the test of time. My 2.4 GHz system became a pain as it aged and the phone units discharged very quickly, even with new battery cartridges. Plus VTech did not say if you should let your phone units discharge off the charger or keep them sitting on the charger...a real dilemma because I wonder what is best for long battery life. But let's hope the new rechargable batteries do a better job...then I'll add the fifth star.

(5 out of 5)

BUY IT!!!

Owning three (you think I would have learned) of the most expensive Panasonic 5.8's has been like beating my head on the wall. The pain only went away after bringing home the lower priced "VTEch 5850." The best sounding no-nonsense phone. No echo, no static, no hassles, no stupid bells & whistles. Does it all. Don't even think about it. The second handset is a bonus.