Panasonic KX-TG2357B 2.4 GHz DSS Cordless Phone with Dual Handsets, Answering System, and Talking Caller ID (Black)

Amazon Customer Reviews

(5 out of 5)

Finally all the best features in one!

Panasonic has definitely been doing their homework. The KX-TG2357B has all the best features one could want in a cordless answering system in both function and appearance at a very reasonable price. I'm a confessed phone nut, searching for the "perfect phone". I own both Motorola and Panasonic's top of the line models of 2003 (MD681 & KX-TG5100 respectively) but I just wasn't satisfied. Recently I noticed Panasonic had presented a new model line,did some research and purchased the 2357B.
What I found was a collection of great features and improvements, which to save time, I'll list below.

1) Lighter handset, slightly smaller with an improved
ergomomic contour with crisp backlit LED displays.
2)Improved handset speaker phone voice quality.
3)NMH battery.
4)Short antenna with a ringer/message alert light on the
tip!
5)Simplified navigation buttons contolling a cell phone
system. (no more space wasting navigation disc)
6)Full commication (phonebook , intercom and conference)
between handsets.
7)Intuative, simple answering system controls with very
usefull LED display window.
8)Attractive styling in charcoal black. Enough silver
already!
9)Talking caller ID. Works great!!
10)Includes 2 handsets!

I join the previous reviewers in highly recomending this phone system, so thoughtfully executed, at a better than reasonable price!

(5 out of 5)

Lots of Value for the Money

This Panasonic phone was a replacement for a previous 900MHz model that we'd had for a number of years. I checked out ratings for cordless phones at a leading consumer magazine's website, and Panasonic was by far the highest-rated manufacturer, though there are many fine brands of cordless phones.

What sets this model apart is the features included for a very reasonable price, especially the inclusion of a second handset. It's great to have what amounts to three phones in one, since the base unit includes a keypad of its own in addition to the handset it accomodates. The base has a speakerphone built in, as do the handsets, so you can work hands-free anywhere. The ability to plug in a headset to the handsets is also convenient, though I personally don't envision the need to do so.

The clarity of the sound is truly extraordinary, and one of Panasonic's main advantages. The Voice Enhancer technology is valuable in the event of a bad connection, but even without it the intelligibility is superb.

Another nice feature is the variable ring tones on the base unit as well as the handsets, including several melodies. You can also subscribe to a service where other melodies and tones are downloadable, but this seems a bit nonsensical. After all - it's a phone, not a stereo system!

The unit and the handsets are easy to operate, and the instruction manual is clearly written with plenty of diagrams.

You won't be disappointed with the KX-TG2357B - it's a great system, easy to use, great-sounding, and the price is right.

By the way, I didn't happen to purchase mine at Amazon, but wanted you to know that this is a fine product for your consideration.

(5 out of 5)

Highly recommended

I agree 100% with "An electronic fan's" previous review. I'll just add that the range on this phone is great. I walked 1 block from my house with the phone and it sounded just as clear as it does 10ft from the transmitter.

Also, if you have caller ID service this phone has talking caller ID which works surprizingly well. When you receive a call the phone will ring a couple of times and then announce "call from Doe, John" from the handsets and the base. This makes it easy to screen your calls.

I really like the fact that you can access just about every function and feature through the handsets like retrieving messages, speakerphone, editing settings, etc.

An excellent value, highly recommended.

(2 out of 5)

Poor range - had to return

I have a 900 MHz DSS Uniden EXI8965 cordless phone which I have had for a few years and have been *very* satisfied with it. It has excellent voice quality, good range, and great battery life and I hope to continue to use this phone for a long time in the future.

However, I have a den which does not have a phone jack and therefore I need a dual handset phone so I can have keep a handset in the den at all times. I have been searching for a dual handset cordless phone for some time with the following features:
(1). Fairly large and comfortable feeling handset. I guess I am old fashioned (and old) and like the larger handsets much better than the smaller ones.
(2). Good voice quality.
(3). Good range.
(4). The ability to use both handsets at the same time. Plus the ability when using one handset, to simply pick up the other handset and join in the conversation.
(5). Speaker in the handset.
(6). Caller ID/Call Waiting
(7). Chain dialing for long distance and calling card usage.
(8). At least 50 memory locations for storing caller ids.
(9). Five or more last number redials.
(10). Lighted keypad.
(11). Large display with date and time of call, caller name, and caller number on one screen.
(12). Selectable ring tones by caller. I now have BellSouth Complete Choice local service where you can have a distinctive ring for up to 10 different numbers. Using this feature, I can tell when my kids or grandkids are calling before I answer the phone. However, I can't tell which one is calling because there is only one distinctive ring. I was looking for something like the AT&T VIP ring feature.
(13). Misc other features like Intercom, handset paging, and fairly secure transmission. No answering machine capability.
(14). I didn't want to pay over about $100 for the phone set.

I found the Panasonic KX-TG2357B on sale at Staples ($20 rebate). It seemed to have gotten pretty good reviews on the Internet for the most part so I decided to go ahead and buy it. The phone had an answering system which I didn't need but the $20 rebate was enough to help convince me to buy it anyway. I came home and unpacked it and plugged it in for its 6 hour charge. I installed the base station at one end of the house and the extra handset at the other end of the house in my den. After charging, I began testing the phones out.

Pros: Nice set of features. Nice sizing of handsets for me. Attractive phone. I liked the handset speakerphone. Not a bad price.

Cons: There were two main problems:
(1). *Range*. My house is about 70' long. The base was at one end of the house and the second handset was in the den at the other end. There is a brick wall between the base and the second handset. When using the phone in the den, the reception was bad. The conversation kept breaking up to a moderate degree. If I moved on the other side of the brick wall, the reception seemed to be fine. I could have moved the base closer to the second handset but I needed the Intercom capability between both ends of the house and I would have lost this had I moved the base. I understand that wireless networks, microwaves, etc. can affect 2.4ghz phones. I don't have a wireless network, nor to my close neighbors plus the microwave wasn't running.
(2). Sound Quality. The sound quality on my end was pretty good if I wasn't too far from the base station. However, the sound quality for the person to whom I was talking was not good, according to the person who was helping me test out the phones. He said it sounded like I was calling from a not so good cell phone. I could call him on my Uniden and he said the sound quality from it was very good - just like a corded phone.

Other Comments:
(1). Talking Caller Id. I liked the idea of the talking caller id. However, for me, it did not prove to be that useful. The main reason is that the phone does not tell you who is calling until after it rings twice. Usually by that time, I have already picked the phone up and checked the caller id. I believe for me, a distinctive ring tone for certain callers would be more useful. However, for some people, I could see where the talking caller id would be useful. I understand that this is a limitation of the phone company, not Panasonic, as the caller id information is not transmitted until after the second ring. As other reviewers have noted, it does not always pronounce the names correctly and even provides some humor in the way it pronounces names at times.
(2). Caller ID display. It takes two screens to display all the caller id information when you receive a call. I believe the number of the caller is displayed on the second screen. The phone alternates back and forth between the first screen and the second screen of information. This is not critical but just an annoyance. My Uniden displays all the information on one screen which I like.
(3). You have to press one button to answer the phone and another to hang up. I prefer to press Talk to answer and to press Talk again to hang up. Not critical - just my personal preference.

Couple more comments:

Since I love my old Uniden cordless phone, I looked into getting a dual handset Uniden phone. However, it appears that you can only talk on one handset at a time. At least this is the case on the cheaper Uniden phones. If anyone knows differently or has found a dual handset phone that you are happy with which has the features I am interested in, please e-mail me.

I mentioned earlier that I bought the Panasonic phone from Staples. When I returned it they were very nice and helpful and I would recommend them. I am not associated with them in any manner whatsoever.

I am still searching for the perfect dual handset cordless phone!

(1 out of 5)

KX-TG and KX-TC lines are defective! Read on...

I purchased the base unit (which includes one handset) and two additional handsets. They worked okay for about a month or so, then the handset started inexplicably dying. Sometimes the screen went totally blank and you would lose the call or couldn't dial. Othertimes the screen said that I was too far away from the base (even when I was literally right next to the base). So I called customer service and they said that it sounded like I needed a new battery (after a MONTH!). I actually read the directions before using the phone and I wasn't even putting the phones on the bases to recharge after every call so that the NI CD batteries wouldn't develop a memory (they don't use the better Lithium Ion batteries that do not develop a memory). So this made no sense. Anyway, I went ahead and bought the batteries (for all three handsets) and that didn't solve the problem at all. I then went ahead and purchased another handset. Again, no problems for a month and then the same issue. Customer service issued remanufactured phones (4 handsets) and in about a month to 8 weeks all were exactly the same.

I know I wasn't doing anything wrong to cause this. I began searching the Internet and low and behold I am not alone. Apparently a law firm in New Jersey has already filed a class action law suit against Panasonic for the entire KX-TG and KX-TC cordless phone lines. Search "panasonic cordless phone class action" on google. It will be the first hit. As an attorney myself (not in any way affiliated with or even previously aware of the firm that has filed the suit), I can tell you it takes a lot of consumer complaints before a law firm decides to invest its resources in a class action suit as they are very expensive and time consuming.

So, I've learned my lesson the hard way (although there wasn't anything I could've done differently at the time of purchase). Hopefully, my experience and research into this can prevent you from having to deal with it in the future. Panasonic was unjustly enriched in distributing such a defective product and not having the corporate decency to at least recall it and replace it with a functioning line or refunding our hard earned dollars. Very disappointing and I certainly will not be purchasing the Panasonic brand again.