Home > Consumer Reviews > Panasonic 5.8 GHZ Single Handset System Expandable Digital Cordless Answering System (KX-TG4321B)

What I like most about this phone is that it uses 2 AAA batteries (rechargeable included). The battery in my previous phone would die every year and its cost was ~17$ (almost half the price of a new phone).

Pros: Very good voice quality (also with the speaker), easy to use answering machine, light weight, 5.8G doesn't interfere with my wireless.

Cons: none so far.

Call quality on the handset--both on the earpiece and the speakerphone--is nonproblematic. The base for the handset has a very small footprint (I'm estimating it at no more than 40 square inches) but is highly functional at the same time. For example, recording a hilarious outgoing answering-machine message is an absolute cinch. Checking messages is likewise a breeze.

My only issues are that the handset feels a little light in the hand (although that may be something you're looking for--I was expecting something with a little more heft). But that's a petty complaint. More seriously, although the battery (at least on first charge) lasts for a few days' idle time plus several hours' talk time (approximately), the handset readout says "Charge for seven hours" when the battery's near dead. You probably don't need to charge it for the full seven, but I feel compelled to.

All in all, however, the Panasonic KX-TG4321B is an aesthetically pleasing and eminently competent phone.

UPDATE (9/15/2008): I need to add that the phone craps out frequently. Sometimes it's because it's getting low on juice (but nowhere near empty), and other times, for no apparent reason. And by "crap out," I mean the equivalent of the Windows "blue screen of death." It comes back to life after a minute or so, but it's immensely aggravating when someone calls you, you pick up, and your phone goes blank. Or when you try to dial out, and the same thing happens. I would lower my rating to two stars if Amazon would let me, but it won't.

Also, three months in, it doesn't seem to hold a full charge for as long as it used to. A couple days' idle time and a couple hours' talk time, I'd estimate.

UPDATE (11/10/2008): I want my money back. The GD thing barely holds a charge at all anymore. And this despite the fact that, in the beginning, I religiously made sure to drain the battery before recharging.

Also, the crapping out has gone from frequent to normal behavior. I would estimate that only about 20% of the time am I able to dial out on the first try. And I would say that at least 80% of my calls, if connected, are cut off by this phone. I would knock this junk down to one star if Amazon would let me. DO NOT BUY.

UPDATE (3/21/2009): If you can train yourself to return the phone to its cradle after each use, it'll serve you well. This defeats to some extent the purpose of having a cordless phone, but whatever.

I bought this phone to replace our old one which battery life was no longer what it needed to be. Personally I didn't need currently lots of hand sets because we live in a small apartment, however we may be moving so I did want one that I would be able to expand in the future if required. So far I can not complain about this phone. I found it easy to set up and add phone numbers into it. I can sometimes hear a little interference on the line but I am not sure whether that is the phone or not. It has many features which are useful to have. You can locate the handset when it is not in the base as well as set an alarm and also set ring tones to different numbers. The answer phone is also a bonus. I would say for the money this is a great phone with lots of great features.

I can't comment on the quality phone as I'm sending it back before completely unpacking it. I immediately noticed there is no headset jack on the handset. As I frequently use a headset for business calls so I can type while on the phone, this is a deal-breaker for me. Ironic that Amazon features a headset as a recommended accessory under 'better together' - thus my assumption there would be a jack. This is the first cordless phone I've purchased that does not have a headset jack.

This phone always needs recharging. The charge lasts for 1/2 hour at most and then when you are talking to someone it starts beeping the whole time you are talking. This is an annoying phone. I bought the phone because it was supposed to be the best Panasonic, but the last one I bought was cheaper and the charge would last all night and into the day without recharging.