Best 2 Line Cordless Phones
- Their Pros and Cons -

The top rated 2 line cordless phones are manufactured by Panasonic and Uniden and that's how it has been for many years. While all cordless phone manufacturers have at least one 2 line phone in their range, these two companies have gone way beyond the rest in refining the software / firmware to address issues that are unique to multi-line cordless phones.

To operate satisfacorily a two line cordless phone needs to be significantly smarter than the average cordless home phone. There are a whole range of issues to address including call privacy, transfers, multi-station conference calling, line assignment, multiple answering systems/ voice mail boxes and phone books. Both Uniden and Panasonic 2 line cordless phones address these complexities while still being easy to setup and use.

Comparing 2 Line Cordless Phones

Panasonic Cordless Phones

1. Panasonic KX-TG9392T - for our money this is the one to beat. It's a mature piece of technology and hard to fault in any way. Call clarity and range are particularly impressive, but the features that we like best of all are these:

The corded handset on the base station delivers all the benefits of a corded cordless phone, not the least of which is the ability to make and answer calls during a power outage.

In the case of most cordless phones you can turn the ringers on or off whenever you want. The catch is that it's a case of either all on or all off. That maybe OK, but what if you are expecting an important call from overseas and don't want to wake the whole house at 2am. Panasonic's solution to this issue is called "Silent" or "Night Mode." The ringers on individual handsets can be silenced so for example the handset in your office can have an active ringer while others are turned off. Furthermore the ringers associated with specific handsets can be programmed to turn on or off according to time of day or day of the week.

When Silent Mode is activated notification of calls is via a visual alert in the form of a flashing light on the handsets. It's adequate for the purpose of catching one's eye without illuminating an entire room with its glow.

The latest Panasonic cordless phones use standard rechargeable AAA's. They are cheap, can be purchased anywhere and hold a charge for at least as long as expensive battery packs. Other manufacturers are slowly beginning to follow Panasonic, but some are holding out. They are obviously making more from selling batteries than cordless phones. There are parallels here with cheap desktop printers and expensive toner cartridges.

All of Panasonic's 2 line cordless phones come with headset jacks and belt clips . It's good to find a product where the manufacturer is focused on delivering convenient features rather than cutting costs through nickel and diming.

The Panasonic KX-TG9392 has a digital answering machine, but can also be used in conjuction with a voicemail service if required.

Panasonic 2 line cordless phones are not as expandable as many of the alternatives. They go up to a mazimum of six (6) handsets, but in reality less than one in a hundred buyers of 2 line cordless phones will ever require more than six handsets.

2. Panasonic KX-TG9382T - almost identical to the 2 line cordless phone above with just two exceptions. It's not a corded cordless phone and so in the event of power outage it's not a lot of use. Secondly its a Bluetooth enabled cordless 2 line phone, which means that synchronizing with phonebooks on cell phones can be done without a wired connection. Bluetooth headsets can also be used to answer calls.

3. Panasonic KX-TG9472B - last but not least - the latest in cordless 2 line phones with some interesting features that will be of greatest interest to small business operators and home based telemarketers. An enormous 3.5" LCD display gives a hint as to how this phone is intended to be used.

It can be hooked up via a USB connection to Microsoft Outlook enabling outbound calls to be made at the click of a mouse. Conversely in-bound calls can trigger pop-ups displaying contact information. It's an inexpensive way of leveling the playing field and projecting a professional image in the marketplace.

Summary - Panasonic 2 Line Cordless Phones

Panasonic's 2 line cordless phones are top sellers, but that doesn't mean that they are right for everyone. If you don't require a cordless phone answering machine, or if six handsets aren't enough a Uniden 2 line phone is probably a better way to go.

Uniden's latest two line cordless phones are impressive. There are three models and each addresses a niche in the market. The DECT4066A is very popular because it's one of the few cordless 2 line phones that doesn't have an integrated answering machine. It's ideal for use with voice mail whether associated with fixed or internet phone services.