Home cordless phone with answer machine advice

[Converse2020]

I’m tasked with getting an answer machine for (moderately elderly) relative. They had he BT 1571 feature before but ideally would like something physical this time.

I thought my simplest approach would be to get a standalone answer machine but these seem few and far between and specialised now.

So I’m now looking at getting a new single or twin pack of cordless phones with a built in answer machine and would like to ask if any has any recommendations?

It would need to be really easy to use - so I wondered about the BT big button (elderly friendly?) range but see these have call blocking features which I am not really clear about.

My concern is this could overly complicate things or maybe it’s a good feature well implemented and my relative would benefit from it.

Thanks in advance

[emperorburger]

Admittedly, it's been a few years since I've touched DECT phones, however Panasonic were always head and shoulders above the competition in terms of overall quality and sound reproduction. BT branded stuff started out excellent and generally went downhill as the market raced to the bottom in terms of prices. Some of the BT branded Vtech phones were truly awful.

Maybe something like this?

https://www.ligo.co.uk/panasonic-kxtg-6821-cordles...

[RizzoTheRat]

If you're worried about ease of use, pay close attention to how the answerphone is actually operated. I have an older BT DECT phone and listening to the latest message is easy enough, but listening to it again, or deleting a message, gets in to having to enter the right combination of * and # to get in the correct mode. I used to leave all the old messages on there until it filled up the memory and then look online to work out how to clear it as I could never remember the codes.

[xyz123]

As said, Panasonic are usually best. We have a triple set with answer machine and very happy with it. However if big buttons are important than BT is your best bet.

Some BT phones have a feature where you add all known numbers to address book and if anyone else calls then the caller first have to say their name which is played to receipt of call and only if receipant presses a button the call goes through. Obviously only once per number. Its a bit fiddly but quite useful feature as it still allows private numbers through unlike some other call blockers.

[33q]

emperorburger said:

Admittedly, it's been a few years since I've touched DECT phones, however Panasonic were always head and shoulders above the competition in terms of overall quality and sound reproduction. BT branded stuff started out excellent and generally went downhill as the market raced to the bottom in terms of prices. Some of the BT branded Vtech phones were truly awful.

Maybe something like this?

https://www.ligo.co.uk/panasonic-kxtg-6821-cordles...

We have the older version of this with 4 hand sets.

Had the system for maybe 6 years. Change the batteries every so often as they lose their capacity.

They are OK. I'd probably buy them again. They were bought from Ligo.

We nearly always use our mobiles but a few oldies insist on using the landline.

If they have good mobile signal I'd be tempted for them to use them instead.

[megaphone]

I got my 89 year old mum a BT big button phone, cordless twin set with answer phone. She has no issues and it is good. Not used the call blocking feature, she gets very few unsolicited calls since I put her numbers on the TPS.

https://www.tpsonline.org.uk

[Converse2020]

Thanks everyone.

I have gone with a BT Big button on the basis its got good reviews from Amazon and is hopefully simple enough given its been designed for elderly folk. If that's not the case then it can go back.

[anonymoususer]

BT 4600

I have just replaced some decent Panasonic phones
Main reason is the BT ones have larger buttons. The sound quality on both the BT and Panasonics were of the same quality.
If it wasnt for fat fingers I would have stuck with the Panasonics
The BT call blocking features are excellent but as I am on Virgin cable they don't really seem to work
Just checked the Panasonics are Panasonic KX-TG8061E a triple pack thing

[megaphone]

Again. To stop nuisance calls log your numbers with the TPS, it works for both landline and mobile, I get very few nuisance calls.

https://www.tpsonline.org.uk/

[Gren]

megaphone said:

Again. To stop nuisance calls log your numbers with the TPS, it works for both landline and mobile, I get very few nuisance calls.

https://www.tpsonline.org.uk/

We get 2-3 some days despite signing up to this years ago. I assume it only works for UK based calls?