Customer Reviews

Panasonic Dect 6.0 Black Cordless Phone with Answering Machine and ChoiceMail (KX-TG7434B)

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I think Panasonic finally got it right with this one, and I only have one (very small) issue with the phone. All in all, this is without a doubt the best cordless phone system I have ever used.

I had a previous Panasonic 5.8 gHz phone and loved it. One day after about 2 years of use, the base abruptly died, and none of the handsets would connect. I think it's a sign of a strong manufacturer, though, that when one product dies the only brand that I would even consider again is the same one.

With the previous model, I had only a couple of small complaints: 1) when you received a call on one handset, it would still show "missed call" on all of the other handsets, and 2) you had to clear the missed call list individually on all handsets. Both issues have been corrected with this phone. All handsets now synchronize automatically when you review the call list, and only calls that you truly don't answer show as missed calls. And there's no more having to copy the phone book from one receiver to another, either. Changes on one phone are mirrored on all of the others.

The large display on this phone really sets it apart from others as well. When you program the time on the phone, the display acts as a second clock. And it's readable from aross the room!

Speaking of readable, the large display also makes it very easy to see who's calling. The phone does offer the talking caller ID feature found on other Panasonic phones, but we find it to be annoying. Thankfully, you can turn the feature off in the menu system.

And that leads me to my only complaint about this phone, albeit an extremely minor one. When you get into various menus, I haven't found a way to go back one screen. For example, if I click into the caller list and then click on the individual entry, I can't figure out how to go back to the caller list. I have to go all the way out to the main phone screen and then go back into the caller list. If there was just a simple "back" button, this phone would be perfect in every way.

Of course the purpose of a phone is to allow you to communicate clearly, and this one excels in that department. Connections are clear, and it is very easy to hear the other end. The previous phone had a "voice enhancer" technology that I found to be unnatural and annoying, and that (thankfully) is not present here. But it's not missed.

I've had the phone down the street about 7 or 8 houses away, and the connection is still rock solid. We live in a typical suburban setting, and I've heard no interference or static at any time.

Also, the DECT 6 technology, operating on a lower frequency, does not interfere with our wireless computer network at all. And I've never heard any static from the microwave or any other electronic device, for that matter.

The real selling feature of this phone to me was the visual voicemail list. Since the base doesn't have any kind of indicator as to how many messages are stored, the handset serves as an excellent way to navigate the messages. And you can listen to messages in any order, and you can save or delete them one by one as well. The fact that the messages are tagged with the caller ID info is great, too!

Oh, one other feature that I haven't seen mentioned is that the keypad is lit. That makes for calling in a dark room to be painless.

All in all, this one is very deserving of the 5-star rating.

Likes: the large, well lit display; the message list (choicemail); automatic syncing of all handsets.

Dislikes: The lack of a "back" button in the menu screens.

[EDIT: Someone pointed out that you can indeed go back one screen in the menus. You just have to push the little joystick controller any direction, and the phone will return to the previous screen. Now the phone is perfect! Thanks for the tip!!]

[UPDATE: 5/2/10]

After using the phones for one year, I still stand behind the original review. These things are still working like champs. We had one of the 4 handsets lose a screen after a fall from the kitchen counter (must have landed *just* right that day, as they have taken a few tumbles in the year). That screen is now covered with leaked black LCD gunk, and we have that handset placed in the least used spot in the house.

The only other issue is that a bit of the black paint on the face of the units around the buttons has become worn around the edges, and the silver color of the underlying rubber / plastic is showing through. None of the necessary parts of the buttons themselves have worn off, and it's just a cosmetic thing. Frankly, with the use the phones get, this is a minor issue at most.

Battery life is still good from the original rechargables, but we hang up most of the phones after each use back into the recharging cradles. The one handset that gets most of the use shows some signs of dimished battery life, but it's used at least 3 hours a day, and it doesn't always get put back on the charger. It now loses its charge after about 3 days like this.

Otherwise, I'm as happy now as I was when I wrote the original review. Revised rating: 5 stars.

PROS:
The large display is awesome. Easily the best feature of this phone.
I also like that the missed calls and the new phonebook entries are synced throughout all the handsets. Now, you can check one and all the others remain in sync.

The Choice Mail is everything it claims to be and more. You can review your messages from any handset. It allows you to listen to all new messages, to all messages, or to review a list of all the messages on your screen. You can play and delete messages as you listen to them, or you can review the message list and delete them from there, without listening to the message itself. I found this handy when I was calling and calling home from my cell phone and must have left a half dozen messages for my sleeping hubby. When I got home, I just deleted them from the message list. This feature is only as good as your caller ID (or stored phone book) though. Often, my message list reads: Unavailable, Pennsylvania, International, Florida, or Unlisted. So, you'd have to listen to those messages anyways. One thing I'd recommend to Panasonic--when you go into the answering machine, you get a screen announcing the number of new messages and the number of total messages on the machine for about 4 seconds before you actually enter the answering machine setting. When I'm just reviewing old messages, it's sort of annoying to wait for this screen to pass every time. It would have been better if the default first screen was the message list and there was an asterik or something to denote the new messages.

Many other handy features: The intercom system between the handsets is more prominently displayed and easily used. You can choose to turn on the announcer for the Caller ID so that a robotic voice intones the identity of the caller -- but expect them to goof often on the proper pronunciation. The phone's overall look is sleek and nice. The handsets are slightly smaller than other Panasonic models, though ever so slightly heavier. The phones also have a standard flashing light to indicate a new message. Reception appears good. It works throughout my house, even in the concrete-lined garage that has been converted into our rec room.

The LCD screen and the keys are backlit which makes viewing very easy. I often pick up the handset as a makeshift flashlight when fumbling for something on the nightstand. However, there's no way to turn it off completely, so if you have an extremely light sensitive person sleeping nearby, you should take your call elsewhere.

Now the CONS:
The sound quality is not so good. I thought at first it was just phone calls to a particular friend who has had phone problems in the past. However, I started noticing that at least a quarter of my calls seemed to have a muffled quality. I found myself constantly pushing the volume button up, but it having not enough effect, even at max volume. Even in reviewing my messages, I could get a general idea of the caller's message, but did not hear clearly enough to get the precise words. Seeing as to how this is the whole purpose of the phone, I am returning it and getting this older Panasonic DECT phone (KX-TG1034S) model, which is inferior in many ways (including the tiny display and the lack of Choice Mail), but has far far better sound quality. This appears to be a problem another reviewer has had as well. I do have a DSL line on my phone jack, but I use a DSL filter. I even tried switching the filter with no effect. I called my voice mail using both models side-by-side and using both the regular and speakerphone functions and the older model's max volume is much much louder than this model.

I really don't like the "mouse" button on the phone. It's not ergonomic, though I imagine it is used to aid in making the whole phone smaller. It probably takes getting used to, but even after 3 weeks, I was not a fan of it.

Although you can easily save numbers to the phone book from your call list, you cannot do the same with the numbers you have dialed. I wish that the Panasonic people would put in an "add to phonebook" option onto the navigation screen on the redial list.

I also think that the Panasonic people could take a note from most cell phones and allow the user to begin to enter a phone number and then click "add to phonebook" rather than having to navigate into the phonebook, click add, then add a name first, then the number.

As you can see, most are minor grievances, but for the sound quality and low volume alone, I'm going to have to pass on this model.

If you found this review helpful, please let me know!

Back in the old days I lived in England. During my life there as far as I remember, I never hung up the phone on anyone (except maybe once on a member of the opposite sex, who deserved it!). When I moved to the USA in 1991 a strange thing happened. A woman from Consumer Reports called me at home, gave me some speech that I did not follow, and asked for a $150 donation. This somewhat confused me, as after I politely refused she kept talking and asked for a lesser amount. I finally realized I would have to do something I just wasn't used to. I hung up on her. It was the first of many times. I have come to hate the interruption of telemarketers and other undesirables.

So how do you get rid of them? You can pay the phone company to block anonymous calls. You can pay the phone company for the feature to block the last number you received, but guess what, charities and some other categories cannot be blocked.

This Panasonic phone has the rare and extremely useful call block feature. When you get a telephone solicitor call you can save their caller id number in a call block list. Or you can manually input the number. If they call again your phone will not ring and they will get a busy signal. This is so useful I just don't understand why it is not more prevalent. Of course it's a feature that neither your phone company nor telemarketers wants you to have. I wish the Panasonic call block list was bigger; it is only thirty entries long. But thirty frustrated telemarketers is a lot better than none!

Another feature of life in the USA seems to be the occasional wrong number call at 3:00 am. The Panasonic also has a solution to this. Each handset can be programmed to Silent Mode. Silent mode turns of the ringer between two times that you specify. Mine are all programmed to turn off at 9:00pm and 7:45am. If a call I want does come between those times the handset will not ring but they can always leave a message. No more 3:00am wakeup calls! You can if you want program different handsets to go into silent mode at different times if you wish.

Now back to basics. The Panasonic phone is DECT6.0 which does not interfere with wireless LAN connections. The sound quality of the handsets is quite good with one exception. When using the speaker phone the people I have been speaking to have trouble hearing what I am saying. I have to hold the phone within a foot of my mouth for it to be usable. In other words, the handset speakerphone feature is useless in my opinion. This is the biggest negative with this phone. However, the Panasonic KX-TCA60 Hands-Freeheadset works well with these handsets. I normally use one of these and walk around the house with the handset clipped to my shirt.

The Panasonic KX-TG7434B phone and similar models is the top of the Panasonic 2009 cordless range. It is similar to the popular KX-TG6434T. The main difference as far as I can see is a more sophisticated menu system and a more upscale black and chrome finish. The handsets are actually the same size with the 7 series having a larger LCD screen and a four way directional button for menu navigation. I like the menu system on this phone. Any feature can basically be performed from any handset. Each phone handset has access to the same phone book and answering machine message list.

Gripe. Over 10 years ago I had a Sony digital corded answering machine with 30 minutes message storage. Here we are today when I can bet a 16GB memory stick for $25:00 and the Panasonic answering system can only store 18 minutes! Come on guys spend an extra cent and double the memory! I can't penalize Panasonic for this however, because other manufactures are no better in this area.

So, to summarize, the Panasonic scores top marks for usability and convenience. The call blocker feature and the silent mode features put it above anything else out there. The speakerphone is a minus, but it still gets 5 stars.

This is a great phone. I was looking for a phone with good buttons to thumb, light, and had a big display, primarily because I was buying this for my parents.

It installed hassel free and I was up and running in no time. I didn't have to read the manual.

Of course, I had to buy a power converter for India. There are replacement adapters available in this country, but I would recommend you stay away from them and stick to original panasonic equipment.

In terms of transmission its been crystal clear. I just had one instance where I heard a buzz on my phone line, but that was the only instance. My parents live in a 2 story home that is primarily built of stone (grantie, red brick). The base unit is far away (different floor) and the fact that the sound comes across clearly was very encouraging. Plus its pretty close to the WiFi modem and the computer. No problems at all. This phone does beautifully.

My mother now calls me a lot more. :-). You may want to factor this into your purchase.

Also goes to usability that my non-tech parents were able to use this, the intercom facility and the voice mail after just 20 minutes of explaining and guiding them through the steps.

The base unit is nice and sleek. though having a base unit with a dial pad would have added to this great phone. But simplicty wise, I think this phone scores.

I think you will like this phone if you are considering it for your home.

India users, please note, that cordless phones don't work through power outages, so you'll still need your old phone for emergencies. :-)

I have used all of the popular brands of cordless phones over the years and have always found some fatal flaw or another, the worst being poor sound quality which seemed to be getting worse with each new generation. I hadn't tried Panasonic because I honestly didn't like the form factor end ergonomics of the phones - Uniden, Sony and others were always more appealing. After getting fed up with the last set of Uniden phones, I took the plunge for this Panasonic system and I am happy to say i am very pleased I did.

Sound quality is terrific, as is the range. No annoying echoes or static at long distances from the bases. I haven't explored all of the features, but quite honestly I really don't care about most - I just wanted a cordless phone that had good sound quality. I am also very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the speaker phone available for each handset. Other nice features include an easy to work mute button, talking callerID is actually helpful (but can be turned off), back-lit keypad and more.

The only quibbles I have with the phones are small: Navigating the menus is a bit clunky with a lot of delay; the silver bezel is cheesy (plain black would have been better); the available ring options are limited and don't include something like a more traditional ring; and the base doesn't have a numerical display for the number of messages left.

Those are small issues for an otherwise great set of phones. I'd highly recommend these to people looking for the best cordless sound quality.

I usually don't leave a review unless I really think the item rocks.. The cordless phones I had where well over 6years old and didn't have any features. I wanted to buy something like new, but not at new prices...

These phones have rock solid clearity, features,speaker phone on the headsets along with a intercom on it which I truely love, since my 5bedroom home is 3 story's.. Really nice feature to have when u have a question to ask vereses yelling for one.

The supplier was Good As New Electronics and they arrived in mint condition.

Matter of fact, I actually love these phones so much I ordered another headset so now I have 5 phones.... If you was a really nice phone to have, buy this one.. These have to be the easyiest phones also to setup.

Sincerly,Very Pleased Customer

This phone system is the best electronic purchase I have made in years. I can have a phone in four different rooms (2 more can be added) and do not have to worry about being upstairs while having left my cordless phone downstairs. Furthermore, each handset is slim, dark, and unobtrusive so that it fits in any setting. The audible announcement of the caller allows me to know who is calling without my having to leave whatever I am doing to see if I even want to answer a call. I can also set the entire calling system from ANY handset, not just the main one. If someone wants to update his/her cordless phone with answering machine, the Panasonic Dect 6.0 is the one to buy. It's the best phone since the invention of caller ID.

Update: one of the 4 phones has stopped working less than a month after receiving the set. I thought it was the batteries or the headset and replaced both, however the phone will still not work. I have contacted Amazon to inform them. And they sent me an entirely new set of 4 phones at no charge by expedited shipping. They did not require the old set back and frankly it would have been too much trouble to have to send everything back and then reprogram everything. So I just activated 1 of the new phones and now I have an extra 3 in case something goes wrong in the future.

As a longtime Panasonic cordless phone customer (previously I owned the KX-TG2730 for the past 5 years) I already knew that they made excellent phones at a great price that will last for many years. But the KX-TG7434B far exceeded all of my expectations. It truly does everything.

First of all, lemme tell you what this includes: a set of 4 phones, 4 charging bases (1 of which is wired to a telephone jack and includes the answering machine), 4 belt clips and a set of 4 batteries (each phone takes 2 rechargeable AAA batteries). The phones are sleek and modern looking and match my decor precisely. I can finally have a phone in my kitchen that I am proud to display.

The battery life is exceptionally long. Each phone lasts between 3 and 5 hours. And to get a full charge you simply have to put them in the chargers for a full 7 hours (phones can stay in the charging bases for as long as possible and will not be damaged, BTW).

The phones have so many different features on it, I don't know where to start. What I like the most is the ease of use. Since I already had the KX-TG2730 I was familiar with the features and everything on it is so simple to use and find. Almost every single operating feature has a setting code, too, which makes it even easier to use and/or change. These are all clearly listed on pages 20, 21 and 22 in the user's manual. Simply press # menu before entering any of the operating codes and you'll be all set.

Like my old Panasonic cordless phones, the answering machine comes with 2 pre-recorded messages (1 of which is just a greeting which will not allow any messages to be left). It can also be shut off and picks up anywhere between 2 to 7 rings. And you can allow messages to be left from anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes in length. The phones are also voicemail compatible (since I do not use my VM service I cannot tells you how this works, though).

Each phone includes its own speaker-phone which will also play messages and even delete them directly from the phones (I couldn't do this with my old Panasonic cordless phones). There is also a dedicated call waiting button on each phone and a mute button.

All of the phones also have their own phone book (years ago this was called "speed dialing") which lets you add phone numbers/names. And each phone will update automatically with the names/phone numbers (you do not have to add this to each phone). You can also call people back from your missed call/Caller ID list.

Speaking of Caller ID, the phone will flash the name that's entered in your address book once the number shows up on the Caller ID. For example if you have "Mom & Dad" in your address book, that's the name that will show up on your Caller ID. The KX-TG7434B also includes Talking Caller ID which is kinda freaky. I do not use this too often, except when I am cooking and expecting a call in the kitchen. That way I do not have to stop what I am doing to check the Caller ID. But like all of the features, the talking Caller ID is very easy to use and shut off.

The phones include multiple ringtones, I have mine set to "melody 3" which is somewhat of a musical sound. Of course the ringers can also be turned off, too.

Another fantastic benefit of the phones is the call quality. Can we talk? It is crystal clear. Totally perfect. I am on the phone all the time as I houseclean and cook and often (before I got these phones) I would have to repeat myself, but not anymore. It's almost spooky because it really feels like the person I am talking to is standing right next to me. I have even vacuumed while on the phone and can still hear fine.

Each phone has a standard headset jack, located towards the bottom side (right next to the number 4). The jack stays in snugly and tightly and if the phone is dropped you won't lose a call or your headset.

The phones also have Call Block which is another excellent feature that I am glad to take full advantage of. It allows me to block any number on my Caller ID. I can even block all "private numbers" or numbers that show up "out of area" or "out of state." If you have Call Intercept like I do you know that it doesn't always pick up everything so this is a great addition for anyone who hates unwanted calls.

The price of these phones is absolutely phenomenal. I paid nearly what I paid for this entire set for 1 additional Panasonic cordless phone to go with my KX-TG2730 a few years ago. For whatever reason (that is completely unknown to me) Amazon's pricing fluctuates almost as much as their inventory does. Currently this is priced at one hundred and seventeen which is a great value. I paid about ten less, but even at the current price it's a super bargain. And with the free shipping I defy anyone to find a better set of phones (or even the KX-TG7434B) from any other retailer at a price comparable. And if you've never purchased from Amazon before, know that they invented the entire e-commerce industry and are not just a leader put a purveyor of quality, value and service. Amazon will always do right by their customers because they know that their customers are truly their greatest asset.

I noticed that the indicator light on the phones (in the upper left-hand corner) blinks anytime there's a new message. Since I have a bad habit rarely checking my messages on a regular basis I find this annoying and somewhat intrusive. But it's especially bothersome at night because I must have total pitch-dark blackness when I sleep. So what I did was cover the little indicator light (it's a yellowish color) with a tiny piece of black electrical tape. And so far that has sufficed the problem. If anyone has figured out how to disable the blinking completely I would love to know because as far as I can tell it cannot be turned off at all.

The phones are all Energy Star rated and the plugs for each of the bases are the standard 2-prong. Each of the phones and charging bases are all lightweight, yet sturdy and very durable. BTW has anyone else noticed that the main base unit beeps slightly every once in a while? It is extremely light and my former Panasonic cordless phone also did this so I am used to it. The base units for all of the phones can also be installed into your walls (pg. 39 in the booklet includes the wall mounting instructions), easily and quickly. Speaking of walls, if you're looking for a great corded wall phone at a low price, I recommend this Panasonic phone.

You're also able to expand the Panasonic KX-TG7434B to include up to 6 different phones in total. I have a fifth phone and it was very simple to register and once it was registered it was no different from the other 4 phones in the original set.

Like all digital answering machines made this century, this one includes remote operating retrieval of messages. You're going to want to be sure to change your remote access code as soon as you get the unit because it automatically defaults to one that Panasonic sets all of their phones to.

I am very satisfied with my set of Panasonic KX-TG7434B cordless phones and I am certain that these will last for years and years. If you're looking for a useful set of phones that are both practical, nice to look at and low in price (but high in value!) look no further because these are the phones of the future.

Panasonic offers a myriad of choices when it comes to Dect 6.0 phones. We have arrived at these through trial and error. Both the 9000 series and 1000 series failed us; both gave us "out of range" errors often, and the 9000 series would hang up every time we switched from speakerphone to handset. I work from home sometimes on conference calls, so that was completely infuriating and unacceptable.

+'s of these (7400 series) phones:
* Good range - still clear walking around our yard
* reasonably clear (though the volume is a bit low)
* voicemail list and voicemail accessible from handset (choicemail - love it!)
* Good other features - offers a headset jack, belt clip, lighted keypad, speakerphone in each handset
* use regular rechargeable batteries, which you can replace very cheaply once they die (get the pre-charged Duracells or Sanyo Eneloops)
* great price

-'s of these (7400 series) phones:
* still not the best sound quality (my old 5.8 GHZ and 2.4 GHZ had better sound)
* terrible navigation menus (especially in this day and age of iphone style interfaces), though the 7400 series is more intuitive than the 9000 series or 1000 series. We like the little joystick navigator once you get used to it.
* Still can't make the volume on the handset loud enough... I ended buying a headset with adjustable volume that seems to compensate nicely.
* No simple speed dial feature (hold a number down), or if it has it, it is too complicated to program (see "terrible navigation menus" above)
* No speakerphone or dialpad in the main base charging unit - you cannot answer the phone if you do not have a handset around.

We chose these over the 6400 series because the 6400 does not have choicemail (ability to select which VM you want to listen to), has a smaller screen, and no joystick to navigate the menus. All in all, a good purchase and the best compromise out there in a Panasonic phone. Not perfect, but certainly better than the others we have tried.

I purchased the phones because it was on a different frequency to my WIFI. The phones I had would cause the laptops to drop off line. It also did not require a phone line to each hand set, only to the base set with the answering machine. I have placed the other three in rooms or places only needing an electrical outlet for the charger.

Things I like after making the purchase. You can enter a number into memmory and all handsets are programmed with the number. You can retrieve messages on the answer machine from any hand set. I like the large and easy to read display. The phones can also be used as an intercom.

I am pleased with my purchase.