Panasonic KX-TG5100M 5.8 GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System

by Panasonic

Product Details

Product Manual [2.51mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0000950SE
• Item model number: KX-TG5100M
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 21, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Note: Panasonic is discontinuing its popular 5100 series. Check out the newer 5200 series instead, like the Panasonic KX-TG5240M GigaRange Supreme 5.8 GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System.

A 5.8 GHz DSS cordless phone from Panasonic, the KX-TG5100M provides both excellent quality and a number of useful features, including an integrated digital answering system and caller ID with call waiting compatibility. By utilizing the less congested 5.8 GHz frequency and digital spread spectrum technology, the KX-TG5100M offers clear, intelligible reception even at a distance. Multiuser expandable, the KX-TG5100M supports up to seven optional handsets (plus one included, for a total of eight) and features handset-to-handset call transfer, as well as two-way intercom between the base and any of the handsets. A call privacy feature lets you determine if other handsets can join in on the conversation, while the page feature makes locating a lost handset into a snap. The KX-TG5100M features 50 caller ID memory locations and a built-in speakerphone for hands-free operation.

Wall-mountable, freeing up valuable desktop space, the KX-TG5100M is also headset compatible (a belt-clip is provided) saving your neck from the strain of cradling the phone. The integrated three-mailbox digital answering system has a record time of up to 15 minutes, while remote message check lets you stay in touch even while you are away. The NiCad battery provides about 4.5 hours of talk time and 11 days of standby, while a low battery indicator lets you know when the phone needs recharging. A time/date stamp lets you know when each message was received, and a 50 number phone directory lets you easily find and dial the most frequently used phone numbers. The KX-TG5100M also comes backed with a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Main base station, handset, AC power supply, battery, telephone line cord, belt clip, instructions, warranty

Product Description

Panasonic KX-TG5100M Allowing to share the phone system's capabilities with up to eight other users, the new KX-TG5100 phone system comes with one KX-TGA510 cordless handset with the option to add up to seven additional compatible handsets. Just connect an AC adaptor and a phone line to the master base unit, and plug in the AC charging cradle for each additional cordless handset.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

171 of 173 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shourya Ray, July 16, 2003

By 

Shourya Ray "shouryaray" (Ashburn, VA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Panasonic KX-TG5100M 5.8 GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System (Office Product)

There are very few expandable phone systems that work as well as the Panasonic KXTG5100. I was looking for a 5.8Ghz system to get around the static I experienced with 2.4ghz phones and my Wi-Fi (802.11b) home network.

In no particular order, here are my pros and cons about this system:

PROS:

1) Excellent speakerphone on the base

2) Ability to pickup voicemail from any handset (don't have to walk to the base-station to see if you have voicemail). Handset visually tells you which buttons to push to skip or repeat the message. It also shows the message # while the message is being played back.

3) Handsets have Privacy features to prevent other family members from accidentally picking up the line while you're on it (handy if you run a business out of your home .. or you are a teenager and don't appreciate your parents listening in)

4) Speakerphone on each handset means mobility and hands free talking

5) Each handset shows if the line is in use before you reach for it

6) Ability to copy the phonebook from any handset to any other handset. This is a huge timesaver! I have all my phone number/contacts programmed on one handset. From there I can transfer the phonebook to each of the other 3 handsets in the house with a few key strokes. Amazing!

7) Bi-directional 5.8Ghz means that no interference with home networks, microwaves, etc. The base-station sits two feet away from the wifi router. No static anywhere in the house.

8) Easy to transfer calls from handset to handset (say you pick up the call and realize it's for your spouse. No need to walk around looking for him/her. Just page the other handsets from your handset and hand-off the call. All we need now is some hold music! (which, incidentally, is not supported)

9) Handset has a "booster" feature that can be turned on to get rid of static if you have walked more than 3 floors away from the base-station. Works nicely too. Too bad it can't be left on all the time.

10) Room monitor system allows you to listen in on what's going on in the room that the handset is in from a different handset. I suppose that parents with small children might find this a nice feature. Fortunately, it's turned off by default.

11) When playing back a voicemail, the handset shows the phone number of the person who left that voicemail (if you have caller id). You can then call that person back immediately, by pressing Dial. Very handy

12) If you transfer a call to another handset and nobody picks up that handset, the base-station will conveniently transfer the call back to you

CONS:

1) Handset distance from the base-station could be better. I picked up a little static when I was three floors away from the base-station. The static is easily removed by engaging the booster mode on the handset. Unfortunately, there is no way to leave this permanently set to on.

2) Handsets may be a bit larger than what home users may be used to

3) Handsets don't show current date or time (odd, since the base-station shows both)

4) Handset volume could be a bit louder. It has a nice volume range that you can change but the max volume is still a bit lower than what you need for noisy homes (either that or I'm losing my hearing)

5) The base-station can page all handsets simultaneously. This is useful if you need to page your spouse/kids and don't know which floor of the house they are on. Mysteriously, this feature is not available with the handsets. When using a handset, you have to page other handsets individually -- no way to page them all together. I have 4 handsets in the house ... this is getting old very fast. Fortunately, the base-station sits near my work area.

6) No way to give each handset a meaningful name ("bedroom phone"). Instead, each handset has a unique registration number (1 through 7). When I need to page my wife on the third floor, I have to remember that the handset on the third floor is registered with the base-station as handset #4. Not very intuitive.

Lastly, no phone with this many features would be useable without a good manual. This phone comes with a manual that is well indexed. You can download the manual in a PDF format from panasonic's website if you want to go over the features yourself.

106 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Simply The Best Phone On The Market!, September 10, 2003

By 

Jonathan Steinmann (TAMPA, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Panasonic KX-TG5100M 5.8 GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System (Office Product)

I bought and tried three different 5.8GHZ phones available on the market... Uniden, VTech, and the Panasonic. The following is what I found:

Uniden
The Uniden looks good, but only performs decently. The handset is a bit big and clunky, and fairly heavy too. The worse feature of the phone is the ear piece. It sounds very tinny and not really that impressive for a phone of this quality and price. It's like talking to someone with a tin can up to your ear... all treble and no bass... doesn't sound natural. Probably the worse sounding ear piece I've ever heard on a phone.

VTech
First of all, it doesn't truly utilize 5.8GHZ technology... it's 2.4 one way and 5.8 the other... so this still can cause problems with outside interference and computer networks. The phone performs fairly well, but there was nothing that special about it's performance or features. A 2.4GHZ phone for more than $50 less would perform the same.

Panasonic
WOW! BY FAR THE BEST PHONE ON THE MARKET. I honestly found no flaws with this phone. Great range (further than the other two), never experienced static once, great sound and clarity from the ear piece, really nice answering machine and caller id features, very clear displays,.. the lists goes on. Just an all around great phone. I'm glad I tested them all out to see what was the best bang for my buck... the Panasonic 5.8GHZ phone blows the other 5.8ghz phones out of the water... it's not even close. If I hadn't tried them all, I may have been satisified with the other 2, but having tried the Panasonic, I wouldn't even consider the Uniden or VTech phones... they are mediocre in comparison to the Pansonic... yet cost the same price.

Go with the Panasonic... I love it. Best phone I've ever owned.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Completely Satisfied, July 4, 2003

By 

David A. Caplan "dave659" (Greenwich, CT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Panasonic KX-TG5100M 5.8 GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System (Office Product)

I've been reading reviews of various cordless phone/answering machine combinations here for several months. I've been very unhappy with my old Sony 900 MHz unit for various reasons, yet each new machine that I contemplated buying had quite a few reviewers who found it unsatisfactory. In looking for a new machine I needed a true 5.8 GHz phone that wouldn't interfere with my wi-fi network. Some of the 5.8 phones on the market are deceptive in this regard, using the 2.4 GHz frequency one-way. My other main concern was the audio quality of the answering machine. The Sony I've replaced failed to pick up the voices of callers who spoke a little softly. The first thing I did when I set this phone up was to call and weakly mumble a message. It passed the test. Frankly, I think the audio is not as good as the old machines that used cassette tapes, but I'm not likely to find one of those for sale outside Ebay.

The Panasonic 5100 has a nice array of features that should meet the needs of most customers and it's attractively designed. I will soon be ordering a couple of extra handsets for it. The manual is designed well enough to make the phone's advanced features accessible to any user who will take a little time to study it.