Customer Reviews

Panasonic KXTC1851 900 MHz DSS Cordless Phone with Caller ID (Black)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this phone because my sony one was utterly unbearable. I had a huge amount of static even when I was standing right next to the base. I have two other cordless phones in the house, both are panasonic and have been running perfectly since we bought them (more than 7 years ago). We drop them, sit on them, throw them around, and they still work. So when I bought this phone, I wasn't worried at all about being disappointed. It looks good and works even better. No static, no fading, and I love the backlit keypad. My one complaint, would be that the CID screen makes it hard for me to put the phone in the right position. My ear usually ends up on the screen rather than the ear piece. I've never had a CID screen before, so I believe that it's something I'll need time to get used to. I wish it had an extension in use feature, but overall, it's a great phone. =)

This phone is comparable if not better than most 2.4 ghz phones out there. Most of this can be attributed to the Digital Spread Spectrum which really improves the distance that this phone can operate at and also provide maximum quality. I use this im my dorm room where there are about 100 other phones on the same floor and I can go from outside from the third floor and even into another building and get near perfect reception. I also compared the quality and distance with one of the Panasonic 2.4 ghz phones and this phone outperformed the 2.4 by about 10 feet. The three line display allows you to see the number that you are dialing and also make programming numbers with names a breeze. The screen and the keypad is backlit so you can use it day or night. This is a great phone at a great price.

Below is the original review I gave this phone in September of 2000. It's now July of 2001 and time for a long-term review.

With at least 5 other phones in the house, it is still the phone my wife and I use most. Still on the first battery; still above-average reception; still no problems. Keep that manual though. You think you'll never forget how to program in new names and numbers, but you will. Even after 10 months of daily use, the lettering on the buttons hasn't worn off like so many.

Final conclusion? I'm thinking of getting another so I can have one upstairs and one downstairs. They're cheaper than last year, and if you find something that works, why change?

From September 2000: I've had portable phones since they were in the shape of a desk phone, weighed 10 pounds, and had a 3-foot antenna. I've gone through quite a few, and rarely have I been able to buy a portable phone without returning it for a different model or brand. As long as they have been in the marketplace, you'd think they'd have this technology bug-free. But they don't. Sometimes they work for a day; sometimes a month (e.g. VTECH). Sometimes they just decide to "forget" all your programming (e.g. Uniden).

My number one complaint of portable phones: background noise like hiss and echo (pick ANY brand). Why is this still a problem after all these years? I was considering the 2.4 gigahertz models as a natural evolution from my last two 900 MHz, until I read all the reviews here on the various models. Apparently the higher frequency is even more susceptible to household appliance noise. So I decided to stick with a 900 MHz.

Since one of my all-time favorite portables (still in use, but no CID) was Panasonic, I thought I'd minimize the chance of failure with Panasonic. The KX-TC1851B model looked perfect. Lots of features and easy to program. Manual is clear. Design and construction excellent. But guess what? Yep, hisssssss. Even 20 feet away from the base. At least you can change positions and the hiss goes away. Doesn't make for a comfortable phone call if you can't move once you find the "right" position, though. A question for the engineers: How much more would a phone cost to get FM quality reception?

After struggling for a year with a Siemens 2.4 Ghz system, my wife and I concluded that Siemens doesn't know how to make cordless phones. We had an old Panasonic that we had used for 10 years or so and it was great. After doing some research on Amazon, the KXTC1851 seemed to offer great quality at a fair price. We ordered one and it's been fabulous! In fact, I'm on amazon now to order two more. Reception is crystal clear no matter where we go in our house or yard and the phone handset is very well designed. You really can't go wrong with a panasonic on cordless phones.

I came across a review suggesting that there were many 900 MHz DSS phones that performed well, and that the new generation of 2.3 GHz phones may be over-rated. With that in mind I purchased this model at a fraction of the cost of the cutting edge technology, and after a month I can say it is the best cordless phone I have ever owned or used. I tested its range on my 3/4 acre lot and I had to go well off the property before the signal became noisy. I have had no problems with voice clarity anywhere in the house, and the caller ID functions are well designed for ease of use. The LED battery strength indicator is a useful feature--I always hated getting a low-battery beep in the middle of a conversation. I plan to buy another of the same model for my in-laws who have a lakeside cottage with a dock that would benefit from a phone with this kind of range.

I've never written a poor review for a product so I'm reluctant, but given that the phone is so new and is now having so much trouble, I figure I'd better warn other consumers. Also I bought this phone primarily because of customer comments here, so I might as well share this experience.

While it could be that I just managed to get a lemon, the fact that this product worked beautifully for six months leads me to think otherwise. Usually lemons never work. For six months this phone was great, but about a month ago the LCD screen's contrast got rather dark and unfixable making the Caller ID and directory hard to read.

Now the phone has begun randomly cutting out--it will stay connected to the party with whom I'm speaking, but it goes dead for a few seconds and neither party can hear the other. It has also started crackling at random. I try switching channels, but to no avail.

The phone was great when it worked properly. Given its longevity and its price ... I would strongly recommend checking out a different phone.

Good user interface, very sturdy, well built. Voice quality is as good as cordless phones get, though they still are not as good as an average land line phone. The three line LCD displays complete Caller ID info without scrolling.

Be Fair Warned !!

We made the mistake of returning the remote unit to the base after every call, which they tell you with a big sticker, not to do until the recharge light comes on. We are now down to 10 to 15 minutes of total talk time before recharging. Don't do what we did, follow the directions and fight the urge to return the remote unit to its base after a call is completed.

This is great phone till you are on a receiving end speaking to someone who is using it. The sound is very poor. As other people noticed it sounds as if you are in a cave. Often people using the phone are nor aware of it. I think it is an essential element of a phone to transmit a decent sound. This phone fails this elementary test.

I got this phone for about ($), and it was worth every penny. At first, I was a little woried because it seemed like 900 MHz DSS phones in general had a problem with echoing and hissing. So far I have had the phone about a month, and I would have to say that I think there is less noise on this phone, then on my non-cordless phone.

One the unit I bought, the battery, after 1 year of light use, will not hold a charge of more than 15 minutes (supposed to be many hours)