Siemens Gigaset 2-line Cordless Phone with 2 Handsets (GIGASET-C285-2)

Despite the bad reviews I decided to buy this phone. I don't leave in the US and when I arrive in my home I connected and It's broken. The phone kept rebooting forever and I got stucked on the "welcome Message".I can't return it because I would spend a lot on postage so I will throw out the window and that's it.

Aside fom Mr. Tressel's review that everyone should read I offer the following:This dual-line phone has every feature a user could want and generally operates well. However it is ergonomically very deficient and cumbersome to use. This prevents it from being a highly-rated phone.Good Points:1. Good speakerphone. Other party was surprised I was talking to him on a speakerphone because my voice was so clear. It is also clear on this end though occasionally voice breaks up.2. Has answer-machine and voice-mail capability.3. Phone number stored in one handset, or base station, automatically appears in the other devices.4. Works well with hearing aids and does not whistle.Bad points:1. Commonly used functions, such as Menu, are relegated to software function tree which is complex and has many layers. For example to add a new entry to the phone-number directory requires five software button presses, Menu/Directory/Menu/New Entry/OK, before you can enter the name and number. Another example: When New Calls are listed there is no indication of how many. To find them click the soft key View and, for the first call, there is a rough source but no number. Then click Menu/View to see the phone number. Two more key clicks are required to call back, or four keys to delete it. Then the process must be repeated for the next call.2. To answer such a stored incoming call, clicking the same key used for dialed calls will get you an operator message saying you must dial a "1" first. A "1" can be added by clicking a different key first.3. There is no notice of how many new unanswered calls there are either with or without answering machine messages.4. Instead of a blinking red light to inform you of new unanswered messages, there is a notice on the display.5. Base-station display is difficult to read because it is not flush with surface. This results in critical lower soft menu line being shadowed by metal frame. So you cannot leave the base station at the back of your desk. To read the menu line your eyes must be almost directly over the display.6. Deleting stored calls is complex. Identified calls require two key presses (whereas other phones require just one). Unidentified calls (labled "external" or "wireless caller" require four key presses.7. Handset reception is spotty -- sometimes clear but more ofter voice breaks up badly. I tend to use the base station speakerphone almost exclusively as that does not break up. Unfortunately, sattelites hhave no base station and are almost useless.All in all, this phone is a fair Version 1 but requires some re-engineering to fulfill its potential.

phones seem to be fine for our small business application. for the price my expectations were not high and were met except for the hold music which is a beep melody that has drawn numerous complaints. i am trying to figure out how to turn that part off, otherwise they are good. we purchased an extra handset, easy to setup, east to use, great price. our old phones were a little hard to hear at times, so far these are good.

Too good to be true.

I received this today and the product in the box did not match the picture. Whoever sells this took the Verizon model V500AM-2 and put Siemens Gigaset stickers over the Verizon logo. The Verizon phone sells for $76.46 and this model (C285-2) was sold to me for $144.44.Liars!The product description/photo did not match the product.

Purchased this for an 83 year old Grandmother with two lines who is electically challenged. She has mastered this machine.

good product

terrible unit. Right out of the box I had trouble. Never could get the base to recognize the hand sets -- Although I entered the pre-set code in the manual. So I set it up and figured I would let the thing just be a recording machine. The outgoing greeting time wasn't long enough and the message memorey wasn't long enough so I missed a lot of calls. I tossed out the box - otherwise I would ship it back. Darn, I figured paying this much $ would net me a decent phone. JUNK