GE - Model 25951EK2 Edge 5.8 GHz Phone/Answerer Review

I had a trusty AT&T answering machine that worked very well, but wanted to add another cordless phone to the mix. I therefore decided to replace the answering machine and the old Vtech cordless phone I had with an integrated answering system/dual-handset wireless phone from GE. I've had other GE cordless phones and they worked okay, so I thought the GE 25951EK2 cordless phone/answering system would be a good purchase. I paid around $75.

Bad idea, bad idea.

What It Is

The GE 25951EK2 has two identical handsets, one base station and one remote charging station. The base station connects to the phone line in your house, and it also contains a digital answering machine. The one handset sits upright in the base station, where it charges, and the other sits upright in the remote charger. The GE 25951EK2 uses spectrum in the 5.8 GHz range for communication, which was an important feature to me. Since my wireless computer WiFi network uses the 2.4 GHz spectrum, I wanted a wireless phone that would not interfere and reduce the performance of my WiFi network. 5.8 GHz cordless phone systems are about the only non-interfering alternative if you have a wireless computer network.

The phones have easy-to read LCD readouts and buttons that are big enough to easily push with my large fingers. The phones come with belt clips and they have jacks to plug in a headset, making for hands-free operation. They can also be used as speaker phones.

How It Works

The phones are decent quality and easy to dial. However, the sound quality is just average, with callers sounding a little metallic. I got modest range from the GE 25951EK2 and was able to consistently use the handsets at least 50 feet from the base station. More than that was touch and go.

The big problem was the awful sound of the answering system. Not only was my outgoing message metallic and scratchy sounding, incoming messages sounded terrible. I have a (very) small business and rely on my answering machine to take occasional messages. The GE 25951EK2 was so poor sounding, I had to replay messages six or eight times before I was confident that I got most of the message. Even then, I got a number wrong and garbled a name. My wife simply wouldn't use it, as she couldn't make any sense out of the recorded messages.

The answering machine part of the GE 25951EK2 had average ease of use. It would have been fine if the sound quality had been better.

Summary

The GE 25951EK2 has two okay phones of average quality. They are not great but they are okay. I like that the 5.8 GHz operation did not interfere with my 2.4 GHz computer network. However,the GE 25951EK2's poor answering machine sound quality is unacceptable in my home, so I replaced it after a couple of frustrating months. The AT&T digital answering machine that preceded theGE 25951EK2 had MUCH better sound quality, despite the fact that the AT&T was at least five years older.

I do not recommend the GE 25951EK2 Edge dual-phone/digital answering system.