Answering Machine Reviews and Buying Guide:

Do you really need an answering machine anymore? Today, many of the phone service companies offer an add-on feature with a message center designed to remotely store all your messages, just like an answering machine. You do pay a fee each month for that service, so the question is - Is it worth it to get rid of the traditional answering machine in your house? The old answering machines with tapes were definitely a cool invention, but today they are mostly digital and offer many more features than their predecessors. The digital answering machines, although newer, are still slowly fading from the market as most homeowners go with the remote message centers provided by their landline phone company. Those without landlines (an ever growing %) that use cellphones only, get a built in answering service as part of their monthly rate plan so they have no need for an answering machine at home.

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If you do decide to get an answering machine for your home or small business there are not a lot of products to choose from. GE and AT&T are really the two companies that make answering machines under $40. The majority of answering machines are built into the cordless phones that they come with so it's no wonder they are harder to find as stand alone units anymore. The basic features to look for are things like time and date stamp on each message, an LCD screen that displays # of messages and caller ID if you have that feature. You want as many minutes of memory for messages as possible. If you are running a small business from home and regularly get lots of daily phone calls, then you'll need an answering machine with plenty of call memory. The functions and buttons should be intuitive and easy to figure out. Too many people complain about erasing messages they didn't mean to simply because the buttons weren't labeled in a logical manner. I know when I call into the Comcast Voice Message center that they guide me through the process of checking messages and deleting or saving them with # prompts which are easy to follow. Being able to scroll through your messages and saving them quickly is what all answering machines should have. Not all answering machines have multiple mailbox options, but the GE 29869GE2 is one that does. We looked in Consumer Reports most recent magazines but couldn't find anything relating to answering machines that are stand alone units. There are lots of reviews online at websites like Amazon.com or Epinions as well as customer comments on Bestbuy and Circuit City. Again, with very few models to choose from it's not like there is a lot of products to compare. Radio Shack is still one of those electronics stores that carries answering machines so you can check their website or get into their retail stores. We have supplied the two best models down below with descriptions, where you can buy, and what owners have to say about them.

Best Answering Machine:

The GE 29869GE2 Digital Messaging System with 4 Mailboxes ($40) is the clear winner in this field as it features everything you could possibly need in an answering machine. With teenagers or multiple family members that need their own voice mailbox, this GE answering machine gets the job done with 4 unique call centers. You get up to 40 minutes of recording time so it can record all your missed calls. You can also transfer messages from one mailbox to another which is a great feature to have. We found this model at Radioshack.com and Amazon.com. Owners have nothing but praise for the GE and say it pays for itself within a year to 18 months depending on what you are currently paying to have answering service on your home line.

Best Value Answering Machine:

The AT&T - Digital Answering System with Audible Message Alert ($18) is available at Bestbuy.com as offers up enough features for the price you can't go wrong. It's model #1739 and features variable speed playback, 40 minutes of digital recording time, a Memory Guard function that will protect any messages on the machine in case there is a power outage. You also get caller ID, remote access with toll saver, and time and day stamp on each message. The toll saver feature lets you remotely check on your messages from any touch-tone phone.

Message Centers vs Answering Machines:

I have used both Qwest and Comcast for my home phone needs over the last decade and they both provided message centers to keep track of my incoming messages and calls. I think initially I paid about $7/month to have a remote answering machine I called into to get my messages. Today, Comcast builds their "message center" into the Digital Voice package so prices aren't as easy to compare. In any event, you definitely save money by owning an answering machine at home versus using a service provided by your telephone company. The problem is that answering machines aren't nearly as efficient as the services that people like Comcast offer. The convenience and ease of use are why people choose to spend a few extra $'s each month and not buy an answering machine.

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