The only mirage is why Which? magazine recommended it!? (Vtech Mirage C100)

Member Name: UKGuy

Product:	Vtech Mirage C100
Date:	01/01/02 (1633 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice looks, Comfortable handset, Simple

Disadvantages: No backlight, Poor sound, No message light

I have long been a subscriber to the Consumer Association's Which? magazine. Whilst I don't often buy household goods, I was in the market to replace my ageing Panasonic Easa-phone answering machine, and thought I would go with the Which? magazines 2001 recommendation.

The Panasonic Easa-phone had been a great phone/answering machine for ten years or so, and it was only age that was letting it down (a couple of the buttons no longer worked). Having read Which? magazine, I plumped for their recommended DECT cordless Answerphone - the Vtech Mirage 100.... oh dear!

I bought it from Comet at the suggested price of £79 inc VAT. The base unit was a pleasantly simple looking silver stand, and the handset was a matching, nicely weighted unit with interchangeable coloured fascias. Overall it was very pleasing to the eye, but sadly it's performance didn't live up to what I'd expect from a Which magazine "Best Buy".

It has most of the features you'd expect from a modern DECT answerphone, so no problem there. However, it was let down by three things. First - the sound quality, both from the handset and the base unit was well below that of other DECT phones I'd heard. The sound was muffled, and ajusting the volume did just that, so the choice was quiet muffled or loud muffled. I took the unit back to Comet and changed it for another, but that was muffled also. Ok, I'll put that down to being a sub-standard speaker.

Second - the LCD display is not backlit. This means that in anything other than a brightly lit room, it is hard to read.

Finally, there is no separate message indicator. This means that when you get home, the only way to tell if you have messages is to pick up the hadset and squint at the LCD display to see if it says "MESSAGES". So, not terribly ergonomic.

I have since relegated the VTECH phone to my spare room and use it simply as a cordless extension. I went
out and purchased a Binatone MD2000 (£69) which is far better. It has all the features of the VTECH, plus a backlight, plus there is a small green light on the base unit that flashes if you have messages waiting.

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