Robust DECT phones.

[John]

We have a requirement for DECT phones.

I buy cheap ones and they last a couple of years.

Now this may not be worth doing but does anyone have experience of more robust / durable but reasonably-priced DECT phones (say with a rubber case)?

Don't need to be IP rated - purely for the riggers of constant use and a harder life...

 

[BTB 500]

You should be OK with any of the big brands I'd have thought. Ours are Philips and still going fine (with 3 kids involved ) after nearly 7 years. No rubber cases though.

 

[Meldrew2]

How about this?

Siemens Gigaset E495 Robust Dect Phone

??

 

[camerafodder]

Panasonic are very tough. Interestingly anything branded BT aren't too bad either.

 

[whizzkid11]

Panasonic - and Siemens are recommended for longevity.

BT - very cheap build quality... does what it says on the tin...

iDect - look nice and are cheap! usage, personally no experience of them, but have seen them being used.

DSL on here forum is the man for phones...

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Don't need to be IP rated - purely for the riggers of constant use and a harder life...

If riggers are using them no wonder they're not lasting long!

 

[davidmi]

I have the Siemens 495 as my carry-around the garden etc 'phone and it has stood up to a few modest falls on gravel and hard ground as well as having about 75 metres range from the base station. Bought it as an additional handset to a better quality base station. Having bought from the supplier in the link above and discovered they send out returns/secondhand items as new, I would not do so again from them. No rugged 'phone is totally unbreakable as I found out when I dropped the heavily-ruggedised Ericsson R250 Pro GSM on a marble floor and a tiny plastic part inside broke and killed the microphone.

 

[John]

Cheers folks.

I think riggers would give them an easier time than our despatch department do!

I suppose if I buy a DECT phone for £15, and it lasts two years, that Siemens Gigaset costing £60 needs to last 8 years and I wonder if they would...?

I run a set of Panasonic KX TG8524EB phones at home but again - price means they would ideally need to last longer.

 

[@MARK]

Panasonic are well put together but they seem to bring out a new model every few months.

As a result I am always seeing Panasonic DECT phones heavily reduced in places like Tesco and Asda. Sure they may be last years model but who cares?

 

[clegsr]

The problem is, the more "rugged" the handset, then the worse people will treat it...

Maybe try a few makes in parallel and see which gives you the best cost/life compromise?

 

[markjay]

With regards DECT, I still have one BT handset, dating back to when they were made by Siemens, and it is pretty indestructible. I had several newer BT handsets - 'made by BT' in China - come and go since. I am now using Panasonic and they seem pretty tough, but time will tell.

 

[John]

The silver has worn off the phone back to base plastic within a few months.

I think I will see if I can hunt down some old model cheaper Panasonics and see how we get on.

I don't always have to buy phones, I've donated 3 sets of old phones myself and have inherited others.

Thanks all.