Best Answering Machines

HOW TO CHOOSE = When you look for the best answering machines, choose one with power outage backup. Otherwise, you may lose messages. Also determine the total recording time. Look for a unit that offers 30 minutes or more.

Most answering machines have remote message retrieval, but be sure to ask about this feature. Furthermore, look for a machine that answers after 4 rings if there are no previous messages, and after 2 rings if there are. This will allow you to hang up and save the price of the remote call if you have no messages.

Caller ID is a nice feature, as is variable speed playback. This function speeds up or slows down playback, so that when you miss a number, you don’t have to skip ahead.

Other features to look for include showing you the date and time the message was received, an auto-disconnect which disconnects the answering machine when you pick up the phone. This can be helpful if you don’t get to the phone fast enough to stop the message from starting. Lastly, for a little more money, you can have a feature that will forward messages to another phone number which you program into the machine.

THE REVIEW = The Best Answering Machine will cost about $35. It’s the GE 29869GE2, and according to reviewers it offers good voice quality, 4 separate mailboxes, and a 40 minute recording time. It has a scan feature which allows you to play the first 5 seconds of each message, and a battery backup so you don’t lose messages in a power outage.

Other top performers include:

Best Basic Answering Machine = AT & T 1722 for $17

A close runner-up to this model was the AT & T 1738 for $22.

Best price = Amazon.com

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