Vtech Expandable Cordless Phone System LS6245 Review

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I’ve been using the VTech 6042 Two Handset Cordless Phone System since reviewing it a little over 2 years ago. It’s been a decent phone and  answer machine, but after 2 years, I’m ready to try something different. How about another VTech phone? I’m replacing the 6042 system with the Vtech Expandable Cordless Phone System LS6245. This phone has some pretty nifty features, including touch control (no buttons) and the ability to pair with 2 cellphones. Let’s check it out.

Hardware Specs:

DECT 6.0 Digital technology
Expandable up to 12 handsets using only one phone jack-uses LS6204 accessory handsets
Pair up to four Bluetooth phones, but connect two different cell phones at the same time
14 Minutes of recording time for answering system
100 name and number phonebook
Last 20 number redial

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Package Contents (Base system):

Telephone base
Handset
Battery
AC adapter
Telephone cord
Cleaning cloth
User’s manual
Quick start guide

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Package Contents (Accessory handset):

Charger / base
Handset
Battery
Cleaning cloth
User’s manual

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The LS6245 system has a sleek design with a piano Black shiny top and brushed aluminum accents. It’s very susceptible to fingerprints and smudges, which is why Vtech included a polishing cloth. Trust me, you’ll be using it often.

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The handset sits in a shallow trough that has charging leads sticking out of the bottom. The handset easily sits on these contacts. Almost too easily as it can jiggle back and forth. If you should put the base station on a wobbly table, there’s a good change that the handset might topple out of the base by accident.

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The back of the base station has a connection for your analog phone line and the AC adapter.

There are no physical buttons on the base station, everything is controlled by touch. Just like an iPhone, you’ll need to touch the surface with a naked fingertip. Gloved fingers will not work.

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You can make calls from the base by using the built-in number pad, and everything else is managed through the menus on the White on black back lit LCD.

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As an answering machine, the LS6245 works very well. It records messages and greetings crystal clear so that they are easy to hear. You can also quickly tell that you have a message waiting because the LCD display lights up and blinks. The only issue I had with the answering machine controls at first, was remembering where the Play button was. It’s the Right most Red button that doesn’t have a label. It’s hard to see the symbols against the Black background, especially in a dimly lit room.

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The handset is long and narrow as you can see from the picture on the Left. It’s comfortable to hold, but it is a bit slippery. When the phone is idle, the face is dark as you see here. In a darkened room, you can’t see the controls until you tap a button with your finger. Of course, you can’t see the buttons in the dark…

I did notice that it’s really very easy to accidentally press one of the buttons with the palm of your hand. You have to press the Unlock button to use the phone, but semi-often the flesh of my palm will activate the speaker phone button after I answer a call. This gets to be annoying after awhile.

Call clarity and volume are good though. I have no complaints there at all.

It’s also nice that you can see the number of messages and new calls on the handset display. You can also  listen to your answering machine messages through the handset – even through the  secondary handsets.

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The handsets also display the number of Bluetooth phones that are paired and connected. If one is not connected, a slash will be through the number. I tested this phone with my iPhone 3GS and a LG Chocolate. You can also pair the Vtech with Bluetooth headsets, but I haven’t tested that feature. The LS6245 allows you to pair up to 4 devices, but only 2 can be connected at any one time.

Most of you are probably NOT wondering why a person would want to pair their cell phone with an analog phone. But for those of you that are wondering, I’ll fill you in… It’s really just for convenience more than anything else. For me, my iPhone doesn’t get the best signal in my basement, where I do 99.9% of my writing for The Gadgeteer. Half the time when I check the phone, it has one bar or says No Service. But, upstairs, my iPhone gets much better signal. With the Vtech LS6245, I can pair it and leave the iPhone upstairs, but make and receive calls downstairs. Nice huh?

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Another very nice feature is the ability to customize the ring tone for each handset and paired cell phones. Each one can have their own tone that you choose from a list of 20 or so ring tones. You can also customize the volume of the ring for the handsets and paired phones.

I have enjoyed using the Vtech LS6245 expandable cordless phone system. It’s super easy to setup and use. The ability to easily pair with 2 cell phones and / or headsets makes this phone really handy. Now I don’t have to run for my cell phone when it rings if it’s upstairs and I’m downstairs. Now I can answer and make cellphone and / or landline calls from the same handset. Nice!

 

Product Information

Price:$79.95 for base, $44.95 for 2nd handheld
Manufacturer:Vtech
Pros:
  • Ability to make and receive paired cell phone calls with handsets
  • Separate ring tones for handsets and paired phones
  • Easy to use
Cons:
  • Fingerprint magnet
  • Easy to activate a touch button by accident

16 thoughts on “Vtech Expandable Cordless Phone System LS6245 Review”




  1. Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
  2. Interesting concept… using a second phone to talk through/via your cellphone… seems a good fit for your need though with the iffy coverage.
    I like the design and styling, however I wonder if the target audience is a shrinking market? Of eight coworkers around me, only two still have landlines. (One lives in the city and does not have a personal cellphone, and the other lives in a semi-rural area with fringe cellular coverage)

    1. @Gabe You make a very good point. I wouldn’t have a landline anymore if it wasn’t for the fact that I have to have one for my T1 managed router – for support purposes. I use my home line for that. I also live in a rural area.

      1. I own a Vtech cordless phone model number LS6245. I replaced the battery because there was a message on the display saying “Searching for base” but, the battery was fine..it still shows this message and the handset doesn’t work. How do I connect this?

  3. Nice phone.
    I keep looking for a good DECT phone with 2 line inputs. But the only ones I see have prices rasied enormously. I guess they feel the buyers will be small businesses which do not mind being overcharged!

  4. Thanks for the review. I’ve been waiting for some decent Bluetooth enabled cordless phones to come out so I can do something similar – leave my cellphone in a room with great reception and then use a paired cordless phone elsewhere. In an ideal world, I’d hook a skype gateway to the pots line on the cordless and cordless would be my universal hub.

    So, here’s my questions:
    – can you disable the answering machine function?
    – how well does the base work as a speakerphone?
    – if a bluetooth headset is paired with both your cellphone and the cordless, and your cell is paired with the cordless….what heppens when you get a cell call? Does the cordless bluetooth pairing with the headset override the cellphone pairing with the headset? …I guess the more general q is: what is the bluetooth pairing range for a headset? 😀

  5. Jonathan Johnstone

    I have the older model of this phone.. LS 5145.. I bought it for it’s bluetooth compatibility, not to pair with my cell phone which I do anyway but to pair with an ear piece.. at the time I bought the phone it was the only bluetooth compatible phone there was.. I have Vonage VOIP and spend my evenings on the phone with my GF. I can call her using the ear piece and talk for hours without having to hold a handset.. if you like to chat on the phone a lot, this is a great benefit.. both hands free to do what ever you need to do and not burn up cell time which for me is a lot as my GF lives far enough away to be a long distance call on my cell phone.. .. now I leave my cell phone in the car and can still get the calls in the house.. all in all it’s a fantastic piece of equipment and a great convenience. I’m sure this model is just as good or better..

  6. I have a question regarding this phone that I have not seen addressed. VTech’s website says that you can store 100 entries in the handset directory. Does this mean that each handset has a separate directory and that you have to make duplicate entries in each handset? Or can you enter it once and have it available in every handset?

  7. I just got mine after returning the AT&T version. This one is terrific. Only took me about 5 minutes to set it up, adjust ringtone and volume. For me, the whole idea of this product is to GET RID OF MY LAND LINE ($60+ per month). I also got two of the extra phones — so my base unit is in my home office, one extra is in the living room, second extra is in the bedroom (just like I have my land line seet up). Now, I come home (from where ever), turn off my bluetooth ear piece, set my cell in the charger and it automatically syncs up with my Vtech. From there on, I can make or receive calls from any of the three phones I have strategically set around the house.

    Also, for me, I live in an area where cell phone reception is spotty. But it is pretty good in my home office. So all three VTECH phones benefit from the cell phone being located in an area of the house with good reception. If I didn’t have the land line and didn’t have the Vtech phones, I’d have to continue wearing my cell phone on my hip.

    OMGosh, sorry for rambling — I could go on and on. Personally, this is one of the best gadgets I have bought in quite awhile — and it’s going to pay for itself in just a few months! No brainer folks.

  8. I have been using my iphone 3gs and bluetooth enabled with syncing (actually on Vtech DS6322-4) and everything was fine. I just got the iphone 4 and the names do not download anymore. Any suggestions? Hard to look up someone on a directory and call them if you can’t see the name.
    Thanks

  9. Had to stop using the LS6245 when I got uverse internet, when you pick up the phone for the first 5 seconds it is just noise and static, couldn’t handle it…went back to my old Vtech 5871..problem gone. I did like them up until then.

  10. I’m interested in knowing how the intercom functionality to works, with a two kids it nice to use the intercom feature. Just like some general feed back on how it performs

  11. Charles Barsony

    I am in the process of setting up my new LS6245. I have been looking for information regarding the volatility of the address (etc.) memory. We have periodic power failures here and reprogramming
    would be a necessary nuisance. Anyone ?
    There is no onboard keepalive battery visible.

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