Panasonic KX-TSC55B 2-Line Conferencing Phone with Jog Dial and Caller ID

• Speakerphone
• Caller ID/call waiting, 30-call history
• Supports 2 lines and 3-way conferencing
• 50-number directory with jog dial
• Voice mail message-waiting indicator

Instead of accessing stored numbers with speed-dial buttons, Panasonic opted for a jog dial to provide quick and easy access to the KX-TSC55's phone directory, obviating the need to remember whether your mother is number 2 or 14 on your speed dial. You enter numbers by pressing the Directory Program button, then use the keypad to enter the name and phone number (use the jog dial to insert a space). Once the numbers are stored in memory, you simply turn the jog dial to find a number, then press Send/Set to dial the number. You can also edit directory entries via the Function/Edit button. Our only complaint is that you can't delete blocks of directory items; you must remove each entry individually.

The KX-TSC55's caller ID/call waiting feature displays the number of an incoming call even while you're in the middle of another call. You can set two different tones to indicate a call is coming through on the second line. The unit also allows you to set private ring tones for numbers stored in the directory, so even if you don't have caller ID, you'll be able to identify certain callers based on whether you've given them a private ring. Other features include call conferencing, a voice-mail message-waiting indicator, and a headset jack.

Overall, the phone is easy to set up and use, provides very good sound quality, and doesn't suffer from an excess of unneeded features. If you need to store a lot of numbers into speed-dial memory, consider the Panasonic KX-TSC55. --John Frederick Moore

Pros:

• Generous 50-number directory
• Convenient jog dial to access numbers

Cons:

• Must delete directory entries individually