Best Answering Machine Reviews 2020

For this guide, we only took the answering machines that had multiple features and great quality into consideration. The price range for such products is somewhere around $15 to $80.

Answering machines are especially designed to record your voice messages with clarity. They also have other features like tone control, message speed control, an LED message counter, and more. Of course, more features means higher cost. Whether it’s a cordless answering system or not affects the price as well because this means it includes a home phone.

However, for around $15 you'll be able to find a stand alone answering machine that will display the time and will record any outgoing announcements or incoming messages.

We also came across a few cheap answering machines, but we advise you not to consider them as they usually have very small recording time and are not very practical.

Choosing the perfect answering machine boils down to your personal needs. Do you also need a phone or just an answering machine? Would you like an answering machine that connects to multiple lines? Does it have the right combination of features to connect it to your phone?

Here’s a short list of the most important features to look for when purchasing an answering machine:

• Type - As we said, there are two types of answering machines: stand-alone or built-in. Stand alone answering machines can be used without a handset and usually offer more recording space than the ones with phone systems.
• Battery backup - Answering machines that rely on electricity to save messages might lose them when the power goes out. It's a good idea to choose an answering machine that also works on batteries so you won't lose any messages.
• Message storage space - This feature is quite important because it allows you to receive multiple messages at once without losing them due to lack of storage space. It’s good to choose an answering machine that has over 30 minutes of recording time. This way, if you don't have time to clear the messages, you won't run out of room to receive new ones.
• Remote access - If you don't want to miss any important messages, it's smart to choose an answering machine that allows you to access it remotely. With this, you'll be able to listen to your messages even when you're not physically near the answering machine.
• Timestamps - The answering machine you're getting should feature timestamps. The device will tell you the date and time that a message or call was received through these timestamps.
• Extra Features - You should also look for additional features like caller ID, speakerphone, a message counter, a room monitor, toll saver, ring select, and others.

Now that you know what features to look for when searching for answering machines, let’s move further and see what the design and construction aspects of answering machines are.

The two main types of answering machines are the stand-alone ones and the built in answering system ones.

Stand alone answering machines are devices that are separate from phones. If you choose one of these, you'll have to connect it to your phone line for it to answer after a couple of rings. It’ll let you listen, organize, reply, and delete your messages without using the phone's handset. Stand alone answering machines have a larger storage space and show you how many messages are recorded. You'll be able to find stand alone amplified answering machines that work with analog or digital phone lines. If you don't need an answering system with all the bells and whistles, it’s best to go with a stand-alone answering machine. These are easy to use and will do exactly what they say: answer the phone and take messages.

You'll also come across telephones that have built-in answering machines. If you don't have a phone already, you can choose one of these since it’ll give you an all-inclusive device. If you go down this path, you'll have to listen to the messages using the handset on the phone. Built-in answering systems usually have quite the downside – they have a limited storage space of 15 - 20 minutes. This obviously isn’t useful for people who get many calls and messages.

Answering machines, whether they’re stand-alone units or built-in answering systems, are easy to use. They usually feature large labeled buttons and do what they’re supposed to. Some models feature a backlit keypad letting you see them in the dark, too!

If you use a home phone and you're looking for an answering machine, it’s useful to consider the features we've detailed above. This way, you'll make the right decision and you'll find an answering machine suitable for your needs. Don’t go for features you won’t use.