Siemens Gigaset 4215 2.4GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System - Silver & Black - Ideal for Home & Office Communication

I have gone back and forth on whether to get this phone or not, based mostly on the hot or cold reviews it has received (people seem to either hate it or love it). After using it for a while, I am very glad I bought it. I find most of the complaints about it totally unjustified. Here is my response to some of the top complaints:1. Too complicated to use: Say what? Just because it has 4 or 5 times as many features as any other cordless phone doesn't make it too complicated. The setup menus are very clear and logically organized - and if you don't like the "complicated" features, well then don't use them. For instance, it has the ability to program the ringer to be softer at night (say between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am)...kind of overkill if you ask me, but like I said, if you like it, use it, if not, forget about it. In general it works just like your cell phone, as opposed to most cordless phones which are less "complicated" (you do have a cell phone don't you).2. Sound quality: This complaint is somewhat justified, and the reason I gave the phone 4 stars instead of 5. When I first set it up, I had a lot of clicking noises, but I had the base unit right next to my 2.4 ghz wireless network router (I figured that would be a problem, but I had to try). I moved the base unit to another room, and no more clicking. That said, the voice quality is not stellar, but I would say it is adequate. I have certainly heard better, especially for a digital phone, though.3. Battery life: No problems here. I can talk for several hours without problem. I do always return the phone to the cradle afterwards though, so if you don't that might be a problem long term. The batteries are Ni-cad, but they are standard AA size, not a propietary battery. So if you need to replace them, you can buy any old rechareable ni-cad (or better yet nickel metal-hydride) batteries.4. Call waiting feature is not intuitive: This one cracks me up. The mem button (which is used to access this feature)is located all by itself at the bottom right corner of the phone. It is used to program the one touch dial feature of the phone as well as access call waiting. I assume if you rarely used call waiting, you might forget which button to use, but how is that any differnet than a cell phone (most cell phones use the send key to access call waiting...that's more intuitive?). At least the button is in a good location...if you ask me, it is more intuitive than most phones. I suppose they could have labeled it mem/cw for those who forget how to use their phones...Overall, I am very happy with this phone. It has a list of features that simply blow everything else on the market away. I wish the sound quality were a little better, but I can live with it.