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VTech VS112-2 Review

This phone does have one of the larger displays of the group but otherwise failed to stand out against the other phones
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VTech VS112-2 Review
Price:  $66 List
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Manufacturer:   VTech
By David Wise and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Dec 20, 2021
59
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#7 of 9
  • Sound Quality - 30% 7.0
  • Range - 25% 6.0
  • Ease of Use - 20% 7.0
  • Features - 15% 4.0
  • Battery Life - 10% 3.0

Our Verdict

While the VTech VS112-2 cordless phone might have failed to claim one of the top spots, we don't necessarily think it is a bad option by any means. It's one of the easier phones to use and offers solid sound quality and range. We also found it to be a little light on features and not to have the longest battery life. Overall, this might be a solid option if you find it on sale or if some of its unique features are particularly important to you.
REASONS TO BUY
Good sound quality
Easy to use
Good range
REASONS TO AVOID
Limited features
Short battery life

Compare to Similar Products

 
vtech vs112-2
This Product
VTech VS112-2
Awards  Top Pick Award
Great Sound Quality at a Great Price
  Best Buy Award
Best Bang for Your Buck
Price $66 List
$60.67 at Amazon
$66 List
$55.95 at Amazon
$61 List
$49.95 at Amazon
$80 List
$56.95 at Amazon
$45 List
$36.62 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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69
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53
Star Rating
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Bottom Line While this phone does have some unique features, like a visual ringer and a larger display, it struggled to distinguish itself overallThis phone is a fantastic option if you want a bare-bones product that is easy to use with impressive sound quality and rangeThis phone performed moderately well across the board and usually retails at a reasonable priceThis middling phone is basic in its functions and inexpensiveGreat phone for a great price
Rating Categories VTech VS112-2 AT&T CL82207 AT&T DL72219 AT&T BL102 AT&T EL51203
Sound Quality (30%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
Range (25%)
6.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
Ease of Use (20%)
7.0
7.0
8.0
6.0
5.0
Features (15%)
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
Battery Life (10%)
3.0
7.0
3.0
7.0
4.0
Specs VTech VS112-2 AT&T CL82207 AT&T DL72219 AT&T BL102 AT&T EL51203
Link to Cell Phone Yes No Yes No No
Caller ID Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Caller ID Announcement No Yes No Yes No
Measured Unobstructed Range 840 ft. 840 ft. 840 ft. 840 ft. 840 ft.
Measured Obstructed Range 230 ft. 300 ft. 280 ft. 290 ft. 220 ft.
Call Waiting Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Call Block Up to 1,000 Smart Call Blocker* Up to 1,000 Yes Dial *60
Expandable Handsets Up to 5 Up to 12 Up to 5 Up to 5 Up to 5
Corded (Phone) Base No No No No No
Speaker Phone on Base No No No Yes No
Speaker Phone on Handset Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Phone Book Capacity 1000 50 1000 50 50
Speed Dial No Yes No No Yes
Redial Last 10 Numbers Last 10 Numbers Last 10 Numbers Yes Last 10 Numbers
Wall Mountable Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mute Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hold No No No No No
Any Key Answer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Push to Talk (PTT) No Yes No No No
Backlit Display Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Eco Mode Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Silent/Quiet Mode Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Voice Command No No No No No
HD Audio w/ Equalizer Yes Yes No Yes No
Lighted Keypad Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Optional Belt Clip No No No No No
Headset Jack No No No No No
Additional Lines No No No No No
RoHS Compliant Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Answering Machine Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Our Analysis and Test Results

As mentioned, this phone does have some unique features, like smart call blocking, a visual ringer, and large text. This makes it a great option for anyone who wants an easier way to block spam calls or for someone who might have a little harder time seeing the screen or hearing the ringer on a typical cordless phone.

Performance Comparison


vtech vs112-2 - all in all, we think this phone delivered a middle-of-the-road...
All in all, we think this phone delivered a middle-of-the-road performance.
Credit: Laura Casner

Sound Quality


Our first set of tests focused on the sound quality of each cordless phone, based on our opinions of it during normal conversations and how it sounded when we listened to recorded messages made with each phone. The VTech VS112-1 did fairly well, earning an above-average score.


We found the messages left by this phone to be fairly good. The voice didn't sound quite true to life but we appreciated that there weren't many clicks or abundance of static that made it hard to understand. We did notice that it tended to be a bit quieter than some of the other phones but, again, it still sounded fine.

vtech vs112-2 - the vtech vs112-2 delivered impressive results in our range test.
The VTech VS112-2 delivered impressive results in our range test.
Credit: Laura Casner

Range


Our next set of tests for these products focused on their effective range, or how far the handset can be from the base before the sound cut out. The performance of the VTech VS112-1 dropped a small amount but it still delivered an above-average performance.


To test and score performance, we measured out two courses. One offered an unimpeded view between the base and the phone while the other had a series of walls obstructing the signal. The VTech VS112-1 did very well in the line-of-sight test, matching the performance of the top-tier phones. We had well over 840 feet between the main base and the phone and could hear our conversation just fine.


The performance did drop a bit with the walls in the way, maxing out with around 230 feet between the base station and the phone. We also noticed that it cut out fairly quickly, compared to having a longer stretch where you could only partially hear the conversation.

vtech vs112-2 - the large buttons on the vtech vs112-2 add to its ease of use.
The large buttons on the VTech VS112-2 add to its ease of use.
Credit: Laura Casner

Ease of Use


Our next set of tests focused on how convenient and easy to operate each of these products are, based on their basic and advanced functions. The VTech VS112-1 did quite well, earning one of the more impressive scores of the group.


When it comes to the basic functions, we looked at the backlight on the screen, the ease of reading the display, placing a call, using the find a phone feature, the ringer volume, muting a call, and setting a date and time. This phone has a decent backlight, with the keypad and a few buttons clearly visible in the dark but we do think you would need to be fairly familiar with the layout of the menus if you are going to try and mess with any of the advanced settings relying solely on the backlight.

We do like that the “find a phone” feature on this product makes the handset ring nice and loud, making it easy to locate a misplaced phone. It rings for about a minute as well. It's quite easy to read the display on this phone, even from a distance of about 6 feet away, and we like that it hyphenates the phone number when placing a call, minimizing misdials.

It's a pretty easy process to call back a missed phone call using just a few keys but we did notice a lack of speed dial. We also like that this phone has one of the loudest ringers, as well as a visual indicator if you prefer silent operation or are hearing impaired.

vtech vs112-2 - the display on this phone is very easy to read.
The display on this phone is very easy to read.
Credit: Laura Casner

When it came to advanced functions, we scored each phone on the ease of storing a number in the phone book, blocking phone calls, navigating the advanced menus, and if there is a silent/quiet mode. The VTech VS112-1 again did very well, earning an above-average score.

vtech vs112-2 - it's quite easy to listen to a message or call back a missed call...
It's quite easy to listen to a message or call back a missed call with the VTech VS112-2.
Credit: Laura Casner

This phone makes it very easy to save a number from the main screen after you dial it or it takes just a few more steps to navigate through the menus to the phonebook to add/edit/delete an entry. The VTech VS112-1 also has one of the more comprehensive call-blocking options using its smart call blocker, allowing you to easily block an incoming call and help you cut down on unwanted spam calls. However, this usually requires paying for an additional service to be completely effective. The menus are intuitive and easy to navigate and you can activate the quiet mode by simply holding the pound key.

vtech vs112-2 - the vtech vs112-2 phone system can only be expanded to 5 handsets...
The VTech VS112-2 phone system can only be expanded to 5 handsets, which might not suffice for an office.
Credit: Laura Casner

Features


For our features metric, we looked at some common features for these products and awarded points accordingly. We looked at the ability to expand your system with additional handsets, the phone book capacity, keypad lighting, link to cell, if the main base can be used to make call, button size, answering machine capabilities, headset jack, belt clip, and if you can use the phone as an in-home intercom system. Unfortunately, the VTech VS112-1 did score just a bit below average in this regard.


This phone system limits you to a maximum of 5 handsets but does have a fairly massive phonebook capacity of 1000 entries. It has larger buttons that have more than adequate lighting and this phone does have an integrated answering machine. It also can link to your smartphone with link-to-cell capabilities. You can use the VTech VS112-1 as an intercom system, but the main base can't be used to make calls.

vtech vs112-2 - overall, we weren't the most impressed with the battery life of the...
Overall, we weren't the most impressed with the battery life of the VS112-2 from VTech.
Credit: Laura Casner

Battery Life


We wrapped up our testing process by comparing measuring the battery life of each handset by timing how long the stock batteries lasted. Additionally, we also looked at the claimed recharging and standby times when determining scores. Unfortunately, the VTech VS112-1 delivered another lackluster score in this metric, earning it a so-so score.


We set up each phone in a call using Google Voice to play music into a recorder, then checked the recording to see how long each phone actually lasted when starting with a full charge. We found this phone lasted for 7 hours, 50 minutes before dying — a bit less than the 10 hours claimed by the manufacturer. It also has one of the shorter claimed standby times — 5 days. VTech states each phone should take about 12 hours to recharge as well, about average for these products.

Value


We think this phone is essentially an average value. It pairs a middle-of-the-road performance in our tests with a middle-of-the-road price tag.

Conclusion


While we don't overly dislike this phone, we do generally think there are higher performing cordless phones or better bargain options out there. It does have some unique features but we think it's overall a fairly average phone.

David Wise and Austin Palmer