2 Line Answering Machine
One of the handiest and most convenient office machines (also useful for the home office) is a 2-line phone with a 2 line answering machine. A 2 line phone is a great option for businesses that are small but require more than one line, for home based businesses who want one line for personal and one line for business calls, and for the busy family whose kids want to have their own line. A 2 line phone with 2 line answering machine allows each line coming into the home to have its own dedicated answering machine as well - so that business messages are kept separate from personal ones. Ingenious but practical at the same time! You can find the 2 line answering machine accompanied by a 2 line phone in both corded and cordless models. If you don't want to invest in a 2 line phone and answering machine in one, there are some 2 line answering machines available that stand alone and work with your two line phone.
The beauty of the 2 line phone with accompanying 2 line answering machine is that you don't need any special equipment in order to get full use of the machine. Most of the systems on the market right now also have the capability of adding additional lines if needed. Plan to pay a bit more for a setup like this - but it is well worth the expense in order to have the superior convenience of two lines - and two separate message centers for calls coming in.
When shopping for your 2 line answering machine, determine if you want to buy a phone with the answering system built in that has capabilities for both calling and messaging or if you need just the answering machine and plan to use your existing phone. A combination phone takes up much less space, but if one part of the phone "tears up", then the entire machine is out of order. Also take into consideration:
- Storage space. How many calls, or minutes of messages, does the answering machine record? If you get lots of messages, you obviously want a lot of storage, or if you plan to store messages, you'll need additional storage space. Inversely, if you don't get that many messages, a smaller amount of storage space will likely do.
- Digital or non-digital. While most answering systems are digital, there are those that still require a micro-cassette for messages. These are great for people who want to keep a record of callers, such as attorneys. Determine your needs for saving messages in hard copy.
- Look for a machine with a warranty. Although buying from a reputable manufacturer means that you will enjoy enhanced performance in many cases, if you don't have a warranty on your 2 line answering machine, you could be looking at replacement at your own expense if something goes awry with the system.