VTech SN5147 Amplified Corded/Cordless Senior Phone with Ans…

9 reviews for VTech SN5147 Amplified Corded/Cordless Senior Phone with Ans…

1. 

   Kathy N – November 20, 2025

   Great for hearing impaired folks.
   I am so glad I purchased these phones to replace my mother-in-law’s old phones. She is very hard of hearing and will not wear her hearing aids. The volumne is adjustable and loud enough so she can actually hear who she is talking to. You can program in the most important numbers you need and they are easily seen. Because there are two, one is in her kitchen and the other in her little den.

2. 

   Roland – November 20, 2025

   Good choice for Mom!
   Purchased along with the VTech SN5307 Amplified Photo DIAL Accessory Handset.Mom was really struggling with her old Panasonic wireless phones. Buttons were to small, screen hard to read…etc. etc.These seemed like an interesting alternative. Mom couldn’t be happier! The picture dual buttons seem a little gimmicky, but they really make using the phone much easier. Simply print some pictures of family, add a Name and insert them into the frames. Then just program the numbers/names and you’re ready to go!It’s a little annoying that the pictures aren’t the same size, buts that’s a pretty minor thing.One good tip, keep the names you program into the memory simple – once programmed the caller ID will say the name. User will here “Call from Bob” for example and they can easily decide if they want to answer or not.The accessory handset will have the same four numbers programmed as picture dial on the main phone. You can’t dial any other numbers from the accessory handset, but you can answer any incoming calls.Yes, the handsets are both battery hogs, if you leave them off the charger overnight they will low the next morning. Just keep them in the charger and they will be ready when you need them.The voice caller ID is great, if you don’t here someone you recognize, just don’t answer.The speaker phone on the the base, main handset and accessory handset are all pretty good and the range is great.Overall a great choice for anyone who only needs a few programmed contacts, has trouble pushing little buttons and just wants something simple.The instructions are pretty well written and easy to follow.Definitely recommend!

3. 

   Something2Say – November 20, 2025

   Purchased for Parent Who Recently Had a Stroke
   Update (3/17/24): Some items that I have noticed/learned since purchasing this phone for my mom:1. You may want to disable the Call Block button on the corded phone base. On a few occasions, my mom has pressed the Call Block button which has blocked my number after having called her. You can disable the Call Block function using the cordless phone.2. I’ve found that my mom will turn off the answering machine function because it has the red on/off button next to it. So you may need to check your parent’s phone to make sure that they haven’t turned off the function.3. The phone will ring even if the corded handset is off of the base unit. You just need to make sure that you press the ‘hang up’ button to answer a call in this scenario.I noticed that some have noted that they are having sound issues with their units. We haven’t encountered this issue (yet) and have had the unit for just under 2 years.——-My mother recently had a stroke and we have found that this phone system has been helpful overall. Some pros and cons include:Pros:*The corded phone is best because there is no way that she will misplace the phone.*The phone has small slots where you can put a picture of a relative for easy phone calls. Instead of pictures, we put the names of individuals in each slot.*The corded phone is very loud (ringing) and for hearing.Cons:*The cordless phone can be confusing for her – too many buttons. The M1, M2, M3…. buttons (associated with stored numbers) are not helpful. A stroke victim with memory issues is not going to be able to tie M1 to the first number stored into memory on the corded phone.*The cordless phone sound quality is only okay.We ended up purchasing the accessory cordless phone that has less buttons and has slots for pictures (once again, we put in names into each slot). It’s working well for her.Overall, I would say that the phone is worth purchasing. I initially purchased a different cordless phone with all of the bells/whistles. However, I quickly learned that it was too confusing for my mom. Believe me, you need to get a very simple phone to use. The corded phone is what my mom uses the most. (Note: You may want to purchase a longer cord for the handset/base unit – just so that your relative can sit comfortably to talk on the phone.)Good luck to anyone working with a relative who has had a stroke and ends up having difficulties using devices. It’s definitely a learning experience for me. Hard to believe that my mom actively used an iPhone before her stroke and now finds that using a cell phone is too overwhelming.

4. 

   Sunshine – November 20, 2025

   User-unfriendly for older senior citizens unless you add-on a different accessory handset
   I was looking for an easy to use cordless phone for someone in memory care and this “big-button” system with photo-dialing marketed for seniors seemed a good option. Little did I know how much frustration this phone would cause.First, the HANDSET. It has too much on it, especially for persons with cognitive or dexterity challenges. I agree with the warnings in other reviews about small buttons cramped together that make it easy to push the wrong one. For example, nursing staff had to “unblock” family members when Mom hit “call block” on us. Why is that button so centrally located? And in small type, “call block” looks too much like “call back.”Second, the PHOTO ID SPEED DIAL. It is not intuitive. To use photo-dial, Mom must both initiate and end the call by pressing speakerphone on the base station. She can’t end the call by putting the handset back in the “cradle” or by pressing the red “off” button on the handset without it flashing “line in use.” I’d call this a design flaw that defeats the purpose of having a cordless phone. If she uses photo-dial to call me, I must remind Mom to use her walker to return to the base station and press “speakerphone” to hang-up.Maybe the SN5127 is good for the hard of hearing, but it is not user-friendly for older senior citizens. The complexity of this phone is even evident by the number of customer questions on this Amazon page – over 90 right now.I ended up having to purchase Vtech’s SN5307 photo accessory handset which works with this SN5127 base station. This product earns its one star only because it can support an additional accessory handset that is much less complicated to use (but does cost another $30 and requires some extra effort to successfully set up).

5. 

   Claudia – November 20, 2025

   Me gusto, el volúmen lo q mas necesitaba y la pantalla iluminada pra mis papás.

6. 

   Reviewer – November 20, 2025

   This system is good for everyone, even those who are not tech savy as once it’s programmed, you can ignore all the bells and whistles and just use the SOS system and/or the handset & base like an ordinary cordless phone.I purchased this in conjunction with two SN7022 Pendants. It’s only been a day and hasn’t been in an actual use for an emergency but here are the highlights & pros:- Can pair multiple pendants to the phone.- When the pendant is triggered, the base will beep very loudly for 20 seconds so that you know you have triggered the SOS before it starts dialling your contacts. It’s actually quite alarming but good for the hard of hearing.- For accidental triggers, there’s a cancel button on the back of the pendant.- The pendant is big but light.- Can program up to 5 SOS contacts, the system will call in the order you have programmed it.- If the 1st contact doesn’t pick-up it will then dial the 2nd contact, if they don’t pick-up it will dial the 3rd contact and so forth. If it goes to voicemail, it will continue to dial the next contact as the receiver of the call must push a button on their phone to confirm receipt of the SOS.- When a contact receives a SOS call, it will start with an automated message saying that it’s an emergency and then prompt them to push a button. If they don’t push a button or hang up it will continue dialling the next contacts. You can customize the message. If the receiver has call display, it will only show your name as usual.- If your contact confirms the SOS call, the contact by default will be connected to the base speaker phone – handset can be used too. If the person in need cannot speak, the contact can still reassure them that they have received the call, that they’re on the way and the estimated time of arrival. The speaker phone is quite loud so if you’re in a single floor unit, you should be able to hear the speaker phone from any room.- Great system for those who may need somewhat urgent assistance but not full on emergency/ambulance services.- Since it’s a landline system, there are no additional subscription costs associated. This also means if the power goes out, the SOS system will continue to work (unlike other systems that rely on wifi).- This phone has many functions, there are many bells and whistles but you can ignore them. The handset can be used like a simple regular cordless phone, can program up to 4 speed dials (they are separate from the auto SOS calls). All you need to know are who’s numbers are saved to the speed dial buttons (we programmed the 4 speed dial buttons in birth order so it’s easy to remember.)- There are also 4 speed dial buttons on the base where you can attach a picture. The buttons are big and easy to push.- When dialling out, the phone will announce the number that was just pushed, could be handy for those who have impaired vision but it otherwise slows down dialling out. This will also happen for numbers saved in speed dial.Cons:- The pendant is only used to trigger the SOS, it cannot be used to communicate.- Had issues pairing the system together, especially the 2nd pendant but everything eventually worked.- No low battery indicator on the pendant.- It feels like cheap quality.I would not hesitate to buy this again for other family members, I would test the system maybe once a month to ensure it’s still working.

7. 

   Imaé – November 20, 2025

   Lo compré para mi mamá (adulto mayor) y le ha funcionado de maravilla. Tiene el teclado grande, audio graduable; incluso cuenta con un ecualizador para acentuar los graves y medios lo cual ayuda mucho para sus problemas de oído. La pila tiene buena duración. El altavoz de la base del auricular es muy útil para responder las llamadas en otra habitación. Estamos muy satisfechos con el aparato.

8. 

   Angela Forth – November 20, 2025

   This is a great phone for senior’s. Large numbers for good visibility, easy to use and the volume can be turned up quit loud.

9. 

   Mary Bastet – November 20, 2025

   Súper fácil de usar y muy práctico.