How to Buy a Hearing Impaired Answering Machine

New products to make life easier for hearing impaired people are popping on the market all the time--and digital answering machines are no exception. If you have hearing problems and are looking to buy a new phone with an answering machine, you have many options. Here's how to buy a hearing impaired answering machine.

Instructions

1. Decide which features are necessary for your hearing impaired answering machine. Phone products manufactured for deaf or hearing impaired people usually offer significant sound amplification. You can also get an answering machine with text or TTY. Discuss with your doctor or audiologist which features are ideal for hearing impaired patients.

2. Note which other features you'll need--hearing impaired answering machines usually offer the same options as regular ones in addition to amplification and/or TTY. Caller ID, multiple handsets, multiple mailboxes and increased memory are all options available with and without hearing impaired features.

3. Set a budget. Hearing impaired answering machines are generally more expensive than traditional ones, but you can buy a used or refurbished model if a new one is outside your price range.

4. Read reviews of hearing impaired answering machines on Amazon.com and Eopinions.com to see which models are ranked the highest. These reviews--especially if they are written by hearing impaired individuals--should help you narrow down your selection.

5. Shop for the best price. Use a website like Buy.com or Froogle.com to find out which websites offer the hearing impaired answering machine for the lowest pricetag, then compare these prices to what you'd pay in a store. Factor in shipping as well as on-site customer service when you make your decision.