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Choosing the right router can be tough. Walking into a big-box store, you’re faced with dozens of choices that all seem to do the exact same thing, yet with prices that vary by hundreds of dollars. Heading online, there are even more options, to the point where you’d be tempted to abandon the entire search and just keep the bargain-basement wireless router your ISP stuck you with and keeps extorting you for every month.
It doesn’t have to be like this. Here are some of the best routers that won’t break your budget.
Google WiFi
I keep waiting for something to unseat Google WiFi AC1200 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi Router from my list of top routers. But nothing has yet been able to match the stability, reliability, or feature-rich app offering of its wireless network hardware. I could dig up speed ratings and tech specs, but all of the technical data in the world pales in comparison to one shining fact: Never has anyone in my house complained about there being a problem with the Wi-Fi when Google Wifi was the home network. Anyone who’s played IT tech at home knows that is a nearly incomprehensible feat. There are no hiccups, no laggy moments, no wandering around the house trying to find the “sweet spot” for speed. And at $99 for a unit, it’s kind on the wallet. The network health features of the app alone are worth the price. Google WiFi is scalable as well, so if you need another, you get another. No fuss.
Amplifi Instant
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been cornered at a party and asked what wireless network to upgrade to. After a couple of questions, my answer is inevitably Amplifi Instant Dual Band Mesh Wifi Router. Mostly because I know that their app is so easy to use, I won’t be getting angry texts the next day. When they say you can set up their products in two minutes or less, they mean it, and the stability of the network it pumps out is rivaled only by Google. The Amplifi Instant is a great starter set for homes up to 4,000 sq. ft. with one router that has a hand status LED on the front and one mesh point for you to boost the signal throughout your home. For $179, it’s cheaper than a lot of modern systems on the market, but you won’t sacrifice network quality.
Netgear Nighthawk AX4
If Wi-Fi 6 is what you’re looking for, it’s hard to find anything that’s sporting the new standard that’s under $300. That’s why the new Netgear Nighthawk AX4 is a bit of a shock at $199. It has 4 available streams (as opposed to the dozen or more streams of more robust Wi-Fi 6 routers), but if you don’t have a ton of devices on your network, it’s more than enough to boost your signal and break up the log jam of your congested network. With speeds of up to 3Gbps plus the Nighthawk app to help you set up and maintain your network, it’s one of the best deals out there.
Plume SuperPod A3000
Plume is different because of all its offerings: a faster wireless network with full Internet-of-Things protection for all of your devices as well as ad blocking, adaptive traffic monitoring, one-time-use guest wireless networks, and content monitoring for the kids. On top of all this, it’s an intuitive app so it should cost a lot. But it doesn’t. I’ve had as many as three devices in my house at one time just to do the things that Plume does with a handful of plug-in mesh devices and a subscription. And for just $99 for the first year, you can cover a modest home in smart, adaptive Wi-Fi and be safer online. That’s math you can’t argue with.
