A home router is the hub of every connected household. Choosing the right router affects streaming quality, online gaming latency, home office reliability, and how many smart devices can coexist without performance drops. Advances in wireless standards and features mean buyers must weigh raw speed against coverage, device capacity, security, and wired connectivity.
When shopping for a router, focus on the wireless standard (Wi‑Fi 6 vs Wi‑Fi 7), how many bands the unit uses, real-world throughput on the 5 GHz band, the number and speed of wired ports, and support for mesh systems or multi-link operation. Security features, VPN support, parental controls, and a reliable mobile app for setup and management are practical considerations. The five picks below cover budget Wi‑Fi 6 options, mesh packages for full-home coverage, midrange gigabit workhorses, and a high-end Wi‑Fi 7 performer for those who want maximum future-proofing.
1. TP-Link Archer AX18 WiFi 6 Router - AX1500 Mbps
Best Value Wi-Fi 6 for Gaming
| SPECIFICATIONS | • Technology: Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) • Bands: Dual-band • Max Theoretical Speed: AX1500 (up to 1.5 Gbps) • 5 GHz Speed: Up to 1201 Mbps • 2.4 GHz Speed: Up to 300 Mbps See more |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS |  £36.99 |
| REASONS TO BUY | +Solid Wi‑Fi 6 performance for most home networks +Good coverage and stable signal with beamforming and four antennas +Easy mobile app setup through TP‑Link Tether +Features that help gaming and multi-device households, like OFDMA and MU‑MIMO +WPA3 security and VPN server support |
| REASONS TO AVOID | -No multi-gig Ethernet for wired backbone or high-speed NAS -Not as feature-rich as higher-tier AX3000 or AX5400 models -Dual-band limits channel availability compared with tri-band systems |
Review
This router targets home users who want Wi‑Fi 6 benefits without dealing with a complex feature set. It delivers the expected AX1500 throughput on the 5 GHz band and uses OFDMA and MU‑MIMO to handle multiple devices more efficiently, which translates to lower latency for online gaming and smoother 4K streaming simultaneously. The included Beamforming and four antennas help maintain a reliable signal across typical single-floor homes.
Setup and everyday management are straightforward thanks to the Tether app, which simplifies initial configuration and basic parental controls. The integrated VPN server and WPA3 support add layers of security that are often missing from entry-level hardware, making it suitable for small home offices that need secure remote access.
Where it limits more demanding setups is wired performance. Without multi-gig Ethernet ports, it cannot unlock full speeds from multi-gig internet plans or provide a high-speed LAN backbone for NAS devices. For households that need solid wireless performance for consoles and multiple clients, it is a practical and cost-effective choice, but buyers who plan heavy local file transfers or a wired gaming rig may want a model with faster LAN ports.
2. ASUS RT-AX52 (AX1800) Dual
Best for AiMesh and VPN
| SPECIFICATIONS | • Technology: Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) • Bands: Dual-band • Max Theoretical Speed: AX1800 (about 1.8 Gbps) • 5 GHz Speed: Up to 1201 Mbps • 2.4 GHz Speed: Up to 574 Mbps See more |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | £49.99 |
| REASONS TO BUY | +AiMesh compatibility for easy expansion into a mesh +Strong VPN performance and privacy features +Good throughput and wall-penetrating coverage for multi-room homes +User-friendly app with solid parental controls |
| REASONS TO AVOID | -No multi-gig Ethernet ports for faster wired backbones -Dual-band limits maximum concurrent throughput compared with tri-band options -Advanced settings may be overwhelming for absolute beginners |
Review
This router is a practical choice for homeowners who want an expandable network with secure remote access. It supports AiMesh, which allows adding compatible ASUS routers to create a seamless multi-node system without switching brands or losing advanced management features. The built-in VPN and Instant Guard features are useful for home offices or anyone who wants an easy-to-manage remote access option without extra hardware.
Performance-wise it delivers reliable AX1800-class speeds and tends to maintain signal through interior walls better than many budget alternatives, making it a good fit for multi-room apartments and small houses. The ASUS Router app handles setup and parental scheduling cleanly, and the router exposes enough advanced controls for hobbyists to tune QoS, port forwarding, and VPN settings.
The trade-offs are straightforward: there are no multi-gig ports, so local network transfers to NAS devices remain limited by gigabit Ethernet. For users who prioritize expandable mesh capability and strong VPN integration over maximum wireless throughput, this model balances features, coverage, and manageability well.
3. TP-Link Archer BE550 Tri-Band BE9300 WiFi 7 Router
Best Overall Performance with Wi‑Fi 7
| SPECIFICATIONS | • Technology: Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be) • Bands: Tri-band (including enhanced 6 GHz and multi-link operation) • Max Theoretical Speed: Up to 9214 Mbps (combined) • Streams: 6-stream • Ethernet Ports: 1× 2.5G WAN, 4× 2.5G LAN (full 5x 2.5G ports) See more |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | £179.99 |
| REASONS TO BUY | +Massive wireless throughput and reduced latency for high-bandwidth tasks +Multiple 2.5G ports eliminate the 1G bottleneck for NAS and wired devices +MLO improves reliability and responsiveness for AR/VR and cloud gaming +EasyMesh-compatible and strong coverage for medium to large homes |
| REASONS TO AVOID | -Advanced feature set may be unnecessary for small homes or light users -New standard may require firmware updates to reach full stability and features -Larger physical footprint and higher power usage than simpler routers |
Review
This router aims to deliver the highest sustained throughput and the lowest network latency available in a consumer unit. Multi-Link Operation allows devices capable of using multiple bands simultaneously to benefit from lower latency and more consistent throughput, which is useful for virtual reality applications, multistream 4K/8K playback, and competitive cloud gaming. The inclusion of multiple 2.5G Ethernet ports is a standout for anyone who runs a multi-gig internet connection or keeps large media libraries on a local NAS.
Real-world benefits include faster large-file transfers over the LAN and smoother simultaneous high-bandwidth streams across many devices. The router's coverage profile and beamforming provide strong signals across a typical two-story home, and EasyMesh compatibility helps integrate it into larger whole-home deployments without losing advanced controls.
Because Wi‑Fi 7 is a newer standard, early adopters should expect occasional firmware refinements as device and client support matures. For users who need future-proofed wired and wireless performance and plan to use multi-gig internet or local storage heavily, this model is one of the few consumer routers that unlocks those capabilities today.
4. TP-Link Archer AX53 AX3000Mbps
Best Mid-Range Gigabit Router
| SPECIFICATIONS | • Technology: Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) • Bands: Dual-band • Max Theoretical Speed: AX3000 (around 3.0 Gbps total) • 5 GHz Speed: Up to 2402 Mbps • 2.4 GHz Speed: Up to 574 Mbps See more |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | £54.99 |
| REASONS TO BUY | +Strong AX3000 throughput for streaming and gaming +Full gigabit wired ports for consistent wired performance +Good coverage with four high-gain antennas and beamforming +EasyMesh support simplifies building a mesh network later |
| REASONS TO AVOID | -No multi-gig Ethernet for advanced wired backbones -Dual-band design cannot match throughput of tri-band mesh systems under heavy load |
Review
This router occupies the practical midrange sweet spot: faster than basic AX1500 units but without the extra complexity and cost of tri-band systems. The AX3000-class radio gives plenty of headroom for multiple 4K streams, cloud gaming sessions, and work-from-home video calls running concurrently. Four high-gain antennas and beamforming produce robust coverage across typical family homes and keep speeds close to wired performance in many rooms.
The router's full gigabit Ethernet ports ensure predictable performance for wired consoles, desktop PCs, and local backups, and the HomeShield suite provides an approachable set of security tools for families. EasyMesh compatibility is a plus if future expansion is desired; additional nodes can be added to smooth out dead spots without abandoning the router's feature set.
For users who want a single, reliable device that handles both wired and wireless demands well, this model offers a balanced combination of speed, coverage, and useful features. Power users needing multi-gig LAN or the absolute lowest latency under extreme multi-device loads should consider a model with multi-gig support or a tri-band design instead.
5. TP-Link Deco X10 AX1500 Mesh WiFi 6 System
Best Mesh System for Whole-Home Coverage
| SPECIFICATIONS | • Technology: Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) • Bands: Dual-band mesh nodes • Max Theoretical Speed: AX1500 (up to 1.5 Gbps per node) • 5 GHz Speed: Up to 1201 Mbps • 2.4 GHz Speed: Up to 300 Mbps See more |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | £44.98 |
| REASONS TO BUY | +Seamless whole-home coverage with easy node-based expansion +Simple mobile app setup and family-oriented parental controls +Handles many smart devices without bogging down thanks to OFDMA and MU‑MIMO +Voice assistant integration and robust after-sales support |
| REASONS TO AVOID | -AX1500 throughput may limit top-end streaming or heavy local transfers -Fewer advanced settings compared with standalone routers for power users -Large homes may require additional nodes for truly consistent speeds |
Review
This mesh kit focuses on providing consistent coverage and simple management across a multi-room or multi-floor home. The mesh architecture hands off clients seamlessly when moving through the house, so video calls and streaming sessions remain stable. The Deco mobile app makes installation approachable for non-technical users and includes parental controls, device profiles, and scheduling tools that parents will find practical.
Performance per node is in the AX1500 class, which is adequate for many households with mixed-use devices, smart home sensors, and several streaming clients. The system scales well by adding more Deco nodes of the same family, and the self-healing mesh maintains connections when individual paths are interrupted.
Power users who transfer very large files locally or who have multi-gig internet plans will find the per-node throughput limiting compared with higher-tier routers, but for families and users prioritizing coverage, device capacity, and ease of use, this mesh system delivers reliable whole-home Wi‑Fi with few configuration headaches.
Summary
For buyers focused on maximum future-proof performance and multi-gig wired needs, the Wi‑Fi 7 tri-band option is the best technical pick thanks to its multi-link operation and multiple 2.5G ports. It suits power users, content creators, and households planning to upgrade to multi-gig internet or heavy local storage.
If coverage and simple management are the priority, the mesh system is the better choice: easy setup, seamless roaming, and family-friendly controls make it ideal for larger homes and users who do not want to tweak advanced settings. The AX3000 midrange router is the best all-around selection for most households that need robust wireless and wired gigabit performance without extra complexity. For value-oriented gamers and smaller homes, the AX1500 model offers many Wi‑Fi 6 benefits and good coverage at a lower feature level. Finally, users who want AiMesh flexibility and strong VPN support will appreciate the ASUS option when building an expandable network with advanced remote-access needs.
