Best Wireless Routers in 2021

1. TP-Link AC1750

Far and away our favorite wireless router and for good reason – it’s a data transfer BEAST! The AC1750 is one of those “set it and forget it routers,” in that you really won’t have to worry about too much going wrong once it’s set up.

We’ll admit – we’re guilty of multi-screening devices during Jeopardy. Families that need a router that can handle all this traffic will LOVE the capabilities of the AC1750 – you can connect up to 50 (!) devices at once easily.

The AC1750 comes with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a high-tech gadget – our favorite feature here was it’s Alexa compatibility. The voice control support embedded in the device allows you to control and use IFTTT to easily trigger actions when devices connect or disconnect from the network.

The AC1750 was a breeze for us to set up – the Tether app backed by TP had the router up and running within minutes.

2. NETGEAR R6700 Nighthawk

Nevermind the amazing name – we love the tech specs too! This wireless router gives off such an aura of bad-assery that we wanted to fly it into battle. It probably can do that too!

NETGEAR advertises this router as “Maximum speed, optimum ease” and we would tend to agree. We loved this router because we could do literally anything while connected and never experience a drop in quality.

Gamer? Great – the R6700 is equipped with a dual core processor that will give a boost to both wireless and wired performance for any gaming laptop.

Movie buff? Fire up Netflix because the R6700 comes equipped with beamforming technology for whole home HD coverage.

Maybe the big screens are too much for you and you’re on your mobile device more often than not. The R6700 has you covered too – high powered amplifiers and external antennas increase WiFi range for the entire home – no need for WiFi extenders!

Coolest thing about the R6700? its Airtime Fairness feature. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a Candy Crush game, when all of a sudden your Uncle tries to connect his 2008 smartphone and kills your score – there’s no more network lag when slower devices connect.

3. TP-Link AC1200

The AC1200 is about the same size as its AC1750 counterpart, but with slightly slower data transfer speeds. You’ll pay a bit less for this model though, so it’s ideal for someone on a budget that doesn’t necessarily need top end speed.

The AC1200 doesn’t skimp on any of the quality features TP has come to be known for. Its MU-MIMO technology allows for high speeds on multiple devices simultaneously – perfect for linking wireless adapters.

The most unique feature the AC1200 has is its AP mode – short for access point mode. This mode can be toggled on and off to share your internet wirelessly.

One thing we love about TP’s products is their industry leading 2-year warranty program. If you’ve got an issue, they’ll take care of it quickly and easily for you without hassle. You’ll also enjoy 24/7 tech support – a nice bonus for those of us that have too often found ourselves fumbling with ethernet cords at 11:00 PM (don’t lie, we know you’ve been there).

4. NETGEAR AC1200

Much like the R6700 Nighthawk, the AC1200 comes equipped with Beamforming+ technology. Beamforming allows you to direct your WiFi signal to a specific device – the result is blazing fast speeds and connectivity.

To that end, the AC1200 has a dynamic QoS system – it actually prioritizes its bandwidth for the ultimate gaming and streaming experiences. If entertainment is your thing, this is the router for you.

The AC1200 is compatible with the Nighthawk app we’ve come to know and love from NETGEAR, so don’t worry about a complicated set up process.

5. TP-Link AC1900

This wireless router is a POWERHOUSE. The AC1900 had the highest data transfer speed of any router we reviewed – a whopping 1,900 mbps. That makes it the ideal choice for both streaming and gaming – you’ll never run into a pixelated screen with this monster.

When we say monster we mean it – the AC1900 was the heaviest router we reviewed, it felt like we had a fully functioning brick in our hands when we went to set it up.

The best feature here is it’s Smart Connect technology. Smart Connect automatically optimizes your device’s connection by switching it to the fastest available WiFi band.

Airtime Fairness and parental controls are once again mainstays, and the ability to set up a VPN server was an awesome feature for those of us focused on protecting our privacy.

6. ASUS Whole Home 1900

ASUS is usually mentioned on lists of top wireless routers – although it may be a little pricey for those looking for bargains.

ASUS touts this product as one of the world’s fastest WiFi routers, and we were blown away by its speed. Dual-band data rates boost transfer speeds up to 1,900 mbps, and a USB 3.0 port allows you to share your devices quickly over the network.

Aside from speed, security is one of the biggest things we loved about this wireless router. Air Protection powered by Trend Micro provides you with multi-stage vulnerability protection – no need to worry about hackers!

7. NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900

Blazing fast and optimized for gaming, the Nighthawk AC1900 is a beast of a machine that will have you gaming effortlessly for hours on end.

A powerful dual core 1 GHz processor inside allows for top-level performance, and downstream/upstream QoS put a focus on streaming and gaming.

This router places a huge focus on gaming, and justifiably so. Nighthawk delivers AC1900 WiFi and blazing fast speeds, eliminating any potential for lag. You’ll never again find yourself on the receiving end of some newbie’s head shot because your game was lagging.

High-powered amps and antennas extend WiFi coverage by a massive amount – we were even able to sit in the backyard and have crystal clear access! Pair this compact router with a WiFi booster and you can connect from literally ANYWHERE.

8. TP-Link N450

Everything we’ve reviewed so far has been all about the tech features and unique capabilities. But what if you’re someone that is really just looking to get online and be done with it? Then the N450 is the compact router for you.

This device is truly WiFi that works for you – it allows you to set limits on when and how devices can connect to the internet and limit things with parental controls.

This wireless router’s tiny design means you can place it virtually anywhere without it being a huge eyesore. The other thing tiny about this router? The price tag – it’s a welcome sight for someone simply looking for a fast, effective wireless router that gets the job done.

9. NETGEAR Nighthawk AC2300

NETGEAR’s wireless routers aren’t great if you’re on a budget, but for someone that wants to pay top dollar for a premium machine, they’re a home run.

The Nighthawk AC2300 is blazing fast, but comes with all sorts of useful odds and ends that make it well worth the price tag. Circle with Disney Smart Parental Controls give you full control of your family’s internet use, and dynamic QoS means you’ll get the best connection where you need it most.

Security is something we loved when it came to this model, and in this day and age, who wouldn’t? The AC2300 comes equipped with advanced cyber threat protection, including vulnerability assessments and instant alerts that keep you updated on how secure your network really is.

10. NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S

This is the most expensive model we reviewed. But there’s good reason behind the high price tag here, and if you’re willing to go above and beyond for internet access, it’s worth it.

Much like the other Nighthawk models, the X4S delivers high data transfer speeds, so you can be sure it’ll hold up against whatever you may be doing.

The X4S is loaded with a powerhouse of a processor – 1.7 GHz dual core to be exact – which means no lagging whatsoever when it comes to streaming 4K video or games. You’re also free to move about pretty much anywhere with this router, Quad Stream Wave 2 WiFi delivers an extreme range that’s unmatched by many other models.

Speed is what you’re paying for with this model – NETGEAR calls it the fastest dual band router they have and we were blown away by how seamlessly we were able to do just about everything.