// WIRED US/UK — MOBILE & WEB
Best Wi-Fi Routers (2026): My Honest Picks After Testing 40+
The humble router is an essential fixture in every home. Benefits extend to everything from streaming movies and online gaming to video calls. Most people can get by just fine with a single Wi-Fi router, and I’ve collected recommendations to suit different needs, spaces, and budgets. I have tested all of these in my busy family home, which is full of Netflix-addicted gamers.
After testing more than 40 routers (a handful of those have since been discontinued, but most are reviewed on this page), the Asus RT-BE96U is my top pick, but I have plenty of more affordable alternatives to suit different households. There’s a mesh Wi-Fi option here, too, but check out our Best Mesh Wi-Fi Routers guide for larger homes. If you're confused about terminology, my How to Buy a Router guide can help, along with my explainer on mesh systems versus single routers.
Note: The FCC's foreign-made router ban announced in March may stop any company that doesn't secure an exemption (Conditional Approval) from selling new routers in the US, however, existing routers can continue to be sold (everything listed here). They can also be updated with new firmware, at least until January 1, 2029. So far, Netgear and Eero are the only consumer router manufacturers to have secured a Conditional Approval.
Updated July 2026: I added the Netgear Nighthawk M7, clarification on the US government’s foreign router ban, slimmed down my recommendations, and reorganized the sections on other routers I have tested.
If your budget isn't fixed, then the Asus RT-BE96U is calling. This enormous, tri-band, Wi-Fi 7 router is bristling with eight large antennas and is not easy to mount, so you will need a suitable space for it. It's seriously massive, but performance-wise, this is as good as it gets right now. Testing on the 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz bands, only one other router has performed better, and it was the GT-BE98 Pro below, also from Asus. The RT-BE96U offers expansive coverage, easily blanketing my home and garden with stable, speedy Wi-Fi. Whether downloading or moving large files, gaming, or streaming, the RT-BE96U is fast and reliable. It also has two 10-Gbps ports (one WAN/LAN and a LAN), four gigabit LANs, one USB 3.2, and a USB 2.0 port. Being super picky, it might have been nice if those gigabit ports were 2.5 Gbps, as TP-Link offers in the BE800.
I love that Asus continues to avoid the subscription model, offering AiProtection security, VPN functionality, and robust parental controls as part of the purchase price and free for the lifetime of the router. You also get an in-depth set of networking features you can dig into, and there is support for AiMesh, enabling you to link this with other Asus routers to create a mesh. You don’t even have to create an account to use this router (a rarity nowadays). The firmware on Asus routers can sometimes be ropey at release, but I used the RT-BE96U for a couple of weeks without a hiccup. The caveat? You do need devices that support Wi-Fi 7 and a multi-gig connection to put this router through its paces. Most folks do not have to spend this much to get great Wi-Fi, but if you want a router to last you the next five years, this is an excellent choice.
The TP-Link Archer BE9700 offers 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz bands for less. I don’t love the design, but the six adjustable antennas allow for some tinkering, and TP-Link has been very generous with the ports (one 10 Gbps, four 2.5 Gbps, and a USB 3.0), though it’s a little annoying that the USB is on the side. This model also offers excellent close-range speeds on the 6-GHz band, though it was a little disappointing on both the 5-GHz and 2.4-GHz bands (TP-Link’s dual-band BE5000 actually outperformed it). But it does offer a pretty expansive range (up to 2,600 square feet).
TP-Link’s Tether app is easy to use, and this model supports EasyMesh, so you can always add additional devices to create a mesh later. You can also review connected devices, split bands, create a gu