There are currently four Eero systems on the market worth considering, all of which offer roughly the same experience. The first two are dual-band systems (2.4GHz and 5GHz). If you have an internet connection with up to 500Mbps, the regular Eero 6 will do the trick. If you have a faster connection with up to 1Gbps and your home is less than 4,500 square feet, Eero 6+ ($300) This is the system to choose. People with larger properties or above average demands (people using many devices and the internet at the same time) Eero Pro 6E ($550) (7/10, WIRED Recommended), Tri-band system that supports 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. The Eero Pro 6 is no longer available.
of Eero Max 7 ($1,700) (7/10, WIRED Review) is the top-of-the-line Wi-Fi 7 option, boasting four Ethernet ports (two rated at 10 Gbps and two at 2.5 Gbps), which is probably overkill for most people at this point. You can explore the differences in more detail in our Eero buying guide, but no matter which model you choose, keep in mind that there are frequent discounts. All Eero systems are compatible with each other, making it easy to expand your network.
Best Value
Affordable and compact, the ZenWifi XD5 is a solid alternative to our top pick if you have limited needs or a tight budget. The good news is that you don’t need to create an account to set up and use this mesh network. Each of the three units has two Gigabit Ethernet ports and can be wall mounted. Basic security (AiProtection Classic) and parental controls are available at no extra cost. It also supports AiMesh, so you can use it with other Asus routers.
During testing, performance was smooth, reliable, and surprisingly fast for the price. We downloaded a 30GB game in under 8 minutes. It’s a dual-band system, but it supports 160MHz channels on the 5GHz band. Asus says the three-pack can cover up to 5,000 square feet, but speeds will slow down the further you get from the router. To get the best performance from the XD5, or any mesh system, connect your main router and nodes to Ethernet for a wired backhaul.
The Asus mobile app is simple and lets you schedule downtime for your kids’ devices and filter content by setting up parental controls, bandwidth splitting, and a guest network. The web interface gives you access to other options, including basic QoS and VPN support. My parents have been using this system for over a year and it’s worked flawlessly. For those with sub-1Gbps connections who don’t want to pay for a subscription, this reliable system is great value.
Wi-Fi 6E Mesh
Support for Wi-Fi 6E, which operates in the 6GHz band, is now commonplace, and the rollout of Wi-Fi 7 is bringing down the price of these 6E routers and mesh systems. This two-pack of tri-band mesh systems is relatively affordable and enough to cover most homes. These cylindrical routers feature the vase-like Deco Family design, which helps them blend in with the room. Setup was quick and easy; the second was automatically detected when I powered on the main router. Each has one 2.5Gbps Ethernet port and two Gigabit ports (sadly, no USB ports).
Performance was consistently good throughout the house, recording some of the fastest speeds I’ve ever recorded near the router, although the range is relatively limited. The XT8, my top pick, performed better than the XE70 Pro in most scenarios. By default, the 6GHz band is reserved for wireless backhaul, but you can free it up for your device. I joined with my Pixel 8, and after multiple speed tests at close range (up to 8 feet), I generally got download speeds about 50Mbps faster than the 5GHz band, but the speed dropped off sharply as the distance increased. The 6GHz range was significantly shorter, and just one room away, the signal strength was noticeably weaker than the 5GHz. If you use 6GHz for wireless backhaul, you’ll want to space your router too far away or have too many obstructions, resulting in dead zones.
