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November 2021 Update highlights: Black Friday deals added

Originally, this post focussed on Amazon reviews as a key factor in the decision to recommend systems. However, Amazon, and companies that use it, keep messing around with things, merging products, having multiple products on one page etc. Then reviews themselves are not always reliable.

2021 Black Friday Highlights

Neatgear Orbi

The Netgear Orbi Mesh WiFi RBK753(three pack) or RBK752(2-pack) is the system I would have bought if I had invested in mesh this year. It has high-end tri-band WiFi 6 performance without the same cost as the flagship RBK852.

For Black Friday, the four options available are all reduced:

  • Two-pack RBK752 reduced from £449.99 to £324.99 – Buy Here
  • Three-pack RBK753 reduced from £629.99 to £449.99 – Buy Here
  • Four-pack RBK754 reduced from £879.98 to £720.98 – Buy Here
  • Five-pack RBK755 reduced from £1,129.97 to £991.97 – Buy Here

If the above deals are too expensive then the Netgear RBK352 is also reduced and much more affordable. This is a dual-band system, so the satellite will lose about half the throughput speed due to signal loss.

  • Two-pack RBK352 reduced from £249.99 to £159.99 – Buy Here
  • Three-pack RBK353 reduced from £329.99 to £219.99 – Buy Here
  • TP-Link Deco

    For the price, the TP-Link Deco P9 is one of the best options on the market, a three-pack system that uses a powerline for the backhaul between the devices. You are not really saving that much on the Black Friday deal as it was £150 up until the start of October. However, this deal is at an all-time low.

    Amazon eero Pro 6 mesh 

    I have not used eero before and it seems to be a bit expensive for what you get (dual-band systems). The Pro model is worth considering though, especially with the massive Black Friday discount. This hasn’t been out that long and is reduced from £599 down to £419.

    PreviewProductRatingPrice
    Amazon eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi 6 router system | built-in... Amazon eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi 6 router system | built-in... No ratings yet £379.99Amazon Prime

    This is a three-pack tri-band WiFi 6 system with a built-in Zigbee smart home hub. Apart from the Zigbee, it is perhaps not quite as well-specced as the cheaper RBK753 listed above, but many people love the eero system.

    devolo Mesh Wi-Fi 2

    The devolo Mesh Wi-Fi 2 is a good alternative to the TP-Link Deco P9. It costs more money but the G.hn powerline technology is superior to the HomePlugAV2 which TP-Link uses.

    This is reduced from £299.99 to £214.99

    What are the best mesh Wi-Fi Routers for 2021?

    Mesh Wi-Fi systems seem to have become the most popular networking solution in the past couple of years. For anyone living in a property larger than a small house, a mesh system will offer you better performance throughout the whole home.

    For normal users, they will be the best solution, but it is worth noting that for people wanting the best performance in total, a high-end Wi-Fi 6 (or Wi-Fi 6E) router will offer the greatest throughput overall. Routers are still a good choice if most of your devices are within a reasonable range of the router.

    While you can use a Wi-Fi extender, a mesh system will allow you to roam around your home using the same Wi-Fi name without suffering from disconnections. The system should work seamlessly and it is much more user friendly than older options.

    Typically, mesh systems are routers only, so you will need a modem/router to handle your internet connection. Generally, you can switch your ISP supplied router into modem mode and everything should work well.

    Overall Recommendations

    It has become increasingly difficult to choose just one Wi-Fi mesh system. There are a growing number of options at various price points, you have 2 and three-pack systems and Wi-Fi 5 or 6 offering ultra-fast speeds but at a premium price.

    I have reviewed and can personally vouch for:

    The Deco P series user powerline so they transfer data back to the main router via your home wiring, this, therefore, allows it to provide a bit more flexibility in the location of access points and is good for homes with thick brick walls.

    Generally, from my experience, anything from TP-Link and Netgear Orbi is superb.

    Overall Best Premium Wi-Fi Mesh System for 2021

    While I have not personally used the Netgear RBK752, if I were to buy a mesh system for myself right now, it would be this. I have reviewed the more expensive RBK852 and the Orbi WiFi Pro, both are superb but a bit pricey. The Netgear RBK752 is a tri-band mesh WI-Fi 6 system so offers the latest tech and at the time of writing it is just £399.00, though £450 normally

    Buy from Amazon International (Geo-redirected link)

    The Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) looks like an excellent alternative option, offering a similar sort of performance you find on the expensive Netgear, but with the benefit of 2.5GbE. I haven’t used any Asus router or mesh system, which has ruled them out of my top spot recommendation for now.

    Buy from Amazon International (Geo-redirected link)

    Overall Best Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System for 2021

    If money is no object then the Netgear Orbi RBK852 is a fantastic option, offering unparalleled levels of performance and a price to match

    Overall Best Mid-Range Wi-Fi Mesh System for 2021

    If you can’t justify the expense of Wi-Fi 6, the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus is an excellent tri-band Wi-Fi 5 mesh system. I find TP-Link devices are very easy to set-up, you can then expand the system mixing and matching devices, so you could get a cheaper add on if you have a less important area of the house that is struggling with Wi-Fi.

    An alternative option would be the TP-Link Deco P9 which is just £199 for a 3 pack. It is a dual-band system but it uses powerline for the backhaul, which transfers data across your home electrical wiring.

    Overall Best Budget Wi-Fi Mesh System for 2020

    If you only need a two-pack system, then the recently launched TaoTronics Mesh WiFi Router is typically £159 and offers tri-band Wi-Fi 5, this makes it perform considerably better than the next two routers I recommend.

    No products found.

    I previously recommended the TP-Link Deco E4, but for £13 extra, you would now be better off with the TP-Link Deco M4. Both are three pack dual band systems, but the M4 has gigabit ports vs 100Mbit.

    The Tenda Nova MW3 series is the cheapest you are going to find, it works perfectly well and is good to extend your Wi-Fi across the house at the same speeds you get on a sub 100Mbps connection. So most people that are on VDSL or even ADSL should be fine with this option assuming you don’t do big file transfers between devices in the house.

    New Mesh Wi-Fi systems for 2021

    The range mesh Wi-Fi systems have expanded considerably since I first did this post, it is hard to keep up with the options available. You have both dual-band or tri-band options, then each of those can come in Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6.

    In 2021 we will see the introduction of Wi-Fi 6E systems which will feature a 6Ghz channel which is used for the backhaul. These won’t arrive until later in the year, and they will likely be extremely expensive, so I wouldn’t worry about holding off buying a system right now.

    The best Mesh Wi-Fi options available in the UK – Mesh Router Comparison

    Amazon reviews should be taken with a pinch of salt, apart from fake reviews, some companies pool up products together which increases the review count. They can also do the reverse, separating products. This can result in review number jumping up or down, and also the overall scores.

    Since originally writing this post, most companies have pooled their products together, allowing you to select different products from the same page. From my experience, companies like TP-Link and Netgear offer the same app, set up experience and software features. The quality of the hardware seems to stay the same too, so the different prices will normally only affect the Wi-Fi performance, ethernet ports and a few other features.

    The below options are all for the 3-pack mesh Wi-Fi systems if you only need 2 devices you can select a 2 pack option in Amazon. 

    PriceAmazon LinksReviewsAvg1-star %Type
    Ubiquiti Amplifi£404
    Spain
    Germany
    USA
    32534.46%Wi-Fi 5
    Tri band
    BT Whole Home£199N/A30924.55%Wi-Fi 5
    Dual band
    TP-Link Deco M5£177Spain
    Germany
    USA
    53494.64%Wi-Fi 5
    Dual band
    Linksys Velop Tri-Band£282Spain
    Germany
    USA
    16174.210%Wi-Fi 5
    Tri band
    Netgear Orbi RBK852
    Wi-Fi 6
    £699.96
    2 -pack
    Spain
    Germany
    USA
    6374.55%Wi-Fi 6
    Tri band
    Tenda NOVA
    £69.99Spain
    Germany
    USA
    8264.55%Wi-Fi 5
    Dual band
    ASUS RT-AX92U
    Wi-Fi 6

    £349.99
    2 -pack
    Spain
    Germany
    USA
    7144.48%Wi-Fi 6
    Tri Band
    Google WiFi£225Spain
    Germany
    USA
    7684.47%Wi-Fi 5
    Dual band
    NETGEAR Orbi RBK23£299Spain
    Germany
    USA
    4684.47%Wi-Fi 5
    Tri band
    Zyxel Multy X
    £377Spain
    Germany
    USA
    464.54%Wi-Fi 5
    Tri band
    ASUS ZenWiFi AX £399.99
    2 -pack
    Spain
    Germany
    USA
    4474.37%Wi-Fi 6
    Tri Band

    Original post – January 2019

    Last update – April 2020

    Last update on 2024-03-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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