The Best Home Office Setup Products of 2021

On the back of the seat is Herman Miller’s PostureFit SL: The SL stands for the sacral/lumbar region of your back—also known as the lower to middle back region. Two flexible pads on the Aeron support this region, so whether you find yourself sitting properly, hunched in concentration, or taking a quick nap, they will adjust to your new posture.

The seat-angle adjustment alleviated a lot of leg tension, as well as made us feel more productive with the forward sitting position. We unlocked the tilt limiter for the back rest to further stretch our legs and relax our spines.

One of our favorite features is the fully adjustable armrests. The firmness makes them feel durable and supportive, without any fear they'll be knocked out of place with simple movements. We also like the design for adjusting them: On the back of the chair, there are levers that unlock vertical movement of the armrests.

This comfortable office chair can also be as customized and supportive as you want it to be. During the purchasing process, you can further configure the Aeron chair for such things as the size of the seat, armrest adjustments, and material, back support and tilt angle. However, keep in mind that when you personalize, you also increase the price.

Read More: The Best Office Chairs

It’s all in the name. The AKRacing Core EX gaming chair looks like it belongs in a race car, not behind an IKEA desk. But unlike some of the other gaming chairs we’ve tested, the quality doesn’t just stop at aesthetics. This was the most comfortable chair that we tested.

The AKRacing Core EX has just about every adjustability option that you need to find a comfortable fit. Height-adjustable and removable neck and lumbar support pillows keep your spine aligned with enough softness in each that they cradle your body instead of pushing against it. The separate recline and tilting functions give a much wider range of sitting options than either can alone. The tester tends to work leaned forward, so the fact that this chair could come up to 90 degrees meant that he got quality lumber and neck support in his working posture. Then when it was time to game, he could recline somewhat. And when the football game came on, he could recline and tilt back far enough to comfortably get his feet up on the desk.

The armrests are likewise adjustable in almost every direction. They move forward and backward, up and down, and can turn in and out. The chair even has bolts on the bottom that allow you to slide them left and right to get as tight to your body as you want.

The only real issue that the tester had about this chair was the fabric that comes with the baseline model. There’s nothing wrong with it, as it’s high quality and almost as easy to clean as the PU or PVC leather chairs. However, he definitely started to warm up while sitting in it. It holds onto more of your body heat than the faux-leather upholsteries do. On a 90+ degree day, he can see it getting uncomfortable quickly.

That said, AKRacing makes plenty of chairs with more breathable PU leather upholstery. So, if it’s in the budget and you like everything else about the AKRacing chair, we might recommend splurging for that upgrade. We'd also recommend checking out the sizing chart available on their website to make sure that you get a chair that will fit your body.

The AKRacing Core EXis a high-quality, comfortable chair at an upper mid-range price point that the tester kept using long after the testing was officially done.

Read More: The Best Gaming Chairs

The best part about the iMovR Lander Desk is how easy it is to assemble. The guide is incredibly simple to follow and no screws are required to build the actual desk—only clams and locks that snugly fit the legs into the base of the desk. It takes all of five minutes (with some help to flip the desk onto its legs) to set up and the time it saves is worth it.

The construction of the high-quality desk feels sturdy enough to last for years to come. It comes with a SteadyType keyboard tray, where you can adjust the angle of your keyboard and mouse. The tester finds the slight tilt downward to be more comfortable, especially when combined with a monitor arm.

The lift controller is the most intuitive work surface of all the standing desks because you can easily pull it up and down to change the height and lifting capacity of the desk. You can set preferred heights with the press of a button and the desk will stop at those pre-programmed heights as you raise and lower it. However, the tester wishes it’d go to your preset heights with a push of a button rather than lifting the control yourself. The Lander desk is also the only desk that allows you to set reminders to sit or stand. Plus, you can change the height and set reminders as well as get more information on proper ergonomics from the app.

The specific model we tested came with a monitor arm, a grommet with a plug, and two USB ports. These features cost extra, but we think they make the experience better and more ergonomic. The grommet is convenient for plugging in devices when in the standing position and the monitor arm makes it easier to work at eye level without craning your neck to stare at a monitor or laptop screen. Accessories aside, the Lander is still our top choice for its easy assembly and intuitiveness.

Read More: The Best Standing Desks

The Mr. Ironstone looks unremarkable at first glance, and you’d probably expect our top pick to cost a little more, but this was far and away our favorite of the bunch. It’s as comfortable to work at as it is to play games, read a book, or browse the internet. The cup holder and headphone hook are both conveniently placed, though the metal cup holder does bend more easily than we'd like. The smooth black surface doesn’t call attention to itself, but it looks really nice.

If you’re of average height, the minimal adjustability shouldn’t be an issue, as it’s just shy of 31-inches tall. It’s among the most sturdy and stable of the desks we tested, with steel legs and a laminated surface, and felt like something that ought to last at least a decade. And if for some reason you want a little extra space for your gaming setup, you could always add a CPU stand to keep the workspace nice and clean.

The thing that sets this desk apart the most, arguably, is the gradient along the edge where your arms rest. It’s a subtle touch that makes a world difference in terms of long-term comfort and none of the other desks had anything quite like it. If you’re fine with a traditional rectangular shape and a less-than-flashy design, you won’t believe the value here.

Read More: The Best Gaming Desks

The Ergodriven Topo is the perfect standing mat for those who can't stay still. Thanks to the various slopes, slants, and raised surfaces, you can stand however you like—crossing your legs or standing straight. The tester finds that she frequently changes positions throughout the day, which takes the pressure off of her heels, back, and legs. Not only is it the most comfortable mat we tested (even after standing on it for several hours), it's also very easy to move into place and it didn't slide around during testing.

Read More: The Best Standing Desk Mats

The mStand is about as far from a portable laptop stand as you can get. It’s shaped in a curve, made out of aluminum, and has some serious heft to it. You would be hard-pressed to conveniently store it let alone tote it around in your backpack. But if you want a stand that lives permanently on your desk or table, then this is a great option.

The tester was surprised to find she liked the mStand as much as she did. Not only does it lack portability, but it also has no adjustment options and can’t be used without an external keyboard or mouse. And yet, since it can’t fold or be adjusted, she didn’t have to fiddle around with it at all, which was kind of nice after using so many height-adjustable folding stands. She set it on her desk, put a laptop on top of it, hooked up the keyboard and mouse, and that was it. A combination of a lip at the bottom of the tray, along with some rubber grips on top, kept her laptop secure.

The tester's neck also felt great during use, and she thought the angle was perfect. It seems like the only way to change the height of the mStand would be to instead change the height of your chair—totally doable for most desk chairs. There’s a lot to be said for adjustability in a laptop stand, especially if you’re particularly tall or short, but she thinks this stand will serve most people just fine.

The tester liked the empty space beneath the top portion of the stand, too. When she wasn’t using her keyboard, she was able to tuck it beneath the stand, which freed up valuable desk real estate for scribbling notes in her day planner. Since the mStand has a fairly broad base, this is key for space management. There’s also a hole to feed cables through, which is a nice detail, and the simplicity of the aluminum has a sleek aesthetic reminiscent of a MacBook Pro. For just $40, it’s reasonably priced as well.

Read More: The Best Laptop Stands

With almost thirteen hours of battery life, a crazy-powerful M1 processor, and an incredibly smooth trackpad and keyboard, it should be no surprise that the MacBook Air M1 shoved our previous top laptop out of its spot.

The new Air ditches Intel’s processors for Apple’s own M1 processors. Apple claimed this new M1 chip would be so amazing that we’d want to ditch our old Intel Macs. It delivered, with the M1 processor packing over 60% more power than its predecessor. The only processors that compete with the M1 for raw performance are the flagship Intel Core i9 and AMD Ryzen 9 processors. Basically, this laptop performs better than most laptops twice its price.

But it’s not just about speed. The most astonishing feature of the MacBook Air is its battery life. Our battery test is designed for real-world performance rather than optimal circumstances, so we expected the claimed 15-hour battery life to turn into 9 hours—instead, we got almost thirteen hours. It shattered the record for longest battery life we’ve seen from a laptop running Chrome (by comparison, the 2020 HP Spectre 14t ran for a little over nine hours). The only laptop able to beat the Air is the new M1 MacBook Pro 13, which gets you an extra hour of battery life but costs a fair bit more.

The MacBook Air M1 comes with the same aluminum chassis and Retina screen we loved in the earlier 2020 Intel MacBook Air, although we’d love to see a redesign for the MacBook Air’s next iteration (thinner bezels, perhaps?). This is one of the most surprising releases we’ve seen in years, and we can’t imagine anyone not falling in love with the M1 MacBook Air.

Read More: The Best Laptops

While the ThinkPad C13 isn't the best bang-for-your-buck Chromebook, it's an extremely well-built machine for the price. It comes with a capable Ryzen 5 3500C processor and 8GB of RAM—enough for most Chromebook work—and a 1080p touch screen. You can also upgrade as high as a Ryzen 7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 4K OLED display for more top-tier components that can handle any work you might throw at them.

More impressive, though, is the quality of the chassis, keyboard, and trackpad—not to mention the inclusion of the TrackPoint nub so many ThinkPad fans have come to love. The ThinkPad line has always been a bastion of quality when it comes to these more subjective parts of the package, so if you're typing for long hours at your laptop or doing meticulous photo edits (whether through the browser, an Android app, or Linux program), the C13 will be a cut above its cheaper competitors.

At this price, you start to cross over with Windows laptops, but no comparably priced Windows machine will come even close to the C13 in terms of build quality. The C13 stands tall among the newer crop of premium Chromebooks on the market today.

Read More: The Best Chromebooks

They may be small, but the Audioengine A2+ speakers feel reassuringly solid and well-made. The elegant design and matte satin black finish blend in easily on any desktop, or you can opt to stand out with a glossy red or white exterior. The left speaker has a volume dial that also clicks on the power and there’s a pairing button for Bluetooth connections, but no remote is included. There’s no separate subwoofer, either, though there is an output should you want to add one. The cabling is good quality and generous enough to allow for a sit-stand desk.

We were instantly blown away by the power and punch of these speakers. Tested second to last, the jump in class was immediately obvious. Strong stereo separation makes for good positional sound in games. Voices come through loud and clear, whether it’s in-game chat, a movie, or a video call. But it’s with music that the Audioengine A2+ shows their quality and superiority.

There’s a real depth and accuracy to the sound with a rich clarity from low mids through to the higher registers. They may lack a little extra depth in the bass, but they produce a finely balanced and impactful sound, and you always have the option of adding a subwoofer. There’s also no digital signal processing (DSP) here, which can dampen things and is present on most of the other speakers on our list.

Connectivity is versatile with USB, dual analog inputs, and support for Bluetooth 5.0. It’s quick and easy to connect wirelessly and support for aptX and AAC codecs (a rarity in PC speakers) ensures high-quality audio when streaming.

There are no superfluous extras; the Audioengine A2+ focus on delivering excellent sound in a compact, unfussy package that’s perfectly sized for the desktop. The only obvious omission is a remote control, but that won’t trouble most people. One issue we did encounter was a major jump in volume when switching between sources, so that’s something to watch out for.

Ultimately, the Audioengine A2+ are the best compact PC speakers we’ve tested and produce the highest quality sound regardless of the source. What else could you ask for?

Read More: The Best Computer Speakers

The Blue Yeti X is our overall best in show. It feels solid and well-built, with a wide variety of features that make day-to-day use easier.

A single knob on its front adjusts the gain, headphone volume, and will let you blend the audio coming through the headphones. That means you can choose to hear just what the microphone picks up with no latency, or you can hear the sound coming through your computer, too—crucial if you’re recording music or tracking dialogue.

The same front button also serves as a mute button in case you need to sneeze or cough while podcasting or in a meeting. An LED meter on the front also shows the volume of the incoming sound. If it's too loud, you can see that and adjust the gain on the microphone.

A button on the back will adjust the pickup pattern. This affects where in the room the mic “hears,” so that you can use it in a variety of situations. A regular cardioid polar pattern is great for sitting in front of the mic by yourself, for instance, but in a group, you may want a broader pickup pattern. With the Yeti X, you can make those decisions and adjust them as you go.

The Yeti X’s sound is consistently solid. There are other microphones more focused on tuning out room noise, but this mic does a fantastic job of blending high quality with versatility. It’s easy to use in a wide range of situations, with plenty of features that let you control the sound without having to fiddle with your computer.

We didn't find a ton of downsides to this mic, but the knob on the front may be trying to do too much at once. Navigating its various controls can be a little complicated. The manual makes things clear, but it takes a while before it becomes second nature. And while the weight felt like a benefit in the home studio, it might be a little obnoxious on the go.

Read More: The Best USB Microphones

Sony's WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling over-ear headphones don't reinvent the wheel compared to our previous top pick, the WH-1000XM3, but they do make a suite of welcome improvements within an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach.

The XM4 check off all the right boxes where essentials are concerned: they're exceedingly comfortable, incredibly lightweight, they offer amazing sound, and absolutely destroy ambient noise. They provide a wide array of useful features and functions, including a new "Speak-to-Chat" feature that automatically pauses the headphones when you begin speaking, as well as the ability to connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time, perfect for flipping between devices for all those Zoom calls whether you're working from home or the office.

Using Sony's highly tooled Headphones Connect app, you can adjust their EQ on the fly and customize what various capacitive touch buttons on the ear cups do. But even if you don't take a deep dive into the massive array of customization features at your disposal, you'll have no complaints about how brilliantly these comfy headphones operate in all areas. They even include noise-canceling optimization for everything from your glasses to your current barometric pressure.

The only drawback is the price—quality like this doesn't come cheap. If you want a similarly efficacious product at a somewhat friendlier price, check out the previous model, the WH-1000XM3, which can often be found at a notable discount while they're still around. In addition, Sony's WH-CH710N offer a nice helping of the XM4's features and comfort at a much more approachable price.

That said, we don't think anyone will feel buyer's remorse once they slip these cushy cans over their ears and take a trip to music town.

Read More: The Best Headphones

The Logitech Brio is a fantastic webcam that offers a wide selection of resolutions, frame rates, and fields of view. It's a great option for both video conferencing and streaming. When we recorded a 4K video at 30 frames per second (FPS) in natural light, the Brio captured small details like the colorful drawings hanging on the tester's fridge. The tester's face didn’t look washed out, either. Still images are equally impressive as well. When we took a still image (4096 x 2160 resolution) in natural lighting, the pastel colors on the tester's cardigan were vivid and her face was sharp and completely in focus.

The Brio has a default 90-degree field of view. That’s wide enough to fit multiple people in the shot. During testing, Ashley stood in many different areas in her kitchen, off to the side and even practically on top of her rolling pantry cart, and there was never a point where she couldn't be seen on camera.

If you download Logitech’s Capture software, the camera will let you customize the resolution and field of view.

It's straightforward and easy to use. Some cool features include adding text overlays, filters, and colorful borders. You can even remove your background entirely by using the software’s Chroma Key. This software is a great tool for Twitch streamers and YouTubers, as it allows you to really personalize your video content.

The Brio comes with a carrying case, a privacy shutter, and a removable L-shaped mounting clip. The privacy shutter feels more like an afterthought, though, as it’s just a piece of black plastic that slots into the top of the webcam. To cover the Brio’s glass lens, you just push the flap down. The privacy flap definitely gets the job done, but it feels flimsy compared to the high-build quality of the product. As for the mounting clip, the tester had mixed feelings about it.

While the L-shaped mounting clip kept the Brio in place atop the tester's laptop screen, the tester had to use some force to insert it into the bottom of the device. She didn’t like using more force than necessary because she didn’t want to accidentally break the mount or camera. Plus, the mount is made of the same flimsy black plastic material as the privacy shutter. The mount works fine and does what it’s supposed to do, but durability and long-term use are a real concern.

Although we love the Brio’s high-quality video capture and wide field of view, it may not be the right fit for casual users. The Brio is expensive and the plethora of features is more than what most people need. But if you’re looking for a premium product, this is one of the best 4K webcams available today. If your budget is not a top consideration and you’re looking to improve your picture quality in video conferencing calls or Twitch streams, the Brio is the way to go.

Read More: The Best Webcams

The Logitech MX Keys is well-built, attractive and worked flawlessly, right out of the box.

With its 5.18 x 16.94 x .81-inch dimensions, the MX Keys is a full-size keyboard that’ll take up a considerable amount of space on your desk. But this loss of desktop real estate feels like a small price to pay for a wireless keyboard that’s so comfortable to use.

We found this keyboard was easy to work on for long periods of time. The design of its low-profile keys is very comfortable, with just the right amount of movement and bounce. Unless you have large hands, the shallow divot on top of each key allows your fingers to fit comfortably and securely making typing a joy. Those used to typing on a laptop might consider MX Keys’ number pad superfluous, but once you start using it, you won’t ever want to go pecking numbers the old way.

That each key is backlit, makes it possible to continue to work, in any lighting condition. The illumination is powerful, even in a bright office. The backlighting works with a proximity sensor: place your hands over the MX Keys and it lights up. When you’re finished typing, the backlight goes to sleep, automatically, preventing an unnecessary drain of the keyboard’s internal battery.

The MX Keys recharges via its included USB-C cable. Logitech claims that the keyboard will work for 10 days, with its backlighting turned on before it needs to be recharged. With the backlighting turned off, you’ll be able to type for up to five months before having to worry about a dead battery.

The Logitech MX Keys can connect to your Apple or Windows PC using either Bluetooth or via a USB RF plug-in. In either case, the keyboard pairs easily and maintains its wireless connection to your computer.

While you can begin typing on the MX Keys as soon as it’s connected to your computer, downloading the Logitech Options app will allow you to customize your experience with the keyboard and add additional functionally to it.

Overall, the Logitech MX Keys is by far our favorite of all of the keyboards we tested.

Read More: The Best Wireless Keyboards

The Logitech MK850 Performance was our favorite back in 2017 and, despite everything to come out since then, it's still top dog where most users are concerned. These high-quality peripherals won't look out of place on any desk and they feel as great as they look. The mouse in this set was very similar to the expensive Logitech MX Master 2s, one of the best mice you can buy. It's fully-featured, ergonomic, and won't hurt your hand after hours of work.

The keyboard feels nice to type on, as it doesn't have overly long key throws. Its comfortable wrist rest and adjustable rear feet let you use it flat or at a 4- or 8-degree angle. Labels for Windows and Mac keyboard shortcuts are good for users with all kinds of mainstream PCs, and the ability to pair the keyboard and mouse with three devices (either with Logitech's USB Unifying Receiver or Bluetooth) make this set the most flexible by far.

That unified USB receiver design is another great reason to buy one of these sets over the more expensive options like Microsoft's Surface line or Apple's keyboard and Magic Mouse combo. Though we love the design language used by Microsoft and Apple for those products, they're not available as a set, driving the cost up to well over $200 for either option.

Read More: The Best Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combos

Small, but perfectly formed, this mouse packs a lot of features into its diminutive frame. The MX Anywhere 3 lives up to its name, with the ability to track and navigate on any surface, including glass, with high precision. It's powered by a rechargeable battery offering up to 70 days of life on a single charge. Plugging the supplied charging cable into the USB-C port for just one minute gives you enough power for three hours of use. You can also use the MX Anywhere 3 as a wired mouse.

The mouse can connect wirelessly via its included USB dongle or Bluetooth, and up to three computers can be paired to the mouse via the Easy Switch button.

The MX Anywhere 3 supports Logitech's FLOW software, which lets you copy and paste files across different computers. In testing, we could move files from a Windows 10 desktop (the mouse was connected via Bluetooth) to a USB dongle-connected MacBook Pro notebook by just clicking and dragging between the two screens. It's an amazing piece of software that solves a problem of file transfer between two systems without needing a storage device, hard-wired connection, or internet cloud storage.

The MX Anywhere 3 also features our favorite scroll wheel option—the ability to switch between a click-style scroll (some call it detent) and a smooth scroll by just pushing the wheel with your finger. It’s fast enough to scroll up to 1,000 lines per second.
With Logitech Options software you can customize the mouse's four buttons (two on the left side, one up top, and the scroll wheel click). You can also set the sensor sensitivity in increments of 50, from 200 DPI all the way up to 4,000 DPI.

Our biggest complaint about this and the Logitech MX Master 3 mouse, a larger model that we also tested, is that there's no storage compartment for the USB dongle, increasing the likelihood that you might lose it. While you could still use the mouse via Bluetooth, we prefer having a storage option for the USB dongle. But that's hardly a major concern, and for most people, this high-performance mouse offers everything you need and more.

Read More: The Best Wireless Mice

Samsung’s 24-inch 390 Series monitor, is the best computer monitor you can buy in this price range.

The C24F390 wins the nod thanks to its image quality, which clearly beats most monitors in its class. Its advantage comes thanks to the contrast ratio of its Vertical Alignment display panel. This monitor can display deep, inky black levels in scenes where most budget monitors only show a hazy, disappointing gray. Yet it’s also much brighter than competitors we tested in everyday use. You might not notice the C24F390’s advantage when editing a spreadsheet, but it’s obvious in movies and games, which look vibrant and crisp.

Thankfully, the C24F390 doesn’t sacrifice other elements of image quality in the name of contrast. It has a reasonable color gamut, passable color accuracy, and decent image uniformity, tying the competition in each area. It also has 1080p resolution which, on a 24-inch display, looks fairly sharp from a typical viewing distance. The display has a slight curve, which makes it look sleek, but doesn’t change the experience of using it.

There’s only one downside, and that’s the stand. It feels flimsy, only adjusts for tilt, and is too short to be comfortable for most users. The monitor does have a standard VESA mount, so you can add a third-party stand for better ergonomics.

Overall, the C24F390 simply outperforms its peers. If you need an ergonomic stand, we’d still recommend buying this monitor and purchasing a $25 stand to add to it later. The C24F390 will still be a better value than the alternatives and makes for a value-packed way to brighten up your workstation.

Read More: The Best Computer Monitors Under $200

In the absence of other co-workers, while I work from home, the HP Officejet Pro 8035 is the best work-wife I could hope for: helpful, nice and good at its job.

The Officejet Pro 8035 is an inkjet printer that can produce black and white documents at a printing speed of 20 ppm (pages-per-minute). While printing colored content, it churns out pages at 10 ppm. It’s a breeze to set up and print from using a Mac, iPhone, Windows PC or Android device, thanks in part to how easy the HP Smart app is to use.

This printer produced solid quality monochrome ( a fancy way of saying it prints in black and white) and colored prints on regular paper and heavy stock paper. Of all of the printers in this guide, the Officejet Pro 8035 printed the best color photos on glossy photo paper, making it just as useful as a photo printer as it is for business or school. The photos it printed were clear, had excellent color fidelity and were neither too light nor too dark.

For scanning, it can hold up to 35-sheets of paper in its auto document feeder and scan up to Legal (8.5x14) sized documents and photos from the feeder. If you’re not looking to print your scans, they can be saved as files to your computer or sent to a USB flash drive. In the case of the latter, no matter what media you’re scanning, it’ll be saved as a photo, by default. Changing the Officejet Pro 8035’s setting so that text documents will be saved in a more reader-friendly format is a simple process.

If a printer’s ink cartridges become misaligned, images and text may print at an angle. A misalignment can occur after completing a large print job or if your ink cartridge heads are dirty. The Officejet Pro 8035 makes sure that its cartridges stay on the straight and narrow by using the scanner to check the printer cartridge’s alignment. When the printer alignment page prints out, you simply place it in the scanner and press continue.

The Officejet Pro 8035 then scans the alignment page and checks the alignment on your behalf. What’s more, I found it to be relatively quiet (for a printer) and liked how easy it was to install and remove its ink cartridges.

Despite all of the things to love about this printer, it’s not without its shortcomings. It's irritating that the HP Smart app constantly harangued me to set up an HP account, especially since having an account isn’t required in order to use the app or the printer. Additionally, the paper tray is a little on the flimsy side.

Read More: The Best Printers

ExpressVPN earned a commanding top spot in our roundup of VPNs, scoring strongly in nearly every attribute we measured. There wasn’t anything that we could do to make ExpressVPN fail and we tried. It downloaded easily to all our test devices, including a clunky 2nd-generation iPad. During three weeks of testing, ExpressVPN's connection rarely even hiccupped. We streamed Netflix from the U.K., allowing us to binge “Modern Family.” Before we knew it, Manny’s voice had changed and Lilly could talk. The BBC iPlayer worked flawlessly even when utilizing a slow as mud personal hotspot.

Torrenting speeds, while not the fastest in the roundup, never dropped. Gamers will love the steady speed, while the international business set say it is a must-have for penetrating the Great Firewall of China. We especially like ExpressVPN’s “split tunneling” feature, which allows you to choose what tasks use the VPN and what stays in house. For example, you may want to use your home network printer while web surfing in France.

ExpressVPN has not only upped the ante on privacy, but also, customer service. Not only were they available via chat 24/7, but they are also 100% committed to their no-logs policy (meaning they do not keep records about users' personal details or where they go online).

At first glance, compared to the cost of other VPN services featured in this guide, ExpressVPN's $12.99 per month price tag can be a little shocking, compared to some other services, but they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and, if you sign up for a one-year subscription, you'll get three months of service for free. When this is factored in, using the service can cost as little as $7 per month. ExpressVPN boast more server locations (160 countries) than any other VPN. Many VPNs rely on larger numbers of “virtual” servers, while ExpressVPN only claims to utilize 3%. What's more, ExpressVPN is committed to assisting users in underserved countries such as Chile. as well as nations with restrictive internet policies like Turkey and Vietnam.

But what ultimately won us over was ExpressVPN’s consistency, which to us equals peace of mind—the reason you want a VPN in the first place.

Read More: The Best VPNs

The Linksys EA7500 provides a lot of value in a reasonably priced package. During testing, the EA7500 proved capable of serving up speeds in excess of 600 Megabits per second to laptops and tablets in close proximity to the router. If you have a home with a lot of Internet users, or need to provide web access to a number of devices simultaneously during your workday, it won’t let you down. We found that it could handle streaming a 4K YouTube video to one device while two others downloaded large files at the same time.

In addition to being able to connect wirelessly to the network, this router features four Gigabit LAN ports—which are must-haves for anyone that owns a home media server or older devices that lack Wi-Fi capabilities. Finally, its integrated USB 3 port allows you to connect a USB hard drive or thumb drive to it. This makes it possible to share the contents of the connected drive to any computer connected to your network.

We loved how the EA7500 companion Linksys app, which is available for iOS and Android made the router so easy to use. Thanks to the app, setting up the router and administering who can (and cannot) use it are pain-free experiences. You can even use it to administer the EA7500 when you’re out of the house. So, while you’re out shopping, for example, you can switch Wi-Fi access on or off for each device connected to your network—a useful tool for parents trying to keep their kids from watching too much YouTube when they should be doing their homework.

It’s worth noting that the EA7500 doesn’t support the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard (AKA 802.11ax). Despite this, it’s fast enough for most tasks, and most people won't find themselves in a situation to come even close to reaching the max speed of Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which is 3.5Gbps. Unless you’re a hardcore online gamer or need to shuttle large video files between your home and office for work, you’ll be happy with the EA7500’s capabilities.

Read More: The Best Wi-Fi Routers

You’d be forgiven for assuming that the RE9000 was a full router rather than an extender, because of its large case, four antennas, and four Ethernet ports on its back. And, to be fair, it can be used as a full router. However, its main purpose is to extend a fast network from a powerful router. It supports the AC3000 standard, one of the fastest non-Wi-Fi 6 variants, and also includes four Ethernet ports. That would make it perfect for something like an office or a garage with several devices in it that need internet access, as it can extend both wireless and wired connections. It is expensive, though: it is the priciest of the models we looked at by a significant margin.

You get what you pay for, though: we found that it was the fastest of the extenders that we tested, handling a 4K video without breaking a sweat and offering upload and download speeds of just over 200 Mbps during testing. That’s significantly faster than the other extenders in our tests.

However, it’s important to note that you’ll only see this kind of speed if the RE9000 is twinned with a router that supports the same AC3000 standard (we’ll talk about these standards, in a moment).

Read More: The Best Wi-Fi Extenders

The Google Nest Wifi system is simple to set up, fast, and easy to use. Although it isn’t quite as fast as the WiFi 6 Linksys Velo AX, it is plenty fast enough for most users, covering our test house in speedy Wi-Fi with Internet download speeds of just over 400 Mbps at five feet from the router down to 100 Mbps at about 75 feet away. At all distances, we found that the connection was stable enough to view 4K YouTube video without glitches.

The system is a breeze to install as it is done through the Google Home app, which comes pre-installed on Android devices. iPhone or iPad users will need to install the app from the App Store.

This fairly inexpensive kit comes with one Wi-Fi router and one mesh point, but extra mesh points can be purchased, and you can install a maximum of five. The Router and mesh points both share the same clean, white design and are about the size of a roll of toilet paper.

The main router includes two ethernet ports hidden underneath the body: one for connecting to your modem and one for connecting a non-Wi-Fi device. The mesh points that spread the base station’s Wi-Fi signal don't include these ports. That said, Nest Wi-Fi has an extra trick up its sleeve: it works as a Google Voice Assistant speaker. That means you can ask it to do things, such as play tunes from Spotify while you cook, or control smart devices. That could be a pro or a con depending on how you feel about things talking to you: personally, with three meowing cats and a barky dog, we have enough things in our house talking to me without Google joining in.

You should know that thanks to a recent firmware update, this mesh system will also work great with slower internet connections as well.

Read More: The Best Mesh Wi-Fi Systems