Just like half of the people on the planet, I use Internet on a daily, even hourly basis.

Most of the time, I use it for work. And again, most of the time, I do this from home.

Two days ago, my internet just died. I saw that annoying exclamation mark on my internet access icon. If you work with Windows, you must have seen it before and you know what it means.

Calling the internet provider, explaining the issue, troubleshooting and eventually, waiting for technicians to come around is not something I can always afford to lose time on. What if I was in the middle of a conference call ?

I decided to put myself in ease if this happens in the future and get equipped with a wireless HotSpot device or the so-called MiFi ( mobile WiFi ).

It is a gadget that gives you internet by using a SIM card. No cables. No technicians.  No problems.

In fact, some of the MiFi’s below do not even need a SIM card.

Here is a list of Top 5 HotSpot 4G MiFi devices that will guarantee you smooth surfing experience. As long as you are in a place with good cellular network coverage.

# Picture Brand Price
1

 

GlocalMe $149.99
2 Huawei $79.93 
3 Alcatel $119.99
4 Skyroam $149.99
5 ZTE Velocity $59.99

 

 

GlocalMe

 

With a size as big as a standard smartphone, GlocalMe is the perfect pocket mobile hotspot.

It is powered by an innovative Cloud SIM technology so you don’t need to buy local SIM card if you are travelling to another country. The device works in more than 100 countries and uses 4G LTE high speed network.

You can enjoy a rapid 150Mbps download and 50Mbps upload speed.

It comes with a 1GB initial global data package and then you can select between different data plans. There is an option to pay as you go which lets you pay only for the data you used. You can also pay a subscription fee for a certain amount of data.

GlocalMe is a great MiFi because you are not obliged to use its own data plans. It also works as a traditional unlocked Wi-Fi device with two SIM card slots.

5 smartphones, tablets or computers can connect simultaneously and the battery lasts for 15 hours of non stop use.

If this is not enough, GlocalMe will also fully charge your smartphone 3 times if you use it as a power bank. Yes, it does that, too.

GlocalMe is appropriate for travelling abroad as it can work on all continents and is not tied to a specific operator.

I recommend you check the list of supported countries before getting one though.

 

Huawei

Huawei E5577s-321 have quite a few Wi-fi hotspot routers but this one gives you the best value for money.

It supports 150Mbps download speed at 4G and 43.2Mbps at 3G network.

The device is unlocked. This means you can use it with any 4G/3G SIM card anywhere in the world.

The battery lasts for up to 12 hours. Again, it depends on how you use the gadget. If you are only surfing and reading stuff, you can do so for the whole day without recharging. However, if you are uploading photos, videos, then you might need to recharge after a few hours of usage.

Huawei E5577s-321 is extremely lightweight and is also very suitable for travel.

It comes with an App that is installed on your phone and lets you easily manage the device.

This MiFi router has some cool design and a TFT-LCD screen which shows you the data usage, connection strength, battery power and other details.

The pocket size makes it perfect for long trips.

 

 

Alcatel

Alcatel hotspot router is another factory unlocked MiFi that supports 4G network.

You can download at 150Mbps maximum speed and 15 devices can use it at the same time.

There is no SIM card or service included when you buy the device, so you should get the appropriate SIM card and subscription in addition.

The battery will give you around 6 hours of usage and you can recharge it in your car. Check our article for the best delivery car chargers if you don’t have one of them yet.

Alcatel hotspot interface comes in two languages – English and Spanish. This is a single-band product supporting only 2.4 GHz band.

The WiFi hotspot router will normally work in any country but note that it does get on well with Verizon, Sprint, Net10 or Any CDMA Carrier. Actually, it works best with big carrier companies.

I would recommend Alcatel hotspot for a day out in the park or on the beach.

 

Skyroam

Skyroam is not just a pretty little biscuit that fits in your jeans pocket.

It is also a SIM-free wireless hotspot that can be used in over 120 countries across all continents.

The MiFi router is well secured and also serves as a power bank. Its battery would last 16+ hours.

One day of unlimited data costs 9$ and you can only pay for a day whenever you need to use the internet.

It all sounds very nice, doesn’t it ?

Well, there is some cons, of course. Very important thing to know is that the device uses 4G LTE only for the first 500MB of data. Then, it will go to 3G or 2G.

Even with this, Skyroam remains a great companion for travel abroad.

I recommend it for occasional use to check mail and surf but not if you need to generate heavy traffic.

 

 

ZTE Velocity

 

Being the cheapest option on the list, ZTE Velocity can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously. For better security, it lets you use separate guest WiFi.

The hotspot device supports dual band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz).

Even though this is an unlocked device, you should check if it supports the desired operator before getting one.

For instance, it does not work with Sprint, Verizon, Boost or Virgin.

I also suggest that if you are travelling abroad, you check in advance if the device can be used in the country where you are going.

The display will show you the standard things – battery life, carrier, messages and some settings you can change.

Being a very simple item, the ZTE Velocity hotspot is best used for a few-hour outdoor activities.

 

Whether you are planning a travel abroad or simply looking for a back-up option to always stay online, the Mi-Fi router is the item you need.

With this pocket hotspot, you can save a lot of money and only pay for the data you use.

It can even save your job if you are a homeworker and suddenly, your internet connection goes off.

In any case, the MiFi is a valuable item to add to our best mobile gadgets collection.