Best overall: Synology DS218+
Synology's DS218+ ($299.99) is a pricey option that fails to come with any hard drives, but the product is a joy to use if you are planning on swapping storage frequently.
Bottom line: It's our pick for the best overall home network-attached storage (NAS) choice, and it's super user-friendly.
One more thing: It has tool-less bays to quickly install and remove hard drives.
Why the Synology DS218+ is the best NAS
Synology's NAS solution is an ideal option for those who don't have vast amounts of PC-building experience to fall back on.
Powered by a competent dual-core Intel Celeron J3355 (2.0GHz) and 2 GB DDR3L (6GB max) RAM, the DS216+ by Synology is not only a well-designed black box, but it is also a capable streaming machine for the home. The system supports H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), MPEG-2 and VC-1 at a maximum resolution of 4K (4096 x 2160, 30 frames per second). This device will certainly put that shiny new 50-inch 4K TV to good use.
Its hot-swappable drive tray design allows for easy installation and maintenance, destroying the requirement for a screwdriver to remove or install a hard drive. Simply pull out, swap, re-insert, and you're good to go.
Two hard drive bays are joined by USB 3.0 and eSATA ports. This product does not come with any hard drives, but there are some great options available like the Western Digital RED NAS 3TB hard drive. Throw two of these beasts into the NAS to enjoy an instantaneous 6TB worth of storage.
As a bonus, the unit comes packed with advanced features to allow for secure cloud storage, and file synchronization. Popular services like Dropbox and Google Drive can be connected. Overall, this is a great, well-rounded package.
Best value: ASUSTOR AS1004T
The AS1004T by ASUSTOR (around $200) doesn't come with hard drives included, but you get a total of four bays at a great price, and the storage bays are tool-less for easier installation.
Bottom line: Among the most affordable four-bay NAS units you'll find for purchase.
One more thing: Isn't quite powerful enough for hardware transcoding.
Best for media: QNAP TS-251+
The TS-251+ (around $330) is an interesting NAS unit, sporting an Intel Celeron (quad-core at 2.0GHz), 2GB of DDR3L RAM, hardware transcoding, HDMI output (With Kodi), and can easily handle media consumption as well as basic file storage. Support is offered for external services and platforms, and QNAP also makes it possible for multiple isolated Linux systems to run.
Bottom line: A feature-rich NAS solution with hardware transcoding.
One more thing: Comes with a handy remote.
Best capacity: WD 24TB My Cloud EX4100
Sometimes going all-out with an expensive product is the way to go if requirements and expectations are set in stone. The Western Digital EX4100 (around $1,100) is overkill for most homeowners but is available as an option if the included features and capacity will be put to good use.
Bottom line: If money isn't an issue and maximum storage is required, this 24TB solution is a great choice.
One more thing: It comes packing a 1.6 GHz Marvell ARMADA 388 dual-core processor and 2GB DDR3 RAM.
Best affordable: WD 4TB My Cloud
Western Digital's more affordable My Cloud (the second-gen version starts at around $170) NAS is a stylish solution for the home. The 4TB My Cloud NAS is tailored to file storage and cloud synchronization. The unit is also incredibly easy to use, making it a capable storage dump.
Bottom line: It has two drives preinstalled. Simply plug the unit in, and you're good to go.
One more thing: Easily configure RAID to have the second drive clone the first drive.
Conclusion
The Synology DS218+ is an excellent piece of kit, allowing you to effortlessly set up a home NAS, regardless as to which model you choose. But it's not the best option for everyone, which is where our other options come in.
Best overall: Synology DS218+
Synology's DS218+ ($299.99) is a pricey option that fails to come with any hard drives, but the product is a joy to use if you are planning on swapping storage frequently.
Bottom line: It's our pick for the best overall home NAS choice, and it's super user-friendly.
One more thing: It has tool-less bays to quickly install and remove hard drives.
Updated June 21, 2018: We update this guide to ensure that it still offers only the best NAS options available.
