TP-Link Deco M9 Plus (in AP mode) or EAP225 / EAP245

[McFly]

I’m currently running an Edgerouter X with an old router as an access point. This has been mostly fine for a while, minus some occasional wireless dropouts and hiccups. Now that our whole family will be working/learning from home this year, I’d like to upgrade my access point(s) to provide better coverage and reliability throughout the house. I don't want our Wifi network to cause any problems or frustrations. We'll have up to 4 concurrent Zoom meetings at a time and I want to make sure we're all set up for success.

I'd like to keep the ER-X as my router (for the SQM) and add two or three access points throughout the house. I have Ethernet jacks around the house (hooray) so I’m going to hardwire my access points. The basement and main floor are just over 1000 sq ft, and the top floor is around 1500 sq ft. I'll plan on putting one AP on each floor, although we probably don't need one for the basement. We have 200/5 internet service through Comcast. I'm considering the following options at the moment:

• Get two or three EAP225 APs. These are around $60 a pop and look like the least expensive option.
• Get two or three EAP245 APs. These are around $100 a pop. I'm unsure if these will provide any benefits over the EAP225 for our uses. We have your typical house...laptops, iPhones, tablets, streaming devices, smart devices, etc.
• Get a Deco M9 Plus mesh system (three pack) from Costco for $200 and run them in AP mode.

I don't need all the configurability of the EAP225/245 APs, but it won't scare me away either. I don't tinker around with my network much, I just set it up and let it be.

Can anyone here comment on the range and reliability of these systems/components? It's less about high-end speed and more about stability and coverage. I appreciate any insights you all can provide!