There are now well over 1 million electric vehicles on UK roads, and that number is only going to grow in the coming years. If you’re one of the lucky owners of an electric car, you’ll know that finding the right electric car charger is essential. Not all chargers are created equal, so it’s important to do your research before settling on one. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the different types of EV chargers available and recommend 10 of the best electric car chargers for the home.
What you need to know first when choosing the best electric car charger
Tethered or untethered electric vehicle chargers?
If you’ve just bought a new electric car then you may not know that there are two main types of chargers for zero emission vehicles: tethered and untethered. A tethered charger is one that comes with a cable permanently attached to the EV charge point, while an untethered unit is similar to an electric hookup that you may have used for a motorhome or caravan; the cable is independent from the unit, one end plugs into the car and the other into the charging port. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to decide which type is right for you before making a purchase.
What’s the difference?
Tethered chargers are generally more expensive than untethered chargers, but they’re also more convenient. If you have a tethered charger, you’ll never have to worry about rummaging around for your charging cable when at home. Untethered chargers, on the other hand, are less expensive and more portable, making them a good choice for those who travel frequently.
What about charging speed?
When choosing an electric vehicle charger, it’s also important to consider the different charging speeds available. The three main types of chargers are standard, fast, and rapid chargers. Standard chargers have a maximum charging speed of around three kilowatts (kW), while fast chargers have a maximum charging speed of around seven kW. Rapid chargers, as the name implies, are the fastest type of charger available, with a maximum charging speed of around 22 kW.
Which speed is needed for electric cars?
If you’re only going to be using your charger at home, a standard or fast charger will likely be sufficient. However, if you’re frequently on the road and need to charge up quickly, a rapid charger may be a better option.
The final thing to consider when looking at the best home EV chargers is the price. There are a wide range of chargers available at different price points, so it’s important to find one that fits your budget.
With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best EV chargers on the market.
The 10 best electric car chargers for the home recommended by EV Solutions
Here at EV Solutions we have been helping customers for years when it comes to choosing the right electric home charger for their needs. As with any relatively new industry, it can be difficult to feel sufficiently informed when making decisions about exactly what you should buy due to all of the sometimes confusing information that is available.
And that’s why we’ve simplified it down into the best chargers for electric cars based on our extensive knowledge and experience of the products.
So without further ado, here is our selection of the best EV home chargers for electric car drivers.
1. Ohme Home Pro
If you’re looking for one of the best home EV chargers on the market, the Ohme Home Pro is a great option. This charger is both tethered and weatherproof, making it ideal for those who live in areas with harsh weather conditions. It also has a built-in Wi-Fi connection so that you can easily monitor your charging status from your smartphone or tablet.
One of the main advantages of the Ohme Home Pro is that it’s extremely easy to install; even if you’re not particularly handy, you should be able to get it up and running in no time. Additionally, the unit itself is very compact and unobtrusive, so it won’t take up much space in your garage or driveway.
In these current times when we’re all feeling the squeeze, it’s prudent to have a savvy approach to finances and the Ohme Home Pro is doing its best to shake off the reputation that electric vehicles have for being costly. It does this by intelligently communicating with the National Grid to find times during your charge cycle when the power network is experiencing lower demands on the electricity supply and subsequently offering lower prices. They have a handy tool on their website which allows you to input the model of your car and find out exactly how much you could save on energy bills.
✔️ Specially designed app with smart functionality
✔️ 3-year manufacturer warranty
✔️ Wireless updates
✔️ OZEV grant eligible
✔️ Small and stylish
✔️ Tethered
✔️ Keeps running costs down
2. Wallbox Pulsar Plus
If you’re looking for a fast home charger that’s both easy to use and stylish, the Wallbox Pulsar Plus is a great option. This charger has a maximum speed of 7.4 kW, making it one of the fastest home chargers on the market. Additionally, it comes with a handy smartphone app that makes it easy to monitor your charging status and schedule charging times.
One of the main advantages of the Wallbox Pulsar Plus is its compact size; it’s one of the most unobtrusive chargers on the market. Additionally, its sleek design means that it will fit in well with any home décor. Another advantage of the small size is that you have the most flexibility and choice when it comes to deciding where you want your charging pod point to be.
Another big advantage of this charger is its price. Although it’s not the cheapest option on the market, its features and performance make it good value for money. Additionally, it comes with a three-year warranty so you can be sure that it’s a quality product.
✔️ Fast charging speed
✔️ Small and unobtrusive
✔️ Good value for money
✔️ 5m long charging cable
✔️ No earthing rod needed
✔️ Tethered
3. EVBox Elvi
EVBox Elvi is a high-performance, low-maintenance, and future-proof home charging solution. Its sleek design and user-friendly interface make electric vehicle charging simpler than ever before. Elvi gives you real-time monitoring of your charging sessions as well as remote control and surveillance.
It boasts impressive stats when it comes to power and charging times. With its 11kW power output, a 1 hour charge gets you 37 miles in the tank making it a much faster charger than some of its competitors.
It has a modular design which means that the components can easily be replaced or upgraded. This also future-proofs it in the event that electric vehicle requirements change over the years, or if you change your electric vehicle which has different compatibilities.
✔️ Quick and easy installation process
✔️ Low maintenance
✔️ Low installation cost
✔️ Compatible with every electric vehicle
✔️ Tethered or untethered options are available
4. Andersen A2 EV charger
The Andersen A2 does something a little different to most chargers by making placing a heavy focus on aesthetics and product design whilst still delivering all of the important technology.
The unit is already a thing to behold with a slim profile and contemporary design which is precision engineered from high-grade metal, but on top of this, you can customise the colour and material of the body and front panel to create a bespoke EV charger that perfectly matches your home’s exterior decor. There are 96 colour combinations to choose from and colours include Malmo Blue, Ruby, Stanton Green and Laurac Sand. You can even have the door made out of Accoya wood for an extra fee.
The signature feature of the A2 is the way the cable can be neatly tucked away into the unit for a mess-free charging solution.
It’s not often that the words “beautiful” and EV chargers are used in the same sentence but the Andersen A2 surpasses anything else when it comes to design and aesthetics.
✔️ The best-looking EV home charger on the market
✔️ Made of high-grade materials
✔️ Solar integration
✔️ Energy management and scheduling features for reduced costs
5. Myenergi Zappi
The Myenergi Zappi is a great home charger for those wanting to maximise green energy usage as it can be set to charge only when renewable energy sources are available.
The main advantage of the Myenergi Zappi is its ability to integrate with solar panels and wind turbines, making it ideal for those wanting to use as much renewable energy as possible. Additionally, its price makes it one of the more affordable home chargers on the market.
It has a unique design which comes in two colours: white or black and is available in both tethered and untethered options. Powers outputs range from 7kW to 22kw.
✔️ Can be set to use only green energy such as solar panels and wind
✔️ Easy to install and user friendly
✔️ Future proof with wide compatibility
✔️ Built in the UK
✔️ Tethered or untethered
7. Easee One
The Easee One certainly lives up to its name by putting simplicity and the user experience at the forefront of what it offers. The futuristic-looking unit has been built to adapt to any electric vehicle that is connected to it, so you don’t have to worry about whether or not you have the right charger for your car. Using intelligent technology, the Easee One regulates power output to offer you the highest charging time possible without damaging your vehicle.
Speaking of speed, on average, the Easee One offers charging speeds that are 3X faster than other units on the market. It charges on single-phase power and can charge up to 7kW. Easee are currently offering new customers a lifetime subscription to the update services too, which means you’ll have access to instant updates 24/7 via the built-in e-sim and mobile communication.
For a simple, stylish and speedy EV charging solution, you’d be hard-pressed to find something that ticks the boxes like the Easee One does.
✔️ Simple to switch between tethered and untethered
✔️ 3-year warranty
✔️ Smart charger with universal compatibility
✔️ Sleek and light — it weighs only 1.5kg
8. Hypervolt Home 2.0
The Hypervolt Home is a great all-rounder when it comes to home EV smart chargers. It’s one of the most affordable options on the market but doesn’t skimp on features or quality.
It’s another unit that offers impressive aesthetics with its minimalist design and eye-catching green LED. But don’t mistake its plain exterior as an indication that it’s lacking internally; the Hypervolt Home 2.0 comes equipped with a ton of useful features such as smart home integration and even compatibility with Alexa, a solar charging optimisation and the impressive Hypervolt Cloud App. You can use this app to monitor energy usage, schedule charge times, and observe cost information.
Overall, it’s a great-looking unit which has all of the innovative and cost-saving features you’ll need to get the most out of your electric vehicle whilst doing all you can to keep costs down at the same time.
✔️ Clean, simple design
✔️ Smart home integration
✔️ Optimised for solar panels
✔️ Comprehensive charging analytics through the app
9. Simpson and Partners Home 7 Plus
Much like the Andersen A2, the Simpson and Partners Home 7 plus is an EV charger that’s looking to stand out with beautiful design and huge range of customisation features when it comes to the colour and finish.
These units are made in the Cotswolds – an area known for its idyllic landscapes and rustic houses which is a clear inspiration for the Home 7 plus. Fusing matte-finish metals with sumptuous and deep woody shades, this is a unit that billows with class and sophistication; it’s subtle yet striking at the same time, like an understated luxury watch.
The technology inside has received the same level of care and attention as the design; the handsome shell encompasses tech that has been custom-engineered to deliver the highest levels of safety, power and quality. From the S1 chip that detects and responds to faults in seconds, to the heavy-duty copper PCB design for superior power efficiency, cooler operating temperatures and long performance.
A cheaper version is available, the Home 7, but for the small price difference, we would recommend the pro version.
✔️ Scheduled charging
✔️ Fuse protection
✔️ Exceptional build quality
✔️ Tethered or untethered
✔️ Quick and simple set up
✔️ Smart WiFi charging
✔️ Smartphone app
10. Sevadis MaxiCharger
This offering from Sevadis is a neat-looking unit that will tastefully fit into any house. The experts at Sevadis have created a robust design that’s easy to install and operate.
It’s slightly larger than some other EV chargers on the market but this is largely due to the fact that a screen is incorporated into the design. In terms of power, the MaxiCharger has a single-outlet Type 2 socket that is OCPP 1.6 compliant. It also offers built-in PME fault detection on single and three-phase connections as well as static load management and dynamic load balancing capabilities.
High performance at a very reasonable price is why the Maxicharger earnt its place on our top 10.
✔️ Single-phase and three-phase supply
✔️ Tethered or untethered
✔️ Can be used as a wallbox charger or floor mounted
✔️ Smartphone app
And that’s the roundup! With 10 exceptional units to choose from, each offering something a little different, you’re sure to find something that ticks all the boxes for you.
Who are EV Solutions?
If you’re looking for the best home EV charger in the UK, look no further than EV Solutions. We are specialists in electric cars and electric vehicle chargers, and can supply and fit chargers at both your home and workplace. We can also advise you on the OZEV grant, which is an electric vehicle homecharge scheme offered by the UK government which can help towards the cost of installing an electric car charging point.
Based in the North East of England, we are perfectly placed to serve customers across the region.
We stock a range of chargers from leading manufacturers, so you can be sure you’re getting a quality product.
Contact us today to find out more.
