If you’re getting an electric vehicle and have off-street parking, it will make sense to get a home car charger.
They represent a significant investment, but the ability to charge faster is not only more convenient; it will also help you make the most of cheap electricity tariffs and could pay for itself in a few years. Even compared to a three-pin plug.
It’s safer than relying on a traditional socket too, as you’ll have a circuit which is protected by breakers and other electronics to make sure nothing overheats or gets damp. But which is the best home EV charger? We have a full guide to them here if you’d like more detail, but there is a summary below.
8. BP Pulse
Price from: £499 plus installation
You can no longer buy an bp pulse charger direct from the company, but you might be offered one if you get a lease or company car. It has some clever tech to help you claim back expenses on business miles and works well enough, but the app can be glitchy.
The charger is also said to be ready for V2G and V2H, which gives it a degree of ‘futureproofing’, as it doesn't yet work with any car we know of.
The BP Pulse is only available to fleet buyers, so you can't buy direct 7. Hypervolt
Price from: £660 plus installation
The Hypervolt EV Charger offers plenty of tech and is even available in three colours: black, dark grey and white. All have the cable attached – or tethered in charger jargon.
Unusually, there is a choice of 5m, 7.5m and a massive 10m – the longest we know of – for an extra £42 and £90 respectively.
Hypervolt also offers a Type 1 plug for owners of the original Nissan Leaf and some other early Japanese EVs – that’s something or a rarity these days.
The big flashing lightning bolt will certainly get the neighbours' attention 6. Easee One
Price from: £659 plus installation
The Easee One looks pretty basic, but actually has a decent amount of tech and an unusual Scandinavian design which is unlike any other charger. There’s even a choice of five different coloured facias which can be changed if you get bored or want to match your car.
Access to charging can also be controlled by RFID ‘Keys’ which could be useful if you have multiple users or share a car park.
It’s only sold without a cable which means you’ll need to buy one separately or use the one provided with your car, but you can lock the lead into the charger permanently using the app.
You can choose between five different colour faces to make the Easee more interesting to look at 5. myenergi Zappi 2
Price: £779 plus installation
The myenergi Zappi is an especially good choice of charger for home owners who have (or plan to buy) solar and battery storage as it will integrate without any fuss. This means you can make the most of cheaper night time energy and your own renewables to charge your car, potentially saving a fortune when you charge.
A small monochrome display and four push buttons control the functions and source of energy, or the unit can be controlled by the excellent myenergi app. With multiple sensors, it offers greater flexibility over its competition when combined with other myenergi products.
The Zappi can connect seamlessly to battery storage and solar systems 4. Andersen A2
Price from: £1,199 plus installation
If you want your charger to look as good as your house (and electric car) then they don’t come any more stylish than the Andersen.
Rather than just being a plastic brick, the A2 is available is 126 different combinations of colour and finish, while the front panel can be nine shades of painted metal, four types of wood or even carbon-fibre.
The Andersen’s sleek look is further enhanced as the cable can’t be seen once it is wrapped around the unit – it is hidden behind a brushed ‘wall’ which also keeps the wire clean. The plug is neatly stowed underneath a magnetic lid too.
Like all designer products, you’ll have to pay a premium though. Prices start at £1,199 but the special facias such as wood add to the bill.
Chargers don't come any more stylish than the Anderson 3. Rolec QUBEV Smart
Price: £449 plus installation
Rolec’s Wallpod is the cheapest home charging unit we could find that’s compatible with all of the current regulations, which means it is the top choice for house builders who are compelled to fit chargers by law.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a decent charger. There’s no screen on the unit, just a simple LED charging status indicator, but the QUBEV connects via Wi-Fi to its dedicated Smart app, which allows you to schedule off-peak charging and select a ‘green’ option to make the most of solar power.
The cheapest version has a universal untethered charging socket, but a tethered model also available with a 5m cable. There are no longer options, which could rule the Rolec out if you need to stretch to an awkward charging port.
The Rolec may be cheap, but it has great technology 2. Ohme Home Pro
Price: £563 plus installation
Ohme’s big selling point is that it’s the only home charger which is currently compatible with the Intelligent Octopus tariff for cheaper night time energy.
The Home Pro is the ‘tethered’ version with a cable attached, but there is also a model (called the ePod) which is £50 cheaper and does without the LCD display and will need a separate cable.
Both have an easy-to-use app which makes it simple to control the settings and the Pro’s screen is easy to use too.
Even the larger Pro is more compact than average too, with dimensions which are only a little larger than an A5 sheet of paper, at 170mm high and 200mm wide.
The Ohme is the 'favoured' charger for many fleets and car brands 1. EVIOS One
Price: £675 plus installation
The EVIOS is packed with clever features which allow you to prioritise low price energy by using off-peak tariffs, ‘green’ energy from solar panels or just charge at the highest speed.
Perhaps the most interesting feature is the ability to create up to eight separate user profiles controlled by a PIN, so the charger can be shared by different users in a block of flats or office.
The British-built One also connects with Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices, allowing users to adjust settings and review charge status via voice commands.
It can accept 22kW feeds at locations with three-phase power and there is a 7m cable option if you need to park further away from the charger or have a port on the ‘wrong’ side of the car.
The One offers PIN opertation, so you can divvy up charge costs between users