8 of the best home EV chargers
June 24, 2022 by carwow staff
Looking to get a home wallbox EV charger installed? Our guide has you covered
With the government recently withdrawing the grant for home EV chargers (though grants for landlords and apartment dwellers are still available), shopping around for a home wallbox has never been more important.
There are a number of firms out there offering home charging solutions for current or prospective EV owners, and with charging at home being the most convenient and cost-effective way of making sure your EV has plenty of juice, getting a wallbox installed is a de facto part of EV ownership for those with off-street parking.
It’s definitely worth researching home wallboxes before you take delivery of an electric car. There can be a lead time for installation, while homes with older electrics may require upgrading before a wallbox can be fitted.
If you’re new to the EV charging game, a home wallbox will deliver around electricity at a rate of up to around 7 kiloWatts (kW), far faster than the 2.3 kW you can get from a domestic three-pin plug, which should only really be used for emergency charges anyway.
Some home wallbox providers can in theory provide charging rates of 22 kW, but this requires a three-phase electrical supply, which homes do not have by default, and which can be expensive and time consuming to have installed. If you’d like more information on charging EVs and different rates of charge, our in-depth guide on the subject should be your next port of call.
carwow’s pick of the 8 best home EV chargers:
- Ohme Home Pro
- EO Mini Pro 2
- Wallbox Pulsar Plus
- EVBox Elvi
- Andersen A2
- Myenergi Zappi
- BP Pulse
- Rolec WallPod:EV HomeSmart
1. Ohme Home Pro
Price from: £949
Connection type: tethered
With a sleek, modern design, a 5m tethered charging cable and a built-in LCD screen, Ohme’s Home Pro is all about giving you data as your charge. The display shows information on your car’s battery level and current charging rate, while there’s a highly rated Ohme smartphone app, allowing you to monitor charges while out and about.
The Home Pro also integrates smart charging, meaning it can automatically adjust when electricity is fed into your car, taking advantage of smart energy tariffs that vary their rates based on network demand. Those with a keen eye on their carbon footprint, meanwhile, have the option to configure the Home Pro to draw electricity when renewable energy is available from National Grid.
2. EO Mini Pro 2
Price from: £779
Connection type: tethered or untethered
The EO Mini Pro 2 is a compact charger that can be had tethered (with a charging lead hardwired in) or untethered. It’s ideal if you’re short on space, or just fancy a small charge point on your property.
The Mini Pro 2 may lack the screen of the Ohme Home Pro, but the EO Smart Home app allows you to monitor your charging sessions.
3. Wallbox Pulsar Plus
Price from: £589
Connection type: tethered
The Wallbox Pulsar Plus is another unobtrusive unit. Again, it does without a display screen, but it makes up for this with a lower price, as well as Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity.
If you want an idea of how your charger will look fitted before you buy, Wallbox has an augmented reality app on its website to give you a virtual preview. There’s also a 22kW version for those who have three-phase power.
4. EVBox Elvi
Price from: on request
Connection type: tethered or untethered
The EVBox Elvi is available as a tethered or untethered unit, while the modular design means it can be upgraded should you with to get three-phase power installed.
While not as compact as some of the wallboxes here, the Elvi undoubtedly looks futuristic.
5. Andersen A2
Price from:£1,099
Connection type: tethered
Style may be subjective, but the Andersen is undeniably a sleek unit, not least because it allows you to stow the cable and plug away from view when not in use, for a more streamlined look.
Anderson also offers a variety of colours for the front and body of the charger, while you can upgrade the cover to a variety of wood finishes for an additional £150. A 22kW option is offered for those with a three-phase power source.
6. Myenergi Zappi
Price from: £779 to £949
Connection type: tethered
There’s more to the Zappi than just plugging your car in and letting it charge. The charger has a special ‘Eco’ mode that can run using just the power from solar panels or wind turbines (if you have these installed on your property).
It’s possible to set charging schedules on the Zappi as well. This will let you recharge your electric car at off-peak times (when the cost per kWh of electricity is lower) with an Economy 7 energy tariff.
7. BP Pulse
Price from: £1,049
Connection type: untethered
BP Pulse’s home charger is pretty simple: just plug in and charge.
The app will allow you control of your charging, while the latest version of BP Pulse’s charger was the first home wallbox to be awarded the BSI Electric Vehicle Charging Kitemark for safety and quality.
8. Rolec WallPod:EV HomeSmart
Price from: £615
Connection type: tethered
The Rolec WallPod:EV HomeSmart is focused on giving users easy control through their smartphones.
The app can automatically be set to charge your vehicle at off-peak rates, as well as allow you to monitor your car’s charging info. You can set your own preferred charging scheduled, too – handy if you plan to commute using your electric car.