How to choose a home EV charger
Start with your supply, not the spec sheet
Nearly every UK home has a single-phase supply, which caps a charger at 7kW to 7.4kW. That is enough to add roughly 25 to 30 miles of range an hour, so a normal car refills overnight with time to spare. An 11kW or 22kW unit will simply run at 7.4kW unless you have three-phase, which most housing does not. Ignore the higher numbers unless you know you have it.
Decide whether solar matters
If you have panels, or expect to fit them, solar diversion is the single feature most worth paying for. A charger with true diversion sends only your surplus generation to the car instead of exporting it at a poor rate. The Zappi does this best, and the Hypervolt and EO Mini Pro 3 include it without an accessory. See our solar charger comparison for the full picture.
If you are on a smart tariff, buy for the tariff
On a smart dispatch tariff the charger's job is to follow the cheapest half-hours rather than a fixed window you set yourself. That is where Ohme is genuinely ahead. Check compatibility before you order, because some tariffs only unlock their headline rate with a supported car or charger. Our EV tariff comparison covers which pairs work.
Measure the cable run before you choose tethered
Tethered chargers are more convenient day to day, but a 5m cable is short once you account for the route from the wall to your car's charge port, which is often on the far side. Measure it. If it is tight, look at the 7.5m and 10m options from Hypervolt, Hive and Indra, or go untethered and buy the cable length you need.
Check the warranty against where it will be mounted
This is a piece of electronics bolted to an outside wall for ten years or more. Three years is standard, five years from Wallbox is better, and Andersen's seven is the longest here. If the wall is exposed to driving rain, the IP and IK ratings matter as much as the warranty length.
Get the installation quoted properly
Charger prices cluster tightly. Installation does not, and it is where a straightforward job and an awkward one diverge by hundreds of pounds. Distance to the consumer unit, whether that unit needs upgrading, and any digging are the variables. Use an OZEV-approved, NICEIC-registered installer and compare at least two quotes.
