Most people will want to install a home EV charger if they’ve opted for a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or even a plug-in hybrid model (PHEV). Rapid chargers are fairly standard fare at service stations and supermarket car parks. The trouble is, these chargers aren’t so great for your EV battery life if used too often.

A home EV charger is slower and designed to recharge your motor overnight while you sleep. The slower rate of charge is better for your battery.

Installation costs vary depending on your location and other circumstances. The costs we’ve noted here are general estimates, so shop around for quotes once you have decided on the charger that suits you best.

When it comes to choosing a charger, there is a dizzying array of options, acronyms and technical jargon to wade through. We’ve cut your workload to bring you the five best Home EV chargers available in the UK.

Pod Point Solo 3 Home EV Charger

Charging speed: 3.6, 7 or 22kW/15, 29.18 or 40A

Estimated cost of installation: £799

Solar panel integration? No

One of the pioneers in electric car charging points, Pod Point owns around 13% of the UK’s public charging network. There’s no need to purchase a separate earth rod for this home EV charger, just like the Pulsar Plus and Zappi.

The charger pairs with the Pod Point app which not only lets you track the charging, schedule use and track costs, it also lets you know where public Pod Point chargers are located throughout the UK. This means you can easily find a compatible charge point when you’re on the go. Pod Point estimate around 10% of all EV charging is done away from home.

The charger connects to wifi (if you enable this) and receives automatic software updates so the unit keeps getting better with time and lets the service team make remote repairs if ever you need them to.

Zappi by Myengeri

Charging speed: 7kW/29.17A

Estimated cost of installation: £779

Solar panel integration? Yes

Zappi is the best charger you can get in the UK if you have solar panels or plan to. It’s been made in the UK and has three charging modes: Fast, Eco and Eco+. It’s a medium-sized charger that’s not too fiddly for installers and it has some pretty good feedback from other customers too, making it one of the most popular chargers in the UK.

After connecting your car to it, you can control what’s going on with the charge through a smartphone app. The app is easy to use and includes useful information like where the energy your car is charging with is coming from.

The digital display on the charger is also packed with information. You can select where the energy comes from and there’s a five-digit pin security feature that stops someone else pinching your charge while you’re sleeping.

Wallbox Pulsar Plus

Charging speed: 22kW/91.66A

Estimated cost of installation: £1,087

Solar panel integration? Yes

Wallbox make award-winning home EV chargers and the Pulsar was the second product, the Commander being the first. Designed and manufactured in Spain, Wallbox’s Pulsar Plus is a compact and easy to install home EV charger that’s also solar compatible. The Pulsar Plus only comes as a tethered unit. This means the 5-metre lead stays attached to the unit and is simply looped away when not in use.

The Pulsar Plus is tiny and the app is one of the best around. It’s easy to use and connects through wifi and Bluetooth, so you can use it when your internet is down or doesn’t stretch to the garage. Charging schedules can be set up on the app, you can monitor the charge in action and you can lock the unit from anywhere.

Project EV EVA-07S-SE

Charging speed: 7.4kW/30.8A

Estimated cost of installation: £816

Solar panel integration? Only with additional installation charges

This is the budget basic of home EV chargers. That’s not to say it isn’t good, just that there are limited bells and whistles. Still, if you are on the lookout for a budget home EV charging option, this is the one. It’s produced in China and licensed to Project EV.

A little confusingly, this home EV charger also goes by the name of ATESS and Growatt. Despite the confusion with the name, the unit is the same. It’s a solid and basic home EV charging option. It’s bigger than the other units listed here – measuring up at 24cm x 38cm, which is pretty substantial.

You will need an earth rod installed with this and the app is pretty basic. You’ll be able to start, stop and schedule your charging for the cheapest tariff times. You’ll also be able to check how much charge your car has received, but that’s the extent of it.

EO Mini Pro 2

Charging speed: 7.2kW/30A

Estimated cost of installation: £945

Solar panel integration? As an optional extra

The smallest charger on our list and possibly the smallest that’s available anywhere in the world, EO’s Mini Pro 2 is a weeny 17.5cm x 12.5cm x 12.5cm deep. It comes from a UK manufacturer based in Norfolk who now supplies chargers to 30 different countries around the world.

The unit comes in a range of colours, inconspicuous black, grey, white or bright blue if you want to shout about your newly acquired home EV charger status. There’s no need for an earth rod and you can choose either a tethered unit or one with a universal socket to fit any car.

The unit is wifi enabled and has more safety features than most other chargers – amp selection, manual load balancing and the ability to remotely disable the charger. You’ll also enjoy a 3-year warranty and feel assured by the knowledge that it conforms to international safety standards.

The EO Smart Home app is pretty clever too. Choose when to power up your car and lock the machine at all other times, check your charging history, and sync with most main electricity suppliers’ tariffs.