Our best EV charger roundup based on customer reviews

Electric vehicles (EVs) are soaring in popularity, sparking a sharp rise in the installations of home chargers – a wise investment considering the increased charging speed and superior safety they offer.

But climate-conscious drivers need to consider numerous factors when considering the type of charger required. For example, you need to know if your property has a three-phase power supply, which is often found in workplaces but is rarer in domestic buildings Three-phase power has more power capacity and can charge your car faster than single-phase power.

James McKemey, head of external affairs at EV charger specialist Pod Point, says homeowners must also be aware that installation is best thought of as minor building works.  “An installer must run a cable from the power supply (usually where your electricity meter is) to where the charge point is to be installed, and attach the chargepoint in that location. Between the two, cabling must be safely secured,” he said. “EV chargers come with a choice of two connection types: tethered, with a cable attached to the unit, or universal that any electric car can plug into with a separate cable (some older EVs have a different ‘Type 1’ socket). Tethered units are more convenient while universal sockets are aesthetically neater when not in use.

“With a tethered charger, you'll have a fixed length which, in most cases, gives you enough length between your wall and your charger so you'll want to think about where you normally park and how far away your home charger will be.”

1. Best overall EV charger

The Hypervolt Home 3 Pro from Amazon is affordable and has a full suite of features, including integration with your smart home via the Hypervolt mobile

app. It is also is optimised for solar charging, uses a tethered type-2 (universal) charging cable, and charging is driven by energy tariffs to maximise savings.

User Michael Carpenter said the Hypervolt is great for panel users, adding: “I have an array of PV on my roof and chose Hypervolt on that basis. Easy to get my electrician to configure with my existing setup.”

2. Best budget EV charger

The Evec VEC01 is the best-selling charger on Amazon and is widely-lauded for its ease of installation, affordable price and straightforward operation via the

app. Most buyers agreed the VEC01 is cost-effective and easy to use and install, with many praising how the app allows drivers to monitor charging status, schedule charging sessions to take advantage of cheap electricity, and track usage. However, some criticised the bright blue light on the socket and one person criticised how it seems to turn itself off at the end of a timer schedule and not whenever full charge is achieved.

Reviewer Dave Elan wrote: “The price is really competitive, and it was relatively easy to install - about five hours - including all in-house electrical work. The performance is simply outstanding - it charges significantly faster than the figures suggest - which is about 5-6 times quicker than a three-pin plug.

“Surprisingly, the app is incredibly stable and reliable too. I would award 6 stars if I could.”

3. Most powerful EV charger

The Osoeri 22kw EV charger, available on Amazon, charges at 22kw, where a three-pin plug will charge at 3kw for comparison. Most EV chargers operate at 7kw, which provides up to 30 miles of range per hour of charge.

Amazon reviewer Stretti Man wrote: “I recently bought a Tesla Y model so needed a powerful charger at work. I had this installed at work using a qualified electrician and connected to a three phase fuse box, which we do have.

“The charger works well and has maximum of 32Amp. The charger does comes with two cards that must be used when charging so know one can just turn up and use it. It took from 10% to 80% about five hours to charge.”

4. Best mini EV charger

The Hive EO Mini Pro 3, which can be ordered from direct from Hive, but is available with a 3% discount from Amazon at the moment, can fully charge an average battery from empty in under eight hours, according to the company

blurb. It adds that it is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

One reviewer called it “brilliant”, adding: “I was after an EV charger that was subtle, understated, without a screen and untethered. Finally i wanted to ensure if stolen, it could be disabled remotely. The EO Mini 3 Pro scored on all fronts.

However, many reviewers expressed frustration with Hive’s customer service. One wrote: “I leave the cable plugged into the wall box. Then, when I replug my car in, it doesn’t work, I have to unplug and plug-in from the wall box again.

“EO not great at coming back to issue, been waiting 7 days. It works well otherwise after these issues, the reason I wanted this is because it’s small.”

5. Best EV charger for future-proofing your home

The Evec PowerPair 7.4kW Dual Charger, available at B&Q, can charge two

vehicles at once by splitting its 7.4kW output between them. 

However, if only one vehicle is plugged in, the full output can be directed to it for optimal charging efficiency.

Trustpilot reviewer Sean said: “The build quality is very good. The visual look of it is fantastic, very sleek, and it charges the car quite fast.”

6. Best EV charger for extra features

All home chargers are required to have connectivity, either via your home Wi-Fi or mobile network.

This allows for the collection and viewing of charging data (charging activity, costs, kWh consumption) via a smartphone app. 

It also enables functionality updates and facilitates remote diagnostics and support. The Vorsprung EV Wall Box – check out the specs on its Amazon listing – has a smart LCD screen that displays real-time information such as charge time, power used, and other essential information regarding your vehicle's charge progress. 

One Amazon user said: “Simple to install and use. Sturdy construction. Recommended.”

If you are wanting to install an EV charger, it is important to first make sure you home has three phase electricity. You can read more about getting this added to your home in our three phase electricity guide by energy efficiency expert David Hilton.