Congratulations — you've bought an electric vehicle or are seriously considering one. Now comes the practical question every EV owner faces: which home charger should I get? With prices ranging from £500 to over £1,500 installed, multiple connection types, and features that range from basic to highly sophisticated, making the right choice requires understanding your options.
This guide walks you through everything from a homeowner's perspective: which brands are worth considering, the differences between smart and basic chargers, whether you need tethered or untethered, how to check if your home can handle a charger, and how to claim £350 off the cost through the OZEV grant. We'll also cover the questions you should ask your installer before they start work.
Which EV Charger Brand Should I Choose?
The UK market is dominated by four major brands, all of which are OZEV-approved and widely available through professional installers. Each has distinct strengths, so the right choice depends on your priorities.
Ohme Home Pro
Price range: £850 – £1,100 fully installed
Best for: Budget-conscious owners who want smart features without paying premium prices
Ohme has quickly become one of the UK's most popular chargers, and for good reason. The Home Pro offers excellent value — typically the cheapest OZEV-approved smart charger when professionally installed. The app is intuitive and integrates seamlessly with Octopus Energy's Intelligent Go tariff, which automatically charges your car when electricity is cheapest (often as low as 7p per kWh overnight).
Pros: Lowest cost for a smart charger, brilliant tariff integration, simple app, 7-year warranty as standard.
Cons: No solar integration (unlike Zappi), design is functional rather than premium, limited colour options.
Zappi
Price range: £900 – £1,300 fully installed
Best for: Homeowners with solar panels or those planning to install them
Made in the UK by Myenergi, Zappi is the standout choice if you have or are planning to install solar panels. It can be set to charge exclusively from surplus solar generation (Eco mode), meaning you can effectively fuel your car for free during sunny months. Even without solar, it's a solid smart charger with scheduling and monitoring features.
Pros: Best-in-class solar integration, British-made, robust build quality, flexible charging modes.
Cons: More expensive than Ohme, app is functional but not the most polished, larger unit size.
Wallbox Pulsar Plus
Price range: £750 – £1,100 fully installed
Best for: Those who want a compact, stylish charger with strong smart features
Wallbox is a Spanish manufacturer that has gained strong traction in the UK market. The Pulsar Plus is notably compact — one of the smallest chargers available — which matters if you have limited wall space. It comes in multiple colours, has excellent smart charging features including voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant, and offers detailed energy monitoring.
Pros: Compact size, multiple colour options, strong smart features, voice control compatibility.
Cons: No native solar integration (requires additional hardware), customer support can be hit-or-miss.
Pod Point Solo
Price range: £800 – £1,200 fully installed
Best for: Buyers who want a reliable, established brand with good after-sales support
Pod Point was one of the original UK home charger brands and is now owned by EDF Energy. The Solo is a clean, no-nonsense charger with reliable performance and good availability through various energy supplier packages. It's straightforward to use and benefits from EDF's backing.
Pros: Established UK brand, good availability through energy suppliers, reliable performance, decent app.
Cons: Slightly more expensive than comparable alternatives, fewer standout features, solar integration requires the older Pod Point Solo S model.
Smart vs Non-Smart Chargers: What's the Difference?
This is one of the most important decisions you'll make. The difference isn't just about connectivity — it directly affects how much you pay to charge your car.
A non-smart (basic) charger does exactly what it says on the tin: it charges your car. You plug in, it delivers power, and that's it. There's no app, no scheduling, no monitoring. These chargers are typically £100–£200 cheaper than smart versions but offer no way to take advantage of off-peak electricity tariffs.
A smart charger connects to your home WiFi and lets you control charging via a smartphone app. The key benefits are:
- Scheduled charging: Set your car to charge automatically during overnight hours when electricity is cheapest (typically 7p–12p per kWh vs. 24p+ during peak hours)
- Tariff optimization: Some chargers (notably Ohme) integrate directly with EV-specific energy tariffs and automatically charge when rates are lowest
- Usage monitoring: Track how much energy you've used, your costs, and your charging history
- Load balancing: Prevent your home's electrics from overloading by adjusting charging speed based on other household power usage
- Remote control: Start, stop, or pause charging from anywhere via the app
Our recommendation: For almost all UK homeowners, a smart charger makes more financial sense. The difference in upfront cost (£100–£200) is typically recovered within the first year through cheaper charging. Over a typical 5–10 year charger lifespan, smart features can save you £500–£2,000 in electricity costs.
Tethered vs Untethered: Which Cable Type Is Right?
Every EV charger comes with either a tethered (attached) cable or requires you to use a separate untethered (separate) cable. Here's what each means in practice:
A tethered charger has a charging cable permanently attached to the unit. You simply coil it out and plug it into your car. It's convenient — no fiddling with separate cables — but the cable length is fixed (typically 5–7.5 metres). If you park in a tight space or need to reach a charge port in an awkward location, this could be limiting.
An untethered charger has no attached cable. You use a separate Mode 3 charging cable that you already have (most EVs come with one). This gives you flexibility — you can choose cable length (3, 5, 7, or 10+ metres) depending on your parking situation. However, it means an extra step when charging, and you need to store the cable somewhere.
Our recommendation: For most UK homeowners with driveways or garages, tethered is the more convenient choice. If you park on the street, have a particularly long driveway, or your charge port is in an awkward location, untethered with a longer cable may be more practical. Both work identically in terms of charging speed and reliability.
Single Phase vs Three Phase: Do I Need Three-Phase Power?
This is where UK homeowners often get confused, partly because the terminology sounds technical but the reality is straightforward.
Single-phase power is what virtually all UK homes have. It provides up to 7kW charging speed, which is more than sufficient for overnight charging — a 60kWh battery (typical EV size) goes from 20% to 80% in about 5–6 hours. Plug in when you get home at 6pm, and by midnight your car is fully charged.
Three-phase power is common in many European countries and some larger UK properties. It can deliver up to 22kW charging — roughly three times faster than single-phase. However, most UK homes don't have three-phase supplies, and upgrading requires applying to your Distribution Network Operator (DNO), costs £1,000–£3,000+, and may involve significant disruption.
Our recommendation: For 95%+ of UK homeowners, a 7kW single-phase charger is the right choice. The math is simple: you charge overnight anyway, so charging in 5 hours versus 2 hours makes no practical difference. Don't pay extra for three-phase capability or upgrade your supply unless you have a specific, demonstrated need (such as very high daily mileage that can't be met by overnight charging).
Can My Home's Electrical Supply Handle an EV Charger?
Before installing a charger, you need to know whether your home's electrical setup can handle it. Here's how to check:
Step 1: Check your consumer unit (fuse box)
Look at your consumer unit. If it has modern RCBO protection and sufficient spare ways, you're likely in good shape. If it has an old fuse board with rewirable fuses or a wooden backboard, you'll likely need an upgrade before a charger can be installed.
Step 2: Check your main earthing
Your property needs adequate earthing. Most modern homes (built after 1992) have PME (Protective Multiple Earthing). Older properties may have TT earthing, which is still perfectly fine but may require additional testing.
Step 3: Assess your available electrical capacity
Your installer will check your available headroom — essentially how much spare capacity your electrical supply has after accounting for your normal household usage. This determines whether you can install a 7kW charger or need load management (which automatically reduces charging speed when other high-draw appliances are in use).
Step 4: Consider your parking location
How far is your parking space from your consumer unit? If it's a long run (over 30 metres), you may need larger cable, which increases cost. A wall-mounted charger close to your consumer unit is the ideal scenario.
A qualified OZEV-approved installer will carry out a survey (either in-person or sometimes remotely using photos) to assess all of this before giving you a quote. This survey is typically free and comes with no obligation.
Running Costs: Home Charging vs Public Charging
One of the biggest advantages of owning an EV is the dramatically lower cost of fuel. Here's how home charging compares to public charging:
Home charging costs (2026)
- Standard variable tariff: ~24p per kWh → ~£10–£13 for a typical 60kWh charge (20%–80%)
- EV-specific overnight tariff (e.g., Octopus Intelligent Go): ~7p per kWh → ~£2.50 for a typical charge
- Economy 7 / dual-rate tariff: ~12p per kWh → ~£4–£5 for a typical charge
Public rapid charging costs (2026)
- Typical rapid charger (50–150kW): 65p–79p per kWh → £25–£38 for a typical charge
- Ultra-rapid (150kW+): Can be 80p+ per kWh
The difference is staggering. Over a year of driving 8,000 miles (average UK driver), you might spend:
- £350–£500 on home charging
- £1,000–£1,500 on public rapid charging
Even on the most expensive home electricity tariff, charging at home is significantly cheaper than using public chargers. With an EV-specific tariff, the savings are enormous — typically £700–£1,000 per year compared to public charging.
This is precisely why we recommend a smart charger: the ability to schedule charging for overnight hours when rates are lowest transforms the economics of EV ownership.
The OZEV Grant: How to Get £350 Off Your Charger
The UK government offers a grant to reduce the cost of home EV charger installation. Here's the current situation (as of early 2026):
The EV Chargepoint Grant provides up to £350 off the cost of purchasing and installing a home charger. However, eligibility has changed over time:
- Currently eligible: Renters, people living in flats or apartments, and homeowners without off-street parking
- No longer eligible (generally): Homeowners in detached or semi-detached houses with off-street parking — though this can change, so always check current criteria
If you are eligible, the grant is deducted from your installation cost, and your OZEV-approved installer handles the application. The process is straightforward.
Important: Grant eligibility changes periodically. What was available last year may not be available this year, and vice versa. Always check the current criteria on GOV.UK before proceeding, and ask your installer to confirm what's available.
Even if you don't qualify for the grant, remember that the savings from smart charging (typically £500+ per year in electricity costs) will far exceed the grant amount within a year or two.
What to Ask Your Installer Before They Start
Once you've chosen a charger and received a quote, here's what you should ask your installer before work begins:
- Are you OZEV-approved? If you're claiming the grant, this is essential. Even if not, OZEV-approved installers follow specific standards.
- What's included in the price? Does it cover the charger, installation, any necessary consumer unit upgrades, and VAT? Get a fully itemised quote.
- Will I need a consumer unit upgrade? If your fuse board is old, this can add £300–£600 to the cost.
- How long will installation take? Typical installations are 3–4 hours. If it takes all day, ask why.
- What happens if my electrical supply can't handle a 7kW charger? Ask whether load management is included, or if you'd need a DNO upgrade.
- What certification will I receive? You should get an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.
- What's the warranty on the charger? Most chargers come with 3–7 years warranty. Check what's included and how to claim.
- Can you handle the OZEV grant application on my behalf? If you're eligible, your installer should manage this.
- What after-sales support do you offer? Who do I call if the charger develops a fault? What's the response time?
Don't be afraid to ask these questions. A professional installer will be happy to answer them. If an installer is evasive or pressure-sells you without explaining things clearly, that's a red flag — move on to another quote.
Making Your Decision
Choosing a home EV charger doesn't need to be overwhelming. of our recommendations: Here's a quick summary
- Best overall value: Ohme Home Pro — affordable, smart, integrates brilliantly with cheap tariffs
- Best for solar owners: Zappi — designed specifically for solar panel integration
- Best for compact spaces: Wallbox Pulsar Plus — small footprint, multiple colours
- Best for brand reliability: Pod Point Solo — established UK brand with EDF backing
In almost every case, go for a smart charger with tethered cable on a 7kW single-phase supply. It's the right balance of capability, cost, and convenience for UK homeowners.
Ready to get quotes? Use our free quote request service to connect with OZEV-approved installers in your area who can assess your home and provide competitive prices.