With four genuinely good home EV chargers on the UK market, and dozens of lesser-known brands besides, choosing the right one for your home is less about finding the “best” charger and more about matching features to how you actually live. This guide walks through the decisions that matter, in the order we’d actually ask them during a site survey.
1. Tethered or untethered?
A tethered charger has a cable permanently attached; an untethered charger has a socket you plug your own cable into. Tethered is more convenient day to day, you can’t forget the cable, but commits you to a fixed cable length and connector type. Untethered is more flexible (useful if you might change car or have multiple EVs with different connectors) but means remembering to bring your cable. Most homeowners we install for choose tethered; households with more than one EV, or anyone anticipating a connector change, often prefer untethered.
2. Power rating: do you need more than 7.4kW?
7.4kW (32A, single phase) is the standard domestic charging speed and adds roughly 30 miles of range per hour, more than enough for most households to fully charge overnight. 22kW three-phase chargers exist but require a three-phase electrical supply, which most UK homes don’t have, and the extra speed rarely matters for overnight charging. Unless you have an unusually high-mileage routine or a three-phase supply already, 7.4kW is the right choice.
3. Which smart features do you actually need?
All grant-eligible chargers are “smart” in the sense of supporting scheduled charging, but the sophistication varies a lot. If you’re mainly after off-peak scheduling, most chargers handle this fine. If you want the charger to actively optimise against a smart tariff in real time, Ohme’s Intelligent Octopus integration is in a different league to the rest. If you want real-time solar diversion, Zappi is the clear leader. If you want the charger itself to manage your home’s total electrical load, Easee’s dynamic load balancing is the strongest option.
4. Do you have, or plan to get, solar panels?
This is the single biggest factor that should influence your choice. If you generate your own electricity, a charger with genuine real-time solar diversion (Zappi, with Hypervolt as a strong British-made alternative) means charging largely for free during daylight hours. Without solar, this feature is irrelevant, and you’re better off prioritising tariff optimisation or load balancing instead.
5. Is your electrical supply and consumer unit ready?
An EV charger needs a dedicated 32A circuit with appropriate RCD protection. If your consumer unit is older or has no spare capacity, you may need an upgrade first, though a charger with strong load balancing (Easee in particular) can sometimes avoid this by managing demand rather than requiring extra headroom. We assess this properly at a free site survey rather than assuming either way; see our guide on whether you need a consumer unit upgrade for an EV charger for more detail.
6. Budget, and the grant
All four chargers we install qualify for the current government EV chargepoint grant, so the grant shouldn’t be a deciding factor between them. Typical fully-installed costs in Hertfordshire range from around £850 for an Ohme Home Pro to around £1,600 for a Zappi with a longer cable run, see our full Hertfordshire cost guide for a detailed breakdown by brand.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing based on brand recognition alone: the most-advertised charger isn’t necessarily the right one for your specific home and energy setup.
- Overpaying for 22kW you’ll never use: unless you already have three-phase power, this is wasted spend.
- Ignoring solar plans: if solar panels are even a possibility in the next few years, a solar-ready charger now saves a costly swap later.
- Skipping the site survey: cable run length, consumer unit condition, and earthing arrangements all affect both cost and which charger genuinely suits your property.
Our most common recommendations, by scenario
- Solar panels, now or planned: Zappi
- On Intelligent Octopus or a similar smart tariff: Ohme
- Two EVs, or a limited electrical supply: Easee
- Want British-made with the longest warranty: Hypervolt
For a full side-by-side comparison including pricing and technical specs, see our Zappi vs Easee vs Ohme vs Hypervolt guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is there one EV charger that’s best for everyone?
No. The right charger depends on whether you have solar panels, how many EVs you’re charging, your energy tariff, and your property’s electrical setup. We’ll give you an honest recommendation based on your specific situation, not a one-size-fits-all answer.
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Do I need a smart charger to get the government grant?
Yes, the current EV chargepoint grant requires a smart charger capable of scheduled charging. All four brands we install qualify.
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Can I upgrade to a smarter charger later?
You can, but it means a full replacement rather than an upgrade, since the smart features are built into the unit itself. It’s worth choosing the right charger from the outset if you can.
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How do I know if my consumer unit can handle an EV charger?
We check this during a free site survey, looking at spare circuit capacity, main fuse rating, and earthing arrangements. Some chargers with strong load balancing can avoid the need for an upgrade even on older supplies.
Not Sure Which Charger Is Right for You?
Call us on 07736 736233 or fill in our EV charger quote form for a free, no-obligation assessment. We cover Watford, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Bushey, Rickmansworth, and throughout Hertfordshire. We will advise honestly on the right charger for your home and energy setup.
