The Best Home EV Chargers (Review & Buying Guide) in 2018

We’ll kick off our list with this charging station from Siemens. This is, of course, a company that needs very little introduction, as Siemens is a world-renowned manufacturer of high-quality electronics.

What we have here is an EV charging station that very much lives up to that pedigree, to the extent, this is an award-winning design. This is a hardwired model, which means that it is capable of delivering high levels of charge power. In fact, this is one of the most powerful at home chargers on the market right now. It can push out 30 Amps of power to allow for the 220/240V charge being delivered.

That is going to charge a vehicle battery from zero to fully charged in potentially just a few hours. That is always a handy feature to have! As a Siemens design, you also get a lot of handy features built-in here like a high quality 14ft charging cable, flexible timing controls and comes with a well designed mounting bracket.

It can work at temperatures between minus 30 to plus 50 Celsius too.  All of this is protected by a 3-year warranty for a truly outstanding product that makes a strong claim to being one of the best home EV chargers out there.

If power is the number one consideration when you are shopping for a new EV charger then you should take a good look at this model. JuiceBox is an EV Charger maker with a well-earned rep for making high quality, powerful charging tools.

This model is no different, making use of 40 amps of power for an incredibly high (and fast) charge level. That power is delivered by a power cable with a very useful length of 24 feet, making it easier to install the device within easy reach of your vehicle.

You also get top quality controls, via the built-in WiFi in the charger. That allows you to control the charger via a Smartphone app or even via Alexa voice control.

“Alexa! Charge the car!” How cool is that, huh?

For so many high-end features you are looking at investing a significant chunk of change. This device comes with a premium price tag and is easily one of the most expensive on our list today. Not only that though, it requires your home to have an electrical circuit that can handle at least 50 amps of power, so you may need to upgrade your home wiring and circuit breakers.

Still, if you want extreme power that is very well controlled then this item must be high up your list.

Next up we have another premium product, this time from ChargePoint. Again we have a premium price point, but also again we have a product that is both high powered and packed with premium features.

This is another Level 2 charger, with an output on 32 Amps. Again that is a power level that can see a vehicle charged up in a matter of a few hours. It is also good to see that it has compatibility across a huge range of vehicle makers. Ford, BMW, Toyota, Honda – all covered.

It has a 25ft cable and it is also not a hard-wired model. It is instead a plug-in charging station, meaning it’s easy to take with you if you move home. Built-in WiFi allows you to manage the device remotely whilst it has a very attractive shiny black finish.

Again, the price tag is well toward the top end of the range. But for the money, you are getting a real high-end EV charger here.

This next electric car charging device has been designed with ease of use and installation at its heart. To that end, it is a simpler device than some others we have looked at already. There is no WiFi connectivity for example.

On the other hand, there are still a lot of useful features and design points in what is a very well designed charger. For example, it is very powerful, with a 32Amp output. That power is delivered however via a simple plug and play design. All you do is plug the device into a Nema 14-50 power outlet and away you go. If you don’t have one of these, an electrician can usually install one pretty simply and cheaply.

The device has a huge compatibility range too, with ClipperCreek stating that the product should work on just about every EV out there right now. The device is nice and small so won’t take up much room, it can be installed inside or outside and the 25ft length of the power cable is a very useful length.

Next up we have the first Level 1 charger to make the list. There are a number of pros and cons to each device when you compare a Level 1 and Level 2 charger. Naturally, one of the big pros for a Level 1 charger is that they are easy to use and much cheaper than a Level 2 model.

That is also true here with this offering from ZenCar. It is coming in with a price tag about one third what you would pay for a premium, Level 2 model. It is also very easy to use, simply plug into a power outlet and away you go. It can deliver between 15 to 16 Amps of charging power too.

On the one hand that is lower than you will get with a Level 2 charger. It does though mean that you likely won’t have to make any adjustments to your existing power circuits in your home. It will take longer to charge a car too, especially from a zero battery level. It can be great to just plug in a trickle charge a vehicle though, especially a hybrid.

This next item is another that places a premium on producing an electric vehicle charger that is simple and easy to use. Unlike the item we looked at above, however, this device is not only extremely simple but also delivers a Level 2 power supply.

That translates to a 40 Amp power output, which is actually very impressive given the fact that this unit it very, very small. It is also a plug and play style of charger that means it is easy to install and use, running off of a Nema 14-50 style outlet.

It also has a wide range of compatibility, with most vehicles able to be charged with this device. 25 foot of charging cable is very generous too. As a simpler device, this product does miss a few of the premium end features like enhanced controls or WiFi connectivity. That simplicity does mean it’s a bit cheaper than premium models, however.

On the one hand, this is another simpler style of EV charger. It lacks the WiFi connectivity or advanced built-in controls (like a timer) on other premium models. On the other hand, though it is a simple but effective design that boasts a high-quality waterproof case for outside storage.

It is also a plug and play style of model. That means it is easier to install and it is also easier to take with you if you move. A 25-foot cable is great to see, whilst no one can deny this is a very powerful model. Handling up to 40 Amps of power means that this product will be able to handle the charging of even larger vehicle batteries with speed and efficiency.

That is about it features wise though, it is a simple but effective electric vehicle charging station. There is nothing wrong with that of course, apart from the fact that this is the most expensive charger on the list. It is, without doubt, a high quality-charging device, but does it truly justify the sky-high price tag?

Say what you like about this electric car charger, it is certainly easy on the eyes! It boasts a very stylish design and shiny, black finish that lends it a highly modern and attractive appeal.

Is there more to it than a pretty face though? Luckily, yes. First off this is a hardwired style of charger with a 30 Amp output. It also has very well designed, built-in controls. They can be used to delay the start of charging, perhaps to overnight charging when electric price rates can be lower.

The very useful LED display simply and easily highlights the vehicle charge condition. It boasts wide compatibility across a range of vehicle manufacturers too. The power cord is though only 18 feet, so a little shorter than you will see with many other models of EV charger.

The final sweetener is a free $50 credit to use at a Blink public charger. With around 4,000 in the country at present, if you live near one fifty bucks of free electricity is not to be sniffed at.

We’ll finish up with this small and sleek design of EV charger from EVoCharge. Whilst it may be small and neat (it has the same footprint as a piece of A4 paper) it is actually very tough. If you are looking for a model of the charger to install outside this could be the one for you.

In addition to that toughness, another stand out feature is the power. This unit can crank out up to 32 Amp of power for a very fast charge time. It also has wide compatibility across a huge range of vehicle types and manufacturers. An 18-foot power cord is again a little mean when some others are giving out up to 25 feet of cord.

This is one of the simpler styles of level 2 charger and whilst it does allow you to control the power output levels, there are no delay options and the power display is pretty basic. Still, it also has a very decent price tag for what is a very tough and high powered charging unit.