This article was updated in April 2026 with new products and information. We plan to update this article regularly as we test additional units.
Okayso you bought an electric vehicle. Now what? There are a number of ways in which EV ownership will be different from having a vehicle with an internal-combustion enginebut a big one you need to figure out immediately is charging. What's the best EV charger for your home?
Best Home EV Chargers
- Best Overall: Emporia Pro / Emporia Classic
- Best Budget: Lectron Portable Level 2
- Least Expensive for Two EVs: Grizzl-E Duo
Trust usyou'll want to be charging at home as much as possible. This has two significant benefits: Charging can be accomplished when the vehicle is otherwise parkedand home charging is substantially cheaper (roughly one-third the cost) of DC fast-charging. On averageEV charging equipment will have an up-front cost of between $400 and $700. Butdepending what equipment came with your EVyou might not need to buy a home unit at alland could instead make do with the included portable-charging setup.
For Sale Near You
See all results for used cars for sale near ?
More Gear Tests: Best Dash Cams | Best Radar Detectors | Best OBD-II Scanners
For this testI installed a dedicated 240-volt outlet in my garage—just as a new EV owner would need to. I then tested these chargers with Car and Driver's long-term Tesla Model 3Rivian R1TBMW i4Hyundai Ioniq 5Kia EV9and Lucid Air Pure—among various other test vehicles—taking notes on each charger's performance in typical daily use. Testing each unit takes monthsthanks to the multitude of hours required to charge cars and gather data. We plan on updating this article with new products and testing data twice a year.
see all the best deals on ev chargers at amazon
The Best Home EV Chargers for 2026Tested
Pros
- Included load balancing capability
- Powerful tracking app
- Slim unit and charging cable
Cons
- Installation is more involved than other units
| Output Capability: | 6–48 amps (1.4–11.5 kW) |
|---|---|
| Cord Length: | 25 feet |
| Cord Management: | Included wall mount |
| Outdoor Rating: | Yes (NEMA 4) |
You may have heard grumbling from EV owners who have had to make an expensive upgrade to their electrical service in order to charge their vehicles. That's what's so great about the Emporia Pro: It comes with the company's Vue 3 energy monitor that installs into your house's electrical panelallowing the system to adjust the EV-charging output in real time to make sure it doesn't exceed what your house can handle. No panel-upgrade neededbut that does make the install more complicated than other chargers that don't have this functionality.
For Sale Near You
See all results for used cars for sale near ?
This new Emporia Pro is also much slimmer with a far thinner cable that's easier to wrangle than the company's previous Level 2 home chargerwhich is now called the Classic and is sold alongside the Pro.
In factif you're trying to pinch penniesyou can buy the Vue 3 home energy monitor ($100 at Amazon) and older Classic Level 2 charger separately ($529 combined) and get the same load-balancing capability. We also found this latest setup from Emporia to react to charging electrical loads much quicker than before. Either Emporia unit pairs with the same powerful app that also houses info about the plethora of other energy-monitoring devices and smart plugs the company sells (for exampleyou can monitor each individual circuit breaker in your entire home). It's a powerful and capable appbut if you're only using it for EV charging it can seem unnecessarily complex.
Emporia offers J1772 or NACS plug typesin hardwire or plug configurationall for the same price. If you don't need the load-balancing featurego with the less expensive Emporia Classic.
Pros
- Comparatively high output
- Attractive price point
Cons
- App is cluttered
- Can't enter specific vehicles
| Output Capability | 6–48 amps (1.4–11.5 kW) |
|---|---|
| Cord Length | 25 ft |
| Cord Management | Included wall mount |
| Outdoor Rating | Yes (NEMA 4) |
Emporia offers a vast library of electricity-monitoring devicesfrom typical smart outlets to a system that tracks every circuit in your home's fuse panel. This entire electricity-tracking universe is integrated into Emporia's appincluding the ability to link your EV to the app through the Smartcar API. But if you're just using the EV-charging equipmentnavigating around all of these unused areas makes the app seem overly complex.
Otherwisethis is an impressive Wi-Fi–connected entry at a price hundreds of dollars less than other top chargers. The 11.5-kW-output capability is at the high end of this roundup. And short of a couple of featuressuch as using a specific vehicle to estimate the miles or battery percentage gainedthe Emporia has just about everythingincluding detailed electricity pricing using your actual utility plan like the ChargePoint. The Emporia is now available with either a J1772 plug or a NACS/J3400 connectorand comes in either plug-in or hardwire configurationall for the same price. While the load-balancing functionality is included with the Emporia Pro aboveit can also be purchased separately and paired with the Classic version.
Pros
- Nuanced vehicle tracking
- Tons of features
- Great price
Cons
- Additional functionality doesn't work with TeslaRivianor Lucid vehicles
Features at a Glance
| Output Capability: | 7–48 amps (1.7–11.5 kW) |
|---|---|
| Cord Length: | 25 feet |
| Cord Management: | Included wall mount |
| Outdoor Rating: | Yes (NEMA 4) |
This new entry from Michigan-based automotive supplier DanlawInc. is appropriately namedas it's significantly more intelligent than the typical Wi-Fi–connected smart charger. The additional functionality includes tracking energy consumption of your vehicle on each drivewhich it uses to arrive at real-world range estimatesand sends notifications when you should plug in based on your driving behavior and how many miles it predicts you'll drive the next day.
The additional smarts are enabled by a dongle that plugs into your vehicle's OBD-II port under the dashwhich is also used to communicate with your charging unit to initiate charging while preventing anyone without a registered dongle from doing so. (Note: The driving data is synched when the vehicle is close to the charging unit; it isn't broadcasting the vehicle's drive cycles or location in real time.) For many EVs or PHEVsits self-reported battery health rating (out of 100 percent) is also displayed in the app. The CleverCharge also comes with other data that's often part of having a dongle plugged in; one time I got an alert with the three error codes that caused a vehicle's check-engine light to illuminate. It also sent me a push notification during a storm that my household voltage was low before a subsequent power outage.
The CleverCharge excels at having multiple charging units and vehicles linked to a single account. We also found it easy to useand the 25-foot cord is thinner than mostallowing it to easily snake under a closed garage door to charge a vehicle in the driveway. Really the only major issue is that vehicles lacking an OBD-II port or communication protocolsuch as TeslaRivianand Lucid vehiclesnone of the additional features will work. Despite all the extra smartsthe CleverCharge is priced way down at the low end of the market andlike most of the otherscomes in either plug-in or hardwired formats with J1772 or NACS connector.
Pros
- Affordable
- Has all the usual smart features
Cons
- Confusing app functionality
- Can't look up past charges
- Bad customer-service experience
Features at a Glance
| Output Capability: | 1–48 amps (0.2–11.5 kW) |
|---|---|
| Cord Length: | 25 feet |
| Cord Management: | Included wall mount |
| Outdoor Rating: | Yes (IP66/NEMA 4) |
Eviqo is regularly a top seller among EV charging equipment on Amazonso we figured it was time to check it out. It checks all the usual boxes: 25-foot cordprogrammable charge timesand energy tracking. The one exceptional characteristic is that the NEMA 14-50 plug is on a long cableleaving lots of flexibility with where the unit can be mounted and still reach the outlet. It's also priced at the low end of the marketwhich no doubt helps its popularity.
But the app isn't nearly as easy to use as the bestfor example it's not simple to set up overnight charging to take advantage of lower electricity rates. You have to program two rules: fromsay7 pm to 11:59 pmand then a second one to start at 12:00 am. Alsoa slider bar to adjust the current output lives prominently on the main screen where you can accidentally bump itand that's a setting that's rarely used. And you can't go back and look at individual chargesonly one-weekone-monthor three-month totals.
Our unit arrived missing the mounting bracket for the wall-mount hook for the charging handle and cable. This seemed like a simple enough oversightbut it took a lot of back-and-forth emails with the customer service teamwho would sometimes go five days between responsesto get it resolved. After they agreed to send a replacementit took another two weeks to get a tracking number. It finally arrived just over six weeks after my initial email to customer service.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Energy tracking
- Portable
Cons
- No cord management
- App isn't as sophisticated as the best
| Output Capability: | 8/12/16/24/32/40 amps (1.9/2.9/3.8/5.8/7.7/9.6 kW) |
|---|---|
| Cord Length: | 16 ft |
| Cord Managment: | None |
| Outdoor Rating: | Yes (IP65 control unitNEMA 3R charging handle) |
Lectron's long been on our radar as an affordable maker of EV charging equipment and adapters. In factit's one of the go-to suppliers of NACS to SAE adapters for automakers. For this testwe tried out the company's entry-level charging equipmentwhich looks like a portable unit that might come with the purchase of an EV. Butimportantlythe Lectron unit has Wi-Fi connectivity with the capability to control charge times and settingsplus monitor energy use via an app. (There's also a slightly cheaper version of this unit that does without the connectivity.)
It comes with a wall mount to make the installation more permanentbut you'll need to hang your own hook as a place to hang the cord. The app isn't as sophisticated as some from the more expensive chargersand we don't like that you can't look back at specific charges that are more than a month old (although you can see the overall usage for past months). But there's no need to spend more than this to get a perfectly capable home-charging setup.
Pros
- Remote monitoring and control
- Nuanced cost tracking
- Smart functions integrated into same ChargePoint app used for public charging
Cons
- One of the most expensive
- Lesser outdoor rating than some of the others
- Lower output settings require hardwire installation
| Output Capability | 16/24/32/40/48/50 amps (3.8/5.8/7.7/9.6/11.5/12.0 kW) |
|---|---|
| Cord Length | 23 ft |
| Cord Management | Built-in |
| Outdoor Rating | Yes (NEMA 3R) |
ChargePoint is one of the largest providers of public chargingwith tens of thousands of units nationwide. Its Home Flex unit tested here integrates into the same app used to connect to the company's public units. You can add your vehicle in the appwhich tailors the percentage of the battery replenished and number of EPA miles added to your specific vehicle.
We found the app to be very user-friendlywith the best displays for charge-rate graphsand it also shows the total charge time and total energy output during each charge. Furthermoreit offers the ability to schedule charging times to take advantage of variable-cost electricity during off-peak hours (most EVs also allow this to be configured in their settings menu).
The ChargePoint app has the most nuanced cost trackingallowing us to select from among dozens of possible rate plans from our local utility to pinpoint the actual cost of charging down to the pennyeven when on a variable rate.
We also appreciate the simplicity of the built-in notch for wrapping the cord around at the top of the unit and that the plug latches onto its dock in the center; many other units require mounting a second cord-management device.
Pros
- Built-in adapter to switch between J1772 and Tesla's NACS plugs
- Features an electronic locking mechanism so the adapter can't go missing
- The unit integrates into the Tesla mobile app
Cons
- Lacks some of the data (such as cost tracking) provided by other EV chargers
| Output Capability | 12/16/24/32/40/48 amps (2.9/3.8/5.8/7.7/9.6/11.5 kW) |
|---|---|
| Cord Length | 24 ft |
| Cord Management | Built-in |
| Outdoor Rating | Yes (NEMA 3R) |
The Universal Wall Connector is Tesla's latest home-charging offeringwhich has a built-in adapter to switch seamlessly between J1772 and NACS plug types. The unit itself is significantly thicker than the standard Wall Connector with the Tesla plugbut there's a reason for that: the adapter. At firstit appears to be a simple contraption that slides onto the end of a typical Tesla connectorbut it's actually electronically locked into place so the adapter can't go missing. Nifty.
Power output remains the same from the standard Wall Connectorwhich peaks at 11.5 kilowattsis available only in a hardwire configurationand has the ability to power share with other Wall Connectors.
In other big newsthe unit integrates into the Tesla mobile app to allow monitoring of energy usewhich is mandatory if you want to track efficiency like we do with all of our test cars. Once the charging unit is installedit must be commissioned via a separate Tesla One appbut thankfullyany DIYer can create an account to set up the maximum output for the circuit the unit is connected toand users can also specify certain Teslas to allow to charge at the unit while blocking others. Unfortunatelythat functionality doesn't carry over to non-Tesla vehicles.
The slimness of the Wall Connector's 24-foot-long cable continues to impress us as it matches the output capacity of units with thicker cables. This makes the cord easier to maneuver and leaves a smaller gap when the garage door is closed on it when charging a vehicle in the driveway.
Pricewisethe Universal is at the higher endbut for a mixed-EV household or to future-proof your home-charging setupthis is a great solution.
Pros
- Seamless power sharing between two EVs
- Beefy aluminum enclosure
Cons
- No internet connectivity/smart functions
- Thick cables are heavy and resist winding around the wall mounts
| Output Capability: | 16/24/32/40 amps (3.8/5.8/7.7/9.6 kW) |
|---|---|
| Cord Length: | 24 ft ea |
| Cord Management: | Included wall mounts |
| Outdoor Rating: | Yes (NEMA 4/IP67) |
Going from a single EV in the household to two or more requires a rethink on your charging setup. Grizzl-E offers this Duo unit as an easy solution. It plugs into a single outlet—there are variants for NEMA 6-50 or 14-50 plug types—and has two 24-foot cables with two J1772 connectors to charge two vehicles simultaneously. With one EV plugged inthat side gets all the available juiceup to the unit's or the car's maximum. If you then plug in a second EVthe output immediately splits to half for each cable.
As with other single-plug Grizzl-E home chargersthe enclosure is made of beefy aluminumand its thick cables resist winding around the included wall mounts more than most. Howeverthis is the least expensive dual-plug charging unit we could find. Other two-vehicle options involve buying two separate charging units wired to two dedicated circuits—which would be far more expensive—or setting up some kind of power-sharing arrangementwhere the two units share the output of a single circuit (both the Tesla and Emporia units support this). Another way to do this is to use the Lectron Socket Splitter (see review below).
What the Grizzl-E Duo doesn't offer is a Wi-Fi–connected version to allow users to track their electrical use and cost in a detailed manner or schedule charging via an app. But for a seamless way to charge two EVs simultaneouslythe Duo gets the job done.
Pros
- Allows charging of two EVs from a single 240-volt outlet
- Automatically switches between outlets after charging is completed
Cons
- Not outdoor rated
- Can't charge two EVs simultaneously
- One of the sockets on ours was loose after hardly any use
| Output Capability: | Up to 40 amps (9.6 kW) |
|---|---|
| Outdoor Rating: | No (IP22) |
While technically not EV-charging equipment like the othersthis Lectron Socket Splitter is another option for charging two EVs from a single circuit. Think of it sort of like a power strip for 240-volt outletswhere it plugs into your high-voltage outlet and then two individual EV chargers (or household appliances or other equipment) plug into it. The unit prioritizes the left outletbut once that side stops chargingthe unit will start charging the vehicle connected to the other side.
It doesn't ever split the power 50-50 like the Grizzl-E Duo unit does. It works well enoughas long as you make sure there's sufficient time to charge both vehicles—because if the left side never stops chargingthe unit will never switch over to the other side. Alsoafter only a handful of usesour left outlet started wobbling in place after a trim piece broke inside the unitalthough it was still fully functional.
How We Tested EV Chargers
When putting together this storyI went down the same path a new EV owner wouldstarting with installing a dedicated 240-volt outlet in my garage. We have charging at the Car and Driver officebut I needed a proper setup at home to support all of the EVs we review.
I was able to add a 40-amp circuit to the existing electric service in my house without a pricy upgrade to run additional capacityso that's why I landed on a 40-amp outlet versus a 50-amp setup.
To be able to switch easily among the unitsI ordered the NEMA 14-50 plug-in variant of each charging device. (Note: Tesla doesn't sell a version of its Wall Connector with a plugso to keep our test comparableI wired one in myself to connect to my NEMA 14-50 outlet.)
In the first round of testingI used each unit to charge our long-term Tesla Model 3 numerous times over a period of months. I then compared the electricity output from the wall to what the Model 3 reported made it into its battery pack using the third-party (and very cool) TeslaFi software.
Since thenI've tested many other units along with the favorites from before using our long-term Rivian R1TBMW i4Hyundai Ioniq 5Kia EV9and Lucid Air Pureplus many other EVs and PHEVs we're reviewing. Despite varying cord lengths and thicknessesthere was no measurable difference in performance or efficiency (which averaged roughly 5 to 8 percent charging losses).
EV Charging at Home
If you're an electric-vehicle owner who wants to start charging at homehere's what you need to know.
EV Charging Levels:
- Level 1: Uses 120-volt AC electricity to charge (i.e.a standard household outlet) with an output of roughly 1 kilowatt. Takes days to charge.
- Level 2: Uses 240-volt AC electricity to chargewith outputs generally between 6 and 19 kilowatts. Can charge an EV with a modest-size battery overnight.
- Level 3/DC Fast-Charger: Uses 400- or 800-volt DC electricity to chargewith output ranging from 50 to 400-plus kilowatts. Can charge an EV's battery from 10 to 90 percent in as little as a half-hour. You'll find these in public areasbut they're illogical for home use due to their high cost.
Output:
This is how much charging power is being sent to your EVwhich is measured in kilowatts. (The voltage of the electrical circuit times the amps of current flowing equals the power in watts; 1000 watts equals a kilowatt. For examplea 240-volt outlet drawing 32 amps of current is outputting 7.7 kilowatts of power.)
Connector Types:
A connector is what you need to connect your charging equipment to your EV. For at-home chargers like the products on this listthere are two main types to keep an eye out for: J1772 and Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS or J3400). Thankfullyadapters to switch between connector types are widely availableso limiting your purchase to whatever connection your vehicle features isn't necessary.
Cost to Install:
Cost really depends on if you have enough spare electrical capacity. If soyou might be able to run a new line for a few hundred dollars. If notadding capacity to your home's electrical system can cost a few thousand. More on that below.
Tax Breaks for EV Charging:
The sweeping Inflation Reduction Act reinstated a federal tax credit of 30 percent of your total costs (capped at $1000). Electrical upgradeswiringand the charger itself all qualify for this creditbut you'll want to act fastas it's set to expire on June 302026.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Home EV Charger
Household Circuit Output
Your home's electrical circuit is rated for a certain amount of maximum amperage. Since EV charging can demand anywhere from 24 to 80 ampsit's important to see what additional capacity your home has above your current electrical needsincluding furnaceair conditioningovenclothes dryeretc.
Check the main fuse in your breaker box to see the amperage rating—that's the maximum your home can handle before blowing that main breaker. If you have 150- or 200-amp service or higheryou may have enough wiggle room to add charging without an upgrade. But you'll need to measure your house's peak electrical use and consult an electrician. We recommend using a modest 40- or 50-amp circuit due to its ability to charge most EVs overnight while keeping down install costs. Pluswhen not charging a vehicleyou could use that 240-volt outlet for other itemssuch as an electric heater or welder. You will need a certified electrician to verify your home's circuit capacity and install any equipment or upgrades necessary.
Some EV-charging equipmentsuch as this Emporia unitprovides load managementwhich means it constantly monitors your house's overall output and will automatically lower the charging draw if necessary to prevent exceeding your house's capacity.
Charge Rate
The charge rate is expressed in kilowatts of power—volts times amps equals watts1000 watts equals a kilowatt—which can be used to estimate charge time. If you're charging at 6 kilowatts and your EV has a 60.0-kWh batterythe charge time from empty to full will be roughly 10 hours. (It will actually be slightly longer due to losses during charging and the slowing of the charge rate as the battery nears 100 percent.) The charge rate is affected by three factors and will be limited to the lowest of these: the output of the household circuitthe charging equipmentand the vehicle's onboard charger.
Wi-Fi Connectivity
If you wish to keep track of your EV's electrical use and costyou'll want a home-charging unit with Wi-Fi connectivity. This allows you to monitor chargingreceive alertsand control the unit via an app.
Variants
Most of these EV chargers offer different variants to suit your needs. These variants (hard-wired or plugdifferent output capabilitiesdifferent connector typesand varying cord lengths) are typically offered at slightly different prices. Make sure you look at all the various options from any manufacturer.
Outdoor Rating
If you'd like your EV charger to be mounted outsideit's perfectly doable. Each charging unit we tested has an outdoor-grade rating according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) or Ingress Protection (IP) standards. There's additional information on deciphering these ratings in our FAQs section below.
FAQs
Previous Models Tested
Wallbox Pulsar Plus
The Wallbox unit itself is lighter and smaller than most—it's roughly an eight-by-eight-inch square—so it doesn't take up much wall real estate. The app has a clean lookis easy to useand has the usual featuressuch as the ability to schedule charge times based on variable electricity rates or any other preference. Howeverthe pricing function lacks the ability to track a variable rate like the ChargePoint and Emporia will do. Like EmporiaWallbox offers a load-sharing functionbut it requires buying the company's very pricy $449 power meter.
Overallwe found the Wallbox to work wellbut it doesn't offer any above-and-beyond features to justify a price that's higher than that of our top-rated models.
Battery Tender
If you own a classic or other vehicle that spends a lot of time sittingyou're probably familiar with the Battery Tender brandwhich sells a lot of trickle chargers for 12-volt batteries. The company more recently started offering a couple Level 2 options for charging EVs. We tested the 40-amp unit (9.6 kW max)which is the lower of the two wall-mounted optionsand has one unique feature: The ability to require swiping a RFID card to start charging as a way to prevent unwanted users from accessing it. That could be a handy feature if your charging equipment is mounted outside butunfortunatelydisabling that setting can be done by anyone with access to the unit (no passcode or anything)which completely defeats the purpose.
While the Battery Tender is already one of the most expensive in the testthe higher-output 48-amp (11.5 kW) version costs even more. Unlike most of the competitionthe Battery Tender doesn't offer Wi-Fi connectivity for control or energy monitoring. Insteadthe energy consumed is displayed on a built-in 4.3-inch display while charging and briefly after unplugging. We'd generally prefer the ease of remote connectivitybut if your mounting location is out of range of your Wi-Fithis is an option. Unfortunatelythe readout is very simpleand there are no extra frillssuch as scrolling back through past charges. The unit itself is one of the largest and bulkiest in our rounduptoo.
Why Trust Us
I am an automotive engineer turned writer with more than 20 years of experience testing and reviewing cars. With the advent of the modern EVI've thrown myself into learning everything I can about motorsbatteriesand charging. This roundup of home EV-charging units isn't simply a distinct test that happened over days or weeks after which I moved on to something else. It's an ongoing way of life for me as I'm constantly driving and reviewing new EVs and continually evaluating the charging side of the equation while the vehicles are plugged in overnightand I'm always looking for the best new units to evaluate.
Car and Driver has been testing cars since 1956and we continue to measure the maximum accelerationbrakingand cornering performance of many hundreds of vehicles every year. In additionwe measure everything from cargo capacity to how much a vehicle's pillars block outward visibility to real-world fuel economy at 75 mph. When you read one of our reviewsyou're getting the value of decades of hands-on automotive experience and knowledge.
More recentlywe've added new tests to measure the burgeoning class of electric vehicles. Those include a range test at a steady 75-mph highway speed and a fast-charging test from 10 percent to 90 percent state of charge. You can read more about our extensive vehicle testing here. We know and love cars and live and breathe them all dayevery day.
The Gear Team helps readers make informed purchasing choices about automotive geartoolsand accessories through hands-on product evaluations and comprehensive testing. Car and Driver's renowned testing standards mandate that we use all products we feature and that our findings and recommendations are based on personal experience and knowledge—not hype. We won't claim to have tested something we haven'tand we'll never recommend a product we wouldn't buy ourselves.
The Gear Team's product selection and gear picks are editorially independent; Car and Driver has a strict policy against accepting payment for placement in articles.
We've evaluated dozens of product categoriesincluding floor matstire inflatorsand car covers. Visit our Tested & Trusted collection to see the very best in automotive gear. Read more about our testing process here.
Dave VanderWerp has spent more than 20 years in the automotive industryin varied roles from engineering to product consultingand now leading Car and Driver's vehicle-testing efforts. Dave got his very lucky start at C/D by happening to submit an unsolicited resume at just the right time to land a part-time road warrior job when he was a student at the University of Michiganwhere he immediately became enthralled with the world of automotive journalism.
