Best home EV chargers UK: big-name wallbox firms including Hypervolt, Ohme and Pod Point rated best to worst

The UK’s best and worst home charging providers for electric cars have been revealed in new research.

The survey of more than 4,000 EV owners assessed the country’s biggest wallbox providers on cost, reliability, waiting times and customer experience, with Pod Point emerging as the overall winner. 

An estimated 80% of all EV owners charge their cars at home and there are around 400,000 home and workplace chargers already installed around the UK. Legislation coming into force this year will require all new-build homes in England to be equipped with a charge point ahead of the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, prompting the What Car? research.

The study gave most weight (75%) to customer satisfaction – including whether the charger had gone wrong, how easy it was to use, and what additional features it offered – with the cost of the charger, including fitting, making up the rest.

It found that Pod Point - one of the UK’s longest-established and largest charging providers - offered the best combination of value and customer satisfaction, scoring an overall rating of 82.2%. It was rated top for value, with nine out of 10 chargers costing less than £750, and was fourth for customer satisfaction, with 85.7% of owners happy with their device. 

In second place was a relative newcomer, Hypervolt. The British brand was ranked top overall for customer experience, with 93% of owners satisfied with the service and equipment. It was only kept off the top spot by the relatively high cost, which saw 60% of drivers paying more than £750 and 35% spending more than £1,000 to have their unit supplied and fitted. 

Providers of units that can make use of home-produced energy, such as Myenergi and Ohme, also scored well for satisfaction, but higher prices brought their overall scores down. Since 2022 all home chargers have had to have “smart” connectivity that can schedule charging times but some devices go further by using excess power from solar panels or feeding back power from the car to the grid in times of peak demand.

Home charging providers ranked

At the bottom of the table was BP Pulse, which scored well for value but was let down by a poor customer experience. Half of customers paid less than £500 for their unit and only 13% paid more than £1,000. However, the satisfaction score of 69% was the lowest of any firm in the study and 40% of BP Pulse owners said they wouldn’t recommend the brand. 

The company - previously one of the country’s biggest home wallbox providers - announced in May that it would no longer supply home devices, instead focusing on installations for fleet operators and public devices. 

What Car consumer editor Claire Evans commented: “A wide range of home chargers are available, ranging from simple units that just charge the car when they’re programmed to, to complex units that can help homeowners make the most of ‘green’ energy.

“Our research highlights the fact that buying the most expensive unit you can find won’t necessarily result in the best experience. It’s worth shopping around to find the most suitable system for you.”