Best Home EV Chargers for 2024

What are the benefits of having a Level 2 home EV charger?

Level 2 EV chargers are a major upgrade from the Level 1 device that comes with an electric car. For an in-depth explanation of charger speed, check out my guide to Level 1, 2 and DC Fast Charging. 

Faster than trickle charging

The main thing you need to know is that a Level 2 charger can charge an EV three to 10 times faster than a Level 1 charger can. A Level 1 charger delivers about 12 amps, give or take, and adds three to five miles of range to a typical electric car in an hour. A Level 2 charger delivers a minimum 16 amps, but most average around 40 with a rate of 15 to 30 miles of range per hour of charge, depending on the car and the specific charger.

More convenient than public charging 

If you're able to do it, charging at home is super convenient when compared with public level 2 or even DC fast charging -- no more waiting for your turn at a public station and then sitting in your car waiting to fill up. Simply plug in when you get home at the end of the day and the car should be ready to rock with a full battery in the morning. For around-town driving, I'd say it's even more convenient than going to the gas station. (Although, longer trips are a different conversation.)

Cheaper than public charging

The biggest benefit is cost. Home energy is typically cheaper per kilowatt-hour than what you'll pay at a DC fast charging station, especially if you use your EV or the charger's software to limit charging to the least expensive overnight off-peak hours. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American home pays around $0.17 per kWh, which works out to around $4.33 to drive a Tesla Model 3 100 miles. At a Supercharger, you can expect to pay up to $0.43 per kWh or around $10.75 to go the same distance.

Can improve your home's value 

Finally, installing an EV charger is a home improvement that can increase its value should you ever decide to sell. The upgrades to your home's power system are investments in your property. Adding a charger, or even just a 240-volt outlet, to your garage or driveway can make your home more appealing to buyers who drive EVs or plug-in hybrids.

How to prepare for Level 2 home charging?

There are a handful of things to think about before installing a Level 2 charger, but the first comes down to where you live and who controls your electrical supply.

Get proper permission 

If you own a home, that's probably all you need to know. You're the boss, and you can proceed with a Level 2 charging station. If you own a condo or townhome, you'll likely need permission from the homeowners' association. That could be as simple as filling out a form, or it could require jumping through a few more hoops, but you should start by reaching out to the association or property management company. If you rent a home or live in an apartment with reserved parking or a garage, hope is not lost. You'll still have to get the landlord's permission, and then determine how much power is available in the parking area and how it's metered.

Make sure you're set up for 240-volt power

If your home has an unused 240-volt circuit, you may already have most of your charger installation bases covered. An electrician may be able to confirm safe amperage and quickly get your charger wired up with minimal fuss or cost. If you have a 240-volt circuit that is being used not far from where you want to park your EV -- maybe an electric dryer in the garage -- there's a good chance you can find a Level 2 charger that will plug into the same outlet. (Most home plug-in Level 2s are available with the common NEMA 14-50 240-volt plug.) This path means you'll never be able to charge your car and run the dryer at the same time, so you may want to consider having an electrician run a second connection anyway. 

If you don't have a 240-volt current, that's not a huge challenge. The first thing you need is an electrician to tell you whether your existing electrical panel has sufficient capacity for a 240-volt line. There's a reasonable chance it does, but if it doesn't, you'll have to upgrade.

Check your home's available amperage

Next, you'll want to think about how many amps your home's 240-volt circuit can supply. For safety, the rule is that an EV charger's draw should be within 80% of the rated amperage of the circuit it's connected to. So an EVSE plugging into a 50-amp circuit shouldn't draw more than 40 amps itself. The most powerful 48-amp chargers on our Best List will require a 60-amp circuit for the fastest operation. If, like mine, your house only has room for a 30-amp circuit, then you should limit your charger to a 24-amp draw. 

Most chargers I recommend can be adjusted or limited to accommodate different circuits during installation. The Grizzl-E Classic, for example, is rated for a maximum of 10 kW at 40 amps but can be adjusted down to 3.8 kW for a 16-amp draw or 5.8 kW at 24 amps. If all of the amps and volts sound like Greek to you, seek the advice of a certified electrician who can advise you on what's safe for your home and what your options for upgrading are, if necessary.

Hardwire vs. outlet

While you're at it, you may also want to decide whether to go with a hardwired EV charger, which is semi-permanently connected to your home's electrical grid, or a plug-in charger that connects to a 240-volt electrical outlet. The former gives a cleaner install and may be able to reach higher charging rates; the latter is easier to remove and bring with you if you move but will limit you to a 40-amp output.

How to choose a home EV charger?

Because most Level 2 chargers require high-voltage installation, picking one that meets your needs requires a bit more forethought than portable Level 1 cables. You'll need to match the connector type and high-voltage power with your EV, but also consider weatherproofing, cable length, security and the right smart home features.

Check your EV's connection type

When choosing a home EV charger, you should first check what physical connector your EV uses. If it's a Tesla, it'll use the North American Charging System (NACS) port. Most other EVs will use the catchy name SAE J1772 port… for now. Most automakers that sell electric cars in America have announced an eventual transition to NACS in the near future, but for the next few years, J1772 is here to stay. (Where plug-in hybrids fit in this NACS puzzle remains to be seen, so J1772 will likely stick with us for longer still.)

Know your EV charging speed limit

Armed with that knowledge, next you'll need to figure out at what speed your EV can charge. Your EV's hardware has a built-in charging speed limit that it won't exceed even if connected to a faster charger -- sort of like how an iPhone connected to a 65W Macbook adapter still only charges at 20W. (This also means you can't really damage your EV by plugging into a more powerful charger.) Knowing this number can help you save money. There's no need, for example, to upgrade your home's circuit to accommodate an 11 kW, 48-amp charger when the Prius Prime you plan on connecting to it tops out at 6.6 kW at 28 amps (unless you're looking to do a little futureproofing.)

Indoor or outdoor installation

You'll also want to put some thought into where you plan to install the charger. Will it be indoors in a garage or outside in your driveway or a carport? If you're installing outdoors, security features may be high on your shopping list. Physical locks can keep strangers from stealing your precious kilowatt-hours while you're away from home. Alternatively, software-powered access control can let you grant access to a family member who's pet-sitting for you. The Autel MaxiCharger, for example, can be locked and unlocked with an RFID card or via a smartphone app.

High-voltage electronics also need to be protected from the elements. Most Level 2 chargers, including those on our Best List, are rated at least NEMA 3 -- a measurement of protection from environmental elements -- which is acceptable for outdoor use in dust, rain and snow. Some chargers go further to the NEMA 4 standard, which further shields against direct water pressure from, say, a garden hose. If there's lots of rain driven by stiff winds where you live, seeking that NEMA 4 rating is a good choice. Whether your Level 2 charger is going in the garage or out, it's always smart to choose one listed by Underwriters Laboratories or Edison Testing Labs. The UL or ETL listing designates compliance with safety standards established by these nationally recognized testing labs.

Proximity to your EV

The charger's location will also determine how long a connector cable you'll need. Most of the Level 2 chargers on our Best List feature 25-foot cables, which should give the most flexibility with regards to where you park and can even stretch to charge another EV or PHEV parked in a two-bay garage. The more cable you have, the more important cable management becomes, so look for an EV charger with a hook or holster to coil and hang the cable and its charging connector, keeping them off the ground, away from the elements and out of your EV's path when parking.

Bell and whistles 

Finally, we come to the bells and the whistles. Many of the home EV chargers on this list are smart chargers that connect to your home and the internet via Wi-Fi. This data connection allows you to adjust and control the charger, schedule charging times to accommodate off-peak energy rates and monitor how much energy is used during charging and how much it's costing. The JuiceBox series even includes Amazon Alexa connectivity allowing users to make specific requests like "Alexa, tell JuiceBox to add 100 miles to my car" to begin charging. Some EV chargers even feature dual charging cables allowing two EVs to be plugged in at the same time, sharing a circuit by either splitting available power or charging one after the other.

I'm a big fan of tech -- I've been writing about it for nearly 16 years -- but you may not need most or any of this advanced functionality. Many EVs already feature onboard data connections and apps that enable charge scheduling and remote monitoring, rendering these features redundant if built into the EVSE. Sometimes, a smart EVSE is simply less reliable than a simpler model despite the additional cost and complexity. Figuring out what your car can do on its own before you splurge on a charger can save hundreds of dollars and hours of headaches.

How much does it cost to install a home EV charger?

The cost of a home EV charger installation can vary based on multiple factors, including the age of your home and the state of its electrical system, the energy needs of your EV and its EVSE, local permit and license fees, labor costs and more. Different surveys by different organizations put the average cost of installing a Level 2 charge station between $650 and $800. That's on top of the charger, of course. A best-case scenario installation in a new home that already has a 40-60 amp breaker ready for connection can be as low as $400. Older homes that require more work or upgrades to their power panel can range from $1,000 to $2,500 or more. 

This is the aspect of the budget where your mileage may vary the most, and most homeowners will want to consult an electrician for the most accurate estimate to safely have their charger installed. Your EV's manufacturer, the dealership that sold the car or your local utility may be able to recommend a preferred installer for your area. Many automakers are also partnered with installation service providers, like Qmerit, that act as a one-stop shop to help new EV owners with assessment and permits, cost estimates, connecting with licensed installers and finding local installation incentives to save money.

What is the fastest home EV charger?

The vast majority of Level 2 home EV chargers are designed around relatively common 40 to 60-amp, single-phase 240-volt American residential circuits and the 7- to 11-kilowatt maximum charging speed of most EVs. There are a few electric cars that can exceed this speed limit with an extra beefy charger. The Porsche Wall Charger Connect and Ford Charge Station Pro are 80-amp EVSEs that can send up to 19.2 kW to a connected EV with a fast enough onboard charger.

The $1,670 requires a Porsche Taycan that has also been upgraded with a dealer-installed $1,850 onboard charger. With both home and in-car hardware in place, charging time for a Performance Battery Plus drops from 10.5 to 5.3 hours. Eager early adopters have estimated that with labor costs to upgrade the car and add a 100-amp circuit to your home, the final bill can easily exceed $5,500, making it tough to justify for all but the deepest, most impatient pockets.

What about charging your home with your car?

One of the holy grails of home EV charging is bidirectional power, which is the ability to draw energy stored in an EV's battery back out of the charging port for use outside of the vehicle. Bidirectional charging allows an EV to, for example, power your home, keeping the lights on during a blackout. Setup for this level of integration is much more involved, requiring a specific vehicle that supports the technology, a smart home power panel that can accept power from an EV and the bidirectional charger itself, which is often significantly more expensive than a normal Level 2 charger.

The aforementioned Ford Charge Station Pro is included with the purchase of the F-150 Lightning when equipped with the Extended Range battery, but it can also be purchased separately for $1,310. The 19.2 kW charger can add up to 30 miles of range per hour connected and enables the connected full-size electric pickup to power your home during a blackout via its Intelligent Backup Power feature.

Tesla's Cybertruck also supports Powershare bidirectional power when connected with the automaker's Universal Wall Connector and its Gateway 3V power management hardware. According to the automaker, the angular utility vehicle can power a home during an outage for over three days with 11.5 kW of continuous output.

How we evaluate home EV chargers

When selecting the best EV chargers for this list, I leaned heavily on my 16 years of experience evaluating electric cars and plug-in hybrids for CNET reviews. Over the years, I've been able to learn from the EV automakers, their engineers and other industry experts about what to look for in a good home EV charger. I have also spoken extensively with certified electricians while getting charging set up for our long-term Kia EV6 test car at my home last year. Compiling that information into this guide, I've chosen what I think will be the best home EV chargers you can buy today with an eye toward the needs of the EVs of tomorrow.