The Best Electric Vehicle Chargers for Home

Budget pick

This model supports up to 40 A charging, has a 25-foot cord, and is fully weatherproofed. Plus, it’s less expensive than many comparable models.

Despite costing less than many of the chargers in our testing pool, the United Chargers Grizzl-E Classic 40A offers many of the same capabilities and features available in pricier models. It isn’t as elegant-looking as some of our other picks, and it’s available only in a J1772-plug configuration, but it’s powerful, ruggedly built, easy to use, and equipped with a long cord.

It works with most EVs. Unlike our top pick, the Grizzl-E Classic has only a J1772 plug, but you can still buy a separate J1772-to-NACS adapter to use it with a Tesla or other vehicle that has an NACS port. The company also sells an NACS plug holder that you can mount next to the charger, which is convenient if you plan to use that type of adapter frequently.

It’s powerful. The Grizzl-E Classic is rated for a maximum current of 40 A, which we were able to reproduce in our testing. It can charge much faster than the Level 1 chargers that come with most EVs.

It has a long, flexible cord. Like the Emporia charger, the Grizzl-E Classic has a 25-foot cord, one of the longest of the chargers we tested. The cord is thin and flexible enough for you to easily wind it up when you aren’t using it.

It offers multiple installation options. In addition to being hardwire-ready, the Grizzl-E Classic comes with either a NEMA 14-50 plug or a NEMA 6-50 plug; you choose one or the other at checkout.

It’s a safe buy. The Grizzl-E Classic is UL-listed, which means it’s been tested and certified to be in accordance with national safety and compliance standards.

It’s built for most environments. If you’d like the option of installing your charger outside, this model has the most weatherproof exterior of any we tested. Its IP67 rating indicates that the charger is fully protected against superficial dirt, dust, moisture, and even heavy rain or snow.

The Grizzl-E Classic’s charging plug has a rubber cover attached by a short tether, which further protects the internal components from the elements. Also, like most models we tested, this one is rated to operate safely within a temperature range of -22 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s relatively affordable. At this writing, the Grizzl-E Classic is one of the least expensive models we tested, costing just $400.

It has a great warranty. United Chargers’s three-year warranty is as long as any we’ve seen, so you’ll have plenty of time to install your charger, use it, and determine if it needs to be replaced or repaired. An optional five-year warranty costs $100 more.

It doesn’t take up much space. This model is relatively compact and lightweight, measuring 6.25 by 10.25 by 3.5 inches (not including the cord) and weighing just 20 pounds (about as much as a beagle). It comes with wall-mounting hardware for the main unit, as well as a wall-mountable holster for the charging nozzle.

It comes in three colors. The original Grizzl-E Classic is black. The Grizzl-E Avalanche 40A and Grizzl-E Extreme 40A are identical models that come in white and a camouflage print, respectively.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It isn’t the best-looking charger we’ve tested. The Grizzl-E Classic has a blocky design, and the glossy surfaces of its painted metal enclosure attract fingerprints and smudges more than most. But we think most people can overlook its subpar aesthetics in exchange for its superior weatherization.

The packaging isn’t great. When we unboxed this charger, it wasn’t as well wrapped as other models; this could have potentially led to its being harmed in transit (and we found several buyer reviews reporting damaged parts, dents, or scratches straight out of the box). But since ours arrived intact, and the charger seems sturdily built overall, we don’t think that’s a major cause for concern. Just be sure to inspect yours for signs of damage before setting it up.

How the Grizzl-E Classic 40A has held up

Our long-term testing model’s nozzle got stuck in a Rivian charging port. After using this charger every day for a few months, our long-term tester encountered a problem: The charging nozzle got stuck in her car’s charging port. United Chargers provided her with a replacement charger within a few days, and in the meantime, she got a representative from Rivian to make a house call — they got the plug unstuck with a screwdriver. Nearly a year has passed with no recurring issues, but we’ve found two owner reviews reporting the same problem, so we’re keeping an eye out for others.