Which home EV charger is best in Ireland? 13 compared

No one charger suits every house. Of the home chargers people buy in Ireland, the lowest installed price is the Zappi Eco at €899 and the median is €1,249 (Ohme Home Pro), or €599 and €949 after the €300 SEAI grant. On a normal single-phase supply they all charge at about 7 kW, so speed doesn't separate them. What should decide it: solar panels, how the charger connects to the internet, three-phase, and whether you want the cable fixed.

The 13 chargers, by installed price

Which charger suits which house

• You have solar panels, or plan to. The zappi's ECO and ECO+ modes adjust the charge rate to surplus solar or wind, and it can be fitted tethered (6.5 m) or as a locking socket. Ohme chargers are sold as solar compatible. Zappi installed prices run from €899 to €1,595. See Zappi vs Ohme.
• The lowest installed price. Zappi Eco at €899 and EO Mini Pro 3 at €929. Both are 7 kW.
• Weak Wi-Fi where the charger goes. The Ohme Home Pro and ePod connect over 3G/4G and the zappi over Wi-Fi. The zappi also has an Ethernet port.
• Night-rate or EV tariff. Ohme is strong on smart scheduling, the app and tariff integration, and most smart chargers schedule charging into the lowest-rate hours.
• A heat pump, an electric shower or two EVs. Look for load balancing. The Zappi, Ohme Pro and Wallbox Pulsar Plus support it. A demand management device adds about €180, where a shower and a charger would overload the supply.
• You already have three-phase. The 22 kW-capable models here are the Wallbox Pulsar, SyncEV, EO Smart Connect, Zappi Pro and Zappi v2.1. Most homes are single-phase, and getting three-phase is a separate ESB Networks job: see 3-phase chargers.
• You want the cable fixed to the wall. Ohme Home Pro (5 m) and Hypervolt Home 3 Pro are tethered; the Ohme ePod, Easee Charge Lite and Wallbox Pulsar Plus are sockets. The fixed cable usually adds €50 to €100: tethered or untethered.

Why speed doesn't separate them

On a single-phase supply a home charger draws up to 32 A, which is the 7 to 7.4 kW on these data sheets. 7 kW single-phase is the standard for Irish homes, and a full charge on a typical 60 kWh car takes 7 to 8 hours, inside a night-rate window. A 22 kW model only charges faster with a three-phase supply and a car that accepts it on AC, so on most Irish houses a 22 kW-capable unit charges at the same 7 kW as the rest.

What every charger needs for the €300 grant

SEAI "will only support smart chargers which are registered on SEAI's Smart Charger Register", fitted by a Safe Electric registered contractor, with no work before the start date on your Letter of Offer (SEAI). SEAI's register page names no models (SEAI register page), so ask the installer to confirm that the exact model on your quote is registered before you pay a deposit. A cheaper unit bought online that isn't on the register gets no grant, whoever fits it.

Before you choose

• Do you have solar panels, or will you in the next few years?
• Is there a strong Wi-Fi signal where the charger will go?
• Is your supply single-phase? (Almost certainly yes.)
• Tethered or a socket, and how far is the wall from where you park?
• Does the installer's written price state VAT and the cable length included?

Every price and the extras that move the final bill: what it costs. How long the job takes: installation time.

Fixed written price

Not sure which one suits your house?

Tell us where you are, what you drive and whether you have solar. We come back with a fixed written price for a charger that suits the house, and whether the €300 grant applies.

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No cost, no obligation. We price the job and introduce you to a Safe Electric registered electrical contractor. We are not an electrical contractor ourselves.

Questions about choosing a home charger

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