Top pick
This fast-charging, Level 2 EV charger is compatible with any J1772 electric vehicle. It has a compact body and a 24-foot cord. Plus, it’s one of the most weatherized models we’ve tested.
This fast-charging Level 2 EV charger is compatible with any Tesla or other NACS electric vehicle. It has a compact body and a 24-foot cord. Plus, it’s one of the most weatherized models we’ve tested.
The Emporia Classic Level 2 EV Charger (both the J1772 and NACS versions) supports up to 48 A charging. That’s enough power to fully charge most EV batteries in five to eight hours, as we confirmed in our testing. It has a 24-foot cord (nearly the longest cord that safety regulations permit), and it supports either a hardwired or plug-in installation (though the latter limits charging speeds to 40 A).
This charger has been tested and certified for safety and compliance by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), and for energy efficiency by Energy Star. Plus, it’s backed by a three-year warranty.
It comes with all of the necessary installation hardware and a handy holster for the charging nozzle. And since it’s weatherized up to IP66 standards, it can be installed outdoors without sustaining damage from dust, grime, rain, snow, or strong water sprays (such as those from a garden hose).
Maximum current rating: 48 amps
Weatherization rating: IP66 (fully dust-proof and protected from rain, snow, and hose sprays)
Installation options: two (hardwire, NEMA 14-50 plug)
Warranty: three years
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.
If you’re on a tighter budget, and you don’t mind waiting an extra hour or so for your battery to charge, the United Chargers Grizzl-E Classic has many of the same capabilities as our top pick, and it’s typically much less expensive. It has a J1772 connector, and it comes with installation hardware and a plug holster. (To use this charger with a Tesla or other NACS vehicle, however, you’ll have to spring for a compatible adapter.)
The Grizzl-E Classic supports up to 40 A charging, allowing you to charge most EV batteries in six to nine hours. It has a 25-foot cord, and it’s available in either a hardwire or plug-in configuration.
Like our top pick, this model has NRTL and Energy Star certifications. And this one is even more weatherized (the IP67 rating indicates that it’s totally protected against dust and grime, and it can withstand rain, snow, hose sprays, and short periods of submersion in shallow water). The Grizzl-E Classic comes with a three-year warranty (or a five-year warranty for an additional $100).
Maximum current rating: 40 amps
Weatherization rating: IP67 (fully dustproof and protected from rain, snow, hose sprays, and brief submersion)
Installation options: three (hardwire, NEMA 14-50 plug, NEMA 6-50 plug)
Warranty: three years (or five years for an additional $100)
Best for…
If you want to charge two EVs at once, this model has two 24-foot cords. But it can’t be hardwired, and it splits 40 A between two vehicles, so it charges slower than our other picks.
The United Chargers Grizzl-E Duo Connect is one of the few Level 2 chargers that can simultaneously charge two EVs. It can be configured with two J1772 connectors, two NACS connectors, or one of each, and it comes with two heavy-duty plug holsters.
When it’s charging one car, this model supports up to 40 A charging, allowing you to charge most EV batteries in six to nine hours. When it’s charging two cars simultaneously, the Grizzl-E Duo Connect splits that power between them (up to 20 A apiece); as a result, charging each car takes about twice as long.
This model has two 24-foot cords, and the charger can plug into either a NEMA 14-50 or NEMA 6-50 outlet. It can’t be hardwired, but that doesn’t affect the charging speed in this case because the charger is already limited to 40 A. Even so, this is a slight drawback if you want your charger to be permanently installed.
Like our top pick and the Grizzle-E Classic, the Duo Connect has NRTL and Energy Star certifications, and it’s weatherized up to IP67 standards. At the time of writing, it costs twice as much as our top pick, and it has a three-year warranty (or a five-year warranty for an additional $250).
Maximum current rating: 40 amps (or 20 amps apiece when charging two vehicles)
Weatherization rating: IP67 (fully dustproof and protected from rain, snow, hose sprays, and brief submersion)
Installation options: two (NEMA 14-50 plug, NEMA 6-50 plug)
Warranty: three years (or five years for an additional $250)
Best for…
This portable J1772 charger is small enough to toss in a trunk, and it has many of the same features found in the best full-size EV chargers. Although it isn’t as powerful as some others we tested, it’s often less expensive.
This portable NACS charger is small enough to toss in a trunk, and it has many of the same features found in the best full-size EV chargers. Although it isn’t as powerful as some others we tested, it’s often less expensive.
If you want something that provides more power than most Level 1 chargers but that’s just as compact and portable, get the Lectron Portable Level 1 & 2 EV Charger (either the J1772 or the NACS version). Like our other picks, this one has NRTL and Energy Star certifications. And because it supports up to 40 A charging, it can charge most EV batteries in six to nine hours.
This charger has a slim, flexible, 16-foot cord. So even though it’s shorter than the cords on our other picks, it’s also easier to pack.
With two interchangeable plug adapters, this model can plug into either a NEMA 5-15 (standard AC) or a NEMA 14-50 outlet. It can’t be hardwired, but that makes sense for a portable model, and it comes with a small wall-mounting cradle (if you want to leave it at home).
It’s less weatherized than our other picks, but its IP65 rating means this charger is totally protected against dust and grime, and it can withstand rain, snow, and light sprays of water, such as those from a lawn sprinkler. Plus, it comes with a hardshell case.
The two-year warranty is shorter than the coverage on many of the chargers we tested, but this model is typically among the least expensive of our picks.
Maximum current rating: 40 amps
Weatherization rating: IP65 (fully dustproof and protected from rain, snow, and light water sprays)
Installation options: two (NEMA 14-50 plug, NEMA 5-15 plug)
Warranty: two years
