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The Top 3 Electric Vehicle Chargers on Amazon and the Pros and Cons of Each
If you’re online shopping for an electric vehicle charger, there’s some essential information you’ll probably need — including a bit of clarification on what you’re seeking and what your household can support.
It’s probably not actually a charger you’re looking for
First of all, you most likely won’t really be purchasing a “charger”; rather, you’ll be selecting a device which connects your electric vehicle to an electrical grid — through which your vehicle can charge up once it’s plugged in. The charging unit itself, found within your EV, adapts most commonly to either a 120v or 240v connection in the U.S.– and you should know which before beginning your search. You should also clarify whether your household can support an additional 40 amp service connection (at a minimum), since that is the necessary rating for a 30 amp Electric Vehicle Service Equipment, or EVSE.
Weigh your needs and preferences against the costs
In addition, you’ll want to consider whether you’d prefer a basic hard-wired or slightly more expensive portable EVSE (The latter won’t likely be higher than $50 more in price; consider weighing the extra cost against the likelihood you’ll need to relocate or use the unit in different places — like for re-charging your EV while you’re at work or when visiting relatives out of town over the weekend, etc.), whether you’d like your unit to be Wi-Fi-enabled, and how much cord length you’ll need to comfortably plug in.
Be sure to look for discounts and double check your state requirements
Finally, you should spend at least a few minutes seeking out any discounts or other incentives offered on charging equipment in your area by visiting the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center website, where state regulations, vehicle requirements, and other information is updated regularly.
Once you’ve got all that covered, you can start your shopping endeavor by checking out the top-rated EV chargers we’ve found on Amazon, along with the pros and cons of each, below.
The Top 3 Amazon-Rated EV Chargers
Level 2 EV Charger by EV Gear
With search results sorted by their Amazon review status, our top contender is this gem from EV Gear. Boasting 13 reviews, this charger averages a 4.8 star rating out of 5 stars possible, with 85 percent rating at a full 5 stars and 15 percent giving 4 stars. No lower ratings were given at the time of this writing.
Works with nearly ALL electric vehicles
As described in advertising, this is a portable charger, is sufficient for both electric and hybrid vehicles, and works efficiently with ALL types of electric vehicles — including but not limited to the Chevy Bolt, Chevy Spark, Toyota Prius Prime, Prius Prime, Toyota Rav4 EV, Nissan Leaf, Mercedes B Class Electric Drive, Cadillac ELR, Mitsubishi iMiev,BMW i3 and i8 and iSeries, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia Soul EV, Fiat 500e, Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, Honda Fit EV, Ford Focus Electric, Ford C-Max Energy, Ford Fusion Energy, Porsche Cayenne S-E, Porsche Panamera S-E, and Tesla Models S, 3, and X (with a Tesla supplied adapter required). Charging speeds range up to 11 miles per hour, a 3 year warranty is provided, and the kit includes a convenient and flexible 30 foot cable.
$349.00
$399.99
Amazon.com - High quality product and materials
- Decreases charging time substantially – and has even allowed some users to charge their EV while at work and return to a full charge at clock-out time
- Includes a convenient wall holder/docking station to place cord into, keeping it dry, secure, and in good condition
- Comes with a long and flexible cable at least 28 feet long
- Offered at a great price
- Although accompanying instructions were minimal, reviewers thought the kit delivered was simple to understand and nearly self-explanatory
Maxx-16 Electric Vehicle Charger
This electric charger comes in at second place on the search results we sorted by Amazon review ratings with verified purchase, (with a close 3rd awarded to this similar Maxx-16 charger).
51 reviews and only 2 are critical
Owning an impressive 51 customer reviews, this product scored a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Ratings provided were 76 percent at a full five stars, 20 percent at four stars, and 2 percent each at both 3 and 2 stars. Out of these, 49 reviews were considered “positive” with only 2 “critical.”
$247.75
- Comes with a long cord and bright, very visible status/LED lights
- Compact and conveniently portable
- Easy installation
- Easy installation
- Connector cap fits well and keeps dry
- Highly reliable
- Much faster charging than alternatives (i.e. one reviewer described this product as charging at “45% of the time” expected with other 120v or Level I chargers; others described their EV manufacturer-supplied cord as normally taking 6 hours to charge the battery fully, while this cord takes as few as 2 hours or less. Another reported a full charge from zero in 4 hours with this product)
- More affordable than alternatives
- High quality materials
- Arrives quickly
- Critical reviews named functioning difficulties as the primary reason for low ratings.
- One user’s charger seemed to have stopped drawing sufficient power for unknown reasons
- Some users may need to consult an electrician for proper wiring i.e. household (you can also talk with the manufacturer about which plug/adapter options are available before ordering if necessary)
- Cord requires strong effort to plug in properly or the charge will not take place; same effort required to unplug
- No hook/docking station for wall mounting provided to plug into when not in use – however one user pointed out there are areas visibly marked with holes on the item for wall mounting with screws if you have your own brackets
BCB Wear Portable Electric Charging Station
Nothing lower than 4 stars, this is pre-assembled and ready to use
Out of its 5 customer reviews, 80 percent rated this charger at a full five stars while 20 percent gave it 4 stars. No lower ratings were given at the time of this writing.
(Although our “official” 3rd place rating went to this Maxx-16 charger, we decided to opt for details on the next result since the two Maxx-16’s were so similar.)
This item is described in advertising as pre-assembled, ready to use straight from the shipping box, with indicator lights to ensure an accurate connection, and a 24 foot cord included. Tesla models will require an adapter with this charger.
$199.99
- Long, durable cord
- Highly cost effective compared to other options
- Speedy shipping
- Strong effort is required to plug in/unplug this charger to the EV
