Best Level 2 EV Chargers

When an electric car is in your future, it’s time to consider home charging equipment faster than the slow-speed charger cable that comes with the EV and charges at just 2-5 miles per hour. There are Wi-Fi-connected smart-chargers that perform tasks like scheduling and sending notifications, and non-smart chargers that simply supply power to the car. There are models that are better suited for

Best Overall

ChargePoint Home Flex

Why We Picked It

The ChargePoint Home Flex is a 50-amp smart-charger that is compact yet powerful. It has an integrated connector holster that is back-lit and swivels for easy use. It is available in plug-in or hardwired form and come standard with a 23-foot cable. It’s a WiFi connected smart-charger that’s packed with features, as it should be for about $700, and uses the ChargePoint app to control the unit and review past charging history.

Pros & Cons

Sleek design
Adjustable power delivery
Many smart-charging features

Expensive
Cannot power-share
Not as durable as some other units

Best for Smart-Charging Features

Enel X JuiceBox 40

Why We Picked It

The Enel X JuiceBox 40 is a 40-amp smart-charger that is loaded with smart-charging features. It’s compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, it can schedule charging time, send you reminders and notifications. It can load-balance between multiple units, allowing the owner to charge two cars from a single circuit. It can participate in utility demand response programs to save money and is Energy Star certified.

Pros & Cons

High power output that’s adjustable
25-foot cable is standard
Good for outdoor use

Cable is not very flexible
Connector holster isn’t the best design
Expensive

Bestselling Charging Stations on Amazon

Sponsored

Bestseller No. 1

1,946 Reviews

ChargePoint Home Flex Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger upto 50 Amp, 240V, Level 2 WiFi Enabled EVSE, UL Listed, Energy Star, NEMA 6-50 Plug or Hardwired, Indoor/Outdoor, 23-Foot Cable

Level 2, 240 volt electric vehicle (EV) charging station charges any EV up to 9X faster than a normal wall outlet, with flexible amperage settings up to 50 amps (16/24/32/40/48/50 Amp) and plug-in or hardwired installation. Use the ChargePoint app to pick the right amperage for your home after installation.
Works with all electric cars, tested on leading EV models: Chevrolet Volt and Bolt EV, Hyundai Kona and Ioniq, Kia NIRO, Nissan LEAF, Tesla models, Toyota Prius Prime, BMW i3, Honda Clarity, Chrysler Pacifica, Jaguar I-PACE, and many more
Charge faster and smarter with the ChargePoint app. Set a schedule to only charge when electricity is cheapest, set reminders so you never forget to plug in, use Alexa voice control, and see all your ChargePoint charging data in one place

Bestseller No. 2

Grizzl-E Level 2 EV Charger, 16/24/32/40 Amp, NEMA 14-50 Plug/06-50 Plug, 24 feet Premium/Regular Cable, Indoor/Outdoor Car Charging Station, Classic/Avalanche/Extreme (Classic-14-24-Premium)

Grizzl-E Classic NEMA 14-50 Plug with 24 Feet Premium Cable is a simple, powerful, heavy-duty and portable Electric Vehicle Charging Station which is suitable for any weather. Made in Canada. Compatible with all EVs and PHEVs sold in North America.
UL Full Tested and Certified. Eligible for Federal Rebate Programs. IP67 (Water resistant), Fire resistant. Over Current, Over Voltage, Under Voltage, Missing Diode, Ground Fault, and Over Temperature Protections. Self-Monitoring and Recovery, Power Outage Recovery. Built in GFCI.
3-year Warranty. Full customer support is available.

Bestseller No. 3

515 Reviews

JuiceBox 40 Smart Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station with WiFi - 40 amp Level 2 EVSE, 25-Foot Cable, UL & Energy Star Certified, Indoor/Outdoor Use (NEMA 14-50 Plug, Gray)

Up to 7x faster charge: High-power, 40 amperes, 10kW EV charging station. Indoor / outdoor installation. Built-in cable rack and security lock. UL listed. ENERGY STAR-certified. 3-year limited warranty for normal residential use.
Convenient WiFi connectivity: With the free JuiceNet app, control and monitor charging remotely, get notified when your car is fully charged, set reminders to charge, and more. Dynamic LED lights show charging status. Voice control via Amazon Echo / Alexa.
Smart grid savings: Schedule your charging times when rates are lower — making your electric vehicle even cheaper to drive.

Bestseller No. 4

447 Reviews

Pulsar Plus Level 2 Electric Vehicle Smart Charger - 40 Amp NEMA Ultra Compact, WiFi, Bluetooth, Alexa and Google Home - 25 Foot Cable - UL Certified - Indoor/Outdoor - by Wallbox

Compact design, powerful performance. 240-volt Level 2 charging technology in an incredibly small size, Pulsar Plus EVSE provides up to 40 Amps of power to charge your EV up to 7x faster than standard Level 1 charging cables
Connected and Smart. Connect Pulsar Plus to your smart devices using the myWallbox app to wirelessly control and monitor your charger via Wifi or Bluetooth. Use myWallbox to create schedules that take advantage of off-peak utility rates, get notifications, set reminders and more
Flexible Power. Two models, multiple possibilities. Adjustable capacity from 16A up to 40A, giving you the flexibility to connect to lower-power circuits when maximum power isn't needed and to amp-up when you're ready for more power

Bestseller No. 5

258 Reviews

EVoCharge EVSE, Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging Station with 18 ft Cable, 240V 32A, UL Listed EV Charger, NEMA 6-50 Plug, Indoor/Outdoor Rated, Charge up to 8X Faster Than Level 1

CHARGES ALL EVs & PHEVs: Fully compatible with all Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles sold in the United States and Canada. Including: Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, Ford Fusion, BMW i3, Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius, Tesla (with adapter).
SUPER FAST CHARGING & EASY INSTALLATION: Charges up to 8x Faster than Standard AC Level 1 EV chargers for an additional estimated 25-35 miles of Range Per Hour. Engineered for ease of Installation with a Standard NEMA 6-50 plug and universal mounting bracket.
SAFETY RATED & TESTED: Designed and tested to meet the nationally recognized UL (USA) & cUL (Canada) standards for safety. A must-have for electrical products installed in your home. NEMA 4 rated for Indoor/Outdoor use in all weather.

Bestseller No. 6

63 Reviews

LEVEL 2 EV CHARGER DEFAULT CHARGE RATE is 40A. WiFi Internet connection is required to raise or lower charge rate. Pair with an Emporia Vue Smart Home Energy Monitor to curb charging during peak demand and to charge when your system is producing excess solar energy.
DESIGNED WITH YOUR SAFETY IN MIND. While this EV Charger is not UL certified, it is manufactured to meet the safety criteria defined by these international standards: NEC 625, SAE J1772, UL 817, UL 991, UL 2231, UL 225, and UL 2594. INSTALLS INDOORS OR OUTDOORS. Your charger will be safe from the elements with a rugged watertight NEMA Type 4 enclosure. BEFORE YOU BUY, check with your local utility company to see if there are incentives and rebates in your area. PROTECTED BY A 3-YEAR WARRANTY.
HARDWIRED OR PLUGGED INSTALLATION - 11.5kW (240V/48A) / 9.6kW (240V/40A) / 10kW (208V/48A) / 8.3kW (208V/40A) (up to 48A hardwired or up to 40A NEMA Type 14-50P with 11" cable compliant with 2017 NEC Section 625.17(A)(3)). Requires a dual-pole, dedicated breaker at 60A+ for a 48A charge or 50A+ for a 40A charge. A professional electrician is recommended for hardwiring or installing a NEMA Plug.

Bestseller No. 7

166 Reviews

JuiceBox 32 Smart Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station with WiFi - 32 amp Level 2 EVSE, 25-Foot Cable, UL and Energy Star Certified, Indoor/Outdoor Use (NEMA 14-50 Plug, Gray)

Up to 6x faster charge: High-power, 32 amperes, 7.7 kW EV charging station. Indoor / outdoor installation. Built-in cable rack and security lock. UL listed. ENERGY STAR-certified. 3-year limited warranty for normal residential use.
Convenient WiFi connectivity: With the free JuiceNet app, control and monitor charging remotely, get notified when your car is fully charged, set reminders to charge, and more. Dynamic LED lights show charging status. Voice control via Amazon Echo / Alexa.
Smart grid savings: Schedule your charging times when rates are lower — making your electric vehicle even cheaper to drive.

Bestseller No. 8

873 Reviews

JuiceBox 32 Smart Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station with WiFi - 32 amp Level 2 EVSE, 25-ft Cable, UL & Energy Star Certified, Indoor/Outdoor (Hardwired Install, Gray)

Up to 6x faster charge: High-power, 32 amperes, 7.7 kW EV charging station. Indoor / outdoor installation. Built-in cable rack and security lock. UL listed. ENERGY STAR certified. 3-year limited warranty for normal residential use.
Convenient WiFi connectivity: With the free JuiceNet app, control and monitor charging remotely, get notified when your car is fully charged, set reminders to charge, and more. Dynamic LED lights show charging status. Voice control via Amazon Echo / Alexa.
Smart grid savings: Schedule your charging times when rates are lower — making your electric vehicle even cheaper to drive.

Bestseller No. 9

686 Reviews

MEGEAR Level 1-2 EV Charger(100-240V,16A) Portable EVSE Home Electric Vehicle Charging Station(NEMA6-20 with Adapter for NEMA5-15)

CHARGING SET WITH NEMA 5-15 ADAPTER: Sometimes, Megear level 2 EV charging（NEMA6-20 Plug） in your garage is not an option. That's why we created an EV charging set that includes a Level 1 adapter cable which meet with common outlet in your house. The 3 feet long adapter enables you to charge your electric car via a standard 120V (NEMA 5-15) wall plug.
VERSATILE VEHICLE COMPATABILITY: The plugs are compatible with all major EV automakers and multiple power sources.（Please note that if your charger need to unplug the plug and replug it to start charing, please don't worry, this is one of our protection function, to avoid the risk of danger when the plug is powered on for a long time.）
3.86 KW/H FASTER CHARGING SPEEDS: With level 2 charging, most electric vehicles will charge up to 11 miles per hour. Our level 2 EVSE charging speed up to 3x faster than your car's original charger,which means you can spend more time heading out for fun and adventure and less time waiting around.

Bestseller No. 10

MUSTART Level 2 Portable EV Charger (240 Volt, 25ft Cable, 40 Amp), Electric Vehicle Charger Plug-in EV Charging Station with NEMA 14-50P (Update Version)

FAST CHARGING SPEEDS WITH UPGRADE VERSION: The MUSTART upgraded 40A level 2 EV charger which is more sturdy, contains more sensitive chips, higher waterproof level and better abrasion resistance, can charge your car up to 2.5X faster than the 16A level 2 EV charger. It is 5X faster than the 16A level 1 EV charger that most electric vehicles come with. (The actual working current it depends on your vehicle setting).
SUPER COMPATIBLE: Works with most electric vehicles, the EVSE is compatible with all plug-in EVs.
100% SATISFACTION: We are credit for your trust. Whenever your Mustart EV chargers have any problem or anything simply not meeting your needs, please contact us and we will provide a two-year warranty. (Used item comes with a one-year warranty.)

Methodology

Forbes Wheels partnered with EV charging expert Tom Moloughney of New Jersey, a veteran industry consultant and auto industry trainer for electric vehicle charging and strategies.

Moloughney has been using and testing chargers side-by-side for the past decade. Each charger gets several months of hands-on use before it’s rated. Variables tested include: cost, charger power, build quality, cable length, smart-charging features, safety certification and customer support. Each unit goes in a deep-freeze to test how flexible the cables are in cold weather. Finally, chargers are compared side-by-side for a variety of usability metrics.

Do I need a smart-charger?

No, but it’s worth considering. Smart chargers can enhance the EV experience by setting up reminders to plug in and sending you notifications if your charging session was interrupted. Some allow you to participate in demand response programs that can save a lot of money. However, the primary function of an EV charger is to simply charge the car, and you don’t need a smart-charger to do that.

Is a L2 home charger worth it?

Level 2 chargers use a 240-volt electric supply, like an electric clothes dryer. The advantage is they charge the EV 3 to 10 times faster than a Level 1 (120-volt) charger can. Many plug-in hybrid owners can charge on Level 1 just fine, because PHEVs have smaller batteries than do battery electric vehicle cars (BEVs), no more than about 20 kilowatt-hours. Most BEV owners (whose cars have batteries up to 100 kWh) will choose to use a Level 2 charger for daily use so they can recharge their EVs faster, which increases the car’s availability.

Does the Nissan Leaf use a different connector?

No and yes. For Level 1 (120-volt) and Level 2 (240-volt) EV charging, all EVs in North America use the industry standard J1772 connector – except for Tesla which uses a proprietary connector. Therefore, a Nissan Leaf can use any home charger available today except for the Tesla units. However, when it comes to DC fast charging, which is public high-speed charging, the Leaf uses a CHAdeMO connector, which is different than the connector most other EVs use called the Combo plug.

Why can’t I just use an extension cord?

You cannot charge an EV without a charger because there is a communication process that needs to take place between the car and the charger before the car will accept power. Once you plug in, if the handshake isn’t there, the car will not accept power. Also, the plug on an extension cord won’t fit. Technically, the charger is inside the car. What’s on the garage wall is an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) module, except everyone calls it the charger.

Can I use the charger that came with the car?

Every EV comes with a standard charger, however every manufacturer supplies different equipment. Some are portable Level 2 (240-volt) chargers that are fine to use for daily charging. Others are very low-power Level 1 (120-volt) units that will charge the vehicle slowly. These 120-volt units will only replenish 2 to 5 miles of range per hour, and many EV owners won’t find that fast enough to utilize the full potential of their EV, but it may be enough to charge a plug-in hybrid.

Best Home EV Chargers For 2022

Methodology