Automotive · Accessories, tools & EV gear

The best ev chargers of 2026

The Emporia Classic ranks first because it publishes both of the two numbers that decide how a level 2 charger fits a house: 48 amps hardwired and 40 amps on a NEMA 14-50 plug, and a 25 foot cable. It also holds its own ENERGY STAR row, EMEVSE1, in the register that every charger on this page had to pass to be here.

Each ranked entry is covered by an ENERGY STAR certified-EVSE row: some rows cover an exact model, and the ENERGY STAR family row for Tesla covers the 1457768 Wall Connector line. Certification is the eligibility gate here — ENERGY STAR requires a safety test by a nationally recognized testing laboratory for every certified charger, and the register publishes a continuous output current, a cable length and a standby figure per row. We ranked the five on four published numbers every one of them states: the continuous output in amps, the cable length in feet, the years of residential warranty, and whether the charger publishes app and Wi-Fi scheduling. Each dimension was scored as a rank within the five, the ranks were summed with no weights, and the totals produced the order below. Standby watts are reported per product but not scored, because connected chargers legitimately draw more in standby; what a charger sells for, how many people have bought it, how it looks, how easy someone else found installation, and how polished an app feels are all outside the ranking.

Last updated

September 21, 2026

How we rank: the specs each maker publishes, read across the listing's own surfaces, and the third-party register where the category has one.

§ 01 · Top 5 Rankings

Our top 5 picks for ev chargers

EDITOR'S CHOICE

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Emporia

Emporia Classic Level 2 EV Charger, 25 ft Cable (EMEVSE1, J1772 version)

9/10JellyReviews Score

Emporia wins this ranking on cable length and full disclosure. The maker page states the core numbers in its spec: up to 48 amps hardwired, 40 amps on a NEMA 14-50 outlet, a 25 foot cable, and a 3 year warranty. The ENERGY STAR row for EMEVSE1 agrees on all three measurable fields, and it also lists a 2.81 watt standby draw, which we report and do not score. Every configuration of the Classic is one model, EMEVSE1, sold in J1772 and NACS connectors and in hardwired and plug forms. The connecting detail is the one the ranking rests on: the 48 amp output is hardwired by the maker's own spec, and the plug version delivers 40 amps, so Emporia's high number belongs to one configuration and the other still has the longest cable on this page.

Pros

ENERGY STAR row EMEVSE1; the maker states 48 amps hardwired and 40 amps on a NEMA 14-50 outlet in its own spec

25 foot cable, stated by the maker and matching the ENERGY STAR row

3 year warranty on the maker page

Publishes app scheduling, and the maker lists PowerSmart load management, excess solar and peak demand features

Cons

The 48 amp output is hardwired only; the NEMA 14-50 config delivers 40 amps, so a buyer has to match the config to the wire

The maker page markets the charger as indoor or outdoor but prints no specific NEMA or IP rating number on the surfaces we read

Its standby draw is 2.81 watts per the ENERGY STAR row, the second highest here, reported not scored

Where to buy

Emporia

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Direct from the maker — this link does not pay us a commission.

BEST WARRANTY

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Tesla

Tesla Wall Connector - NACS Home Charger (1457768-02-H)

8.5/10JellyReviews Score

Tesla ranks second on warranty: it is the only charger here whose maker states four years of residential coverage, and that single five point axis is what separates it from third. The shop page also states 48 amp output at up to 11.5 kW, a 24 foot cable, and app-based scheduling with over-the-air updates. The ENERGY STAR family row for 1457768 lists a 22 foot cable, which is why the cable figure is footnoted rather than treated as settled. The Wall Connector is NACS-native and installs hardwired. It is the only charger on this page whose running spec page does not state a J1772 option, which matters if your car uses the J1772 plug.

Pros

Four year residential warranty, stated on the Tesla shop page and the only 4 year term among these five

48 amp output at up to 11.5 kW, per the Tesla shop page

24 foot cable on the current shop page; the ENERGY STAR row for the 1457768 family lists 22

App scheduling, over-the-air updates, remote diagnostics and access controls, per the shop page

Cons

The Wall Connector is a native NACS connector; a J1772 car needs the separate Universal Wall Connector with its integrated adapter

Hardwired installation only on the shop pages we read, installed by a qualified electrician per Tesla's own guidance

The ENERGY STAR family row reads 22 feet where the shop page says 24, so the two official surfaces differ

Where to buy

Tesla

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Direct from the maker — this link does not pay us a commission.

TOP RATED

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Wallbox

Wallbox Pulsar Plus 48A with J1772 Connector and Power Meter (PUP2-U-1-6-C-002)

8/10JellyReviews Score

Wallbox ranks third on an even score across the four axes and the middle position on cable. Its ENERGY STAR identity is the certified 48A Pulsar Plus, PUP2-U-1-6-C-002, and the maker page states UL and ENERGY STAR certification, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, over-the-air updates and a 3 year warranty. The same register row lists a 0.96 watt standby draw, the lowest of the five, which we report and do not score. Two official surfaces disagree on cable length: the register row for the certified 48A unit reads 24 feet, and the maker's store page for the related 40A model reads 25, so the figure is stated with its source. The 48A unit was out of stock on the Wallbox store at the time this page was written, while retailer inventory remained available.

Pros

ENERGY STAR row PUP2-U-1-6-C-002 for the 48A Pulsar Plus; the maker states UL and ENERGY STAR certification on the product page

The same register row lists the lowest standby draw of the five, 0.96 watts, reported not scored

The maker page states Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, over-the-air updates and app scheduling

3 year warranty per the maker page; the row and the 40A page state the cable at different lengths (24 and 25 feet)

Cons

The 48A version is out of stock on the Wallbox store at the time we checked, while retailer inventory remains available

The base store page lists a 25 foot cable for the related 40A model; the certified 48A ENERGY STAR row lists 24, so the figure depends on which variant you read

Solar, demand response and dynamic load management features require the power meter in the kit

Where to buy

Wallbox

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Direct from the maker — this link does not pay us a commission.

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ChargePoint

ChargePoint Home Flex Hardwired Level 2 EV Charger (CPH50)

7.5/10JellyReviews Score

ChargePoint ranks fourth because it holds the page's highest nameplate, 50 amps, and the page's shortest cable, 18 feet. The maker store page states the 3 year warranty and hardwired and plug configurations (the hardwired row reads any circuit rating from 20 to 80 amps, which is not the same as the 50 amp output). The 18 foot cable comes from the ENERGY STAR row for CPH50, because the maker's store page does not state a cable length at all. Its standby draw of 2.93 watts for the CPH50 row is the highest among the five ranked units, and the same family lists 4.6 watts on its CPF50 row, reported not scored. If your outlet placement is far from the car, the 18 foot cable is the number to notice before you decide.

Pros

The only 50 amp nameplate on the page, per the ENERGY STAR row for CPH50 and the maker store

3 year warranty, stated on the ChargePoint store page

J1772 and NACS connector options on the store page, and hardwired and plug configurations

App-based scheduling is standard with the ChargePoint app, and the maker store lists an 18 foot cable in the ENERGY STAR row

Cons

The maker store page does not state a cable length, so the 18 feet comes from the ENERGY STAR row and is the shortest on the page

The hardwired store page reads any circuit rating from 20 to 80 amps, but the EVSE nameplate is 50 amps, so circuit and output are not the same number

Its standby draw is 2.93 watts for the CPH50 row, the highest among the five ranked units (the family row CPF50 lists 4.6 watts), reported not scored

Where to buy

ChargePoint

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Direct from the maker — this link does not pay us a commission.

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Grizzl-E

Grizzl-E Classic 40A Level 2 EV Charger (GR1-14-24-PB)

5.5/10JellyReviews Score

Grizzl-E ranks fifth for one reason: it is the only charger here without app or Wi-Fi scheduling, and connectivity is a scored axis. Its spec table is otherwise the most thorough on the page: 25 foot cable, UL Type 4 indoor and outdoor rating, UL E510712, 3 year warranty, and adjustable current at 32, 24 and 16 amps. The 40 amp nameplate is the lowest of the five, and the maker states 10 kW where the ENERGY STAR row lists 9.6, so the page uses the register figure. If a charger that does not phone home is what you want, this is the one: it is the only member of the five whose maker publishes all of the safety rating on a spec table rather than marketing copy.

Pros

25 foot cable stated in the maker's own spec table, the longest on this page alongside Emporia

The maker spec table states UL Type 4 indoor and outdoor rating and UL E510712, the only concrete rating among the five

3 year warranty, stated in the maker spec table

Adjustable current at 32, 24 and 16 amps, and a NEMA 14-50 and 6-50 plug option, per the maker

Cons

The ranking axis it misses is connectivity: the maker spec table reads Smart function No, and the ENERGY STAR row also lists no network capability

40 amp nameplate is the lowest on the page (9.6 kW per the ENERGY STAR row; the maker spec table reads 10 kW)

J1772 only, and the ENERGY STAR row lists 24 feet where the maker spec table lists 25

Where to buy

Grizzl-E

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Direct from the maker — this link does not pay us a commission.

§ 02 · Side-by-side comparison

Compare all 5 at a glance

Rank	Product	Brand	Score	Best for
#1	Emporia Classic Level 2 EV Charger, 25 ft Cable (EMEVSE1, J1772 version)	Emporia	9	EDITOR'S CHOICE
#2	Tesla Wall Connector - NACS Home Charger (1457768-02-H)	Tesla	8.5	BEST WARRANTY
#3	Wallbox Pulsar Plus 48A with J1772 Connector and Power Meter (PUP2-U-1-6-C-002)	Wallbox	8	TOP RATED
#4	ChargePoint Home Flex Hardwired Level 2 EV Charger (CPH50)	ChargePoint	7.5	-
#5	Grizzl-E Classic 40A Level 2 EV Charger (GR1-14-24-PB)	Grizzl-E	5.5	-

§ 03 · Buying guide

How to choose the right ev charger

01What the ENERGY STAR gate actually guarantees

Each ranked entry is covered by an ENERGY STAR certified-EVSE row in the register, and the register states its own rule: all ENERGY STAR certified chargers are tested for safety by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. So certification is evidence of a safety test, and the register publishes a continuous output current, a cable length and a standby figure per row. A row can cover an exact model or a model family — the Tesla entry is the 1457768 family row — and this page says which kind applies per product. That is the whole of what it proves. It is not a ranking of quality, and it does not cover every SKU a maker sells: the register lists the 48A Wallbox Pulsar Plus but not the 40A version, so a certified family and a certified exact model are different facts.

Because the register is the eligibility gate, every scored figure on this page came from either the maker's own product page or the ENERGY STAR row that covers that product — an exact-model row where the entry has one, a family row where it does not — and the page states which surface each number came from. The things a ranking could cheat with, what a charger sells for and how many people have bought it, are outside the four axes; so are how the charger looks, how easy someone else found installation, and how polished an app feels.

02Why amps and cable length decide most of the order

The five score 18, 17, 16, 15 and 11 on four axes, and the gap between first and second is cable length: Emporia and Grizzl-E both publish 25 foot cables, Tesla and Wallbox both publish 24, and ChargePoint publishes 18. The register rows and maker pages disagree on two of the cables, which is why each cell states which surface its figure came from. Each card's JellyReviews Score is that 20-point total halved, so the five display as 9, 8.5, 8, 7.5 and 5.5 out of 10.

The other three axes are shared. Amps separate ChargePoint (50) from the three 48 amp chargers and Grizzl-E at 40. Warranty separates Tesla (4 years) from the four 3 year chargers. Connectivity separates Grizzl-E (no) from the four that publish scheduling. Standby watts are reported but deliberately not scored, because a connected charger draws more in standby than one that is not connected, and scoring that would penalize every smart charger for being smart.

03NACS vs J1772: what the connector actually determines

The connector is the physical plug, and it is a compatibility fact, not a quality fact. Tesla sells the Wall Connector with a native NACS plug, and its Universal Wall Connector adds an integrated J1772 adapter for non-Tesla cars. The other four chargers are sold as J1772, and Emporia, Wallbox and ChargePoint also offer a NACS variant. An adapter lets a NACS charger plug into a J1772 car and vice versa, but an adapter is not the same as a native connector: it is an extra part in the path, so compatibility is decided by which plug your car needs and whether your state and utility treat the two connectors the same way. This page does not rank one connector above the other.

§ 04 · FAQ

Questions about ev chargers

The two delivery methods matter for the wire, not the charger. A hardwired unit connects directly to a dedicated circuit, and code treats a continuous load, which is what charging is, with its own sizing rules. A plug-in unit uses an outlet such as NEMA 14-50. The makers state their configurations: Emporia sells the Classic both hardwired and on a NEMA 14-50 plug, and its 48 amp output is hardwired only, with the plug version delivering 40 amps. ChargePoint sells the Home Flex in hardwired and plug forms. Tesla's Wall Connector is hardwired and Tesla's own guidance says it must be installed by a qualified electrician. Your decision is what your panel and outlets support, which is an electrician's question.

Follow what the maker publishes, and do not confuse the circuit rating with the charger's output. ChargePoint's hardwired Home Flex page reads any circuit rating from 20 to 80 amps, while the EVSE nameplate output is 50 amps. Emporia states the NEMA 14-50 outlet at 50 amp rated for continuous duty and recommends listed brands. These two numbers are different things: the circuit is the supply, and the output is what the charger delivers. Sizing a circuit for a continuous load is exactly where a qualified electrician is required.

Grizzl-E is the one. Its maker spec table reads Smart function No, we add no internet connection, and the ENERGY STAR row for GR1-14-24-PB lists no network capability. The other four all publish app and Wi-Fi scheduling, though they differ in the features beyond scheduling, and those differences are discussed as features and not scored.

Two official surfaces disagree. The current Tesla shop page states a 24 foot cable for the Wall Connector, and the ENERGY STAR row for the 1457768 family lists 22 feet. This page uses the maker's current retail figure, 24 feet, and reports the register row in that product's note. The same kind of disagreement exists for Grizzl-E (maker spec table 25, register row 24) and Wallbox (certified 48A row 24, related store page 25), so the page states which surface each cable figure came from rather than picking one silently.

The verdict

The Emporia Classic is the pick for most homes, because it is the charger here that publishes the longest cable (25 feet), a 48 amp hardwired output, a 40 amp plug option, a 3 year warranty and app scheduling, and every one of those sits in its own ENERGY STAR row. Buy the Tesla Wall Connector if you want the page's only 4 year residential warranty and drive a NACS car, but read the 24 foot cable against your parking distance. The Wallbox 48A Pulsar Plus is the pairing with energy-management features, and its certified row carries the lowest standby figure here; at the time this page was written the 48A unit was out of stock on the Wallbox store while retailers still had it. Choose the ChargePoint Home Flex when a 50 amp nameplate matters to you and your car and outlet are within 18 feet of the unit, which is the shortest cable here. Pick the Grizzl-E Classic when you want a charger that does not need an app and your maker spec table will tell you precisely what it is rated for: UL Type 4, 25 foot cable, 3 year warranty, and no smart function at all.

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