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Home EV charger picker

Which home charger do you actually need?

Five quick taps, no sign-up. You get the amps, the plug and plug-in or hardwired, matching chargers, and what installing one costs in your state. Most people need far less than they're sold: 32 to 40 amps refills a normal day overnight.

Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes our recommendations. How we make money.

Step 1 of 6: Your car's plug
What plug does your car take?

Not sure? Look at the charge port or the manual. Most automakers committed to the Tesla-style NACS port on new cars from 2025, so check your car rather than going by the brand.

How the picker decides

Speed you need: your miles times your car's EPA energy use, put back within an 8-hour night. For 40 miles in a Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD, that's about 12 kWh: about 9 hours on an ordinary outlet (12 amps at 120 volts), 1.5 hours at 40 amps (about 31 miles of range an hour).

What your wiring allows:the circuit must be 125% of the charger's draw, so a NEMA 14-50 outlet (50-amp circuit) allows 40 amps, a 40-amp circuit 32 amps, and a 30-amp dryer circuit 24 amps. Above 40 amps, chargers are hardwired.

Which charger: we only link chargers from brands we have checked and partner with (10 models from Lectron, Autel and EVIQO, prices read from their US sites on October 31, 2026). When none of them fits your answers, the picker tells you the spec to look for and links nothing. For more brands, including Grizzl-E, Emporia, ChargePoint and Tesla, see the full comparison.

Smart scheduling: EVIQO's chargers (J1772 $299, Tesla / NACS $480.99) and the Autel ($559) have an app that charges only in your utility's cheaper hours. We rank them by price and spec; which brand pays us more never changes the order. See what home charging costs in your state.

Frequently asked questions

How many amps does my home EV charger need?

Fewer than most people think. A Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD driven 40 miles uses about 12 kWh (EPA's 31.1 kWh per 100 miles), which a 32-amp charger puts back in about 1.5 hours and a 40-amp one in about 1.5. Even 150 miles a day in a full-size electric pickup refills overnight at 40 amps. A 48-amp charger mainly helps cars that accept more than 9.6 kW.

What size breaker do I need for a 32, 40 or 48-amp charger?

EV charging is a continuous load, so the circuit must be rated 125% of what the charger draws: 40 amps for a 32-amp charger, 50 for 40 and 60 for 48. A NEMA 14-50 outlet on a 50-amp circuit therefore tops out at 40 amps; anything faster is hardwired.

Can I use my dryer outlet?

Only slowly. A 30-amp dryer circuit allows 24 amps of charging under the 125% rule, about 18 miles of range an hour by ChargePoint's estimate, and only with a charger you can set that low and a plug that matches the outlet. Have an electrician check the circuit first.

Do I need a permit, and can I install it myself?

If you already have a suitable 240-volt outlet, a plug-in charger just plugs in. A new outlet or circuit is electrician's work, and the Department of Energy says installs must meet local codes and may need permits. EnergySage puts permits at about $50 to $800.

Is there still a federal tax credit for a home charger?

No. The IRS says the charger credit (30C) is not allowed for property placed in service after June 30, 2026. Many utilities and states still offer charger or installation rebates, sometimes only for smart chargers; check your utility and our incentives page.

General information, not electrical advice. Charging speed depends on your car's built-in charger. Use a licensed electrician and check local permit rules. Prices change often and are from the makers' US sites on the dates shown; installation figures are averages, not quotes. See our disclaimer.

Sources

  1. U.S. EPA and DOE: fueleconomy.gov vehicle data (kWh per 100 miles)
  2. ChargePoint: Home Flex installation FAQ (circuit and amperage table)
  3. U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center: Charging electric vehicles at home
  4. U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center: Charging levels (Level 1 adds about 40 miles in 8 hours)
  5. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation: J3400 (NACS) charging connector
  6. EnergySage, How much does an EV charger installation cost? (updated June 22, 2026; state averages from Qmerit 2026 data) — checked October 19, 2026
  7. IRS: FAQs on modification of sections 25C, 25D, 25E, 30C, 30D, 45L, 45W and 179D (Public Law 119-21) — 30C not allowed for property placed in service after June 30, 2026
  8. Lectron NEXUS Level 2 (J1772) product page — checked October 31, 2026
  9. Lectron NEXUS Level 2 (Tesla / NACS) product page — checked October 31, 2026
  10. Lectron Portable Level 1 & 2 (Tesla / NACS) product page — checked October 31, 2026
  11. Autel MaxiCharger AC Elite Home 40A product page — checked October 31, 2026
  12. Autel MaxiCharger AC Elite Home 50A (hardwired) product page — checked October 31, 2026
  13. EVIQO Level 2 (J1772), plug-in 40A or hardwired 48A product page — checked October 31, 2026
  14. EVIQO Level 2 Gen 2 (J1772), 40A plug-in product page — checked October 31, 2026
  15. EVIQO Level 2 (J1772), 48A hardwired product page — checked October 31, 2026
  16. EVIQO NACS Level 2 (Tesla), 40A plug-in product page — checked October 31, 2026
  17. EVIQO NACS Level 2 (Tesla), 48A hardwired product page — checked October 31, 2026

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