Choose a home Level 2 EV charger: connector, plug or hardwire, amperage and cable

Start with the connector your vehicle uses

Two vehicle connectors are in use on North American home chargers: SAE J1772 and NACS, standardized as SAE J3400. Emporia, Wallbox, ChargePoint and Grizzl-E each sell the same charger with either cable as a separate SKU. Emporia's store lists eight Classic variants by color, connector and configuration; Wallbox's part numbers carry a 1 for Type 1 (J1772) or a T for NACS; ChargePoint's order codes add -NACS for the NACS cable; Grizzl-E's model codes use J or N. A ChargePoint NACS conversion kit exists, but it is a separately sold part, and adapters are outside this catalogue.

Decide plug-in or hardwired, then read that configuration's amperage

The headline amperage of a model is often the hardwired figure. Emporia documents 48 A for the hardwired Classic and 40 A on its NEMA 14-50 plug. ChargePoint documents up to 50 A for a hardwired Home Flex but limits NEMA plug-in models to 32 A or 40 A. Wallbox sells the Pulsar Plus as a 40 A model with a NEMA 14-50 cord or a 48 A model that is hardwired only. Grizzl-E sells the Ultimate 48A as hardwire only and the Classic Connect as a 40 A plug-in that the manual says can be converted to hardwire at the same 40 A. This catalogue records the model maximum and the package maximum as separate facts so the plug limit stays visible.

Every figure here is a documented limit. The installer sets the current to suit the circuit, and the vehicle's onboard charger may draw less. None of these numbers is a measured charging speed.

Read power and circuit figures as the manufacturer states them

Power is recorded only where a source states it, with its voltage. Emporia states 11.5 kW at 240 V and 48 A. ENERGY STAR's listings give 11.52 kW at 240 V input for the Wallbox Pulsar Plus 48 A and Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A records. ChargePoint gives 12 kW only for its 50 A hardwired maximum, and Grizzl-E's store page and manual disagree on the Classic Connect's 40 A figure, so those package values stay unresolved rather than being calculated by us.

The manufacturers also state their circuit requirements: a dedicated two-pole breaker sized above the charging current, for example a 50 A circuit for 40 A or a 60 A circuit for 48 A in these documents. Emporia and ChargePoint ask for an industrial grade NEMA 14-50 outlet and Grizzl-E an EV Grade receptacle. Emporia and ChargePoint both describe nuisance tripping when a GFCI breaker is added in front of a charger with its own protection, and ChargePoint recommends hardwiring where local code requires a GFCI breaker for a plug-in. We repeat these statements as published and give no electrical advice of our own; a licensed electrician decides what your panel, wiring and local code allow.

Check who the manufacturer says should install it

Each manufacturer names a qualified installer. Emporia recommends a licensed electrician or other qualified professional. Wallbox says hardwired connections and new circuits or NEMA receptacles must only be done by a qualified electrician. Grizzl-E names a licensed contractor, licensed electrician or trained installation expert. ChargePoint recommends a licensed electrician who is also a ChargePoint-certified technician, and its installation guide excludes the station from warranty if installation or commissioning is not done by a certified technician using an approved method. Read that condition before you book an installer.

Measure the cable run

The packages here state 23 ft (ChargePoint Home Flex) or 25 ft (Emporia, Wallbox, Grizzl-E) of cable. A cable length is a specification, not a guarantee that it reaches your charge port around a parked car. ENERGY STAR records sometimes print a different cord figure, such as 24 ft for the Wallbox model number or 18 ft for the representative Home Flex variant, and we keep that difference in the fact note.

Read enclosure, safety listing and ENERGY STAR wording

Enclosure ratings are not interchangeable: Emporia, Wallbox and Grizzl-E state NEMA or UL Type 4, and ChargePoint states Type 3R per UL 50E. Safety wording also differs. ChargePoint states UL and cUL listed, Grizzl-E gives UL file E510712, Wallbox states UL certification to UL 2594 and UL 2231, and Emporia lists UL standards without naming a file number. ENERGY STAR's certified EVSE listing is a regulatory source for energy-use certification; it is not a safety listing. Emporia's own page does not mention ENERGY STAR, but the listing includes its model EMEVSE1.

Check the app, Wi-Fi and load management

All five packages rely on an app for scheduling and settings. Grizzl-E documents 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only, ChargePoint 2.4 and 5 GHz, and Emporia and Wallbox do not state a band. Emporia says its app and Wi-Fi are required for advanced smart charging and a PIN is set in the app with the breaker size. Load management is usually extra: Wallbox's dynamic load management and solar charging may need a separately sold power meter, and Emporia says PowerSmart can be added to the Classic at extra cost.

Confirm the package and the warranty

Match the SKU or model code to the configuration you chose, because color, connector, plug and warranty options change it. Grizzl-E sells a 5 Year warranty as a separate add-on to its 3 Year default, and lists refurbished units beside new ones. Seller listings can disagree with the manufacturer; one retailer lists the Home Flex with a 1-year warranty and no certifications, while ChargePoint's datasheet states a 3-year parts warranty and UL listing. Where that happens, this catalogue records the manufacturer's wording and keeps the seller entry in the source note.