Andersen EV Charger Review: Any Good?
The best-looking home charger you can buy — British-made, with a hidden cable, hundreds of finishes, and the UK’s longest warranty. The honest verdict on the A3 and Quartz, and whether the premium is worth it.
The short answer
The Andersen A3 and Quartz are the best-looking home EV chargers you can buy — and a premium, design-led choice rather than a value one. British-made, they’re defined by a genuinely unique hidden cable that stores inside the unit (nothing coiled on the ground or hanging on a hook), hundreds of finish options (the A3 has 247, including real Accoya wood), and the UK’s longest warranty at 7 years. They now support Intelligent Octopus Go natively too, so smart off-peak charging works well.
The honest catches are price and smarts: an Andersen costs roughly double what a Tesla Wall Connector (~£475) or Ohme (~£535) costs to do the identical charging job, and it isn’t the smart-tariff leader — an Ohme does more for less. So it’s worth the premium if aesthetics, finish and warranty top your list and it’ll sit somewhere visible; poor value if you just want the best charging or smart features per pound. We score it 4.2/5. The A3-vs-Quartz choice, the Octopus answer, and who should buy, below.
What this review covers
Andersen is the charger people search for when they want theirs to look good — it’s the design-first, premium name in UK home charging. This review is the honest account: what makes it genuinely special (and it is), what it costs (a lot), where that premium is justified, and where you’d be better served spending half as much elsewhere.
The brand and the hidden cable
Andersen is a British manufacturer, and the undisputed design-first, longest-warranty name in the UK home-charging market. Its two current chargers — the flagship A3 and the newer, more compact Quartz — are built around one genuinely unique signature feature: a hidden cable. The 5.5m Type 2 charging lead stores inside the body of the unit when not in use, so there’s nothing coiled on the ground, no cable hanging off a hook, just a clean face on the wall. No other mainstream charger does this, and it’s the single thing that most defines the Andersen look. Around that sits an obsessive attention to finish: the A3 offers 247 colour and finish combinations, including real sustainable Accoya wood panels (genuine timber, not printed vinyl) in options like Cotswold Oak and Sorong Teak, plus a ground-level convenience light that activates as you approach at night. This is a charger designed to be seen and to complement a home, not just bolted on and forgotten — which is exactly its pitch, and its price.
What’s genuinely good
The design — nothing else comes close. The hidden cable, the real-wood and premium metal finishes, the refined proportions: if the charger needs to suit your home’s appearance rather than just work, the Andersen is in a class of its own. The warranty — a 7-year warranty, the longest of any home charger in the UK, which no competitor matches (for comparison, the Rolec offers 5 years and the Hive just 3) — real reassurance and a sign of Andersen’s confidence in its build. British-made quality and materials throughout. Smart charging now works well: native Intelligent Octopus Go and OVO Charge Anytime support (see below). Solar-ready: a CT clamp is included for solar diversion, prioritising surplus generation to charge your car — useful for a solar home. And a genuinely tidy install, with the hidden cable meaning no external clutter. As a piece of hardware and design, it’s the finest home charger on the market — the question is only ever whether that’s worth what it costs.
Real prices: roughly double the rest
| Item | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| A3 unit only | £900–£995 |
| Quartz unit only (cheaper way in) | ~£695 |
| A3 fully installed | £1,300–£1,500 |
| vs Tesla Wall Connector / Ohme | ~£475 / ~£535 (half) |
| Warranty | 7 years |
| OZEV grant (renters/flats, A3) | −£500 |
Here’s the number that frames everything: an Andersen A3 is ~£900–£995 for the unit, ~£1,300–£1,500 fully installed — roughly double a Tesla Wall Connector (~£475) or Ohme Home Pro (~£535), both of which charge your car at the same 7kW. The newer Quartz is cheaper at ~£695, the more accessible way into the range. You’re paying that premium purely for design, the hidden cable, finish options and the 7-year warranty — not for faster or smarter charging. On grants: the A3 is OZEV-approved, so renters, flat-owners and on-street-parking households can claim up to £500 off (to March 2027), which meaningfully narrows the gap — but driveway homeowners get no grant. Note the Quartz wasn’t confirmed on the eligible list at the time of writing, so grant-eligible buyers should choose the A3. Whether the premium is justified comes down entirely to how much appearance matters to you — which the rest of this review helps you decide.
A3 vs Quartz: which to buy
For most people, the Quartz is the smarter buy — but the A3 wins one specific situation. Both share what makes an Andersen an Andersen: the hidden cable, the same 7-year warranty, native Intelligent Octopus Go, and included solar CT clamp. But the Quartz (launched 2025 as the more accessible model) costs ~£300 less, has a better IP weatherproofing rating, and uniquely offers a three-phase 22kW upgrade (+£195) that the A3 can’t match — the A3 is single-phase 7.4kW only. So for the majority, the Quartz delivers the Andersen look, warranty and features for less money. Where the A3 earns its extra cost is aesthetics at close quarters: the fullest finish range (247 combinations including real wood) and the most refined design — so if your charger sits on a prominent, front-facing wall you’ll see daily and a bespoke finish genuinely matters, the A3 justifies the premium. Going somewhere less visible, or might want three-phase? The Quartz. (One grant note: A3 is OZEV-approved, Quartz’s status was unconfirmed at writing — grant-eligible buyers should check.)
The Octopus & smart-tariff answer
Settled and worth stating clearly, because older reviews get it wrong: both the A3 and Quartz have been natively integrated with Intelligent Octopus Go since September 2025. Native integration means Octopus talks directly to the charger to schedule charging into the cheapest overnight slots (~7p/kWh) automatically, no manual setup — and Andersen also supports OVO Charge Anytime. So on IOG or OVO, an Andersen charges cheaply and smartly with no fuss. The honest limitation is tariff breadth: Andersen’s library is essentially just IOG and OVO — if you’re on a British Gas, E.ON or other EV tariff, an Ohme Home Pro is far broader. And dedicated Octopus Agile users who want the charger to read half-hourly prices and dynamically book the cheapest slots won’t get that here — that’s still the Ohme’s speciality. But for the large majority (on IOG or a simple off-peak window), the Andersen’s smart charging works perfectly well; it’s just not the deepest tariff-optimisation tool going.
Is it worth the premium?
Jewellery for your driveway — brilliant if that’s what you want, poor value if it isn’t
The honest way to decide is to know which kind of buyer you are. The Andersen is worth its premium if: the charger will be somewhere visible (a front-facing wall, by the front door) where you and visitors see it daily; you care about your home’s appearance and want the charger to complement it rather than be an eyesore; you value the genuinely unique hidden cable keeping everything tidy; or you want the reassurance of the UK’s longest warranty (7 years) from a British manufacturer. For those buyers, the design, finish and build are real and the premium is justified — nothing else looks as good. It’s not worth it if: you want the best value, the most charging power per pound, the widest smart-tariff support, or the smartest automation. For those priorities, a Tesla Wall Connector, Ohme Home Pro, Hypervolt or myenergi Zappi charges your car identically well (or smarter) for roughly half the price — they just won’t look as good doing it. The one-line summary: the Andersen is jewellery for your driveway — beautifully made and genuinely desirable, but you’re paying for how it looks, not how it charges. If that trade appeals, it’s superb; if not, buy cheaper.
Andersen vs Simpson & Partners vs Tesla
Three points on the premium spectrum. Andersen is the design-and-warranty leader — the best finishes, the unique hidden cable, the UK’s longest 7-year warranty — for buyers who put aesthetics and cover first, at the highest price. Simpson & Partners is the other British-made premium option, and the value pick of the premium set: a similarly upmarket, home-grown proposition at a considerably lower price, so it wins on value while the Andersen wins on finish range and the hidden cable. The Tesla Wall Connector takes the opposite view: the same charging job for less than half the price (~£475), decent 7.3m cable, solid reliability — the pragmatist’s pick if you consider a design premium a waste. The rule: Andersen for the best looks and warranty regardless of cost; Simpson & Partners for premium British design at a fairer price; Tesla for doing the job well for far less. All charge at 7kW equally — as with the whole Andersen story, you’re choosing how much appearance and finish are worth to you. (Our Hive, Rolec and Egg reviews cover the value end.)
Our score: 4.2 / 5
Andersen — the best-looking charger, at a price
The bottom line: The Andersen A3 and Quartz are the best-designed home EV chargers in the UK — British-made, with a unique hidden cable, hundreds of finishes and an unmatched 7-year warranty, now with native Intelligent Octopus Go. They lose points only on value and smart depth: they cost roughly double a charger that does the same job, and an Ohme does more on tariffs for less. Buy an Andersen if looks, finish and warranty are your priorities and it’ll be on show — the Quartz is the smarter-value pick for most, the A3 for a prominent wall. If you just want the best charging or smarts per pound, buy cheaper.
Get my free quotes →Andersen EV chargers: pros & cons
✓ Pros
- Best-looking charger in the UK — unique hidden cable
- 247 finish options incl. real Accoya wood (A3)
- UK’s longest warranty (7 years)
- British-made, premium build quality
- Native Intelligent Octopus Go & OVO support
- Solar CT clamp included; tidy, clutter-free install
✗ Cons
- Roughly double the price of equivalent chargers
- Not the smart-tariff leader (Ohme does more)
- Tariff library limited to IOG + OVO
- Wi-Fi only — no 4G fallback
- A3 is single-phase only (need Quartz/A2 for 22kW)
- Heavy (A3 7.5kg) — needs robust wall fixings
Frequently asked questions
Are Andersen EV chargers any good?
Yes — the best-looking and best-built home chargers in the UK, British-made with a unique hidden cable, hundreds of finishes and an unmatched 7-year warranty, now with native Intelligent Octopus Go. But they cost ~2× a charger that does the same job and aren’t the smartest. Great for design and warranty; poor value otherwise. 4.2/5.
How much do they cost?
A3 ~£900–£995 unit, ~£1,300–£1,500 installed; Quartz cheaper at ~£695 — roughly double a Tesla (~£475) or Ohme (~£535) for the same charging. You pay for design, hidden cable, finish and warranty. Renters/flats can claim the £500 OZEV grant on the A3.
A3 or Quartz?
Quartz for most — same 7-year warranty and hidden cable, ~£300 less, better IP rating, plus an optional 22kW three-phase upgrade. Choose the A3 only for a prominent, front-facing wall where its fuller finish range (247 options, real wood) earns its keep. A3 is OZEV-approved; Quartz’s status was unconfirmed at writing.
Does it work with Intelligent Octopus Go?
Yes — both A3 and Quartz have native IOG integration since September 2025, plus OVO Charge Anytime. The limitation: the tariff library is just IOG + OVO (an Ohme supports more), and it doesn’t read Agile’s half-hourly prices. Fine for most; not the deepest tariff tool.
Is it worth the premium?
Worth it if the charger’s on a visible wall, you want it to suit your home, you value the hidden cable, or you want the longest warranty. Not worth it if you want best value, most power-per-pound or the smartest tariffs — a Tesla, Ohme or Zappi charges identically for half the price. It’s jewellery for your driveway.
Andersen, Simpson & Partners or Tesla?
Andersen for the best looks and warranty; Simpson & Partners for premium British design at a fairer price; Tesla for the same charging job at under half the cost. All charge at 7kW equally — you’re choosing how much finish is worth to you.
The verdict
The Andersen A3 and Quartz are, without much argument, the most beautiful home EV chargers you can buy — British-made, obsessively finished, with a hidden cable no rival offers and a 7-year warranty none can match. As objects, they’re genuinely desirable in a way no other charger manages, and for a design-conscious homeowner putting a charger on a wall they’ll see every day, that’s worth real money. The addition of native Intelligent Octopus Go means they now charge cheaply and smartly too, closing the one functional gap that used to count against them.
The honesty this review owes you is simply about value: an Andersen costs roughly twice what an equally-capable charger costs, and it isn’t the smartest on tariffs — so it’s superb for buyers who prize looks, finish and warranty, and poor value for those who just want the best charging or features per pound. Know which you are and the decision is easy. And whichever charger you choose, it’s cheapest to run on your own solar: a couple of free, no-obligation quotes from MCS-certified installers will price panels and a charger together, so your car runs on sunshine by day and cheap off-peak power by night — looking good on the wall while it does it.
Important
Going Solar UK is an introduction service, not an installer or retailer. This review reflects publicly available specifications and typical pricing for Andersen EV chargers as of September 2026: models, prices, finishes, tariff integrations, grant eligibility and warranty terms change – always confirm current details with Andersen or your installer before purchase. Scores are our honest editorial opinion. Going Solar UK has no commercial relationship with Andersen.
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