Simpson & Partners EV Charger Review: Beautiful, British — the Catch
The design-led charger from the people who built Andersen. Genuinely gorgeous, genuinely British — but there’s a real-world catch worth knowing before you order.
The short answer
The Simpson & Partners Home Series is one of the best-built, best-looking home EV chargers in Britain — genuinely UK-made from anodised aluminium (with an optional Accoya wood lid), created by the team behind the premium Andersen brand, and backed by a market-leading 10-year enclosure warranty. From ~£649 (Plus ~£738), roughly £1,050–£1,350 fitted.
The honest catch is threefold: an app that’s had reliability wobbles, narrower smart-tariff integration than rivals (no automatic Octopus Agile chasing), and — the big one — the smallest installer network of the major brands, which can make finding someone to fit it the hardest part of the buy. Beautiful hardware; do your homework on the practicalities.
What this review covers
Most people meet Simpson & Partners the same way: scrolling premium EV chargers, stopping dead at one that actually looks like it belongs on a nice house rather than in a plant room. That’s the entire point of the brand — and it delivers on it. But a charger is a ten-year purchase you have to live with daily, so this review goes past the looks to the parts that decide whether you’ll still love it in year three: the smart features, the tariff fit, and the practical reality of getting one fitted and supported.
Who are Simpson & Partners?
Simpson & Partners are a British manufacturer based in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, and their pedigree is the headline: the brand was founded by industry veterans who were also behind Andersen — the company that essentially invented the “beautiful EV charger” category in the UK. So this isn’t a newcomer chasing a trend; it’s the same design thinking, relaunched. The philosophy is what they call “architectural” hardware — a charger designed as furniture for your home’s exterior, not an appliance bolted to it.
The build backs the pitch: anodised aluminium casing, an optional Accoya wood lid, a palette of classic British finishes (Cotswolds Green and friends), and a genuinely compact body — smaller than a sheet of A4. On Trustpilot the brand sits around 4.3, respectable for a premium hardware maker. If kerb appeal and British manufacture matter to you, Simpson & Partners is close to the top of the list.
The range and the design
Home Series (V3): 7kW & 22kW
Tethered or untethered · the one most people buyThe standard Home Series delivers 7kW for typical single-phase homes, with a 22kW three-phase version for properties with the supply. Both come tethered (fixed cable) or untethered (removable), accept any Type 2 cable, and include smart scheduling, a cable lock, an override for instant charging, Bluetooth and a courtesy light. Fully compliant with the UK Smart Charging Regulations.
Home Series Plus
Energy monitoring · solar · load managementThe Plus adds the things solar homes care about: built-in energy monitoring, solar charging that prioritises your panels over the grid, and a Wireless Energy Manager for dynamic household load balancing. It carries a 5-year hardware and 10-year enclosure warranty, and its modular design is built to be upgraded rather than replaced. For anyone pairing the charger with panels, the Plus is the one to look at.
One design gripe worth flagging honestly: on the tethered version, there’s no neat way to store the cable — Simpson provide a hook, but the compactness that makes the unit so tidy comes at the cost of cable management. If a clutter-free wall is your priority, the untethered version (removable cable) is the better-looking choice.
Prices and the grant
| Model | Unit price | Fitted (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Home Series 7kW (Basic) | ~£649 | ~£1,050–£1,250 |
| Home Series 7kW Plus | ~£738 | ~£1,150–£1,350 |
| Home 22kW (three-phase) | Higher | Higher + supply needs |
| Installation (typical) | — | +£400–£600 |
So budget ~£1,050–£1,350 fitted for a typical single-phase install. That places Simpson & Partners firmly in the premium tier — more than a value charger like the Sync EV, close to a Hypervolt, less than a top Zappi or Andersen. Where eligible (renters and flat owners under the current grant rules), the £500 government grant takes a meaningful bite out of that. Whether the premium is worth it comes down to how much you value the design and British build — on pure function, cheaper chargers do the core job; on looks and materials, few match it.
Smart charging, tariffs and solar
Here’s where nuance matters. The Simpson & Partners app handles the essentials well: schedule-based off-peak charging (set your cheap window, it draws during it), per-session energy and cost tracking, a manual price-per-kWh setting, cable lock and instant-charge override. On the Plus, you also get Octopus Intelligent integration and solar-priority charging.
The limitation to understand before buying: it doesn’t automatically chase dynamic half-hourly tariffs like Octopus Agile the way an upgrade from basic charging to something like the Ohme Home Pro would. If you’re on a simple fixed off-peak tariff (most people), the scheduling covers you perfectly. If you’re an Agile optimiser who wants the charger hunting the cheapest half-hours autonomously, this isn’t the sharpest tool for that specific job. Match the charger to how you actually buy electricity — the same logic from our wider energy-kit guides: the best spec is the one that fits your setup, not the longest feature list.
The real catch: the app and the installer network
The bit the brochure won’t lead with
Two honest caveats decide whether you’ll be happy long-term. First, the app: a recent redesign introduced glitches — owners have reported the app no longer fitting the screen properly and general reliability wobbles, which sting on a premium product where smooth control is half the point. It’s software, so it’s fixable, but it’s a live frustration in 2026. Second, and more important: Simpson & Partners has the smallest installer network of the major brands. Fewer electricians have fitted one, which can make sourcing an experienced local installer — and getting quick support later — genuinely harder than with a mainstream charger. That’s not a reason to rule it out, but it is the practical hurdle to solve before you fall for the looks. Using an installer-matching service that can actually source and fit one takes this problem off your plate.
Simpson & Partners vs Andersen vs the field
| If you want… | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| British design + build, best value in premium tier | Simpson & Partners | Ex-Andersen design, 10-yr enclosure, cheaper than Andersen |
| Maximum finish choice & hidden cable | Andersen A3 | 247 finishes, neat cable concealment Simpson lacks |
| Best value / no-frills reliability | Sync EV | Far cheaper, does the core job well |
| Automatic Agile / dynamic tariff chasing | Ohme Home Pro | Built for half-hourly optimisation Simpson doesn’t automate |
| Solar-priority charging on a budget | Sync EV / Zappi | Solar diversion at lower cost (Plus does it too, pricier) |
Simpson & Partners: pros & cons
✓ Pros
- Genuinely UK-made, premium anodised aluminium build
- Among the best-looking chargers on the market
- Market-leading 10-year enclosure warranty
- Ex-Andersen design pedigree, cheaper than Andersen
- Tethered & untethered; 7kW & 22kW options
- Plus model adds solar-priority charging & monitoring
✗ Cons
- App reliability/redesign glitches in 2026
- No automatic Agile-style dynamic tariff chasing
- Smallest installer network of the major brands
- Premium price vs functional rivals
- Tethered cable has no tidy storage
- 4G connectivity an added extra; no display
Frequently asked questions
Are Simpson & Partners EV chargers any good?
Yes — among the best-built and best-looking home chargers in the UK, genuinely British-made, ex-Andersen design, 10-year enclosure warranty. The trade-offs are price, app wobbles, narrower tariff integration, and the smallest installer network of the big brands.
How much do they cost?
From ~£649 (Plus ~£738), roughly £1,050–£1,350 fitted. The £500 government grant applies where eligible (renters and flat owners). London and the South East run higher.
Where are they made?
In the UK — Malmesbury, Wiltshire — by a company founded by ex-Andersen industry veterans. Premium anodised aluminium with an optional Accoya wood lid.
Does it work with Octopus and solar?
Schedule-based off-peak charging on all models; Octopus Intelligent and solar-priority charging on the Plus. It doesn’t auto-chase Octopus Agile half-hours, though — fine for fixed off-peak tariffs, less so for Agile optimisers.
What’s the catch?
App glitches after a recent redesign, no automatic dynamic-tariff optimisation, and — the big one — the smallest installer network of the major brands, which can make finding a local fitter and support the hardest part of the purchase.
Simpson & Partners or Andersen?
Shared design DNA. Simpson is usually cheaper, with a longer enclosure warranty and a three-phase option; Andersen offers far more finishes and neater cable concealment. Looks-plus-value leans Simpson; maximum customisation leans Andersen.
The prettiest charger on the wall — mind the practicalities
The bottom line: If you want the best-looking British-made charger on your wall and you’re on a straightforward off-peak tariff, the Simpson & Partners is a joy — just line up an installer who can actually source and support it, and know the app is a work in progress.
Get my free install quotes →The verdict
Simpson & Partners make arguably the most beautiful home charger you can buy in Britain, and back it with build quality and a warranty that justify the premium. For the design-led buyer on a normal off-peak tariff, it’s a genuinely lovely bit of kit that’ll look right on the house for a decade.
Go in clear-eyed on the two practical points: the app is still finding its feet, and the small installer network means sourcing and fitting is the real hurdle, not the charger itself. Solve that — ideally with an installer-matching service that can get one fitted and supported — and you’ll be delighted. Free quotes take the sourcing headache off your hands and price it honestly against the alternatives.
Important
Going Solar UK is an introduction service, not an installer, and we have no commercial relationship with Simpson & Partners. Free quotes are provided by the vetted installers we introduce you to. Prices, specifications, warranty terms and app details are indicative 2026 figures and change over time — always confirm the current spec, warranty and grant eligibility before purchase. Brand names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.
We may receive a commission when we introduce you to an installer, at no cost to you. Any contract for work is directly between you and the installer.