A granny charger costs roughly £150–£250 upfront; a proper 7 kW charger costs £800–£1,500 installed
If you have just bought an electric vehicle or are thinking of getting one, you will face a choice between using the portable cable that came with the car or installing a dedicated wallbox. The “granny charger” is the 3-pin portable cable supplied with most EVs, and if bought separately it costs between £150 and £250 (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). A dedicated 7 kW wallbox, known as a proper charger, typically costs £800 to £1,500 installed, with the final price depending on how far the cable must run from your fuse box and whether your consumer unit needs upgrading (Ofgem, 2026).
A granny charger costs £150–£250 upfront, while a proper 7 kW charger costs £800–£1,500 installed. The proper charger is three times faster, adding 30–35 miles per hour versus 8–10 miles for the granny. Compare your daily mileage and grant eligibility to decide.
- Granny charger costs £150–£250 upfront, proper charger £800–£1,500 installed.
- Proper charger adds 30–35 miles per hour; granny adds 8–10 miles.
- Full charge on granny takes over 26 hours; proper takes under 9 hours.
- EV Chargepoint Grant can reduce proper charger cost by up to £350.
- Granny charger suits low daily mileage; proper charger for regular full charges.
- A granny charger costs roughly £150–£250 upfront; a proper 7 kW charger costs £800–£1,500 installed
- A granny charger adds roughly 8–10 miles of range per hour; a proper charger adds 30–35 miles per hour
- Quick numbers — granny charger vs proper charger cost and speed comparison
- Using a granny charger costs the same per mile as a proper charger — both run on standard domestic electricity
- A proper charger is safer for regular use because it has built-in protection and is hardwired
- The answer to "granny charger vs proper charger" is use a granny charger for occasional top-ups, but a proper charger for daily charging
- To install a proper charger you need an MCS-certified installer and a chargepoint registered on the MCS database
- A proper charger can add value to your home; a granny charger does not
The direct answer is that a granny charger costs about a tenth of what a proper charger does upfront, but that is only part of the story. These figures exclude any government grant discounts, which can reduce the proper charger cost by up to £350 under the EV Chargepoint Grant scheme (GOV.UK, 2026).
A granny charger adds roughly 8–10 miles of range per hour; a proper charger adds 30–35 miles per hour
Charging speed is where the two options diverge sharply. A granny charger delivers 2.3 kW from a standard 3-pin socket, which gives you roughly 8 to 10 miles of range per hour for a typical EV (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). A proper 7 kW wallbox delivers 30 to 35 miles per hour, more than three times faster (DESNZ, 2026).
To put that in real terms, a full charge for a 60 kWh battery takes over 26 hours on a granny charger, but under 9 hours on a proper charger. If you drive 30 miles a day, a granny charger plugged in overnight will just about keep up, but a proper charger gives you a full battery every morning with hours to spare.
Quick numbers — granny charger vs proper charger cost and speed comparison
| Cost metric | Granny charger | Proper 7 kW charger |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost (£) | £150–£250 | £800–£1,500 |
| Charging speed (miles per hour) | 8–10 miles | 30–35 miles |
| Time to full charge (60 kWh battery, hours) | 26+ hours | Under 9 hours |
| Annual electricity cost for 10,000 miles (£) | £700–£800 | £700–£800 |
Electricity cost per mile is the same for both chargers because they draw from the same household supply at the same unit rate. The figures assume a typical EV efficiency of 0.3 kWh per mile and an electricity unit rate of 24–28 p/kWh under the 2026 price cap (Ofgem, 2026; Energy Saving Trust, 2026).
Using a granny charger costs the same per mile as a proper charger — both run on standard domestic electricity
Both chargers draw electricity from the same household supply at the same unit rate, which in 2026 is approximately 24 to 28 p/kWh on a standard variable tariff (Ofgem, 2026). That means there is no difference in per-mile cost: roughly 7 to 8 p per mile for a typical EV, regardless of which charger you use.
The cost difference is only in the upfront hardware and installation, not the running cost. If you drive 10,000 miles a year, your annual electricity bill for charging will be about the same whether you use a granny charger or a proper wallbox.
A proper charger is safer for regular use because it has built-in protection and is hardwired
Granny chargers plug into a standard 3-pin socket, which may not be designed for sustained high-current load for 8 or more hours at a time. Electrical Safety First warns that older or poorly wired sockets can overheat, creating a fire risk (Electrical Safety First, 2026). Proper 7 kW chargers include internal RCD protection, earth monitoring, and over-temperature cut-offs built into the unit. They are hardwired by a qualified electrician to Part P of the Building Regulations, which means the installation is inspected and certified.
If you use a granny charger daily, you should check that the socket you use is on its own circuit and in good condition. Even then, the plug and socket are not designed for repeated high-current cycles, so a proper charger is the safer choice for regular use.
The answer to “granny charger vs proper charger” is use a granny charger for occasional top-ups, but a proper charger for daily charging
A granny charger is fine for emergency use or when visiting relatives because it is portable and needs no installation. However, if you drive more than 30 miles per day and need a full charge overnight, a proper charger is essential (DESNZ, 2026). For most owners doing 30 to 50 miles daily, a proper charger pays back in convenience, not money. You will not save on electricity costs, but you will save time and avoid the worry of a flat battery.
Compare the running costs of different EV chargers in our detailed cost guide
To install a proper charger you need an MCS-certified installer and a chargepoint registered on the MCS database
If you want to claim any government grant, such as the EV Chargepoint Grant, the installer must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme for EV charging, and the chargepoint itself must be on the MCS product list (GOV.UK, 2026; MCS, 2026). Granny chargers require no certification at all — you simply plug them in — but any electrical work you do to upgrade a socket circuit must still comply with Part P of the Building Regulations.
If you are not claiming a grant, you can use any qualified electrician, but MCS certification is still the standard that most insurers and lenders recognise.
A proper charger can add value to your home; a granny charger does not
A dedicated EV chargepoint is a recognised home improvement that can increase resale value by 1 to 3%, according to surveys from property professionals (NAEA Propertymark, 2026; RICS, 2026). A granny charger is a portable accessory with no fixed installation and no impact on property value. This value-add is only realised if the chargepoint is installed to current standards and registered with the MCS, so keep the installation certificate if you plan to sell.
See our full guide on home improvements that add value to your property
Frequently Asked Questions
A granny charger is the portable 3-pin cable supplied with most EVs, delivering 2.3 kW from a standard socket. The Energy Saving Trust states it adds 8–10 miles of range per hour.
A proper 7 kW wallbox costs £800–£1,500 installed, depending on cable run length and consumer unit upgrades, according to Ofgem (2026). Grants can reduce this by up to £350.
Yes, a granny charger is safe for occasional or daily use if the socket and wiring are in good condition. The Energy Saving Trust advises against using extension leads and recommends a dedicated socket.
A granny charger takes over 26 hours to fully charge a 60 kWh battery from empty, based on its 2.3 kW output. A proper 7 kW charger does the same in under 9 hours.
Both cost the same per mile of range added, as electricity is priced per kWh. The difference is speed: a proper charger is three times faster, but running costs are identical per unit of energy.
