Andersen Quartz review: We test an EV charger worth putting on show

There are plenty of things we attach to our houses because we need them, rather than because we particularly like looking at them. Burglar alarms, satellite dishes and drainpipes spring to mind. EV chargers can fall into much the same category. But it doesn't have to be like this.

An innovative UK company has taken a completely different approach to creating an EV charger for the home, focusing on the design as much as the technology inside. And the result is something you could actually feel proud to have on the front of your house.

Andersen EV offers small range of EV wall boxes are as good as tailor made because, although each one has the same basic footprint, they're incredibly customisable.

They begin as an attractive box, rather than just an incongruous socket, and the buyer adds their own touch to it, through a series of customisation options.

I've been living with the base model, the Quartz, for a few weeks now, and it's a lovely thing to use, but that's only half the story - because the journey begins before you even make an order.

Four main options to choose from

The Quartz, the smallest and most affordable offering, has nearly 200 possible combinations of finishes and colours, including smart wood-effects, carbon fibre, and even effects inspired by English Heritage.

For some people the aesthetics of a charge point probably haven't even been given a second thought, but we're a house-proud nation, so it's hard not to admire Andersen's foresight here. Many people genuinely do care about appearances.

There are two basic formats to choose from, the Quartz models are quite compact, and come "untethered", so you need to add your own cable.

Then there's the A2 and A3, which are a seriously clever, if more expensive option, with a chamber behind the front panel for you to wind the tethered charging cable neatly in. These also have dozens of finish combinations, with the larger A2 offering a 22kW option.

The one I chose to have on my front wall

I chose the Quartz partly because I like the look of it, but partly because I prefer an untethered charge point, which the Quartz offers. It gives you the option of a longer cable, something Andersen can supply, and it gives you the option of reeling your cable up elsewhere on your driveway. Andersen has thought about this, and can offer an optional cable mount - in a colour to match your charge point.

The Quartz comes in two styles, the standard model, and a version with a display, the Quartz Vision. The latter doesn't cost a lot more, and the display is handy for glancing at charging statistics, but with all models you can access everything through an app, which is how I knew I'd be using it, so the display didn't seem worth having.

For the colour choice, I had to consult my wife, because choosing colours is way above my pay grade apparently.

We settled on Maranello Red and Sherwood Green, for reasons I don' really understand and have no place arguing, but I have to admit, it looks absolutely lovely. Distinctive enough to catch the eye, but subtle enough not to look out of place.

We also ordered a Sherwood Green cable mount, a 10-metre cable, and specified a 7kW model, because we don't have three phase at home.

The ordering and installation process

Once you've got past the point of avoiding a huge argument about colour choice, and you've decided on your cable length and whether you want a mount, you place an order on the Andersen website and the process begins.

You'll start off by completing a few basic steps, all easy to do for anyone who's at least slightly proficient with a smartphone.

It's basically a small survey, to allow the installing team to see where you want the wall box, where the cable will run, and where it's got to be wired into.

Andersen has its own in-house team of installers, and ours, Gavin, arrived for a pre-installation visit, appropriately enough in an electric car, promptly and within a very short time of the order being placed.

He was a lovely chap, and talked me through the options, ensuring to the greatest extent possible he could accommodate our preferences while keeping the installation as neat and easy as possible.

Gavin explained he was new to Andersen, but he was clearly very experienced in the industry, and he even discussed his own Andersen EV charger, and colour choices he'd helped previous customers with.

Installation day followed just a week later, shortly after the kit arrived, and apart from the occasional decision that had to be made over cable routings, it was a completely fuss free morning, completed in extremely quick time.

It was an interesting, friendly, and extremely professional installation, with care taken in all the right places. Very impressive.

What is an Andersen charge point like to use?

As with all premium wall boxes these days, the Andersen EV charge points come with smart functionality.

The Andersen app provides remote control and scheduling, so you can arrange charging around your routine, and it's compatible with supported smart tariffs, including Intelligent Octopus Go and OVO Charge Anytime.

There's also solar compatibility, so you can balance energy generation and energy use, and everything is tracked in the app.

Being honest, I have used better apps, but it's quite intuitive, and very stable. I haven't had to reconnect it at all yet, and I have used it quite a bit.

The physical process of charging your car is as easy as it should be, just plug a cable in, connect it to your car, and it's off. No settings to play with unless you want to, it's just ready to go.

What does an Andersen charge point cost?

Here's the good news. While the charge points might be very much design-led, and you'd expect it to be a pricey proposition, the starting prices are on a par with most other smart wall boxes.

The Quartz I chose starts at £695, and the Quartz Vision is £783. Add standard installation and it takes you to £1,130, but this isn't far off the usual ballpark for a smart charger.

The Andersen A2 and A3 are quite a bit more expensive, but that extra cost is potentially worth it for the hidden cables and even more customisation options - if you're a neat freak, you'll love them.

The only thing you need to bear in mind is not to get too giddy with the options. For the Quartz, six of the eleven main colour choices cost an extra £48, for reasons I can't fathom, and the faux-wood trims cost an extra £94. Opt for carbon and, as attractive as it is, it's going to add £185. The English Heritage options add £150.

Choose the three-phase option and there's money piled on, add a cable, or pick a tethered version with a cable already wired in, and you're adding even more cost.

It's possible, then, to spec the box alone up to nearly £1,000 before you've added installation, and that costs at least £435.

A reminder, this is the cheapest charge point on offer, so it's definitely worth bearing this in mind.

Overall verdict: Should you buy an Andersen EV charger?

There's no getting around the fact this is an option for people who value aesthetics and depending on how fussy you actually are, this can turn your charge point into quite an expensive proposition.

But it's important to bear in mind it doesn't have to, there are some more affordable options without making too much of a sacrifice.

The other thing I really like is that it's by no means a form over function solution. The charge points have genuine smart functionality, and they work as well as any other rival. The difference is they look much, much nicer, and they can be specced up to suit your style.

Andersen also provides a seven-year warranty, which adds some all-important reassurance.

I’d choose the configuration carefully, particularly the cable arrangement, and compare the complete installed quote with alternatives, but I don’t think caring about the appearance of your wall box is an unreasonable indulgence.

You’re putting this thing on your house and potentially looking at it every day. Wanting one you actually like seems perfectly sensible to me.