Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3) vs Andersen A3: Function vs Form

The Engineer's Choice vs the Architect's Choice

These two chargers sit at opposite ends of the home EV charging philosophy spectrum. The Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3) is an engineer's product — competitively priced, packed with practical features like power sharing, and deeply integrated with the Tesla ecosystem. The Andersen A3 is an architect's product — a beautifully crafted British-designed unit with 247 colour and finish combinations, a hidden cable system, and the kind of kerb appeal that makes neighbours stop and comment.

So why would anyone cross-shop them? Because both are OZEV-approved, both deliver 7.4kW on a standard UK single-phase supply, and both are tethered Type 2 chargers that work with every modern EV sold in Britain. The question isn't really about charging performance — it's about what else you value. Do you want the slickest app experience and the lowest price? Or do you want a charger that looks like a piece of premium home design and comes with the longest warranty on the market?

In a nutshell:

• Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3) (£475): The best-value charger with seamless Tesla app integration, power sharing for up to 6 units, and future-proof OTA updates.
• Andersen A3 (£995): The best-looking charger on the market, with a hidden cable system, 247 finish options, smart tariff support, and a class-leading 7-year warranty.

Spec Comparison

Power and Charging Speed

On a typical UK single-phase home supply, both chargers deliver an identical 7.4kW. That means roughly 25–30 miles of range added per hour, or a full charge on a 60kWh Tesla Model 3 in about 8.5 hours — comfortably overnight. For the vast majority of UK drivers covering the national average of around 7,400 miles per year, either charger will keep you topped up without breaking a sweat.

Where the Tesla Wall Connector pulls ahead is future-proofing. If you ever move to a property with three-phase power — or if three-phase becomes more common in UK homes — the Tesla unit can deliver up to 22kW, slashing that same full charge down to roughly 2.7 hours. The Andersen A3 is single-phase only, so 7.4kW is its ceiling. For most buyers today this won't matter, but it's worth noting if you're planning a long-term installation.

The Tesla also supports power sharing across up to 6 units on a single circuit. If you're a two-EV household (or expect to become one), this is a genuinely useful feature that the Andersen doesn't offer.

Smart Tariff Integration and Solar

This is where the Andersen A3 claws back some ground. It offers native smart tariff support for popular UK tariffs including Octopus Intelligent Go (with its roughly 7p/kWh off-peak rate) and OVO Charge Anytime. That means the charger can automatically schedule sessions during the cheapest overnight windows without you needing to fiddle with timers — a feature that can save a typical UK driver hundreds of pounds per year compared to charging at standard rates viablepower.co.uk.

The Tesla Wall Connector, by contrast, has no built-in smart tariff integration. You can set manual charging schedules via the Tesla app, and Tesla owners can use the Tesla Energy plan, but there's no automatic link to third-party tariffs like Octopus Go or Agile. If squeezing every penny from off-peak electricity is your priority, the Andersen is the smarter choice out of the box — or you'd want to look at something like the Ohme Home Pro for even deeper tariff integration tinyeco.com.

The Andersen also offers solar integration via its app, allowing you to prioritise charging from your solar panels. The Tesla Wall Connector requires additional hardware to achieve the same thing. If you've already invested in a rooftop solar array, the A3 makes the most of that investment without extra kit.

Build Quality and Design

Let's be honest: this is the Andersen's raison d'être. The A3 is constructed from anodised aluminium and comes in 247 colour and finish combinations — including metals, woods, and custom colours. Its hidden cable system tucks the 5.5-metre cable neatly inside the unit when not in use, eliminating the dangling-cable look that plagues most charger installations. It's British-designed with obvious attention to detail, and if your charger sits prominently on the front of your house, it genuinely looks like it belongs there.

The Tesla Wall Connector is by no means ugly — it's a clean, minimalist white slab that won't offend anyone. But it's functional rather than decorative. The 7.3-metre cable hangs on a hook or cable tidy, and there's one colour option: white. If your charger lives in a garage or on a side wall, this is absolutely fine. If it's the first thing visitors see when they pull into your drive, the Andersen makes a stronger impression.

On weatherproofing, the Andersen edges ahead with an IP54 rating versus the Tesla's IP44. Both are suitable for outdoor installation in the UK, but the A3 offers marginally better protection against splashing water — a not-insignificant consideration given British weather electriccarguide.co.uk.

One practical note: the Andersen's 5.5-metre cable is noticeably shorter than the Tesla's 7.3 metres. If your parking spot is further from the charger, that extra 1.8 metres on the Tesla could save you from needing a longer cable run during installation.

App and Connectivity

Both chargers connect via Wi-Fi and offer app-based control including scheduled charging. The Tesla app experience is widely regarded as excellent — particularly for Tesla owners, who get charging schedules, session history, energy usage data, and push notifications all within the same app they use to control their car. Over-the-air updates also mean the Wall Connector can gain new features over time, which is a genuine differentiator qualityheating.co.uk.

The Andersen app is competent — it handles scheduling, tariff integration, and solar management — but it's not class-leading. Neither charger offers 4G connectivity, so both rely on a stable home Wi-Fi signal reaching your installation point.

For non-Tesla EV owners, the Andersen app arguably offers a more complete experience, since the Tesla app's smartest features are designed around Tesla vehicles. If you drive a Volkswagen ID.4 or a Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Andersen's tariff and solar features give you more to work with.

Price and Value

The price gap is stark. Even after the OZEV grant (available to eligible renters and flat owners), the Andersen A3 costs £520 more at the low end of installation estimates. That's a significant premium — enough to cover roughly two years of home charging on Octopus Intelligent Go at 7p/kWh for a typical UK driver.

The Tesla Wall Connector offers arguably the best value proposition of any home charger on the UK market: a well-built, smart, tethered unit with a 4-year warranty and three-phase capability for under £500. The Andersen's 7-year warranty and premium construction go some way to justifying its price, but you are fundamentally paying for design excellence rather than charging superiority.

Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3) if:

• You own a Tesla and want the cleanest possible app integration
• You want the best value for money in a home EV charger
• You have (or may get) multiple EVs and want power sharing for up to 6 units
• Three-phase future-proofing matters to you
• Your charger is in a garage or on a side wall where aesthetics aren't critical

Buy the Andersen A3 if:

• Your charger will be prominently visible and you want it to complement your home's exterior
• You want native smart tariff support for Octopus Intelligent Go or OVO Charge Anytime
• You have solar panels and want app-based solar integration without extra hardware
• A 7-year warranty and premium build quality give you peace of mind
• You're willing to pay a premium for British design and craftsmanship

Our recommendation: For most UK EV owners, the Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3) is the smarter buy. It charges just as fast, costs less than half the price, offers power sharing and three-phase support, and the Tesla app experience is superb. The only areas where the Andersen genuinely wins on substance are smart tariff integration and solar support — and if those are your priorities, you might also want to consider the Ohme Home Pro or myenergi Zappi, which offer similar features at lower price points. Buy the Andersen A3 if your charger is front-and-centre on your home and you genuinely value how it looks — because nothing else on the market comes close to its design credentials.

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For the full specs-level breakdown, see our Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3) vs Andersen A3 comparison page.

Read our full Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3) review or Andersen A3 review.

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