Form vs Function: What £445 Extra Actually Buys You
These two chargers occupy completely different corners of the market, which makes this comparison oddly useful. The Andersen A3 is a design object that happens to charge your car. The EO Mini Pro 3 is an engineering exercise in making a charger disappear through sheer smallness. Both solve the same problem — getting overnight charge into your Tesla — but their philosophies couldn't be further apart.
In a nutshell:
- Andersen A3 (£995): The charger you buy when you care deeply about how it looks on your wall. 247 finishes, hidden cable, 7-year warranty.
- EO Mini Pro 3 (£550): The charger you buy when you want something small, capable, and sensibly priced. A5-sized, solar CT clamp included, Ethernet connectivity.
Is the Andersen A3's Design Worth a £445 Premium?
Let's be blunt: the Andersen A3 costs nearly double the EO Mini Pro 3. That's a significant chunk of money that could go towards a smart tariff setup and months of cheap overnight charging.
What you get for that premium is undeniably beautiful hardware. Anodised aluminium construction, a choice of 247 colour and finish combinations spanning metals, woods, and custom colours, and a hidden cable system that tucks the 5.5m Type 2 cable inside the unit when not in use. No other charger on the market looks this good or keeps things this tidy. The 7-year warranty — more than double the EO's 3 years — also signals serious build confidence.
But here's the thing: if your charger lives in a garage, around the side of your house, or anywhere visitors won't see it, you're paying £445 for aesthetics nobody will appreciate. The Andersen makes sense on a front-facing wall of a period property where a chunky black box would look jarring. Outside that scenario, the maths don't add up.
The EO Mini Pro 3's Size Advantage Is Real
At 215mm × 140mm × 100mm, the EO Mini Pro 3 is genuinely tiny — about the size of a hardback book and weighing just 2.5 kg. If you've got a cramped installation spot, a narrow passage between house and fence, or a pillar that won't accommodate a full-sized unit, the EO might be your only viable option. That alone can end this comparison before it starts.
It also packs in more connectivity than the Andersen. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet come as standard — that Ethernet port is a real bonus if your Wi-Fi signal is patchy near the driveway. There's an optional 4G add-on too, which the Andersen doesn't offer at all.
Which Is Better for Solar Panel Owners?
Both chargers support solar integration, but the EO Mini Pro 3 has the edge here. It ships with a CT clamp as standard for solar diversion — no extra hardware to purchase. You plug it in, configure it through the EO app, and surplus solar generation gets routed into your car. It's not as sophisticated as a Zappi's full eco modes, but it's included in the £550 price.
The Andersen A3 handles solar via its app, but the EO's bundled CT clamp makes the setup more straightforward. If you've already invested in panels and want to maximise self-consumption, the EO delivers better value on this front.
Smart Tariff and Ecosystem Differences
Neither charger is a smart tariff powerhouse in the way an Ohme is, but both handle scheduled charging competently. The Andersen A3 supports Octopus Intelligent Go and OVO Charge Anytime. The EO Mini Pro 3 covers Octopus Go, EDF Go Electric, and others through presets.
The EO has one trick the Andersen can't match: British Gas Power+ integration through the Hive ecosystem, which credits back 25% of charging costs. If you're already a British Gas customer with Hive, that cashback could recoup a meaningful portion of the charger's cost over a couple of years. It's niche, but it's real money.
For most Tesla owners on Octopus Intelligent Go, the Tesla app itself handles off-peak scheduling natively, which somewhat levels the playing field between these two on smart tariff savings.
Which Should You Buy?
Buy the Andersen A3 if:
- Your charger will be prominently visible on the front of your house
- You care about matching it to your home's exterior (stone, wood, specific colours)
- The hidden cable system appeals — you hate dangling cables
- A 7-year warranty gives you peace of mind worth paying for
Buy the EO Mini Pro 3 if:
- You have a tight or awkward installation space
- You have solar panels and want diversion without buying extra kit
- You're in the British Gas/Hive ecosystem and want 25% cashback
- You'd rather spend £445 less and get a charger that does the job well
For most Tesla owners, the EO Mini Pro 3 is the rational choice. It charges at virtually the same speed (7.2kW vs 7.4kW — a difference you'll never notice overnight), offers better connectivity, includes solar hardware, and costs £445 less. The Andersen A3 is a luxury purchase, and a lovely one — but luxury is only worth it when you'll actually see and appreciate it every day. If that's you, go for it. Everyone else should pocket the savings. Check our best Tesla home charger guide if neither quite fits the bill.