Indra Smart LUX vs CTEK Chargestorm Connected 3: £471 apart, different planets

£471 and a phase apart

These two chargers share a wall-mounting and a Type 2 connector. That is roughly where the overlap ends. The Indra Smart LUX is a £615 single-phase smart charger — slim, well-protected, built in Worcestershire, with broad tariff integration through its own app. The CTEK Chargestorm Connected 3 is £1,086, weighs up to 24 kg, and is engineered for three-phase installations with commercial-grade metering and OCPP 2.0.1 support. It is, in every meaningful sense, a car-park unit that happens to be OZEV-approved.

• Indra Smart LUX — £615, 7.4kW, tethered, smart tariff scheduling via the Indra app, solar PV diversion, IP67 + IK10, 3-year warranty.
• CTEK Chargestorm Connected 3 — £1,086, up to 22kW on three-phase, untethered socket, scheduling via third-party OCPP apps only, MID-approved meter, 5-year warranty.

What the CTEK's £471 premium actually buys

On a single-phase supply — which describes the overwhelming majority of UK homes — the CTEK delivers the same 7.4kW as the Indra. You are paying £471 more for three-phase hardware you cannot use, a MID-approved energy meter you probably do not need, and a built-in Type B MRCD that saves your electrician buying a separate one (worth perhaps £80–£120 in parts). The CTEK's install costs are also substantially higher: £900–£1,300 typical, against £300–£500 for the Indra. Add it up and the total outlay gap can reach £800–£1,000.

The CTEK's case rests entirely on three-phase supply. If you have it — or have budgeted for the upgrade — 22kW charging roughly triples the speed. A 60 kWh battery goes from empty to full in under three hours rather than eight. For a household running two EVs, or someone who routinely arrives home with a near-empty battery and needs range by morning, that matters. Everyone else is buying a forklift to carry groceries.

Smart tariff control: one has it, one doesn't

The Indra Smart LUX integrates with over 1,000 UK energy tariffs through its own app, including half-hourly variable rates like Octopus Agile. Set your desired charge level, and the charger chases the cheapest slots. On a fixed off-peak tariff like Octopus Go at 8.5p/kWh, the Indra schedules within the 00:30–05:30 window without fuss.

The CTEK has no first-party app for tariff scheduling. It relies on third-party OCPP platforms like Monta. There is no direct integration with Intelligent Octopus Go or OVO Charge Anytime. For a charger costing £1,086, the absence of native smart tariff control is a significant omission — and the single biggest reason most buyers should look elsewhere. If smart charging is why you are here, the Indra does it out of the box for £471 less. The Ohme Home Pro at £535 does it with an included 4G SIM, for £551 less.

Protection, build, and the small details

The Indra is 78 mm deep, weighs 3.6 kg, and carries IP67 plus IK10 ratings — submersible and impact-resistant. It includes a built-in SPD and PEN fault detection, which typically shaves £150 or more from installation labour. Its three-year warranty is shorter than the CTEK's five, though Indra offers a five-year extension for £100.

The CTEK is IP54 and IK10 — protected against splashing but not submersion. At up to 24 kg, it is roughly seven times heavier than the Indra. Its MID-approved, Eichrecht-compliant meter is useful if you need legally certified energy readings — for workplace reimbursement, say, or a shared parking arrangement. For a private driveway, it is a feature you will never invoke.

Both chargers support OCPP, but the CTEK goes further with OCPP 2.0.1 and ISO 15118 plug-and-charge readiness. These are forward-looking protocols that may matter in five years. Whether they matter enough to justify paying double today is a question only a very specific buyer can answer.

The verdict

Buy the Indra Smart LUX if:

• You have single-phase supply — which you almost certainly do
• You want smart tariff scheduling through a dedicated app, including Agile-style half-hourly rates
• You value a slim, well-protected unit that keeps installation costs low

Buy the CTEK Chargestorm Connected 3 if:

• You have three-phase supply and want 22kW home charging
• You need a MID-approved energy meter for reimbursement or shared-access scenarios
• You are comfortable using Monta or another OCPP platform instead of a first-party app

For the single-phase majority, the Indra Smart LUX is the better charger by a wide margin — smarter, cheaper, easier to install, and half a kilo heavier than a bag of sugar. The CTEK is a fine piece of engineering aimed at a narrow audience. If three-phase is the deciding factor, compare it against the Zaptec Go 2 at £500 or the Wallbox Pulsar Max at £536 — both offer 22kW three-phase capability for considerably less money. The Indra is the one to put on the wall.