Pod Point Solo 3S vs Simpson & Partners Home 7: Convenience vs Value

The Hassle-Free Package vs the Premium Underdog

Choosing a home EV charger in the UK often comes down to a simple question: do you want someone to handle everything for you, or are you happy to do a bit more legwork in exchange for better value and more features? That's precisely the trade-off between the Pod Point Solo 3S and the Simpson & Partners Home 7.

The Pod Point Solo 3S is backed by one of the UK's most established charging brands, with over 250,000 chargers installed according to topcharger.co.uk. Its £999 price includes standard installation — you order, they fit it, job done. The Simpson & Partners Home 7, on the other hand, is a UK-manufactured charger from a smaller but increasingly respected brand. At £649 for the unit alone, it undercuts the Pod Point on price whilst offering features the Solo 3S simply cannot match, including smart tariff support and three-phase capability.

If you are weighing up these two, you are likely someone who values quality and reliability but is trying to decide whether the Pod Point's all-inclusive convenience justifies paying more for fewer features.

In a nutshell:

• Pod Point Solo 3S (£999): The all-in-one package — charger plus professional installation with a five-year warranty and zero hassle.
• Simpson & Partners Home 7 (£649): A premium-built, feature-rich charger with a 10-year enclosure warranty, smart tariff support, and three-phase capability at a lower price point.

Spec Comparison

Smart Tariff Integration

This is where the Simpson & Partners Home 7 pulls decisively ahead. It supports smart tariffs including Octopus Go (7.5p/kWh between 00:30 and 04:30), OVO Anytime, and EDF GoElectric. For a typical UK EV driver covering 7,400 miles per year in a Tesla Model 3 (roughly 2,114 kWh annually at 3.5 miles per kWh), charging on Octopus Go's off-peak rate versus a standard 24p/kWh tariff could save you around £350 per year. Over the Home 7's 10-year enclosure warranty period, that is a genuinely transformative saving.

The Pod Point Solo 3S, by contrast, offers scheduled charging through its app — so you can manually set a window to charge during off-peak hours — but it lacks direct smart tariff integration. You would need to set your schedule manually to align with your tariff's cheap window, and you would miss out on the dynamic optimisation that true tariff integration provides. As noted in electriccarguide.co.uk, the Pod Point app is functional but basic compared to competitors.

If you are on a smart tariff — or plan to switch to one — the Simpson & Partners charger is the clear winner here.

Power and Charging Speed

On a standard UK single-phase supply, these two chargers perform almost identically. The Pod Point Solo 3S delivers 7.4kW, whilst the Simpson & Partners Home 7 offers 7kW. In practical terms, charging a typical 60kWh Tesla battery from empty would take roughly 8.1 hours on the Solo 3S versus about 8.5 hours on the Home 7. That 25-minute difference is unlikely to matter when you are charging overnight.

Where the Home 7 has a genuine advantage is its three-phase capability. If you have (or plan to install) a three-phase supply, the Home 7 can deliver up to 22kW — charging that same 60kWh battery in approximately 2.7 hours. Three-phase power is rare in UK homes (fewer than 5% have it), but it is more common in rural properties, new builds, and commercial settings. At £649, the Home 7 is remarkably affordable for a three-phase-capable charger.

Both chargers feature adaptive load management to prevent overloading your home's electrical supply, which is a sensible safety feature that most modern smart chargers now include.

Build Quality and Design

The Simpson & Partners Home 7 is UK-manufactured with an anodised aluminium enclosure — a significant step up from the polycarbonate housing used by the Pod Point Solo 3S. Aluminium is more durable, more resistant to UV degradation, and simply feels more premium. The Home 7 also offers multiple finish options including Accoya wood and distinctive colours, giving you some choice over how it looks on your wall.

The Pod Point Solo 3S has its own appeal with a distinctive oval shape and compact dimensions (330mm × 290mm × 112mm for the tethered version). It is lighter at 3.5kg for the untethered model, making it one of the lighter chargers on the market. The IK10 impact rating noted by electriccarguide.co.uk means it can withstand a reasonable knock, though the polycarbonate construction will not age as gracefully as aluminium over a decade.

That 10-year enclosure warranty from Simpson & Partners speaks to their confidence in the build quality — it is the longest on the market by a considerable margin. However, it is worth noting that this covers the enclosure specifically, not necessarily all internal electronics. The Pod Point's five-year warranty, meanwhile, covers both the product and installation work, which is a more comprehensive package within its shorter timeframe.

Installation Considerations

Here is where the Pod Point Solo 3S genuinely shines. The £999 price includes standard installation — no separate quotes, no sourcing your own electrician. According to pod-point.com, 90% of customers qualify for standard installation, and if they cannot fit it, you get a full refund. Their installation service has earned Which? Trusted Trader endorsement, and they offer 24/7 customer support.

The trade-off is that you cannot choose your installer — Pod Point assigns a third-party contractor from their network, and you cannot vet their reviews or track record yourself. You also cannot buy the unit separately and shop around for a cheaper installation quote.

With the Simpson & Partners Home 7, you will need to arrange your own installation, typically costing £400–600 depending on cable run length and consumer unit work. This means more effort on your part, but it also gives you the freedom to choose a trusted local electrician with strong reviews.

Price and Value

At first glance, the Pod Point looks like the better deal — £999 all-in versus a potential £1,249 for the Simpson & Partners once installation is factored in. But this comparison does not tell the whole story. The Home 7 offers smart tariff support that could save you £350 or more per year, a 10-year enclosure warranty, three-phase capability, and premium aluminium construction. Over even two years of smart tariff savings, the Home 7 pays back any price difference handsomely.

Both chargers are OZEV grant eligible, which knocks up to £350 off for qualifying renters and flat owners.

Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the Pod Point Solo 3S if:

• You want a completely hassle-free experience with installation included
• You prefer dealing with a single, well-established brand for everything
• You are not on a smart energy tariff and do not plan to switch to one
• You value the simplicity of a five-year warranty covering both product and installation
• You want a lightweight, compact charger with a proven track record

Buy the Simpson & Partners Home 7 if:

• You are on (or plan to join) a smart tariff like Octopus Go or OVO Anytime
• You want premium UK-manufactured build quality with an aluminium enclosure
• You have or plan to install three-phase power
• You want the longest enclosure warranty on the market (10 years)
• You are happy to arrange your own installation in exchange for more features and flexibility

Our recommendation: For most UK EV owners, the Simpson & Partners Home 7 offers better long-term value. The combination of smart tariff support, three-phase capability, premium construction, and that remarkable 10-year enclosure warranty makes it a compelling package — even once you factor in separate installation costs. The annual savings from smart tariff integration alone can recoup the price difference within a year. However, if you genuinely want a zero-effort experience and are not interested in optimising your energy tariff, the Pod Point Solo 3S remains a solid, reliable choice from a brand with an excellent track record.

Read our full Pod Point Solo 3S review or Simpson & Partners Home 7 review.

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