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Comparisons. Two options side by side, with an honest short answer.

11 comparisons · pros and cons, a conclusion and frequently asked questions

All comparisons. By topic, with the short answer included.

Home battery

3 comparisonsGo to home battery
  1. With a batteryvsWithout a batterynet meteringUntil the end of 2026, net metering settles your feed-in on the annual bill. From 1 January 2027 that stops, and what matters most is how much of your own solar power you use yourself. A home battery shifts your power to the evening, which makes it more attractive from 2027 on.
  2. Plug-in batteryvsFixed home batteryThe downsides of a plug-in home battery: about 800 watts, you own the connection, no energy label. A fixed home battery is wired in by an installer and brings more power, grid control and the label benefit. Renting or starting small? The plug-in makes sense. Want to truly cover your evening use? Go fixed.
  3. Single-phase home batteryvsThree-phase home batteryA single-phase connection only fits a single-phase home battery; on 3x25 amps both work. The phase makes no difference to your bill, because the smart meter nets all phases together. The real difference sits in charge and discharge power and in backup: keeping a three-phase fuse box fully running takes a three-phase system.

Solar panels

4 comparisonsGo to solar panels
  1. MonocrystallinevsPolycrystallineAlmost every new solar panel for home roofs is monocrystalline: slightly more yield per square metre and a uniform dark look. Polycrystalline panels are slightly cheaper per unit but are rarely installed on homes anymore.
  2. String invertervsMicro-inverterA string inverter connects several panels to one unit; micro-inverters sit behind each panel. On an unshaded roof with one section, string is often cheaper; with shade or multiple roof sections we more often look at micro or optimizers.
  3. Fixed contractvsDynamic contractWith a fixed contract your rate is locked for the full term: maximum certainty. With a dynamic contract your price follows the market per hour or quarter-hour and you can save by shifting usage. With solar panels, a home battery or an EV charger, dynamic becomes attractive sooner.
  4. Glass-glassvsGlass-foilIn a glass-foil panel the solar cells sit behind glass with a plastic foil as the back; in glass-glass they sit between two glass sheets. Glass-glass protects the cells better and typically comes with longer warranties, but is heavier and somewhat pricier per unit. For most roofs, both are a fine choice.

Heat pump

3 comparisonsGo to heat pump
  1. Hybrid heat pumpvsAll-electric heat pumpA hybrid heat pump works alongside your boiler and also fits modestly insulated homes. An all-electric heat pump replaces gas entirely but needs reasonable to good insulation and a suitable heat delivery system. Your home's insulation drives the choice.
  2. Air-to-air heat pumpAC unitvsAir-to-water heat pumpAn air-to-air heat pump is in practice an air conditioner that also heats: it blows warm air into one room and cools in summer. An air-to-water heat pump heats the water of your central heating system and your tap water, and can replace your boiler. Want to get off gas? Air-to-water is your route. Want comfort plus cooling in one room? Air-to-air is the logical pick.
  3. Heat pumpvsGas boilerA heat pump turns one kilowatt-hour of power into three to five kilowatt-hours of heat; a gas boiler never extracts more heat than the gas contains. That is why the heat pump wins on consumption and CO2. The boiler remains logical when your home is not ready yet: poorly insulated, or the boiler was just replaced. The hybrid route sits in between.

EV charger

1 comparisonGo to EV charger
  1. 11 kW charger3x16Avs22 kW charger3x32AOn paper 22 kW charges twice as fast as 11 kW. In practice most cars do not charge faster than 11 kW at home, because the onboard charger in the car sets the limit. And 22 kW requires a heavy 3x32A connection most homes do not have. For almost everyone, 11 kW is the sensible maximum at home.
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