Buy the EVDANCE if you want the longer 25-foot cable and a built-in delay timer to start charging on cheaper overnight rates without an app. Buy the MUSTART if you want the lowest price and an at-a-glance LCD, and its shorter 21-foot cable reaches where you park. Both are true Level 2 travel chargers - not wall-mounted fixtures - that plug into a NEMA 14-50 and move with you.
These are two of the budget 40-amp portables from our portable chargers roundup. Both are 40 amps / 9.6 kW, both use the J1772 connector, and both plug into a NEMA 14-50 outlet rather than hardwiring. We compile published specs and do the arithmetic rather than bench-testing either unit.
Speed
A tie. Both deliver 40 amps / 9.6 kW over 240 volts, and both draw through a NEMA 14-50 receptacle that should sit on a 50-amp breaker (a 40-amp continuous load needs 40 x 1.25). On the same outlet and car, they add range at the same rate - speed is not the deciding factor here.
App and features
The EVDANCE has the edge for off-peak charging. Its built-in delay timer lets you schedule a start on cheaper overnight rates with no app or smart wiring, and its current is adjustable to match a weaker circuit. The MUSTART answers with an LCD readoutthat shows charging status and faults at a glance. Neither is a full smart charger with remote monitoring - the timer and the display are the extent of the features - but the EVDANCE's timer does more for a time-of-use electricity plan.
Build and durability
Closely matched. Both are value-brand portables with outdoor-rated connectors, built to function rather than to impress. Neither carries the armored cast-aluminum build of a fixed wall unit, and neither claims to - they are travel bricks that live on a hook or in the trunk. Treat each as the capable budget tool it is.
Install and flexibility
Both are portables, so there is nothing to install - you plug into any properly rated NEMA 14-50 and go, at home or on the road. The difference is reach: the EVDANCE's 25-foot cable stretches further around a car or to an awkward outlet than the MUSTART's 21-foot cord. If your parking spot puts the outlet far from the charge port, that four feet can decide it - see our cable length guide.
Value
The MUSTART is usually the cheapest capable 40-amp portable you can buy, and the LCD is a nice touch at that price. The EVDANCE costs a little more but adds the longer cable and the delay timer - features you will value if off-peak charging or reach matters. Both are strong value; the winner is whichever feature set you will actually use.
The verdict
EVDANCE for the longer cable and the off-peak delay timer; MUSTART for the lowest price and the LCD. Either way, the NEMA 14-50 receptacle you plug into has to be an industrial-grade, listed part - the cheap receptacles are the exact component that fails under a continuous 40-amp draw, as our NEMA 14-50 outlet guide explains. Compare the wider field in our best NEMA 14-50 chargers guide before you buy.
How to choose between them
How far is your outlet from the charge port?
Measure the run from where a NEMA 14-50 outlet sits to your car's charge port, then add slack for routing. If it is tight, the EVDANCE's 25-foot cable buys margin the MUSTART's 21-foot cord does not. If the outlet is close, the shorter cable is a non-issue.
Do you charge on a time-of-use plan?
If your electricity is cheaper overnight, the EVDANCE's delay timer lets you start on the low rate without any app or smart panel. If you charge whenever you plug in, the timer is a feature you will not use, and the MUSTART's lower price wins.
Is the outlet rated for the job?
A 40-amp portable pulls a continuous load, so the receptacle must be an industrial-grade, listed NEMA 14-50 on a 50-amp circuit installed by an electrician. A flimsy hardware-store outlet is the part that overheats - do not skimp on it for either charger.
