Batteries & technology
UK solar battery brands compared: Powerwall, Fox ESS, Duracell Energy, GivEnergy
By Daniel Osei · Last checked 1 July 2026
If an installer has quoted you a particular battery, this page helps you sanity-check it. It is a plain-English look at the main brands sold by UK residential installers, what each one is, who it suits and what sets it apart. It is not a definitive ranking, because the best battery depends on your home, not on a league table.
The quick version
The brands you are most likely to be quoted, in short:
- Tesla Powerwall 3: premium, integrated inverter, high output, suits larger homes and EV owners
- Fox ESS: mid-range, popular with installers, modular capacity and a well-regarded app
- Duracell Energy: UK-marketed, mid-range, modular, with a 10-year warranty
- GivEnergy: UK company, widely fitted, competitive on price, modular capacity
- The right one depends on your usage and inverter, and on what your installer fits and supports well
How to think about choosing
Battery technology is improving quickly and prices are falling, so the gap between a good battery and a marginally better one is smaller than the marketing suggests. The right battery for your home depends on your usage pattern, the inverter you have or are fitting, and what your installer can competently install and support.
That last point matters more than people expect. A battery an installer knows well, fits often and can service quickly is usually worth more to you than a slightly better one they rarely touch. So a brand being sensible for your situation is a better test than it topping a list.
The main brands at a glance
Rough figures for early 2026. Capacities are the usable ranges, and prices are ballpark installed costs that move with the market, so treat them as a sanity-check rather than a quote.
| Brand | Typical capacity | Approx installed price | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | 13.5 kWh | £8,000–£10,000 | 10 years |
| Fox ESS | ~5 to 16 kWh (modular) | £3,000–£7,000 | 10 years |
| Duracell Energy | ~5 to 14 kWh (modular) | £3,000–£7,000 | 10 years |
| GivEnergy | ~2.6 to 20+ kWh (modular) | £2,500–£7,000 | Up to 12 years |
Tesla Powerwall 3
The premium option, and the best known. It is a 13.5 kWh battery with the solar inverter built in, and a high power output that suits larger homes and households with an electric car. It must be fitted by a Tesla-certified installer, which not every installer is. It is a strong, tidy system, but usually more than a small home needs.
Fox ESS
A mid-range brand that is popular with UK installers, which means many fitters know it well. Its capacity is modular, so you can size it to your home and add to it later, and its monitoring app is generally well regarded. A sensible, widely supported choice for a typical home.
Duracell Energy
A UK-marketed battery carrying the familiar Duracell name, sitting in the mid-range. It is modular and comes with a 10-year warranty. For many households it is a straightforward, recognisable option, though as always it is worth checking your installer fits and supports it regularly.
GivEnergy
A UK company whose batteries are widely fitted across the installer market, often at competitive prices. The capacity is modular, from small units up to whole-home sizes, and the warranty runs longer than most. A common recommendation for homes wanting good value from a UK brand.
The honest takeaway
There is no single best battery. Any of these can be the right choice for the right home. Match the capacity to your usage so it cycles most days, check the warranty and the installer’s familiarity with the brand, and weigh the quote against the ballpark figures above. We are not affiliated with any manufacturer and do not push one brand over another. The work is carried out by MCS-certified installers, who can advise on what suits your home.
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Related guides
Common questions
- What is the best solar battery in the UK?
- There is no single best one. Tesla Powerwall, Fox ESS, Duracell Energy and GivEnergy are all sensible choices for the right home. The best for you depends on your usage, your inverter and what your installer fits and supports well, not on a league table.
- Which solar battery is best value?
- GivEnergy and Fox ESS are often competitive on price for a typical home, while the Tesla Powerwall 3 sits at the premium end. The best value is a battery sized to cycle most days from a brand your installer knows, rather than the cheapest or the most expensive.
- How much do solar batteries cost?
- As a rough guide for early 2026, a 5 kWh battery is around £2,500 to £4,000 fitted and a 10 kWh battery around £4,000 to £7,000, with the Tesla Powerwall 3 around £8,000 to £10,000. Prices move, so treat these as a sanity-check on a quote.
- Does the battery brand matter?
- Less than the marketing suggests. Good batteries are close in performance, and technology is improving quickly. What matters more is sizing it to your usage and choosing a brand your installer fits often and can service quickly.
- Can I add battery storage to an existing solar system?
- Usually yes. Most of these brands are modular and can be retrofitted, though it tends to cost a little more than fitting a battery at the same time as the panels, because the labour and paperwork are not shared.