Quick Answer
The HOTA charger lineup has five models ranging from the £24 T6 travel charger to the £135 F6+ quad-channel workstation. The D6 Pro at around £80 is what most FPV pilots need: dual-channel, AC/DC, 650W. If you charge four packs at once and hate parallel boards, the F6+ is worth the premium. For travel, the T6 fits in a jacket pocket.
Why We Stock Five HOTA Chargers (And Which One Is Actually Yours)
When a customer asks "which HOTA charger should I buy?" the honest answer takes ten minutes. The naming gives no hints. There is no sequential logic from T6 to T8 to S6 to D6 Pro to F6+. The letters and numbers describe different things: T means portable DC-only, D means dual-channel AC/DC, S means a step up in build, F means four channels.
We stock the full range because each fills a real niche. But we also see customers buying the wrong one constantly. The most common mistake: buying the T8 for £33 thinking it is a desktop charger, then realising it has no AC input. Or buying the F6+ for four-packs-at-once convenience, then discovering their wall socket only delivers 500W across all channels combined.
Here is the lineup, organised by what you actually need to know.
The Five Chargers: Spec Comparison
| Model | Channels | AC Power | DC Power | Max Current | Cell Count | Balance Current | Weight | Price (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D6 Pro | 2 | 200W | 650W (325W x 2) | 15A x 2 | 1-6S | 1.6A | 555g | £80 |
| F6+ Ultra | 4 | 500W | 1000W (250W x 4) | 15A x 4 | 1-6S | 1.0A | 935g | £135 |
| S6 | 2 | 400W | 650W (325W x 2) | 15A x 2 | 1-6S | 1.6A | 800g | £120 |
| T6 | 1 | None (DC/PD only) | 300W | 15A | 1-6S | 1.0A | 93g | £24 |
| T8 | 1 | None (DC only) | 650W | 22A | 1-8S | 1.0A | 194g | £33 |
Specs verified against Oscar Liang reviews (F6+, S6, D6 Pro), HOTA official specifications, and our own product listings. The D6 Pro and S6 share nearly identical internal electronics; the S6 is the newer revision with a redesigned chassis and GaN+SiC components for better thermal management.
D6 Pro: The One We Recommend Most
The D6 Pro is the charger we reach for first. Two independent channels mean you can charge a 6S pack and a 4S pack at the same time without thinking about voltage matching. The 1.6A balance current is the highest in the HOTA range, which matters when your cells are out of balance after storage.
The wireless phone charging pad sounds like a gimmick until you are at the field with a dying phone and no cable. We use ours constantly. The E108 error issue is real and documented in our dedicated D6 Pro E108 article, but HOTA has addressed the worst cases in recent firmware.
Best for: Most FPV pilots. Two channels, AC and DC, enough power for 6S packs at reasonable current. If you only buy one charger, this is it.
F6+ Ultra: Four Channels, No Parallel Board
The F6+ Ultra solves a real problem: parallel charging scares people. If you do not want to check cell voltages before plugging four packs into a board, the F6+ gives you four genuinely independent channels. Each one is its own charger with its own current setting, cell count, and battery type.
The catch is power distribution. On AC, you get 500W total across all four channels. That is 125W per channel if all four are running, which means a 6S 1300mAh pack charges at roughly 5A. Acceptable but not fast. To unlock the full 1000W (250W per channel), you need an external DC power supply with an XT90 connector rated for at least 1000W.
Oscar Liang measured real-world AC output at 476-484W, close to the 500W claim. His main complaint was the capacitive touch buttons and slow menu navigation. We agree: the scroll wheel on the older D6 Pro is more pleasant to use.
Best for: Pilots who refuse to parallel charge and need four packs ready per session. Also useful for charging different battery types simultaneously (a 1S whoop pack alongside a 6S freestyle pack).
S6: The D6 Pro in a Better Case
The S6 sits between the D6 Pro and F6+ in both price and capability. Same dual-channel layout, same 1.6A balance current, same 15A max per channel. The differences are physical: the S6 is larger and heavier (800g vs 555g per Oscar Liang's measurements) but uses GaN+SiC power components that run cooler and more efficiently under sustained load.
The S6 also adds a 12V XT60 output for powering FPV monitors or field gear, which the D6 Pro lacks. AC power is rated at 400W total (vs 200W on the D6 Pro), so if you charge two 6S packs at once from a wall socket, the S6 delivers more current per channel.
Best for: Pilots who want D6 Pro performance with higher AC output for charging two large packs simultaneously from the wall.
T6: The Pocket Charger
The T6 weighs 93g. That is lighter than most 6S batteries. It charges at up to 300W on DC or 90W via USB Power Delivery. You can plug it into a 100W PD power bank and charge a 4S pack in the field with nothing else.
This is not a desktop charger. It has one channel, no AC input, and a 2.4-inch colour IPS screen that is small but legible. For pilots who travel light or fly micro whoops and only need one pack charged at a time, the T6 at £24 is genuinely excellent value.
Best for: Travel, micro whoop pilots, and anyone who charges from a power bank. Not suitable as your only charger if you fly 5-inch or larger builds.
T8: 8S on a Budget
The T8 is the odd one out. It supports 1-8S packs, which matters if you fly large fixed-wing builds or RC cars with 7S or 8S configurations. No other charger in this lineup goes past 6S. At 650W and 22A, it can push serious current into large packs quickly.
But it is DC-only. No AC input, no USB PD. You need a bench power supply or a large DC source. At 194g and measuring 97 x 69.5 x 34mm, it is remarkably compact for 650W of output. Oscar Liang called it the cheapest 8S LiPo charger available for FPV pilots.
Best for: 8S builds and large-capacity packs where you already have a DC power supply. Not for beginners who need plug-in-and-go AC charging.
Our Picks
Budget: The T6 at £24. Cannot beat the price for field charging with a PD power bank.
Sweet spot: The D6 Pro at around £80. Two channels, AC and DC, 650W. What 90% of FPV pilots actually need.
No-compromise multi-pack: The F6+ Ultra at £135. Four independent channels with an external PSU.
Large packs and 8S: The T8 at £33. Cheapest path to 8S charging, but you will need a DC power supply.
For a broader comparison including non-HOTA brands, see our complete drone battery charger guide. For LiPo charging safety fundamentals, our LiPo charging safety guide covers the mistakes we see most often.
FAQ
Q: Can the T6 or T8 charge from a wall socket?
No. Both are DC-only. The T6 accepts DC input or USB Power Delivery (up to 90W). The T8 requires a DC source via XT60 (7-35V). If you need AC charging, get the D6 Pro, S6, or F6+.
Q: Is the S6 worth £40 more than the D6 Pro?
For most pilots, no. The S6 offers the same per-channel performance with higher AC power (400W vs 200W) and better thermal management. If you regularly charge two 6S packs from a wall socket at high current, the S6 delivers more juice. Otherwise the D6 Pro is the better value.
Q: Can I use the F6+ without an external power supply?
Yes, via the AC input. You get 500W total across all four channels (roughly 125W each if all four are running). For the full 1000W (250W per channel), you need an external DC supply with an XT90 connector rated for at least 1000W.
Q: Which HOTA charger is best for 1S whoop batteries?
Any of them will work, but the T6 is ideal. At 93g with USB PD input, you can charge 1S packs from a power bank at the field. For multiple 1S packs at once, the F6+ charges four simultaneously without a parallel board.
Q: What is the E108 error on the D6 Pro?
The E108 error is a known firmware and connection issue on some D6 Pro units. We document the diagnosis and fixes in our dedicated E108 error guide. Recent firmware revisions have reduced its frequency.