Both have their good points, and both have been introducing better and safer design changes over time, but "I" believe an open source EVSE in the hands of end users to build themselves is inherently UNSAFE, or at least not likely to be "as safe" as a preassembled (and fully tested) unit from the product manufacturer. Not because of the design, but because of the seemingly unwise motivation to save money by building it yourself. As you know, the ONLY path toward UL approval is by not saving as much money by kitting the parts to build it yourself, but by properly and consistently preassembling each unit and testing it ready to plug n play. And who is best qualified to do this? Certainly not all possible end user customers!
This is simply not a prudent policy with any "high voltage" AC product in "kit" form, and surely is the cause of many, many customer technical support inquiries no matter which EVSE we are discussing. The same issue comes up frequently in forum discussions about wiring in your own 240V outlet. In the hands of the inexperienced and non-professional, this can become a MAJOR safety concern. But it happens all the time as motivated usually by saving money! Hey, I'm guilty of doing it as are many others here, (although in my defense, I once was thoroughly trained and certified as an Nuclear Power Plant Electrician in the NAVY).
Sadly, in the final analysis, the #1 priority is almost always, first and foremost, about saving money.
If the JuiceBox UL approval fee is in fact anywhere close to 100,000 bucks, and it were to be amortized over the cost of say the next 1000 units to be sold, the list price could well go up by $100! I don't expect a substantial JuiceBox price increase, if any, but I have no way to know, or for that matter if fuses will be incorporated into the next generation design, but at least EMW is not overly concerned about SAVING MONEY by trying to dodge the issue of gaining approval of the most recognized safety agency in the world.
KUDOS to EMW for that!!!