There are a lot of ‘Best Combi Boiler’ articles in existence with the aim of advising us on which is the best boiler to buy. You could be forgiven for thinking that a lot of these articles are just promoting the boiler that the writer might be affiliated with, creating an unfair bias to lead us down the path toward a sale from which they’ll benefit.
The aim of this article is to provide the regular person who doesn’t know much about boilers with facts and opinions on the boiler marketplace, so that you can gain a basic understanding of what’s out there. From top of the range to budget, the list of boilers below will suggest which boiler might be best suited to you and your situation.
It’s worth mentioning here that a new breed of boiler companies has arisen that give you a selection of boilers based on your answers to specific questions about your home and your heating needs. This can make the choice a lot easier if you aren’t sure what boiler would suit your home.
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Premium Boilers – Worcester Bosch/Vaillant
If you’re looking for a quality and reliable boiler then look no further than the Worcester Bosch Greenstar range. A household name in the UK for decades and the market leader, Worcester have continually brought us quality, reliable boilers that the nation has grown to love. They managed to cement their name as the ‘Which?’ Best Buy for 6 years running. We will focus on 2 models, the Greenstar CDi Classic and the Greenstar i.
We’ll start with the former, the Greenstar CDi Classic – It is Worcester’s top of the range boiler. Nowadays, most, if not all new boilers are extremely efficient (90% plus) and this is no different. It also has the highest hot water flow rate of the Greenstar combi range, apart from the bigger floor standing range. The Greenstar CDi Classic does come with a high price tag attached to it, for the 30KW model you can expect to pay in the region of £1400 (34kw model) without installation. It’s better suited to larger homes where there might be more of a demand for hot water (multiple hot water outputs at the same time.
The Greenstar i is Worcester’s more affordable boiler – It’s extremely popular and it’s easy to see why. As efficient as the Classic, the Greenstar i is better suited to medium to smaller homes. You can expect to pay in the region of £1050 (30kw model) for this boiler, which is a considerable amount cheaper than its “bigger brother”.
Some key features include:
- Condensate discharge resilient to freezing up to -15’C
- Low energy pump reduces energy usage
- 8 litres per minute hot water flow rate
- Available in 25 kw and 30 kw output
When buying a boiler, we all want peace of mind and assurance; with Worcester, you’re not just buying a quality product, the aftercare is also second-to-none. As it has become somewhat of a talking point in the industry, I must point out that Worcester’s heat exchanger is made from aluminum, where a lot of other manufacturers have switched to stainless steel, which is more durable under high temperatures. This isn’t much of an issue as they offer a 10-year guarantee (when installed by a Worcester approved installer and Worcester filter) with any boiler.
Note that Worcester offer a guarantee, and not a warranty. If, for example, a part has failed due to an external source (let’s say in this instance sludge in a poorly maintained central heating system) then that might void the warranty. Worcester’s guarantee means the part will be changed regardless of this.
Secondly, I would recommend the Vaillant EcoTEC Pro. Another household name, Vaillant have built a strong presence in the UK and offer us top quality boilers. Similar to the Greenstar i, the EcoTEC Pro is best suited to medium to smaller homes. It has a bright and easy-to-use display and is also ‘Quiet Mark’ approved which means it is very quiet when operating. Also available to you is a long warranty, but it comes at an additional cost.
Some key features include:
- ErP A rated for hot water and heating efficiency
- 3 litres per minute hot water flow rate
- Available in 24 kw, 28 kw and 30 kw output
With its sleek design, the cost of the EcoTEC Pro is in the region of £1150 (30kw model). It is very similar in price and performance to the Worcester and for that reason it is my second choice.
Also available to us is the EcoTEC Plus. Very much like the differences in the Worcester boilers mentioned above, the EcoTEC Plus is best suited for larger homes with more of a demand on hot water output. You can expect to pay somewhere in the region of £1450 for one of these.
Mid-Range – Baxi
My ‘mid-range’ boiler of choice comes from the ever-reliable name of Baxi. Well known for its Bermuda Back Boiler Unit, Baxi are widely thought of as a safe, popular brand, and the Baxi 600 range is no different. Weighing in at only 29.5KG, this lightweight machine is suited for most types of homes and is slightly cheaper than its competitors above. The price on this boiler is in the region of £850 (30kw) which isn’t a million miles away from the ‘premium’ brands, but you get a lot of boiler for your money. It evens comes with a 7-year warranty as standard! This together with Baxi’s great aftercare is worth the money alone and that’s why I feel comfortable in recommending it.
Some key features include:
- 7-year warranty as standard
- Only 29.5 kg in weight
- Available in 24 kw, 30 kw and 36 kw
Budget Boiler – Ideal
Finally, we come to my ‘budget boiler’ of choice – Ideal i Combi (Otherwise known as the Ideal Exclusive Combi). Ideal are a renowned name in the UK and have a wide range of boilers, some rivalling that of Worcester and Vaillant for price. Whilst I don’t believe Ideal’s top end boilers to be comparable to Worcester and Vaillant, they offer a much cheaper boiler in the i Combi. With impressive hot water output and its A rated efficiency, the i Combi certainly gives you value for money.
Some key features include:
- 7 kg in weight
- 4 litres per minute hot water flow rate
You can pick up the Ideal i Combi for somewhere in the region of £600 (30kw) – A very low price, perfect if you’re on a budget or just don’t want to spend much on your heating system.
As previously mentioned, Ideal offer a wide variety of boilers. The Logic range has become quite popular and can be acquired for around the £800 mark, but if you’re prepared to spend this amount of money then I feel that a Baxi has more quality.
Summary
There are of course many other boilers in the marketplace and all the boilers mentioned in this article are taken from the personal experience of a heating engineer.
Be wary of cheaper boilers, as the saying goes ‘You get what you pay for’. This is not to say that they can’t be reliable, but I would advise you to purchase a higher end boiler if you want better aftercare and peace of mind. Always ensure that whoever fits your boiler works for a Gas Safe registered company and make sure you check out the reviews before parting with any money.
I hope this article has given you an insight into the boiler marketplace and helped you decide which kind of boiler might be right for you. Purchasing a boiler is not an easy task and you will have many opinions from salesman, surveyors and companies alike. Do your research and make sure you get the boiler that’s right for you as it is a long-term commitment – longer than most marriages!