Boiler choice

[ukracer]

I have the choice of fitting a combination boiler. Both 2 years old but free to me from a mate of my sons.

Just trying to see what you lads would choose.........either Worcester or a logic + 30kw

Also I have been reading and it seems I need a 22mm gas supply for a combination.

My old boiler is 27 years old and is an ideal stelrad and only has a 15mm gas supply.

 

[Migmac]

I can only comment on the Worcester brand, we had one and it was a disaster from day one.

 

[skotl]

I can only comment on the Worcester brand, we had one and it was a disaster from day one.

That's a shame - must've been a bad 'un, though? Which's rated boilers have Worcester Bosch as taking the top 33 spots out of 128 boilers, assessed by both engineers and consumers.

We got a WB Greenstar 34 installed a few months ago and it's been fantastic. I fitted a Tado smart thermostat to it at the weekend and it was a piece of the proverbial to open up and work inside (all electric bits, not the gassy stuff!).

I just did a quick trawl of "best combi boiler" and the sites I clicked in showed Worcester Bosch as being up t'top.

What was up with yours, and did you try a different installer? (not looking to take off-topic so this is maybe best suited to a different thread if you're happy to discuss).

 

[Kayos]

I was a Bosch fan but....

The quality of the new stuff is going downhill, they have sacked the stainless heat exchanger and gone to aluminium, plastic hydraulic block that fails

Ideal logic, I'm taking them out ruined at 5 years old

Fit a Ravenheat, all brass, copper and stainless steel. 5 year warranty and they are a good price HE98s had just been launched and it can be supplied with a built in opentherm stat

Or fit a Baxi that's twice as much as the Ravenheat

@skotl Which is biased and wrong, no way ideal number 3 for ease of servicing, one of the worst for a strip down service, nearly as bad as a Bosch if you need to remove the baffles

 

[sg66]

Both can be a pain in the rear, if you could get both you would have a spare, council contractors came round to pull out the recently installed Worc boilers and replaced them with logics in my dad's estate, said they had so many issues with the Worc.

I'm not using that to say they are better, ideal were responsible for the icos and isar, which were prob the worst boilers ever made.

Confused, I would be.

New logic is fairly simple and usually reliable boiler, Worc is probably better engineering, 22mm gas supply as a min unless it's fitted above the gas meter.

 

[skotl]

....@skotl Which is biased and wrong, no way ideal number 3 for ease of servicing, one of the worst for a strip down service, nearly as bad as a Bosch if you need to remove the baffles

Happy to bow to your experience of boilers - it's not my area of expertise by a long way.
But that's why I do refer to Which? and I'd definitely dispute your suggestion that they are biased - they've been around for 60 years and all they have to trade on is their reputation for impartiality.
Perhaps they are wrong in the process for assessing boilers, but I'd be astonished if it was for reasons of bias.

 

[angellonewolf]

i had a valiant boiler in my last house and in my new is a baxi both have been fine

want a new boiler to last 27 years your having a laugh

8/10 years prob a best

 

[armalites]

I have a Worcester and it's been fantastic but it's oil fired. Never heard anything but praise for Worcester boilers. If you were buying new then it may be a different story but if you are getting it free then I would get the Worcester. This is only based on my own experience which is far removed from someone who works on them every day

I think British Gas always insist on a 22mm feed on their maintenance contracts even if a boiler has been running fine with 15mm for years.

My father in law replaced a 20+ year old combi last year, he was on a British Gas contract and every engineer who came out for the yearly service recommended Worcester. In the end he went for a Baxi as at the time it had a 7 year warranty and what he saved on not having the contract over those 7 years almost pays for the boiler.

 

[gaz1]

i had a valiant boiler in my last house and in my new is a baxi both have been fine

want a new boiler to last 27 years your having a laugh

8/10 years prob a best

any boiler should last long enough too 10 years as long as they are serviced properly

vailiants arnt my thing as they are expensive, poor on the hot water side of it not hot enough for some people but good boilers

Worcester or a logic

worchester heard of them but not done anything on them same with logic

vokera arnt too bad by most plumbers have there choice of boiler that they like to fit in

however saying that theres many simple designs out there that are simple to repair or replace parts in them some are cheaper then others

 

[Kayos]

Happy to bow to your experience of boilers - it's not my area of expertise by a long way.
But that's why I do refer to Which? and I'd definitely dispute your suggestion that they are biased - they've been around for 60 years and all they have to trade on is their reputation for impartiality.
Perhaps they are wrong in the process for assessing boilers, but I'd be astonished if it was for reasons of bias.

They don't even ask Ravenheat to participate and they were manufacturing combi Boilers 40 years ago

If they are the "standard" they should ask all the manufacturers to take part and not just the big(ger) players

 

[ukracer]

Yeah you have covered most things between you.

It's gonna cost about 100 quid for each boiler as the ideal has a rusted case that needs replacing and the worcester has a broken part


The grey part on the right hand side. (That's the ideal btw) just I was told that part needs replacing in the worcester.




That's the rusted case bottom.

 

[Kayos]

If the ideal is rusty I'd scrap it, they really are not built to last

What part does the Bosch need?

 

[ukracer]

They don't even ask Ravenheat to participate and they were manufacturing combi Boilers 40 years ago

If they are the "standard" they should ask all the manufacturers to take part and not just the big(ger) players

To be fair I am not fitting a NEW boiler and only fitting a Combination as it gets rid of the header tanks and hot water cylinder (more tool storage place) so it does not really matter to me what's the best available, just the best option of the two I can choose from.

 

[Kayos]

@Kayos https://www.screwfix.com/p/ariston-e-combi-evo-24-24kw-combi-boiler-erp/7907h << thoughts?

Brother might be moving soon so planning ahead for the inevitable questions

https://www.screwfix.com/p/iqe-simplicity-25t-system-boiler/88662 - wonder if this is any cop..10 years parts and labour guarantee....

No, no, no

Not sure who makes the Ariston but I think it's a cheap boiler in a dress

I might be a broken record but value for money, good service and nice to fit is Ravenheat

 

[Kayos]

To be fair I am not fitting a NEW boiler and only fitting a Combination as it gets rid of the header tanks and hot water cylinder (more tool storage place) so it does not really matter to me what's the best available, just the best option of the two I can choose from.

Of those 2 choices it's the Bosch, however caveat emptor....

 

[brightspark]

if a boiler has a long warranty parts and labour and the price is right go for it

 

[ukracer]

Of those 2 choices it's the Bosch, however caveat emptor....

Bosch??

 

[ukracer]

No, no, no

Not sure who makes the Ariston but I think it's a cheap boiler in a dress

I might be a broken record but value for money, good service and nice to fit is Ravenheat

I have not been offered a Ravenheat....lol

 

[armalites]

They don't even ask Ravenheat to participate and they were manufacturing combi Boilers 40 years ago

If they are the "standard" they should ask all the manufacturers to take part and not just the big(ger) players

I stopped getting Which magazine for similar reasons. They would test cordless drills for example and not include a Dewalt or Makita because they are "trade" yet they are available in just about every single big DIY store.

The other thing they never factored in was after sales service. So they would recommend some oki koki thing because it was good value and performed well yet when it breaks you have to throw it away.

The one thing I wish all reviews/comparisons is highlight which item is ultimately the best regardless of price. There are often time where some may be 3 times as much but twice as good and will lose points because of the price.

 

[armalites]

Bosch??

Worcester Bosch