Is there a general combi boiler brand which is considered best value for money?

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Thank you for that incisive contribution, Bernard. Very helpful.
 
Mr B it's just that you asked an extremely difficult if not impossible question. Even the aficionados of any of the brands will admit their preferred choice will have a snag or two it's just that they know it and how to ameliorate it.

NB. I should have included premium bonus points and premium cashback to the earlier list.
 
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How about a premium boiler fitted correctly.
That would be good, but in this cut throat industry it can be hard to get.
I was more getting at the idea that the quality of installation and maintenance has more effect on reliability than who made it.
 
In the modern manufacturing madness you must forget brand name and concentrate on model and it's origin....manufacturers often have an assortment of decent boilers and dogs.
For example Baxi will have a selection of boilers from its own designs and fellow business partners within the group ie. BDR Thermea.
Heatlines (from Turkey) have been sold as Glowworms (Vaillant Group own Glowworm and DemirDokum (who in turn own Heatline in Turkey).
In the past Baxi have re-badged Chaffoteauxs (from France), and Ideal re-badged Biasis (from Italy).
Do not be brand loyal.
 
All the above received and absorbed.

OK, if I may be cheeky, and taking all of the aforegoing into account .... let me ask just once more .... if it had to be a 15 or 18kw "heat only" and not a combi .... and reliability/ease of servicing/availability of parts/dependability of the manufacturer to attend in reasonable length of time if need be ...... was more important than outright performance, looks, size, a posh name, high tech. specs ..... what direction would we be looking in?

And just this once, I'm going to ask all the pro's here (and that doesn't include Bernie) to agree on this and all join in and, together, to declare that the winner is .................................................................
 
This has been discussed to death many times on here, as I always say find yourself an installer that you trust and strike up a good relationship with them, these massive warranties sound good, but you still have to get the boiler serviced every year, a decent engineer wont want to lose that service every year, for say 10 years so will do their best to look after you, I have seen too many manus trying to void warranties at the drop of a hat.
 
I have a Vaillant Ecotec plus 418 heat only boiler. Coming up to its third winter, fitted in loft and haven’t had any problems despite the anti-loft brigades predictions of doom!
 
All the above received and absorbed.

OK, if I may be cheeky, and taking all of the aforegoing into account .... let me ask just once more .... if it had to be a 15 or 18kw "heat only" and not a combi .... and reliability/ease of servicing/availability of parts/dependability of the manufacturer to attend in reasonable length of time if need be ...... was more important than outright performance, looks, size, a posh name, high tech. specs ..... what direction would we be looking in?

And just this once, I'm going to ask all the pro's here (and that doesn't include Bernie) to agree on this and all join in and, together, to declare that the winner is .................................................................
I still run a 25 year old cast iron boiler and haven't yet found a modern heat only that I would be happy replacing it with. I wonder if it would even be a false economy if the install cost plus repair and servicing costs are never recovered through efficiency savings - but I could be wrong.

For what reason do you want to replace the old boiler?
 
I still run a 25 year old cast iron boiler and haven't yet found a modern heat only that I would be happy replacing it with. I wonder if it would even be a false economy if the install cost plus repair and servicing costs are never recovered through efficiency savings - but I could be wrong.

For what reason do you want to replace the old boiler?


My cast iron Ideal Classic is a mere 24 years years old :)

It works fine. But I fear that one day it won't and the fella that looks after it will say he can't get whatever is needed to fix it ... in which case I'll have no choice - and I'd like to be ready with my chosen replacement. That could be tomorrow, next month or next year or beyond that.
 
Here are my favourite unofficial names of boiler brands:
Intergas - intercrap or intergash or intergarbage
Worcester Bosch - woodshitter Bosch
Baxi -boxofshite
Viessman - showerofshiteman - shiiteman - vaginaman
Heatline - Leakline
Vokera - fuuckera
Vailant - Failant
 
Here are my favourite unofficial names of boiler brands:
Intergas - intercrap or intergash or intergarbage
Worcester Bosch - woodshitter Bosch
Baxi -boxofshite
Viessman - showerofshiteman - shiiteman - vaginaman
Heatline - Leakline
Vokera - fuuckera
Vailant - Failant


What, exactly, are you basing this vitriolic assessment on? You're not an installer: you described yourself as an amateur ("My amateur opinion" - Tuesday 1st December)

Take a look at your list - it sounds like the sort of thing a mischevious schoolboy writes on the blackboard when the teacher's out of the room. What's the justification for such language?

You said in one of your posts, that you were considering replacing your present boiler with an Intergas - later on in the post you your actual words were :- "By the way, Intergas also do a budget boiler which I've heard great things about" ......

.......... but now you can't find enough abuse to throw at them.

What first hand experience do you have of Viessman that has brought about that crass collection of invective?

Of Baxi you said .... One of the best things about Baxi is that they react to feedback and have improved the latest model. The latest model is £550 and has a stainless steel heat ex and all brass diverter + they've increased the warranty.. so you wouldn't even get the problems I had. A steal at £550. By the way this boiler is the same under the hood as the Baxi 800 (which costs 1K+) ...........

.............
but you now call them a 'boxofshite'.

I won't repeat your judgement upon Vokera.
 
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I won't repeat your judgement upon Vokera.
@Mr.B I went to a Vokera breakdown, boiler 2 years old and possibly the worst install I have ever seen, Boiler never registered, needed a heat exchanger and a gas valve because of the attrocious install, gave the owner a quote to correct the install and flush the system, called Vokera chancing my arm and explained, thay said whats the serial number, then said sort out the install and we will get a gas valve and heat exchanger sent out if you fit it, you cant ask for more than that, they even re-instated the warranty after I repaired and registered it, fitted a Vokera for my mates old mum, 2 years in it broke down, I went out and it needed a gas valve, I didnt have one with me so called Vokera at 2:30 pm on the Monday, Engineer arrived at 08:30 on the Tuesday fitted the gas valve and all good, I cant ask for better service that is why I fit them
 

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