All boilers are NBG!

[dogfonos]

Looking to replace my old domestic heating boiler in the summer so been doing a bit of 'research' and, judging by scores of internet reviews, it appears that boilers are generally rubbish.

Viessmann have oft been recommended on this forum but look at the shocking reviews for their Vitodens 100:

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews242756.html

The only people who seem to rate them are installers - all bar a couple of users despise them. Quite a few of the more popular boiler makes are represented on this review site and rarely does any boiler, that has 10 or more reviews, reach a 50% satisfaction rate. This is also reflected on other review sites I've seen.

Can all these bad reviews be the result of poor installation? I doubt it because several users talk about having a five year warranty so must have been installed by Viessmann trained gas engineers.

That's my Plan A shot to pieces. Plan B involves woollen long-johns and goose down coats - not a good look but much cheaper, and more reliable, in the long term.

 

[Gasop]

Plan B is the way to go plus get in a couple of hundredweight of coal!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Not exactly an exhaustive list on there is it.

problem with most of these things is most people only go there to b1tch and moan.


Bit like here really

 

[flameport]

Viessmann have oft been recommended on this forum but look at the shocking reviews

I wouldn't attribute very much credibility to a review site which can't even spell the manufacturer's name correctly.

Here's an option:
Locate boiler manufacturer which offers a decent length warranty on it's boilers. 5 years for example. Exclude those which offer warranty but fail to honour it.
Have boiler installed properly by someone who actually knows what they are doing.
Ensure boiler is serviced in accordance with manufacturer's instructions - which will probably mean every year. Note this is NOT the same as a 'safety check.

Result - boiler works, boiler is not likely to suddenly fail, and in the unlikely event that it does, it's all covered by the manufacturer anyway.

 

[simond]

The 2004 on 100 series Viessmann had all sorts of problems and we experiecnced an 80% failure rate. There are threads here from a few years ago which involved a number of contractors experiences.

The 200 and 300 series have also had issues causing some persistent breakdowns. Pumps (electronics rather than water), ignition, air flaps have given problems. On the 100 combi the hydraulic section was poor; one of ours split in two and flooded a car dealership.

Those were dark days, but improvements have been made and I am confident in the newer versions, all of which have had significant changes. In fact, we haven't had a new Viessmann failure for around 2 years, which is better than Worcester and Vaillant in my experience.

When looking at the trade responses here, you must bear in mind that some do repairs, some do installation, some do the occasional bathroom. Those of us who just do boiler installs are going to see a lot more new product, and will have more up to date metrics on what is proving reliable.

Of course, the long term prognosis is important too; but you can no longer buy the Viessmann versions in 'reviewcentre'.

 

[mysteryman]

The Vitodens 100 in these reports were superseded in 2008, and the current model is far, far better. The air flaps went with them, and had already gone on the 200 series.

 

[mysteryman]

The Vitodens 100 in these reports were superseded in 2008, and the current model is far, far better. The air flaps went with them, and had already gone on the 200 series.