Most Reliable combi Gas boiler (25KW)

[Retired Plumber1]

Been a retired plumber now for almost 20 years so a bit out of touch with the trade. I am wanting to replace a combi boiler . What is the most reliable and cheapest boiler to install, I would welcome any comments on those so called 5/10 year warranties that are given out. I would prefer reliability as the main criteria of choose.
Thanks

 

[Chuck]

I recommend concentrating your efforts on finding the right installer rather than studying boiler specs yourself. I think that well established small independent heating engineers who will service the system they install are usually the best option in terms of quality and customer satisfaction. Discuss your priorities with them. Just because a brand has been reliable in the past doesn't guarantee that will be the case in the future, designs change, etc. So you should be looking for something with a long manufacturer's warranty along with a good service network and parts availability.

 

[Retired Plumber1]

I recommend concentrating your efforts on finding the right installer rather than studying boiler specs yourself. I think that well established small independent heating engineers who will service the system they install are usually the best option in terms of quality and customer satisfaction. Discuss your priorities with them. Just because a brand has been reliable in the past doesn't guarantee that will be the case in the future, designs change, etc. So you should be looking for something with a long manufacturer's warranty along with a good service network and parts availability.

I can not agree with you, would you purchase a car on the recommendation of the salesman?

 

[cjg]

buy to cheap and parts are expensive, go for baxi or veisman, you will need a filter and programable stat, co alarm,and if yours is non con, then some where to run the condence pipe to, thats my pennys worth,

 

[Ric2013]

Bear in mind Baxi does not seem to be able to ensure its "Approved" installer network does not include a few bad apples(came across my second Baxi approved cowboy installer recently), but Baxi certainly does pay out on its warranty if you use an "Approved" installer. Though, ideally, find a good one.

Of these two Baxi-Approved cowboy installs my customers have come across, one had a new heat exchanger fitted under warranty after original cowboy left system water so dirty that it got blocked. The other (fitted with apparently no thermostat, although the Benchmark certificate says there is, and installed with the condensate pipe terminated directly onto the driveway rather than to lime filled soakaway or to foul drain) also had £1000-odd of parts replaced under warranty.

Whether it's ethical for the parts to be so expensive in the first place is another matter, and I'm still undecided as to whether I will ever willingly replace my 1988 boiler (small and reasonably insulated/airtight house, so bills are quite low anyway), though in principle, I'm all for greater efficiency.

 

[Last Plumber]

I can not agree with you, would you purchase a car on the recommendation of the salesman?

I took @Chuck to mean:
A reputable company/trades-person who prefers to gain and keep customers long term, will only normally recommend products that perform as intended, are reliable and help in maintaining the company's good reputation.

A car salesman is not the same thing. They won't be looking after you and the car for the foreseeable future. They will point you toward the manufacturer.

I always recommend Vaillant because they are reliable, easy to work on, have a good after sales in my opinion and perform well. In all the years of installing them (Commercial & domestic) I can count on one hand the number of issues I have had.
Very rarely do customers contact me with an issue related to the boiler. I make sure they are installed correctly and maintained as per manufacturers instructions plus my own additional preferences. There is another handful of issues I have dealt with via Vaillant, which where detected during service and under warranty. This goes back to Chucks point!
Those customers never got to the stage of inconvenience.