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Original poster

Is it worth paying £400 extra for Worcester Bosch?

61 replies

whiskyowl · 15/11/2017 09:31

I'm making boiler decisons. I need a 35kw boiler, that can run central heating.

Plumber says to go for Ideal Logic. He has one. His plumber's mate has one. The builder also has one. They have a 7 yr warranty and he is prepared to vouch for the customer service.

However, Which? (the consumer magazine) hate the Ideal Logic, though, giving it 58% in their reviews. They recommend Worcester Bosch, which they give 92%. The Worcester Bosch costs £400 more for all the bits needed for a 7 yr warranty.

Is the extra worth it? @PigletJohn what would you advise?

OP posts:
ImperfectTents · 15/11/2017 10:09

I think it is. Ours is a couple of years old and has been great. V quiet. I had an issue with the app to control the thermostat and they came out immediately, turned out to be user error and they serviced it while they were here. I have a 10 yr warranty . My neighbours had a brand new cheaper brand and called out the engineer loads of times but issue was never resolved and then the company when out of business. They replaced it with a Worcester ....

Original poster
whiskyowl · 15/11/2017 11:09

Thanks imperfect!!

I am now really curious to know what boilers all Mumsnetters have!

I need to get out more, don't I? Grin

OP posts:
KyloRensLightsaber · 15/11/2017 11:17

I haven’t replaced mine yet, but when looking into it the boiler engineer said Worcester Bosch have way better customer service, so to get a part/info he spends five mins on the phone rather than can be an hour for other brands.

Charges you less and gets fixed quicker.

billybagpuss · 15/11/2017 11:18

Worcester Bosch - wouldn't have anything else.

Original poster
whiskyowl · 15/11/2017 11:24

Wow, unanimous so far!!

I'm waiting for the Ideal Logic owners to appear and give an opposing view...!!

OP posts:
INeedNewShoes · 15/11/2017 11:28

Look up trustpilot reviews. They were enough to put me off Ideal.

I went for a Worcester and I'm a bit disappointed with the noise level; it's not horrendous but louder than my previous 20-year old Potterton that was on its last legs!

I know a few happy Vaillant boiler owners, so they could be worth considering.

safariboot · 15/11/2017 11:32

Our landlord put in a Beko, I was a little concerned with it being a lousy brand but so far no trouble. But if I was buying myself I'd favour the Worcester Bosch. Whether to pay the £400 more might depend on whether I had another source of hot water or not.

It's quite likely your plumber gets a commission from Ideal Logic, though if it's a plumber you trust then having a boiler model they know well could be a benefit anyway.

safariboot · 15/11/2017 11:32

Correction, Baxi, not Beko.

starlight36 · 15/11/2017 11:40

Worcester Bosch here. Our plumber not only recommended it as he believed they are the best but also said that given the popularity of the brand it would be easier to source spares m. As we had to replace our boiler as we could no longer get parts this was a good argument for us!

Original poster
whiskyowl · 15/11/2017 11:41

Oh my Lord ineed, the reviews are either great or absolutely terrible. I guess that some of the Ideal boilers work well, but if you get a problem it looks like it can be a bit of a nightmare.

The boiler is my sole source of hot water and heat!! Also, I currently have a boiler by the make of Main, fitted by the previous owner of the house who was a rackrent landlord. It is absolutely bloody useless, and has broken many times. It's had at least 2, if not 3, no circuit boards, but still refuses to turn on unless the hot tap is left on for geological periods of time. I know the miseries of a bad 'un, so trying to make sure I don't repeat that.

I used to have a Vaillant in my last house. It was OK, but was a bit of a nightmare whenever a part when wrong. Seemed to take forever to buy even the simplest thing for it. That really put be off getting another one.

I guess that the boiler will be under warranty for a good 7 years, and they'll send out their own engineers to do any repairs, rather than using my plumber? So, in a way, he won't be fixing whatever he fits for some time.

OP posts:
Hollyandtheiveee · 15/11/2017 11:43

Vaillant also worth considering. 7 year guarantee and also well respected.

We had the old ideal logic. Only had a short guarantee then. It went completely after 6 years 😱

PinkSquash · 15/11/2017 11:44

My DF works for a retailer that sells boilers and in his many years of experience will only recommend Worcester Bosch due to their reliability.

QueenBeet · 15/11/2017 11:45

Are you sure it's the company that sends out engineers in that 7 year period ? When we got the Bosch, we got 5 years guarantee with the installing company (local firm) although I now realise, we have never actually had to report a problem... (which is its own recommendation !). We get it serviced once a year and would ONLY buy WB boilers in future. I believe the Vailliant (sp?) is a close second place.

EasilyDistracted77 · 15/11/2017 11:49

I have an 8 years old Worcester Bosch which has just had a part replaced for the first time, but otherwise no issues. It came with a 5 yr manufacturer warranty, which covers you as long as you get the boiler serviced annually. Choose the timing device carefully though (which is separate); the one I have is basic, so to change the timing for the heating is very tedious, having to press a button once for every minute you want to change the timing of the heating.

Llamacorn · 15/11/2017 11:49

We have an ideal logic combo 35. Horrendous!!
New boiler in new build 4 years ago, and I've lost count how many times I've had to call and have people out, don't do it!
Most neighbours have the same boiler as I think it was standard when they built the houses and everyone hates them, my neighbour and I joke that the plumber is in our street more often than the bin men!
For an extra £400 it's no question, tbh I would have paid an extra £4K not to have this piece of crap!

Original poster
whiskyowl · 15/11/2017 11:52

llama - the 35kW one is the boiler I was going to get!! Shock

I feel increasingly like I've just had a narrow escape now...

OP posts:
Llamacorn · 15/11/2017 11:54

I think so too!!

CotswoldStrife · 15/11/2017 11:55

We have a very recent Valliant - we did look for a WB originally but the fitters for it seem harder to find than the Valliant!

The V is quieter than our old boiler (it's a fairly small wall-hung model) although it is a lot deeper and sticks out from the wall a lot more. So far, it's doing a good job of heating radiators and water Grin

Original poster
whiskyowl · 15/11/2017 12:07

Oh, and I should add - noise isn't so much of an issue for mer personally as my new boiler will be squirreled away in an understairs cupboard, not the kitchen Smile. But that info may well be useful for other posters facing a similar dilemma.

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 15/11/2017 17:23

There is a great deal of acrimonious disagreement among gasmen.

It seems to me that Vaillant, W-B and Viessmann are at the top of the table.

I have a Viessmann, but if you live in a sparse area, check that there is an approved installer locally, as they are not very common yet in the UK.

Boiler brands often give a longer guarantee if you use one of their approved installers, and have a list on their website.

The quality of the installation makes a huge difference. A dirty old system that is not properlyl cleaned and fitted with a filter may cause problems that the guarantee doesn't cover.

Princessdebthe1st · 15/11/2017 17:29

We have a 10 year old Worcester Bosch Greenstar boiler and have had nothing but problems with it. Failed mother boards (which took weeks and multiple visits in the middle of winter to sort out), consistently failing to maintain pressure (have to top it up at least every couple of months), problems with the boiler and thermostat not communicating. Whilst we could be the exception that proves the rules we would never have another one.

78Indigo · 15/11/2017 19:40

A few years ago Worcester Bosch was the one to go for, not any more, Baxi all day long, go for either a 7 or 10 year warranty, cracking boilers.

EngTech · 15/11/2017 19:46

I would go for a WB boiler as when it is minus brrrrrr outside, you need a reliable boiler.

If boiler breaks down, you can think about the money you saved though 😀

tellybear · 15/11/2017 19:52

I have had my Worcester Bosch boiler for 17 years! It broke down once around 6 years ago just as the snow was arriving. The part got replaced and not had any issues since.

venys · 15/11/2017 21:43

Our WB is only 3 years old but no problems so far. Used in conjunction with a nest so don't even have to think about it :)