Best Boiler Brands

If there is one unsung hero in your home, then it undoubtedly has to be your boiler. For 10 to 15 years, it grinds away at the crucial yet unspectacular job of providing your home with hot water and central heating.

Yet despite its hard work, it doesn’t crave the attention and recognition you always accord your microwave or kettle. You might even forget about its existence until the day it breaks down and, you come face to face with the harsh reality of the chilly UK weather.

As your world crumbles down, you’ll be forced into the market, seeking to replace your boiler. However, now that you fully understand and appreciate the crucial role of your boiler, you won’t want to settle for anything less than the best.

Now comes the burning questions. What is the best boiler brand? What makes a new boiler the best? Is it the brand name? The number of awards? The boiler size? Or the efficiency percentage?

In this guide, we will take a deep dive into the boiler world and analyse the various boiler brands to give you a run at making an informed decision when acquiring your new boiler.

Here are some of the factors we considered when coming up with our comprehensive list.

Factors we considered when picking the best boiler brands.

For us, ‘best’ is not a word we throw around on any generic boiler brand. We did some in-depth research and compiled a list of boiler brands that offer reliability, a maximum value for money, and excellent aftercare.

We also considered the brands that offer decent warranties on their boilers. The reason is simple. We do not want to list brands that will leave you in a lurch when something goes wrong with the boiler.

In other words, we did thorough background checks on the listed boiler brands, evaluating factors such as:

• The overall reputation of the boiler brand based on customer reviews.
• The length of the warranty offered on the brand’s boilers.
• Recognised awards such as the Which? Best Buy Awards.
• The efficiency rating of the brand’s boilers.
• Customer support.
• The price range for the brand’s boilers.

So, what are the best boiler brands in the UK?

1. Worcester Bosch

Worcester Bosch is most certainly the first name on your lips when you hear the term ‘best boiler brand’. You only have to take a look at the boiler brand’s excellent Trust Pilot reviews to see why you were right.

With a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5, it is easy to see why Worcester Bosch is UK’s best-selling and most trusted boiler brand. That, coupled with the fact that it has won boatloads of awards, including the Which? Best Buy Award for ten consecutive years; justifies the brand’s stellar reputation in the UK.

The reason why Worcester Bosch edges the other brands to clinch the title of the best boiler brand isn’t just because it is the preferred choice of British Gas. Instead, it is down to Worcester’s ability to produce high-quality boilers, complete with impeccable aftercare services.

The commitment of Worcester Bosch to boiler owners after installation is second to none. Worcester doesn’t just offer a simple warranty like other brands. Instead, its boilers come with a Worcester Guarantee which ranges from 2 years to 10 years.

Also, the fact that you can find the boiler parts in all Plumbase and Wolseley stores countrywide makes Worcester a viable boiler brand if access to spare parts is your priority.

2. Viessmann

Viessmann has been dominating the European boiler market for a while now. The brand recently broke its way into the UK market and is taking it by storm, thanks to the reliability and quality of its German-designed boilers.

With seven of its models winning the Which? Best Buy Award on different occasions, it is easy to see why the trusted consumer organisation has described Viessmann as a “very smart choice”.

If quality, durability and ruthless efficiency are what you seek in your new boiler, then Viessmann boilers are the absolute choice. Fitted with stainless steel heat exchangers, it is no surprise that a new Viessmann boiler can outlast most rivals who use aluminium heat exchangers.

Viessmann crowns all this with a warranty that can go up to ten years and affordable prices that start from £1,670.

3. Vaillant

Despite lacking the company branding the likes of Worcester Bosch have, Vaillant has forged a reputation that is at par with the best boiler brands in the country. In fact, were it not be for its premium pricing, Vaillant would have usurped Viessmann and would be occupying the second position.

Vaillant enjoys the reputation of being a pioneer and a leader in the European heating industry. The company is indeed worthy of the title, having patented the “closed system” gas-fired boiler in 1924 and manufactured the first central heating boiler in 1924. The company further cemented its position by developing the first combi boiler more than 35 years ago.

The Vaillant brand is also known for its incredibly silent design and soundproofing technology. With their boilers operating as quiet as an A-rated fridge, it is no surprise that Vaillant has received the internally recognised Quite Mark Accreditation.

Vaillant products are equipped with premium quality brass components and stainless steel heat exchangers, making durability one of its key selling points. The boilers also have high energy efficiency ratings of up to 94% and are low on emissions.

Vaillant has also been able to cement its multi-award-winning status by winning the 2020 Which? Best Buy Award, adding it to its Quite Mark approval and the Superbrands title.

4. Alpha

Alpha, Italy’s #1 boiler brand, has been increasing its market share in the UK over the last few years and is now among the best boiler brands in the country. Although it is not a premium brand like Vaillant or Worcester, Alpha has enjoyed a warm reception in the UK market thanks to its status as a budget-option brand.

Yet despite being considered a budget boiler brand, Alpha still pulls up with excellent products having premium stainless steel heat exchangers. Alpha’s boilers also have a warranty of 7 years and cost between £1,500 and £2,500 to buy and fit.

Despite not winning any prestigious awards, it is no doubt that Alpha boilers are a good choice for buyers seeking reliable and affordable heating solutions that also have a good warranty.

5. Ideal

Ideal is a veteran UK based boiler manufacturer that has been in the industry since 1906. Ideal has won several thousands of fans during its long tenure in the market, not just because of its competitive prices – but also due to its ability to match industry leaders in terms of technical prowess.

The brand’s 7- 10-years warranty, though a far cry from Worcester’s ten years guarantee, is indeed impressive compared to the two years other brands offer on their products.

Ideal’s budget-friendliness and small-sized boilers have made it popular with homeowners on a limited budget and those having small spaces available for fitting the new boiler. Since the brand locally manufactures its boilers, its parts are some of the most readily accessible in the country.

6. BAXI

BAXI is a local boiler manufacturer based in Preston, Lancashire.  Over the years, BAXI has produced several high-quality combi, regular, and system boilers that have impressed buyers.

The brand prides itself on its extensive range of products and award-winning customer service. BAXI boilers are also affordable and have decent warranties that can go up to 10 years.

BAXI boilers are a good option for buyers going after affordability, variety, excellent customer service, and ease of availability of boiler parts.

7. Ariston

You have probably never heard of this Italian boiler brand before today. However, since it made it to our list while other brands you know haven’t is evidence of its quality.

By consistently producing high-quality and efficient heating and hot water products, Ariston has climbed the world charts and is currently ranked the 4^th worldwide for boilers and the 1^st in the world for hot water.

Although regarded as a mid-range boiler brand, Ariston has managed to build a reputation for itself, becoming a well-established brand across Europe. The company recently ventured into the UK market, and that is why you aren’t too familiar with it.

Ariston’s main selling points are the affordability and compactness of its boilers, making it one of the most space-saving boiler brands. The fact that the brand offers cheaper boilers compared to the other brands on the list doesn’t mean they compromise efficiency or longevity for that fact.

The entire Ariston boiler range has stainless steel heat exchangers, a feature usually reserved for premium brands such as Viessmann and Valliant.

8. Potterton

Potterton is a company that started by manufacturing condensing boilers for the premium end of the market. In recent years, though, the company rolled out a range of budget boilers.

However, after turning to budget boilers, the brand reduced the warranty on its products to a measly two years. The short warranty doesn’t instill confidence in customers as it may not offer the peace of mind most buyers are after.

9. Glow Worm

Glow Worm is a UK-based ‘budget’ boiler manufacturing company that has been in the business since 1934. Vaillant Group acquired the company in 2001 but has continued to produce boilers under its brand name.

Glow Worm boilers come with a warranty ranging between 2 and 7 years. However, if a Glow Worm Club Energy installer fits the boiler, the warranty length can leap up to 15 years.

10. Intergas

Despite being a relatively new boiler brand in the UK market, Intergas has risen above the other brand’s thanks to its ability to produce boilers with the fewest moving parts.

The aesthetics of the Intergas boilers are also worth mentioning. The brand incorporates sleek designs, modern LED displays and remote-control systems for all their boilers.

Intergas also offers a warranty ranging from 3 to 7 years depending on the exact boiler model.

Conclusion

As always, reliability, boiler price, customer support, and warranty are the key features you need to look out for before deciding which boiler brand best suits you. Of course, you should also consider whether the brand has won the Which? Best Buy Award or any other industry award before making the purchase decision.