Ideal combi boilers - Any good?

RaiderHammer

Ideal combi boilers... any good? Need a new boiler soon and these are what my plumber is recommending.

zzzLazyDaisy

I had an Ideal fitted and I wouldn't recommend it. It broke down three times in the first year. Possibly my bad luck but even so.

My last one was a worcester Bosch and was much better.

Some reviews here

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews122344.html

macman

You need a different boiler..and a different GSR RGI (not a plumber).

daveyjp

Ideal now have a 7 year warranty, my RGI now offers them due to this alone, but doesn't recommend them.

LisaLou1982

I used to work on Warmfront and we always offered Ideals due to cost. They werent the best, but definately not the worst either. Theyre pretty middle ground.

I guess it all depends on your budget - the new ideal got a great rating by Which last year, and did appear to be much better than some of the old Isars that we used to fit. Im not so up to date on them all now.

Ive got a Baxi 105e and have had 1 new fan on it in 8 years. No complaints from me!

southcoastrgi

Get a diff boiler & def a diff RGI if he is recommending ideal with or without a 7 yr warrantee

zzzLazyDaisy

LisaLou1982 wrote: »

I used to work on Warmfront and we always offered Ideals due to cost.

The cynic in me thinks it has more to do with the fact that the company that make Ideal boilers shares directors with Eaga (now Carillion).

After all, if it was simply a matter of cost, people would be allowed to have a boiler of their choice and fund any additional cost out of their own pocket, but that is not permitted under the Warm Front Scheme.

sillygoose

I accept like many they are probably naff now, but my Ideal boiler is 21 years old and apart from a cheap new fan and a new pcb its still going strong. A boiler is a very simple bit of technology really. It just annoys me nobody makes them as good as this any more its like a cartel of mediocre.

zzzLazyDaisy

Unfortunately it is the modern condensing combi boilers that are the problem. My old one was only 9 years old when it gave up the ghost, and I was told that was pretty average. I was recently told that the average life expectancy is now around 6 years :eek:

Yes they might be more fuel efficient, but once you factor in the cost (financial and environmental) of replacing and disposal every 6-10 years, the overall costings don't look so good.

gas4you

Avoid Ideal at all costs.

RaiderHammer

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like the majority are saying avoid Ideal.