Which combi boiler

mikeyboy

Hi,

Really keen to hear your opinion as to which combi boiler is best out of Ideal Logic Plus 30 or Baxi Duotec 28.

Three local firms have all given prices for the above two boilers in my price range (fairly limited budget.)

Both boilers are currently coming with seven year manufacturers warranty. There is literally only £50 difference between them.

Which would you choose and why?

Many thanks in advance

NICHOLAS_2

Out of interest, because we've replaced boilers over the years but generally fit kitchens and bathrooms, i am going to be targeting boilers again in my advertising and i'm looking at the warranty aspect.

I am presuming you are having your boiler changed and you have existing radiators. Have the quotes you have received included a power flush of the system? Because to my understanding of warranties, they can get voided if the system has not been flushed. Have any of the quotes you've had mentioned this at all?

And are you aware that in order for the warranty to remain live, you must get the boiler serviced every year?

My knowledge on boilers isn't great, but Ideal used to have a bad reputation which seems to have improved slightly.

Our boiler preference is something called a Main Eco Combi. It's made by Baxi and looks a tad cheaper than the baxi boiler model they have offered you.

If you were going to go with either, i'd choose Baxi.

mikeyboy

NICHOLAS wrote: »

Out of interest, because we've replaced boilers over the years but generally fit kitchens and bathrooms, i am going to be targeting boilers again in my advertising and i'm looking at the warranty aspect.

I am presuming you are having your boiler changed and you have existing radiators. Have the quotes you have received included a power flush of the system? Because to my understanding of warranties, they can get voided if the system has not been flushed. Have any of the quotes you've had mentioned this at all?

And are you aware that in order for the warranty to remain live, you must get the boiler serviced every year?

My knowledge on boilers isn't great, but Ideal used to have a bad reputation which seems to have improved slightly.

Our boiler preference is something called a Main Eco Combi. It's made by Baxi and looks a tad cheaper than the baxi boiler model they have offered you.

If you were going to go with either, i'd choose Baxi.

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Yes, I am aware of annual servicing requirement. I have always had gas appliances serviced each year for safety and piece of mind.

Regarding the power flushing, yes I have been given a couple of options. The bare minimum is a chemical flush which is required for warranty and is also required to meet a BS standard I think.

I have heard of Main boilers, I think they are made by Baxi. The warranty is a lot less though, two years I believe.

booty40uk

Hi Mikey


I personally would recommend the Duotec. I have nothing against the Logic and have heard good things about them. However, I fit around 20 Duotecs a year and have never had a problem with any of them.


Baxi, as a company are, IMHO, really good with their customer service. And they do fulfil their part of the bargain if and when you need them.


One of the reps I know from Baxi told me that they will honour the warranty even on a dirty system, (only the once mind you). Most companies will try to wriggle out at any excuse. I have not heard this from Baxi.


from an installers point of view, they are easy to install, commission and service, probably one of the easiest out there. Look into the Baxi platinum also. Its exactly the same boiler as the Duotec with a different badge, but it comes with a 10 year warranty for about an extra £150. Worth it in my opinion.


Cant offer much on the Logic as I don't install them, but I havnt heard anything but good about them either.


As with any boiler, a good installer is essential.

NICHOLAS_2

mikeyboy wrote: »

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Yes, I am aware of annual servicing requirement. I have always had gas appliances serviced each year for safety and piece of mind.

Regarding the power flushing, yes I have been given a couple of options. The bare minimum is a chemical flush which is required for warranty and is also required to meet a BS standard I think.

I have heard of Main boilers, I think they are made by Baxi. The warranty is a lot less though, two years I believe.

Good stuff. I forgot the Main warranty had been reduced. There was a short period of time when it was 7 years.

The Main is made by Baxi. We've never experienced any negative response from previous customers and we've fitted quite a few over the years, but they were fitted by a very experienced tradesman who has a big head, so the quality of the install is as important as the goods, as mentioned.

Seronera

Nothing wrong with either boiler. I get the occasional duotec with leaks or PCB failure,and have done a couple of diverters. Of all the Logics I know one of them has had a diverter changed under warranty.... That's it. It was fixed the day after I reported it.

The ideal Isar was not a good boiler, but as long as they are maintained they are mostly OK, but we are talking ancient history now. The Logic is completely different and excellent.

I have an Ideal condensing boiler that is 23 years old and has had 2 faults in all that time. Its nonsense to say Ideal are rubbish, but it's true the Isar/Icos range was not exactly their finest hour.

booty40uk

A couple of tips for any of the installers who put a baxi in.


1. Nip up the dhw thermistor. Comes out of the factory loose for some reason and weeps after a while. 1/4 turn sorts it out.


2. Loosen valve retaining nuts on jig before hanging boiler. Tighten once boiler connected.


3. Remove dv moto and silicon grease moto spindle and retaining clip.


4. Nut on ev can sometimes need nipping up too.

thescouselander

Some years ago, when I was living in a rented house, the landlord decided to fit a new Baxi boiler. I can honestly say it was the biggest pile of junk I've ever seen - we had nothing but trouble (some of it quite serious) for the rest of the time we lived there. That put me off Baxi for life.

booty40uk

There will always be the exception to the rule. I saw a mechanic under the bonnet of a Bentley once.

Seronera

thescouselander wrote: »

Some years ago, when I was living in a rented house, the landlord decided to fit a new Baxi boiler. I can honestly say it was the biggest pile of junk I've ever seen - we had nothing but trouble (some of it quite serious) for the rest of the time we lived there. That put me off Baxi for life.

"Some years ago" is really all you need to say. The fact is that many reliable traditional boiler manufacturers struggled with their early combis, and again with their early condensing boilers.

Looking around, many boilers have ended up today with comparable internal arrangements and lessons have been learned. Todays Baxis are not the same as those of fifteen years ago. They are better and there is no good reason not to install a Baxi today.....but they all go wrong eventually, whatever make you choose.

There was also a problem finding people conversant with fixing combis and doing basic fault diagnosis. You do need somebody who knows what they are doing. Most faults are simple faults, its correctly diagnosing them that is the difficult bit. A good engineer can get most boilers running right, but I will accept that occasionally there is a right pig that makes life very difficult.