Ideal vs Worcester Bosch Boilers

When choosing between an Ideal or Worcester Bosch boiler, it can be tricky to know which is best for you, especially when both brands offer great promises of reliability, durability and efficiency. At iHeat, we only install the best boilers including both Ideal and Worcester Bosch.

In this guide, we’re going to be looking at what makes each brand great and how to decide which is best for your home.

When comparing these two boiler brands, we’ll be taking a look at four main factors: energy efficiency, technology, price and awards. Before we start, it’s worth mentioning that both Ideal and Worcester Bosch

Boilers are regarded as some of the best boiler manufacturers in the UK and no matter which company you opt for, you’re guaranteed a high quality reliable boiler.

An Introduction to Ideal

Ideal Heating has been providing central heating you can rely on for over 100 years, bringing warmth and comfort to domestic and commercial markets since 1906. Committed to a sustainable future and maintaining their core principles of quality, innovation and value, Ideal supplies market-leading heating solutions to homes and businesses across the UK.

An Introduction to Worcester Bosch

Worcester Bosch is a well known household name that has been keeping UK homes warm since 1962. Committed to delivering the highest standard of heating, Worcester Bosch offers a wide range of gas and oil boilers, hot water cylinders and renewable technologies so that you can be sure their products will integrate seamlessly into your home or business premises, saving you money on your heating bills thanks to their high efficiency ratings.

It’s no wonder Worcester Bosch is an eleven time winner of the Which? Best Buy award, with Which? claiming “Worcester Bosch performs so consistently well in our annual reliability surveys that its name is synonymous with dependability.”

Ideal

Ideal Energy Efficiency

Ideal’s gas condensing boilers are incredibly efficient. It’s entire Logic range is between 91-94% efficient with an ErP rating of A, meaning they extract over 90% of the otherwise wasted heat produced by the fuel as it burns and recycles it back into your central heating system.

Ideal Technology

Ideal offers the choice between a stainless steel or aluminium heat exchanger, making them more versatile than Worcester Bosch, which just offers the aluminium heat exchanger. What’s the difference? Well, stainless steel heat exchangers are typically more desirable due to their high resistance to corrosion, however, aluminium heat exchangers have a high thermal conductivity, meaning the size of it can be a lot smaller, therefore making the boiler unit more compact and easier to fit into smaller spaces such as a kitchen cupboard.

Additionally, as the waterways in aluminium heat exchangers are larger, the water doesn’t need to flow as quickly, meaning it is a lot quieter when operating. In fact, many of the Ideal boilers are so quiet that they have received the Quiet Mark, which means they are tested to run with as little noise as possible. This is an incredible benefit for customers who are concerned about keeping their boiler upstairs near to where they sleep.

Ideal Price

Ideal has a wide range of boilers available in varying prices in order to suit every budget, including the Ideal Logic+ 30kW combi for as little as £1,995 including installation, which is significantly cheaper than the Worcester Bosch alternatives such as the 8000 Life 30kW which you can get for as little as £2,385.

Ideal Awards

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise

In both 2013 and 2019, the Ideal Logic+ boiler was awarded the Queen’s award for Enterprise and Innovation. The award recognises Ideal’s “outstanding innovation, resulting in improvements to the business’ performance and commercial success.”

Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended

The Ideal Logic, Logic+ and Vogue boiler ranges also received the Housekeeping Reader Recommended Status in 2013 and then again in 2017!

Quiet Mark

As mentioned earlier, this model received the Quiet Mark, a certification that assesses products for their solutions to unwanted noise.

Product of the Year

The Logic+ won the coveted prize for the Household Boiler category for Product of the Year after 11,941 members of the public took part in research conducted by leading market information group TNS. Consumers were particularly impressed with the Logic+ because it “helps to reduce energy bills”, has “high efficiency and is simple to run” and needs “minimal maintenance and is eco-friendly”.

Worcester Bosch

Much like Ideal, Worcester Bosch boilers are incredibly efficient. It’s most popular ranges such as the Greenstar, Lifestyle and Ris are all ErP A-rated and are between 91-94% efficient, meaning they extract over 90% of the otherwise wasted heat produced by the fuel as it burns and recycles it back into your central heating system.

Worcester Bosch Technology

Unlike Ideal, Worcester Bosch only offers aluminium heat exchangers. Although aluminium heat exchangers are incredibly effective and efficient, they don’t offer the same protection against rust as stainless steel heat exchangers do, meaning you will likely have to have it replaced sooner than a stainless steel one. However, with an annual service, you probably won’t have to replace it for at least 10 years.

Worcester have also been working incredibly hard over the years to ensure their boilers operate as quietly as possible and a number of their boilers are Quiet Mark Certified, including the Greenstar 2000 and Greenstar 4000.

Worcester Bosch Price

Worcester Bosch are one of the pricier brands on the market, however, these prices reflect the high quality and reliability that you are guaranteed to receive with their products. They do offer a wide range of boilers with varying prices in order to suit different budgets, such as the Greenstar 4000 25kW + install for as little as £2,070, or the more premium option, the Style 8000, which you can get for around £2,735 including install.

Worcester Bosch Awards

Best Domestic Boiler Manufacturer in Build Magazine’s 2020 Home and Garden Awards

In 2020, Worcester Bosch was named as the UK’s Best Domestic Boilers Manufacturer in Build Magazine's 2020 Home and Garden Awards following glowing feedback from the publication’s awards research team.

Which? Best Buy Boiler Brand

2021 was the twelfth year that Which? Endorsed Worcester Bosch’s gas boilers, making them the ‘Top Rated’ in the industry after customers voted them as the most trusted.

Quiet Mark

As we mentioned earlier, a number of Worcester Bosch’s boiler models have been awarded the Quiet Mark certificates.

For more information on any of the boilers iHeat stock, and install, get in touch with our friendly team today by calling 0333 305 6880, or get a free online quote here.

So Which Boiler is Best for My Home?

Having looked in detail at each brand, it’s clear that they are both high quality, reliable brands for boilers, so if you’re still stuck on which is best for you, it’s worth thinking about the following:

If you’re looking for a more affordable boiler with the option for a stainless steel heat exchanger, then Ideal is best for you. If you’re after a more premium boiler and would rather have an aluminium heat exchanger, then Worcester Bosch is best for you.

At iHeat, we install both Ideal and Worcester Bosch boilers with an option to suit every home. Get a free fixed quote on a brand new boiler today + install or check out our comparison guide to Viessmann vs Alpha boilers.

For more information on any of the boilers iHeat stock, and install, get in touch with our friendly team today by calling 0333 305 6880, or get a free online quote here.

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