Are you thinking about buying a boiler from the Ideal combi boiler range?
If so, great choice! This is a brand that’s currently offering plenty of value and great product guarantees to rival the likes of Worcester Bosch.
You may even have your heart set on a combi boiler – but which one? Ideal have a few different choices on offer, which is why I thought I’d use my 20+ experience as a heating engineer give you the full low-down on the Ideal combi boiler range.
But first…
Why choose the Ideal combi boiler range?
Similar to Baxi, Ideal is a great old British name that’s still alive and kicking today. Ideal’s website claims they’re committed to delivering the highest level of customer service, and with the current guarantees and boilers available, I definitely believe it. You can read more about their promise to their customers on their ‘About Us’ page.
There’s another reason Ideal are similar to Baxi right now. They are also offering more for less, so for example, you could get a 30kW Ideal combi with a 10-year guarantee for around £200 less than a Worcester 30i with an 8-year guarantee. You also don’t have to fit Ideal’s own programmable controls or filters to get the full 10 years.
We recently had a customer whose boiler packed up and required replacing. It was an old 30kW combi, and they decided that if they were going to replace it anyway, they wanted a higher flow rate. They received a quote for a 32kW Worcester Bosch boiler with a 10-year guarantee and better flow rate. However, they thought it was a tad expensive.
I then quoted on an Ideal Logic+ 35kW, with a 10-year guarantee and an even better flow rate than the Worcester Bosch. It also fitted their budget, as it was £240 less than they’d been quoted for the Worcester.
TIP: On average, an Ideal combi boiler should set you back between £2,300 – £2,400 supplied and fitted (including a standard horizontal flue through the wall, using existing pipework, gas and drain for the condensate with 3 metres, and fitting a magnetic filter).
So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the Ideal combi boiler range:
The Vogue combi
This is Ideal’s premium combi boiler, and it comes with a 10-year, no-quibble guarantee. The great bit about these is that they have a higher output to the heating than other combis on the market, so they can heat more radiators and larger homes. They also come with outputs suitable for a small flat, to a large, 4-bedroom home.
- Heating output: 18kW – 32kW
- Hot water output: 26kW – 40kW
- Perfect for: A small flat to a large, 4-bedroom home
- Guarantee: 10 years
- Size: 740mm x 445mm x 330mm
- ERP rating: A
The Logic+ Combi
The Logic+ combi is by far the most popular Ideal combi boiler, and comes with a 7-year guarantee as standard. However, some accredited installers (us included) can offer a 10-year guarantee on these. These are perfect for a small apartment, right up to a 3-bedroom home, and they all provide 24.2kW to the central heating circuit.
- Heating output: 24.2kW
- Hot water output: 24kW – 30kW
- Ideal for: Small flat – family-sized, 3-bedroom home
- Guarantee: 7 years (10 years with an accredited installer)
- Size: 700mm x 395mm x 278mm
- ERP rating: A
The Logic Combi
As far as I can tell, there’s not a great deal of difference between the Logic and the Logic+. Aside from a slightly larger display on the Logic+ and the obvious five year’s difference in guarantee, that is! Yep, the Logic only comes with a 2-year guarantee, for pretty much exactly the same output.
As for price, it’s around £70 cheaper, so it could be builders use this on extensions to save a slight bit of money, with the client none the wiser. However, I’d always recommend going for the best value and getting the Logic+, so you can have that extra peace of mind with the longer guarantee.
- Heating output: 24.2kW
- Hot water output: 24kW – 30kW
- Ideal for: Small flat – family sized, 3-bedroom home
- Guarantee: 2 years
- Size: 700mm x 395mm x 278mm
- ERP: rating: A
For new house builders…
Those aren’t the only combi boilers available from Ideal. There’s also the Logic Code ES and the more recent Logic Code ESP1 – however these aren’t available to homeowners. They are specially designed to help house builders meet the new level 4 energy efficiency regulations.
Both of these boilers only come with a 2-year guarantee, and are perfect for the new generation of energy efficient homes.
Logic Code Combi ES
- Heating output: 24.2 kW
- Hot water output: 26kW – 33kW
- Ideal for: A small flat – 3-bedroom home
- Guarantee: 2 years
- Size: 826mm x 395mm x 278mm
- ERP rating: A
Logic Combi ESP1
- Heating output: 24.2kW
- Hot water output: 24kW – 35kW
- Ideal for: Small flat – 3-bedroom, family home
- Guarantee: 2 years
- Size: 700mm x 395mm x 278mm
- ERP rating: A
Advice from an experienced heating engineer
The best advice I always give people is to ensure you get three fixed price quotes, do your homework about boiler sizes and flow rates, and buy the best you can afford. In my opinion, you should always go for a guarantee that lasts 7 – 10 years.
TIP: Not all Ideal accredited installers will offer you a 10-year guarantee on the Logic+ combi, so ensure yours will!
Conclusion
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this blog on the Ideal combi range. I’m sure you’ll agree, the value is very competitive (coming in at around £240 – £300 cheaper than Worcester Bosch). However, always check your installer is accredited, and willing to offer you the full 10-year guarantee.
Do you have any questions about the Ideal combi boiler range? Let me know in the comments – I’m always happy to help!
