Are you trying to decide between the Glow-worm Procombi and Betacom 3 range?
On the outside, these boilers look very similar, with many of the same features, benefits and incredible value for money – but how do you decide which is right for your home?
A lot of my customers struggle at first to see the difference between these two boiler ranges, but on closer inspection, they can provide very different outputs, depending on your own individual needs.
To make it even clearer, I thought I’d highlight those differences by comparing both ranges side-by-side in this review blog. So, let’s get started, shall we?
Introduction
Glow-worm is a brand known for producing reliable, long-lasting budget boilers, and has a good reputation as part of the Vaillant group. These boilers are manufactured in Derbyshire, UK, and parts and spares are readily available.
If you’re looking for a Glow-worm combi boiler, the Betacom 3 and Procombi ranges are great for small to medium-sized homes, and between these two ranges, you’re sure to find one that will suit your heating and hot water needs.
Output and flow rates
Below, you’ll find all the outputs and flow rates you can expect from both of these combi boiler ranges:
Glow-worm Betacom 3
- Betacom 3 24kw combi: This boiler provides an output of 24kw to your heating, and 24kw to your hot water at a rate of 10 litres per minute (35 degrees Celsius)
- Betacom 3 30kw combi: This boiler supplies an output of 30kw to your heating, and 30kw to your hot water at a rate of 12.4 litres per minute (35 degrees Celsius)
Glow-worm Procombi
- Procombi 24kw: This boiler gives you an output of 20.4kw to your heating, and 24kw to your hot water at a rate of 10 litres per minute (35 degrees Celsius)
- Procombi 28kw: This boiler provides an output of 24.7kw to your heating, and 28kw to your hot water at a rate of 11.7 litres per minute (35 degrees Celsius).
Size and special features
Both of these boilers measure in at 740mm x 418mm x 300mm and are wall-hung, so they will look at home on your kitchen wall or fitted inside a storage cupboard – unfortunately, they’re not compact enough to fit into a standard kitchen cupboard or Edinburgh press.
Both also come with an in-built analogue timer and bright LCD display. They’re also compatible with a range of Glow-worm controls and accessories, and they can be flued vertically or horizontally.
Guarantee
There’s no difference between the guarantee for these two boiler ranges, as both come with free 2-year guarantees when installed by engineers who are members of Club Energy. And with dedicated engineers to attend call-outs, you can be rest assured your new Glow-worm boiler will be in safe hands.
Ideal for
The Glow-worm Betacom 3 boiler range is perfect for a small or medium-size home with anywhere between 5 to 12radiators and a shower (the 30kw can also easily handle a bath).
However, the Procombi range fills in the gaps where the Betacom doesn’t quite fit, so if for instance, you you have small home with only a couple of radiators and a shower, the Procombi 24’s 20.4kw heating output would be just right.
Or, if you want the same 24kw output to your heating as the Betacom 3 24kw, but you want a little more oomph to your taps (and fill your bath), you might want to choose the Procombi 28kw.
ERP rating
Great news! You’ll find both the Betacom 3 and the Procombi ranges are ERP A-rated. The only slight difference is that the Betacom 3 has 89.2% efficiency compared to the Procombi’s 89.3% – not really enough to swing it.
Conclusion
So, there we have it! You should now have a better idea of which of these boilers might be best suited to your home, but I’d recommend always asking your chosen engineer to measure your home’s heat loss and incoming water pressure, just to be 100% certain you’re making the right choice.
If you have any questions about either the Glow-worm Procombi or Glow-worm Betacom 3 combi boilers, let me know in the comments section – I promise to answer!
Which of these boilers is right for you, and why?
