Are you looking for a high output compact boiler with great flow rates for your family home?
Perhaps you’ve already looked at the Worcester 36cdi compact combi as a market leader, but want to know how the Ideal Logic+ C35 compares.
Both of these boilers are a great choice, with fantastic no-quibble guarantees and similar specifications. So, how can you decide which to choose?
Well, hopefully I can use my experience as a heating engineer and installer, to help you out. To be honest, there’s not a lot in it, but there are a couple of things which might swing it for you.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at these two boilers in detail.
Introduction
These two boilers are both good brands with long guarantees. Ideal had a few reliability issues around 10 – 15 years ago, which affected people’s view of the product. However, they’ve since adjusted and are now fighting for market share with some amazing value deals. They’re now offering good, reliable boilers with a great 10-year guarantee to back it up (if you choose an accredited installer).
The Ideal Logic+ C35 is an award-winning combi boiler. Similar to Baxi, Ideal are offering more value for money right now, with better deals than the likes of Worcester Bosch. In fact, they’re working out around £240 – £375 cheaper than Worcester Bosch, for the same length of guarantee. That’s one huge advantage, especially if you want a bit of extra money to spend on things like smart controls.
Saying that, the Worcester Bosch 36cdi is an indisputed king. These boilers have been proven to last 18 – 20 years (something Ideal can’t say yet), and have the Which ‘Best Buy’ stamp of approval. You do have to install Worcester Bosch’s own brand of filter and controls in order to get the 10-year guarantee, though. (More about that below)
Finding it hard to decide? Let’s investigate this further!
Output and flow rates
Looking at heating output, both of these boilers deliver around 24kW to your radiators, so there’s no difference here. They should happily heat a three to four-bedroom home with 6-10 radiators and a deep bath or high pressure shower.
But what about the output to your hot water? Well, it’s also close, although the Ideal Logic C35 delivers 35kW compared to the Worcester Bosch’s 36kW. Which means you’ll get 0.2 litres extra per minute to your taps – which isn’t much of a difference.
Size and special features
Both of these boilers come in a compact size, which is perfect for fitting inside your kitchen cupboard or Edinburgh press! Being different brands, there’s a little difference between the measurements, but not much. The Ideal measures in at 395mm x 700mmx 278mm. And the Worcester? A very similar 390mm x 680mm x 280mm.
Still not much to go on so far! I don’t blame you if you’re feeling a bit stumped right about now.
Guarantee
You’ll be glad to hear we finally have enough of a difference between these two boilers to perhaps be a deciding factor! The guarantee could be a bit of a deal-breaker, but let me explain.
With the Ideal Logic+ C35, you can receive up to a 10-year guarantee – that’s if you find the right accredited installer who can offer you this deal. And that deal comes with no strings attached. In other words, you don’t have to fit a brand-specific filter and controls to get that deal.
The Worcester Bosch 36cdi compact offers the same 10 years, however, wait for it… You need to install the brand’s own filters and controls to get that deal. This can bring the price up even more than the initial difference in value between these two boilers. You could be paying around £375 for the Worcester Bosch.
TIP: Your guarantee will only stay valid if you get your boiler serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer!
Finally, these are both great, no-quibble guarantees, with dedicated engineers for call-outs. You won’t have any unexpected charges to your credit card, and both of these brands really look out for their customers – otherwise I wouldn’t be recommending them so highly.
At a glance
Did some of that information go over your head? It’s a lot to take in, so here’s a quick overview of everything so far.
Let’s start with the Ideal Logic+ C35:
- Heating output: 24.2kW
- Hot water output: 35kW, 14.5 litres per minute at 35 degrees Celsius
- Ideal for: A three to four-bedroom home with 6-10 radiators and a deep bath or high pressure shower
- Guarantee: Up to 10 years with some accredited installers*
- Size: 395mm x 700mmx 278mm
- ERP rating: A
*Always check with your chosen accredited installer about whether they’ll be able to offer this deal.
Now, here’s what to expect from the Worcester Bosch 36cdi compact:
- Heating output: 24kw
- Hot water output: 36kw (14.7 litres litres per minute at 35 degrees Celsius)
- Ideal for: A three to four-bedroom house with 6-10 radiators and a deep bath or high pressure shower
- Guarantee: 10 years (when fitted with Worcester Bosch filter and controls)
- Size: 390mm x 680mm x 280mm
- ERP rating: A
Advice from an experienced heating engineer
As I’ve said before in previous blogs, I’m a big fan of Worcester Bosch, However, I really think Ideal are attacking the market with a great product, guarantee, and very competitive price. Saying that, it’s maybe going to be a few years before customers catch on, or see how reliable these are in the long-term.
And as with previous blogs comparing Ideal to Worcester Bosch, this is another tough one to call. If you’re looking for great value, with a long guarantee, there’s no reason not to opt for the Ideal Logic+ C35. You can even put that extra money towards smart controls or other household upgrades.
In fact, one of my customers chose to do this recently. She was an architect, and had specified quite a lot of Ideals on buildings she had designed. Her husband liked the idea of Worcester Bosch, but the price swayed them to use the money to upgrade their radiators instead.
One caveat, however, is that Worcester Bosch does still have the Which ‘Best Buy’ stamp of approval, and has been proven to last 18 – 20 years, so if you really want a boiler to last the distance (and money isn’t an issue), the Worcester Bosch could still be your best option.
Conclusion
I hope this blog has been a bit of help when deciding between the Ideal Logic+ C35 and the Worcester Bosch 36cdi compact. It’s so difficult to choose! Both of these are great boilers, and it’s really tough to say which you should go for. It all comes down to value vs proven longevity, in the end.
Do you have a question about the Ideal Logic+ C35 or Worcester Bosch 36cdi compact that I’ve failed to answer here? Let me know in the comments. I’m always happy to help!
