Are you unsure which Glow-worm combi boiler might be best for your home?

The Glow-worm Betacom 3 and the Energy Combi boiler range both offer great value for money, so it’s a tricky one, as many of my customers have found out.

However, there ARE enough differences between the two boilers to help you potentially make a decision about which is right for your home.

So, whether it comes down to heating and hot water outputs, size or length of guarantee, this review should help shed some more light on the situation, so you can make the best decision.

Introduction

Glow-worm are well-known for producing reliable, affordable budget boilers that also provide amazing value for money – after all, what else would you expect from a brand that’s manufactured by the Vaillant group? And all of their boilers are made in Derbyshire, UK.

TIP: To find out more, read my blog on why Glow-worm gets the Superwarm stamp of approval.

Whilst the Betacom 3 high efficiency combi boiler comes with a simple in-built analogue timer and is compatible with most Glow-worm controls and accessories, the Energy combi is smaller, lighter and features digital controls – which is reflected in the price.

However, looks aren’t everything, so read on to find out which range might be best suited to your home.

Output and flow rates

Now, let’s look at 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 Energy

• Glow-worm Energy Combi 25kw: This boiler provides 25kw to the central heating, and 25.7kw to the hot water, with a flow rate of 10.4 lites per minute (35 degrees Celsius)
• Glow-worm Energy Combi 30kw: This boiler supplies 30kw to the central heating, and 30.6kw to the hot water, with a flow rate of 12.5 litres per minute (35 degrees Celsius)
• Glow-worm Energy Combi 35kw: This boiler can give you 35kw to the central heating and 35.7kw to the hot water, with a flow rate of 14.4 litres per minute (35 degrees Celsius)

Sizing

When it comes to boilers, we all know that size matters. The Betacom 3 measures in at 740mm x 418mm x 300mm and is a wall-hung boiler, so if you’re struggling for space, you may be better off with the Energy combi range – at only 700mm x 390mm x 280mm, it’ll easily fit inside a standard kitchen cupboard.

Guarantee

Great value for money also has to translate into longevity, and there’s a whole 3 years’ difference between the length of free guarantees available with these models.

While the Betacom 3 range comes with a 2-year guarantee as standard, the Energy combi comes with a free 5-year guarantee (although you can pay a bit extra to have both of these extended).

Ideal for

The Glow-worm Betacom 3 boiler range is ideal if you have a small to medium-sized home or apartment with space for a wall-hung boiler, and don’t mind having a 2-year guarantee. However, if you want a compact sized boiler with a 5-year guarantee, the Energy combi might be for you.

Also, if you have a larger household, you’ll probably want to opt for the Energy combi, as this range includes an additional 35kw boiler that can provide an extra 5kw to your heating and hot water over the highest spec model in the Betacom range.

ERP rating

Both the Betacom 3 and the Energy Combi are ERP A-rated boilers, although the Betacom 3 has 89.2% efficiency compared to the Energy Combi’s 89.3% – still, the difference is so minimal it’s not really worth mentioning.

Conclusion

I hope this blog has helped when deciding which Glow-worm combi boiler is best for your home; the Betacom 3 or the Energy combi range. It may come down to budget, outputs, length of guarantee, sizing or controls, but in the end, your chosen engineer should be able to advise you further.

Which boiler range do you prefer – the Glow-worm Betacom 3 or the Glow-worm Energy combi? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments section!