A reliable boiler will keep you toasty on those chilly winter evenings and save you from spending big on unexpected repairs. But as the results of our latest boiler satisfaction survey show, some boiler brands simply aren’t good enough to recommend.
As part of our boiler survey, we quizzed 7,500 members of the general public* about problems they had experienced with their main gas or oil central heating boiler, and how happy they were with it. We’ve identified one gas boiler brand that’s definitely best avoided: Heatline.
If your boiler is on its last legs, replace it with a superior alternative. Below, we explain exactly why you should steer clear of Heatline’s gas boilers, and just how much better off you’d be with a Best Buy boiler brand.
Best boiler brands – stay dependably snuggly with a top-quality boiler
Most vs least reliable gas boiler brands
A total of 13 different gas boiler brands were included in our latest survey, with the likes of Alpha, Intergas, Vaillant and Viessmann battling it out for the top spot. As well as surveying boiler owners, we also quizzed 153 Which? Trusted Trader heating engineers about what makes a great boiler.
Based on combined feedback from boiler owners and engineers, two of the 13 brands achieved Best Buy status – but only one boiler brand could take the crown.
This year’s table-topping gas boiler brand impressed owners thanks to stellar build quality and a design that makes it easy to fix or service. Boilers from this brand are delightfully reliable, too, so you can spend more time relaxing on the sofa and less time making cups of tea for a boiler engineer.
The engineers we spoke to weren’t incentivised to install boilers from that brand, giving us a clear sense of the boiler brands trusted by professionals.
Find out which boilers brands we recommend and details of the models they offer in our full boiler reviews.
Heatline: poor performance across the board
Heatline promises that its boilers have been designed to ‘ensure maximum ease of use’, but owners were far from impressed in our survey.
Although Heatline is one of the cheapest gas boiler brands, you clearly get what you pay for. The company has the lowest reliability score of all the boiler brands we covered, so it’s no surprise that engineers are reluctant to recommend the brand to customers.
Here’s a look at how Heatline compares with our top-scoring gas boiler brand:
Boiler repairs required: most vs least reliable brand
Across all brands on average, four in 10 boilers purchased over the past six years have already needed at least one repair.
The boiler brand you put your trust in makes a massive difference to your wallet. The repair rate for our most reliable boiler brand drops from four in 10 to just two in 10. It’s a whole different story for Heatline, however – half of its boilers in our survey needed at least one repair in the past six years.
Our boiler brand survey focuses mainly on gas boilers as these are more popular than oil boilers. But if you’re shopping for an oil boiler, fear not – our expert guide on buying an oil boiler will help.
What type of boiler should I buy?
Brand aside, it’s important to choose the right type of boiler for your home. There are three main options to pick from:
- Combi (conbination boiler) – these boilers provide heat to radiators and domestic hot water whenever you need it.
- Heat-only (convectional) boiler – built with a hot water storage cylinder and a large cold water feed tank, usually found in the loft.
- System boiler – similar to a heat-only boiler, but you don’t need extra space for a cold water storage tank.
You need to consider the size of the boiler as well. The correct heating size is unique to you and your home and dependent on factors such as the number of bathrooms and how many people are living under the same roof.
Once you’ve picked the right boiler for you, look to get it set up by a professional. We recommend heading over to the Which? Trusted Trader website, where you’ll find plenty of trustworthy heating engineers for your boiler installation. It’s a good idea to get a number of different quotes (including call-out fees) and make sure they’re happy to install your chosen brand of boiler before you sign on the dotted line.
For more expert tips on finding the perfect boiler for you home, see our expert guide on how to buy the best boiler.
* In May and June 2020, we surveyed 7,500 people who had purchased a new boiler in the past six years and asked if they’d experienced any faults and whether they were satisfied with and likely to recommend their boiler. In June 2020 we surveyed 153 Which? Trusted Trader boiler engineers.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/10/the-cheap-boiler-brand-you-shouldnt-trust-to-keep-your-home-warm/