Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30i Review [and the 2 Best Alternatives]

Up until the release of the Worcester Greenstar 4000 in May 2021, the Greenstar i combi boiler range featured some of the best-selling combis and system boiler models on the UK market. Even to this day, the Worcester Greenstar 30i remains a popular choice. This enduring popularity is why we went and updated our Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30i combi boiler review, in which we will tell you all about this model’s features, warranty, prices, and its alternatives.

What is the Worcester Greenstar 30i?

Worcester’s Greenstar 30i is a combination boiler; this means that it uses its heat exchanger to heat water for both the central heating system and your taps. Unlike regular or system boilers, a combi boiler type, such as the Greenstar 30i combi, doesn’t require a hot water cylinder, nor does it need a cold water feeder tank.

It’s important to understand that the Worcester 30i is a mid-range combi boiler, and like most combi boilers with a medium heat output, it won’t be suitable for homes with high hot water demands. Typically, this model would be fitted in a 3-bedroom semi-detached property. Even in such properties, though, you’ll need a larger combi boiler, such as the Ideal Vogue 40kw, or a different system setup altogether, if you plan on running multiple taps or showers at the same time.

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Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30i Features

Below, we’ll walk you through some of the essential features you’ll get with a new Worcester Bosch 30i gas boiler.

No More Frozen Condensate Pipe Problems

A frozen condensate pipe is one of the big problems with all boilers in winter, when the condensate discharge often freezes over and blocks the pipe. That’s why Worcester upgraded their boilers to include the CondenseSure Siphon technology, which combats this problem. It gives you a double benefit:

1. No more frozen condensate pipes and pumps
2. No more expensive call out charges to gas engineers

Display Panel

Compared with the old 28i Junior, the Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30i has a simplistic display panel design. It’s not just better looking — it’s much easier to use.

Users can set heating and hot water temperatures directly from the panel and see any fault codes if the boiler is having problems.

Increased Output

Worcester have been working on improving the heating output of all their ranges.

This means the Worcester Bosch 30i combi boiler now has 25kW of domestic hot water output, whereas previously, it was 24kW.

On a similar note, the flow rate has improved from 8.5 to 9 litres per minute.

This means you’ll have greater central heating power, and the hot water in your taps will heat up much quicker. No more cold showers!

Great Warranty

The Greenstar 30i combi boiler comes with a standard, 5-year warranty. This increases to 6 years when using Worcester’s own branded magnetic system filter. Better still, using Heatable, you can get a 10 year warranty!

Awesome Range of Controls

The built-in controls on the digital display allow you to set your hot water and central heating temperatures at precisely the right level for optimum comfort.

Worcester produce a great range of controls for all of their boilers; One of the most popular is the Worcester Wave, which is a smart way to control your central heating system.

The Wave can be connected via Wi-Fi. And, using their app, you can control your central heating from the comfort of your sofa.

Ease of Service

The new version of the Greenstar 30i combi has been set up for easy service; partly because the expansion vessel is extremely easy to access. This isn’t just good news for installers, but also for owners — easy servicing means affordable servicing.

The control panel also gives a lot more information than before. This means that in some cases, problems can be diagnosed over the phone with a Gas Safe engineer, and you get a quicker, cheaper fix.

How Much Does the Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30i Cost?

Typically, you’ll find that Worcester are up there at the high end in terms of price. So, expect to pay around £1,050 for the Worcester Bosch 30i. That’s the boiler only, so you’ll need pay extra to install the boiler and cover things like the flue and extensions (where applicable).

All of that’s going to translate into an installation price of over £2,200 from most local engineers.

However, there is a way to get a Worcester 30i, or even its newer counterpart, the Worcester Bosch Greenstar 4000 slightly cheaper — and that’s via Heatable.

Heatable are a boiler installation company. Naturally, Heatable get Worcester boilers, including the 30i and Worcester Bosch Greenstar 4000, at preferential rates. And, that translates to a much cheaper new combi boiler for you.

You can head over to Heatable here. We just did, and here’s the quote we got on the new and improved Greenstar 4000 30kW combi boiler:

As you can see from the fixed price they’re offering here, it’s not just a basic combi boiler installation. You’ll also be getting:

• A smart thermostat from Honey Well, worth nearly £200
• Free central heating system clean, to help prolong the life of your boiler
• A boiler filter to help catch any heating sludge, worth around £130.

It’s worth noting these extra freebies. If you choose to get a quote for a new combi boiler from elsewhere, you can check the itemised quote and see if it also includes these elements.

Deciding Between the Worcester 30i and Worcester 30si Compact

One of the most common questions we’re asked by customers looking at the 30i, is what the difference is between that and the 30si Compact. After all, they are both reliable combi boiler models.

The 30si Compact is Smaller

Like the Ideal Logic 30 Plus, the 30si Compact combi boiler is small (as the name suggests). The general idea behind all of the Si Compact range boilers is that they can fit in small spaces. So, if you are looking to install the combi boiler in a kitchen cupboard, under your stairs, or a small storage area – this could be the boiler for you.

It’s More Expensive Than the 30i

Worcester boiler prices change all the time. But, the Compact combi boiler range is consistently more expensive than the standard Greenstar i range. Expect to pay around £100 extra for the boiler. All fittings and controls are the same, so there’s no price difference there.

Differences in Heating Modes

If your purchasing the Worcester Compact, expect to see improved efficiency over the 30i — and this can translates to lower energy bills. The 30i is pretty standard in the way it will condense only in the central heating side. Meanwhile, the 30Si Compact is able to do this for central heating, but also for hot water.

So, is the Compact Better Than the Greenstar 30i?

The short answer is no.

The small improvements in efficiency mean that the Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30i combi boiler still remains more popular. The price difference just doesn’t make the Compact a particularly appealing choice.

The only time the Compact is chosen over the 30i is when it needs to be installed in a small space.

You can compare the differences in price within 2 minutes on Heatable’s easy quote form.

Alternatives to The Worcester 30i

There are alternatives to the Greenstar 30i combi boiler, mainly coming from Ideal Boilers.

There are two equivalent combi boiler models in the Ideal range; these could be potential alternatives:

• The Ideal Logic Plus 30 (see our review here)
• The Ideal Vogue C32 (see our review here)

Here is what you need to know about these boilers.

The Ideal Logic Plus 30 comes with a 7-year warranty as standard. Price-wise, this boiler is going to work out approximately £150 cheaper than the Worcester 30i. This increases to around £250 if you choose the Compact; but, if you get a Worcester 30i installed with Heatable, prices are likely to be the same.

Now, the Ideal Vogue C32 comes with a 10-year warranty as standard which is why this is truly their flagship product. But remember, getting a Worcester boiler installed via Heatable, will get you that same 10 year warranty. And after fitting the combi boiler, flue, filter, and timer, the Vogue will work out to be around the same price as the Worcester 30i.

So it’s really a matter of your personal preference between these two boiler manufacturers.

Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30i Review Verdict

If you have your heart set on a Worcester, choose the 30i if you are not restricted by space, and the 30SI Compact if you are. Or, better yet, you can opt for the newer Greenstar 4000.

Is there anything we’ve missed? Do you have a question, or an experience you’d like to share with any of the models mentioned here? If you do, please leave us a comment below and we’ll reply as soon as we can.