Worcester Greenstar 28CDi Compact Boiler Review, Price & Alternatives

If you’re looking for a new combi to suit a mid-range property, it’s no surprise that you’re considering the Worcester Bosch Greenstar CDi Compact combi range.

Not only are they highly efficient, but these boilers are also small enough to fit into a tiny kitchen cupboard — a welcome relief for homeowners who are trying to conserve every square inch of home space.

To make your decision process simpler, we’ve done our homework and put together this review of the Greenstar 28CDi Compact combi boiler. You’ll learn about its features, prices, warranty terms, alternatives, and the cheapest way to get one installed in your home.

Worcester Bosch Greenstar 28CDi Compact Boiler Review

The Worcester 28CDi is the most popular boiler in CDi Compact combi range. However, there are 2 other combi boilers in the same range — the 32CDi Compact and the 36CDi Compact; we’ll talk about them below.

Suitable Property Size for a Greenstar 28CDi Compact

The Worcester Bosch Greenstar 28CDi Compact is a relatively small boiler as far as its heating capacity goes. You may think that the “28CDi” designation indicates a central heating output of 28kW — enough to heat a 3-bedroom home — but that’s not what it means. The number “28” actually refers to the heating output for domestic hot water.

In terms of central heating, the Greenstar 28 CDi Compact offers 24kW — enough for smaller properties, such as 1-2 bedroom flats, apartments, and small houses. That said, a 24kW boiler will leave you struggling to warm up more than 10-15 radiators.

Heating Output For Worcester Bosch Greenstar 32CDi & 36CDi

There are 2 other CDi Compacts in the range: the 32CDi and the 36CDi. Again, the names are a bit misleading — these models ALSO have a central heating output of 24kW.

It’s the flow rate that differs here. The 28CDi is 10L, the 32CDi gets 11.5L and the 36CDi gets 12.9L.

Note, however, that a combi boiler’s flow rate is constrained by the water mains pressure. So, if your household has above-average hot water consumption, you may want to consider another boiler type altogether — system and regular boilers may be more suitable than a combi boiler.

Worcester 28CDi Prices

The best way to compare Greenstar 28CDi Compact prices versus those of other boilers in the range is to head over to Heatable and fill in their anonymous questionnaire. The survey takes around 90 seconds to complete and requires no personal details. You’ll get fixed prices on your screen for all boilers that are suitable for your property, including the Worcester Bosch 28CDi.

Heatable are a new online boiler installation company with a small overhead but stellar deals with the likes of Worcester Bosch. That’s why their prices are about as good as you’ll get, with no hidden extras.

We just plugged in details that lead to a Worcester Bosch 28CDi Compact landing on screen, and our fixed price was £2,600 (inc VAT), including:

• System flush and clean
• Magnetic system filter, worth up to £200 including installation
• £199.99 Honeywell Smart Thermostat
• Long, 10-year warranty

The price may vary depending on your exact property requirements, but you can get your fixed quote from Heatable here.

Worcester 28CDi Compact Features

Here are some noteworthy features you’ll get with a 28CDi Compact combi.

Compact Size

All Worcester CDi Compact boilers easily fit in a kitchen cupboard. The display is simple to navigate, and allows you to adjust hot water and heating, with control options comprising a temperature display and boiler control knobs.

Frost Protection

You get built-in frost protection, which is particularly important when temperatures start dropping below zero. This feature will prevent your condensate pipe from freezing and stop your boiler from locking out, so you won’t need to call a boiler repair engineer every time the temperatures plummet in winter. This frost protection function is even more vital if you want to install your boiler in a loft or garage, where it’ll be more exposed to the elements and possible frost risk.

High Energy Efficiency

Thanks to Worcester’s low-energy pump, this boiler’s electrical consumption is minimal. In fact, this boiler has an impressive energy efficiency of 92%, and comes with an A+ ErP package efficiency rating. If you’re upgrading from an older boiler, chances are you’ll see some sizeable savings on your heating bills.

Worcester Greenstar 28CDi Warranty

The warranties that come with Worcester Bosch boilers change constantly. They also vary depending on which additional Worcester-branded products are installed alongside the boiler (such as a filter), and whether or not they are installed by a Worcester Accredited engineer.

At time of writing, the CDi Compact range comes with a 7-year standard warranty, which can be extended to 9 years if you use a Worcester Bosch-Accredited Installer.

Essentially, these installers AREN’T Worcester engineers — they’re the same as any other Gas Safe engineer, but they’ve been on a training course provided by Worcester. Lots of local installers have taken this course.

If you want to stretch this warranty a bit more, we recommend you head over to Heatable — you’ll get the full, 10-year warranty as part of the package.

The Best Alternatives to a Worcester Bosch Greenstar 28CDi

You’ve got a whole host of alternatives to the Greenstar CDi Compact range. Although Worcester Bosch and their Greenstar are the most popular, there are plenty of other models that stack up nicely in terms of quality, whilst some even come with a better price.

Do You Really Need a Compact Boiler?

First of all, do you actually need a compact boiler?

In general, you’ll pay 10-20% more for a compact boiler than you would for one that’s standard-sized.

The reason compact boilers command a premium is that they fit into your average kitchen cupboard. So, if you’ve already got a boiler installed in a kitchen cupboard, or have a wall-hung boiler and would prefer it tucked away in the kitchen, you’ll need a compact model.

However, if you’re planning to replace a wall-hung unit, or simply fitting a boiler in an airing cupboard, you don’t need a compact, so we’ll give you an alternative below.

Worcester Bosch Greenstar 4000

If you’ve decided you’re dead-set on a Worcester Greenstar, but you don’t need it to fit in a kitchen cupboard, you’ll want to head for the Greenstar 4000.

The Worcester Greenstar 400 gets you a similar flow rate and heating output. And it’s roughly £200 cheaper than the Worcester 28CDi Compact.

Its predecessor, the Greenstar 25i is another option; we’ve written a full review about it here.

Baxi 600 Compact Combi Boiler

If you’re looking for a Compact boiler but don’t want to burn cash for the sake of it, I’d suggest checking out the Baxi 600. Like the Greenstar 28CDi Compact, the Baxi 600 will fit into a standard kitchen unit, so you can install it out of sight.

Baxi offer 24kW and 30kW versions — great options if you’ve got a small-to-medium-sized property.

Whilst Baxi are nowhere near as popular as Worcester Bosch, their products are top notch. They just don’t have the budget to market themselves like Worcester do.

The best thing about the Baxi 600? It’s ridiculously cheap. In fact, you’ll be looking at paying £800-900 for a Baxi (boiler only), rather than £1,100 for the CDi Compact range.

Other features include smart technology capability, and the boiler is quite lightweight, meaning that it’s easier and cheaper to install.

We’ve written a full review of the Baxi 600 here, so you can compare it directly to the Worcester 28CDi.

Getting Your Compact Combi Boiler Installed

If you’re not 100% sure about which boiler is the most suitable, speak to a Gas Safe heating engineer. As part of a quote, they’ll spec your property, ensuring the boiler you’re about to buy has the output to supply hot water and heating at sufficient levels.

A boiler installation often costs more than £2,000. So the last thing you want, is to get the wrong boiler fitted — you’ll likely have to live with it for 10+ years!

You can get your fixed price from Heatable in less than 90 seconds here.

What’s Next?

Thanks for reading our review of the Worcester CDi range. Hopefully, that gives you an idea of what you’re getting for your money, and the alternatives that are out there.

Still got questions about the Worcester CDi Compact range? Drop a question below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.