Worcester System Boiler Prices, Sizing & Alternatives
Looking to upgrade your current setup to a Worcester system boiler? Or, feeling unsure whether a combi boiler upgrade is where you should be investing your cash?
To save you time, we’ve done the research and create this quick guide to system boilers from Worcester Bosch.
Here, we’ll cover various Worcester Bosch system boilers, prices, installation costs, as well as the best alternatives available on the market.
What Is a System Boiler?
A system boiler builds up a store of hot water in a cylinder. This isn’t the same as a combi boiler, where water is heated on demand.
Basically, you’ll be able to get away with having a lower kW output appliance when you opt for a system rather than a combi.
More importantly, you’ll have a vast supply of hot water. This is what makes system boilers suitable for heating systems that face a high hot water demand (i.e. multiple showers and taps running at the same time).
That’s the basics. If you want to learn more about this boiler type, you can read our detailed guide to system boilers here.
Should You Upgrade to a Combi Boiler?
It’s possible that your current system boiler setup is overkill for your property. And, that means you could upgrade and save space by modifying your central heating system so that it works with a combination boiler.
Typically, you’ll find that switching to combi boilers is going to cost £700 on top of a standard installation. The additional cost covers labour to remove the existing hot water cylinder and then install a combi.
However, companies like Heatable typically only charge in the region of £300-500 for such an upgrade as part of their installation packages.
Worcester System Boiler Prices
Worcester boiler prices aren’t the cheapest. They’re a reputable brand that consistently win awards such as “Which? Best Buy” and can be found from installers like Heatable with a 10-year warranty.
You’ll find the following system boiler models in Worcester’s Greenstar range:
- 9i
- 12i
- 15i
- 18i
- 24i
- 27i
- 30i
- 30CDi Classic System
- 35CDi Classic System
Prices are likely to vary between £900-£1400, with £900 (inc VAT) getting you something like the 12i, and £1400, something like the 35CDi Classic system.
Remember, that’s the cost of the boiler only, and doesn’t include parts such as the cylinder, flue, boiler filter, copper pipe, or labour.
Installation Costs
A typical system boiler installation costs more than that of a combi boiler.
The smaller system boilers are likely to be in the region of £2,400-£2,500. But you could upgrade to something much bigger such as the 27i Compact for around £150 more.
On the other hand, you can expect to pay around £2,000 at the low end to install a Worcester combi; you can get your own installation quote from Heatable here.
System Boiler Sizing
We’ve already wrote a guide on how to size up a combi, but that’s irrelevant here. As system boilers store water in a hot water cylinder, you’ll be using a boiler with a lower heating output compared to that of a combi boiler.
Like with combi boilers, though, the boiler size needed will depend on the size of your property and your demand for hot water. For example, a household that uses only 1 tap or shower at once will need a completely different boiler than one using 2-3 showers and/or taps at the same time.
The quickest and easiest way to determine which size boiler you need is to use this boiler size calculator. After filling out a few multiple choice questions about your property, you’ll find the most suitable models listed at the top of the search results.
Worcester Boiler Reviews
There’s a good chance you already know that Worcester are up there with the premium boiler brands.
However, it’s always worth checking out some recent reviews. Unfortunately, you’re unlikely to find them on Amazon and the likes.
However, there are plenty of positive reviews worth reading over on Trust Pilot.
The Best Alternatives to Worcester Bosch
Worcester system boilers aren’t just popular because they’re a well-known brand, or because they’ve won multiple awards. They’re also incredibly reliable — a fact that’s backed up by these boilers’ generous warranty terms.
The truth is, when you’re spending in excess of £2,000 on a boiler installation, you want to make sure you’re getting a long warranty. Otherwise, just a few years down the line, you could be footing some expensive repair bills.
Worcester system boilers can be found with a warranty of up to 10-years from installers like Heatable. In comparison, the highest warranty on Vokera boilers is 7-years (Vokera Evolve), whilst some models, such as the Vokera Mynute, only come with a 2 year warranty.
In our opinion, you should be heading for a boiler that has a 5-year warranty as a minimum.
Should You Buy a Worcester System Boiler?
Although we rate Worcester system boilers, it’s not like there aren’t other brands offering boiler packs at competitive prices. Brands such as Ideal, Vaillant, Potterton and Viessmann are all worth a look.
For instance, you’ll get a 10-year warranty on the Ideal Vogue system boiler. That’s a leading brand featured in our best boiler manufacturer list, and it used to be that Ideal were on-par in terms of quality, but slightly cheaper.
Heatable can supply Worcester system boilers at incredibly competitive prices, so Ideal don’t really have the price advantage they once had.
You can check out how much a Worcester installation would cost you here (Heatable also have Viessmann, Ideal, and Alpha boilers on offer).
But, if you’re not set on a Worcester and want to get quotes for the likes of Ideal and Viessmann, you can compare up to 3 prices here.
FAQs About Worcester Bosch System Boilers
Below, we’ll take the opportunity to field a few common questions about system boilers from Worcester.
Is a system boiler cheaper than a combi?
No, system boilers typically cost more than combis. What’s more, you’ll have to pay more for the hot water storage tank (if you haven’t got one already), and the additional pipework.
You can get separate, no-obligation quotes for system and combi boilers and compare the prices.
How many years guarantee on a Worcester boiler?
For system boilers in its most popular Greenstar range, Worcester’s warranties typically start at 5 years, whilst extended warranties go up 10 years.
When you get your Worcester boiler installed by Heatable, you get a 10-year warranty as standard.
Which is the better boiler, Worcester or Ideal?
Both Worcester and Ideal manufacture quality, reliable, and efficient boilers. Ideal have an advantage when it comes to the price tag, as they’re generally cheaper than their Worcester equivalents. That said, Ideal warranties are still reasonably long, some stretching as long as 12 years — a credible indicator of reliability.
Of course, Worcester Bosch have made a great name for themselves, and their price tag reflects the fact that they’re a household name.
Overall, if you’re looking for a quality boiler but your budget is a bit tight, Ideal may be a good choice. Otherwise, you can’t really go wrong with a Worcester Bosch.
You can use Heatable’s calculator to compare suitable boiler options from both of these brands.
Is Worcester Bosch a British company?
Although Worcester were acquired by Bosch GmbH — a German company — Worcester Bosch are a British company, with headquarters and manufacturing facilities in the UK. In fact, Worcester Bosch are holders of the Royal Warrant for supplying the Royal Family’s estates with heating appliances.
How do I know if my boiler is still under warranty?
The easiest way to find out is to find the documents you received from the manufacturer (or your installer), and have a read through the warranty section.
Typically, you’ll need to register the warranty within 30 days of the boiler’s installation for it to be valid. Also, for the warranty to remain valid, you’ll have to perform annual boiler service. If you’ve done both of these things and the warranty document from the manufacturer shows that the coverage period hasn’t ended yet, your warranty is likely still in effect.
How do I find out how old my boiler is?
To find out your boiler’s age, you’ll have to locate the appliance’s serial number. The number’s location differs depending on which model you have, and the month and year of manufacture are also not always obvious. So, the best way to proceed is to lcall the manufacturer’s customer service hotline, and ask them to tell you the boiler’s age based on the serial number.
What’s Next?
Hopefully our guide to Worcester system boilers has given you what you need to know to choose the right appliance for your property. We regularly post up new reviews and buying advice, so make sure you bookmark Heatingforce.co.uk and pop back soon.
Still not sure which boiler to buy? Drop us an email via our contact form and we’ll do our best to help you out.