Which is the best oil boiler in 2021?

Over four million households in the UK do not have a mains gas connection, and the vast majority of these rely on oil-fired heating. Although oil-fired systems require a higher upfront investment than alternatives such as electric and LPG heating systems, they are cheaper to run and extremely versatile. With more and more options entering the market, however, it can be difficult to choose the right oil boiler for your home. Read on to learn more about what our experts recommend.

Choosing the right size boiler

For maximum efficiency, it is important to choose the right size boiler for your home. A boiler that is too small will struggle to provide a significant heat output, while one that is larger than required may result in reduced efficiency. Ultimately, bigger is not always better when it comes to heating. The right size boiler will offer you the best value on your monthly heating bills as well as the lowest carbon footprint for your home. We generally recommend that you arrange a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our team to allow us to make a recommendation and provide you with a quote.

Which brands are most popular?

When it comes to oil boilers, there is now a range of manufacturers competing for the top position in the market, and this can make it hard to choose. Among the most popular and best known are Grant, Viessmann and Worcester Bosch, which are familiar household names with a long-established reputation. There also a number of other lower-cost competitors now becoming more popular in the UK market.

What do experts say?

One of the benchmarks for quality boilers in the UK is Which? Magazine, which has pioneered consumer rights since 1957. Every year, an expert panel from Which? collates data from both homeowners and service engineers to compile a ranking of the best boiler brands. When it comes to oil boilers, there is a clear winner - Worcester Bosch.

Benefits of a Worcester Bosch oil boiler

The Worcester Bosch Greenstar Heatslave II won the Which? Best Buy award for oil boilers in September 2020 and is currently the UK’s most popular oil combi boiler. It comes with a choice of three sizes - 8kW, 25kW and 32kW, making it suitable for small, medium and large properties including homes with multiple bathrooms.

The Greenstar Heatslave II has an excellent 90% efficiency rating, giving it an A-rating for efficiency as a result.

Compact and versatile

The internal version is compact and designed to fit under a standard kitchen worktop, making it easy to install in a kitchen or utility room alongside a washing machine or a dishwasher. It also features a convenient drawer in which the controls are housed, keeping them safely out of the way when not required.

For those wishing to free up kitchen space, the Greenstar Heatslave II is also suitable for installation in a utility room, airing cupboard or garage, should you have the space available. It is also available in an external version, which features a robust all-weather housing that can withstand the toughest of the elements all year round.

Energy Efficient

For those looking for greater energy efficiency, the Heatslave II is also compatible with green energy sources such as solar panels and is designed for compatibility with the Greenstar range.

Another feature that helps to increase efficiency is the Eco hot water mode, an optional feature that enables you to turn off the preheat option for water. Although this means it will take longer for hot water to be delivered, it will result in a marked difference when it comes to fuel usage - allowing you to optimise for convenience or energy conservation as you wish.

Smart home ready

The Greenstar Heatslave II is compatible with Worcester Bosch’s EasyControl smart thermostat. With the app installed on your smartphone, you will be able to control your heating system wherever you are, as long as you have an internet connection. In addition to this, you can also monitor your energy usage and connect with smart TRVs (Thermostatic Radiator Valves), which allow you to control the heating in individual rooms. There’s also a handy child-lock feature for family homes.

The intelligent EasyControl smart thermostat can be set to automatically turn the heating down if you’re not in the house and detect when you’re returning home, turning the heating up to your desired temperature. This can help to improve comfort and significantly reduce energy wastage.

Improving efficiency, the EasyControl smart thermostat enables you to view the performance of your Greenstar Heatslave II boiler and understand your gas consumption for heating and hot water, all directly from the companion smartphone app.

Key features

• Cross firing burner
• Concealed heating controls
• Compact design
• Lightweight
• Designed to fit under a standard kitchen worktop
• Digital control offering precision heating and hot water control
• Front access for routine servicing and providing flexibility in where the boiler can be installed
• Quiet operation - 56 dB
• Compatible with green energy sources
• Compatible with Worcester Bosch’s EasyControl smart thermostat
• Flexible oil boiler finance available

Your trusted oil heating engineers

D.R. Plumbing & Heating are an established Wrexham-based company with a reputation for the highest quality workmanship and services throughout Shropshire, Cheshire and North Wales. We are Gas Safe and OFTEC registered engineers with a reputation for being courteous and professional. As an award-winning Worcester Bosch accredited installer, you can benefit from our up to date and extensive training in their products and services, as well as up to 7 years guarantee on parts and labour for total peace of mind.

Video Quotations Available

If you are uncomfortable about a home visit, We now offer all of our customers the option of a video quotation via apps including Facetime, Messenger and WhatsApp. This allows us to assess your current oil boiler installation and provide an accurate quote for your new boiler without needing to step into your home. Get in touch and we’ll be happy to arrange a call.

Looking for a new oil boiler? Call D.R. Plumbing & Heating today on 01978 291 923 / 01352 620 125 for a free, no-obligation quotation.