Best Wall Mounted Gas Boiler - Buderus, Baxi, Protherm or Navien?

A modern gas boiler, according to the principle of operation, differs from previously used columns. This is a more advanced unit, and there are two main types:

convection - a classic boiler, where water is heated by a gas flame, and waste products go into the pipe. The simplest and cheapest option used in boilers of the past generation.

Condensing - the most modern option, where the exhaust gases do not escape, but fall out in the form of hot precipitation into a special chamber. There they again give off heat to the water, which increases productivity and reduces fuel consumption.

Of course, condensing boilers look more interesting. They make the most of the generated energy, so their efficiency is always higher, which we will discuss below. As for our nominees, the condensation type of work is used by 2 participants: Buderus and PROTHERM. We give them first place. The rest of the participants share the second step, since they are all convection.

The duration of operation and the quality of the entire boiler depend on what materials the primary heat exchanger is made of. It is here that plaque is formed, which subsequently enters the system. The better the materials, the better. Looks most effective in terms of durability cast iron, but today it is practically not used, since a lot of energy is spent to heat this metal. The next most reliable metal is stainless steel. It is not subject to corrosion and does not form plaque on it.

Next comes copper. The material is light, high quality and with good heat dissipation. The cheapest and easiest option is aluminum. Scale and plaque can form on it, so such boilers are considered less durable.

Among our participants, only one uses a stainless steel heat exchanger - this is Viessmann, and we give him the first place. With copper tanks we have Navien, BAXI, Ariston and PROTHERM. second place, respectively. But Buderus is aluminum, so only the third position.

The power of a gas boiler is measured in watts and is indicated as a minimum and maximum. This parameter is directly related to the heated area, but may differ depending on other features of the device. The minimum indicator is also important, as it indicates the lowest temperature the boiler can hold.This is especially true for those who often leave the house in winter and heating is only needed to maintain a minimum positive temperature. For our participants, these indicators look like this:

The winner is unequivocal - this is the Buderus Logamax plus GB172-30 iK gas boiler. It is the best not only in terms of power, but also in terms of range. Definitely first place. We send participants BAXI, Navien and PROTHERM to the second line. Well, the third line belongs to Ariston and Viessmann. With the same maximum values, they have the largest numbers of minimum parameters, which means that even in the most economical mode, these models will still consume more than their competitors.

Efficiency or coefficient of performance is an indicator indicating the efficiency of the boiler. It depends on many factors, including the quality of the fuel, so the actual figures may differ from those indicated by the manufacturer. The average value is calculated at the factory and indicated as a percentage. The higher they are, the better.

It is easy to guess that condensing models will have the highest efficiency, but this is not necessary.For example, Buderus has an efficiency of 109%, while PROTHERM has only 93, although both use condensate collection technology.

Among our participants, Buderus is the only one with a figure of more than 100%, and we give him the first place in the nomination. The PROTHERM, Viessmann, Ariston and BAXI boilers showed a result above 90. Their numbers differ, but not much, so we send everyone to the second place. And Navien has the lowest performance. Only 86%.

A boiler that works only for heating does not need an expansion tank. It is necessary for hot water supply, since we are considering a double-circuit boiler, then here it is without fail. The volume of the tank can be different, and the larger it is, the better. The bottom line is that it is very difficult to heat running water. The boiler keeps it in a tank where the optimum temperature is maintained. As soon as the tank is empty, water is added to it, and less fuel is spent on heating it.

Among our participants, Navien and Buderus have the largest dilators, 12 liters each. 8 and 7 liters each for Ariston and PROTHERM, which occupy the second line in the nomination. Viessmann and BAXI have the most modest result. Both are 6 liters.

In most cases, a wall-mounted boiler for a home can operate on both natural and liquefied (balloon) fuels. There are also exceptions. For example, we have Ariston CARES XC 24 FF, which consumes only natural gas.

Depending on what fuel is used, its consumption changes, and the parameters indicated by the manufacturer are the maximum load, and since the boiler is double-circuit, these are the costs for both heating and hot water:

So, we have the most economical Buderus, which consumes the least of both liquefied and natural fuels. The second place is shared by Viessmann, BAXI and Navien with approximately equal performance. And in third place we send PROTHERM with the highest consumption, and Ariston, since, in addition to serious consumption of natural gas, it does not work on liquefied gas at all.

A double-circuit boiler for the house is not only heating, but also hot water supply (DHW). If in the primary circuit the parameters are always approximately the same and have strict standards, then with the DHW the data may differ, and sometimes quite strongly. Here we are interested in three parameters: the maximum operating pressure, as well as the minimum and maximum temperatures in the circuit:

As you can see, the maximum temperature for all participants is almost the same. The difference of 3 degrees is not significant. Here it would be more correct to start from the combination of pressure and minimum temperature, therefore the first line of the nomination is occupied by PROTHERM and Viessmann. The rest of the participants confidently share the second position.

A double-circuit boiler for the house provides heating in it. This parameter is tied to the power of the device, but may fluctuate. This is especially evident in the Buderus Logamax plus GB172-30 iK. Despite the fact that it has the best 30 kilowatt heater, it is designed to heat only 150 square meters. This is definitely only the third line. And the first place is definitely for PROTHERM. He has 280 squares, which corresponds to his power. As well as other participants who share the second position.

If you have a private house made of soft materials, be sure to pay attention to the weight and dimensions of the boiler. Not all walls are able to withstand fifty kilograms. You have to be smart about something. It's the same with dimensions. Of course, the more powerful the device, the more it weighs, but for clarity, let's compare these data in the table:

As you can see, the sizes of all participants are approximately the same.The difference is only a few centimeters, except for Buderus, the most bulky and, accordingly, the heaviest option. You need to take it to a private house carefully, as wall mounting may simply not withstand it. And the most compact and lightest are Ariston, BAXI and Navien. We give them the top step of the pedestal. Well, the rest of the participants, respectively, share the second place.

Keeping track of prices is extremely difficult, as they change not only from store to store, but also depending on the season. Here are the market averages for 2022:

The difference is quite large, so we give the first place to three participants at once: Ariston, Navien and PROTHERM. All of them cost around 50 thousand rubles. A little more expensive than Buderus and BAXI, and the most expensive version is Viessmann with a price tag approaching 100 thousand.

So, the best gas boiler for the home is PROTHERM lynx HK 28. It is condensate, with the possibility of heating a large area, and at the same time one of the most budgetary. Buderus and Navien are not far away, but the first one must be very carefully chosen in a private house, as it is heavy and has a large size. The rest of the members can't be called bad either. All have their advantages and disadvantages. They are only slightly inferior to the winners of the rating, but for the home they are also excellent options, albeit not the best in comparative terms.