Best circulation pump - Grundfos, Wilo or DAB?

Performance is the most important factor when choosing a circulation pump. It is also often called throughput, as it shows how much water the device will pass through itself in one hour of operation. For the calculation, the rate of consumption by sampling points is used. For example, an ordinary faucet in the kitchen or bathroom gives off about 0.5 cubic meters per hour.

The issue of performance is also important because energy consumption depends on it, and if you have a small house, then buying a high-performance circulation pump does not make sense. As for our nominees, the most powerful in the list are Grundfos and Unipamp. The first has 4.7 cubic meters per hour, and the second has 4.08. The rest of the participants can safely give the second line. Their performance ranges from 3.5 for Vilo to 3 for Dub.

The height of the water column is calculated by the formula, which takes into account the distance from the surface of the water to the point of return.It does not make sense to delve into these calculations at the initial stage, so the height of the column is taken depending on how high you need to raise the pressure. It is measured in meters, and the higher this figure in the parameters, the better.

In this nomination we have 3 winners at once: Unipamp, Elitek and Grundfos. All of them raise the pole by 6 meters. This is quite enough to provide hot water to a two-story house. Vilo and Dub are slightly weaker. The first lifts 4 meters, and the second - 4.3.

The circulation pump built into the heating is volatile. It needs electricity to work, and therefore its consumption. This is an additional expense, so the lower the number, the better. The power of the apparatus affects its performance and the height of the water column, but two participants with the same parameters can have completely different values. Of course, we choose the one that will wind the electric meter the least.

You should also pay attention to the fact that in the description of goods there are always two values: rated power and maximum. The first digit shows how much the pump will consume when operating in standard mode, that is, constantly when you open a tap or start a washing machine. The maximum power indicates how much energy will be eaten at the peak.

So, the best pump in terms of energy efficiency is Dub. In normal mode, it takes only 28 watts and by the end of the month your electricity bills will not grow by a fabulous amount.Everything is fine with him and with maximum consumption, respectively, we give first place in the nomination.

The second line is shared by Elitek and Unipamp. They have the same performance and they are quite adequate. But Vilo and Grundfos turned out to be the most “gluttonous”. But even here one should take into account the fact that at maximum load they eat much less, but since the pump works extremely rarely in this mode, we send both participants to third place.

The circulation pump is installed not only for heating, but also for hot water supply. That is, the unit itself must cope with high temperatures, and all the participants in our comparison pass this test perfectly. Everyone has a maximum threshold of 110 degrees, that is, above the boiling point, which means that if the system fails, nothing will happen to the pump. But the minimum value is different. So, Vilo, Dab and Elitek pumps do an excellent job with liquids up to -10 degrees. Of course, this is impossible in everyday life, and rather tells us that the units are not afraid of freezing.

From there, they can be mounted in rooms without heating or left in the minimum working position when leaving the home in winter. Grundfos and Unipamp cannot boast of such opportunities. They need positive temperatures to work. The minimum value of both models is 2 degrees.

Depending on how the heating is arranged in your house, a pump will also be installed. The arrangement can be vertical or horizontal. There is no fundamental difference here, and, in fact, it is installed in the way that is convenient for you or the system installer. But for specific models it matters. Pumps are universal, that is, they can be installed in any position, and unidirectional.

Note that almost all modern pumps are universal and can be placed both horizontally and vertically. But there are exceptions. Our comparison included two such participants. These are Vilo and Grundfos. Both are horizontal and cannot be placed vertically. Definitely only the second place in the nomination, as it limits buyers and installers. All other models are universal.

In everyday life, malfunctions that can cause the pump to break down cannot be ruled out. The most common troubles are overheating of the circuit, and therefore the pump itself, as well as voltage drops in the network. It is important that the pump can cope with these troubles, which means that the best option is the one with the most protective mechanisms.

There are three winners in this nomination: Grundfos, Vilo and Dub. All of them have protection against overheating and their own voltage regulator. When water boils in the circuit, nothing critical will happen to the pump, but only in a short time period. But Elitek and Unipamp do not have such mechanisms, which is why they go to the second line.

The quality of a pump is determined by two factors: the materials and components used, as well as feedback from real users. All participants in our comparison have a cast-iron body. There are cheaper models on the market, and they will have a plastic case, which, of course, will affect reliability and durability. But it's also important to know what's inside the device. The clear winner in the nomination is the Dab circulation pump. The only model in which the rotor is made of ceramic with a mirror surface. This is the most durable material that is not afraid of overheating and does not have temporary fatigue.

We will also send models from Grundfos and Vilo to the first line. Although they do not have ceramics, they do have high-quality stainless steel, and in the case of Vilo, they also have graphite components. All this greatly affects the service life, which we will also discuss below. As for Unipamp and Elitek, these are classic models. Their assembly is on top, but there are no unique and complex components.

Heating is a complex system that uses many components. Often it has to be mounted in cramped conditions and not every house has a separate room for mounting all the necessary equipment.Therefore, the size of the pump is very important for many users, and the best option is the one that takes up the least space. Weight in this respect does not matter much, but we will also compare it for the sake of completeness.

So, the most compact pumps are Vilo and Unipamp. By the way, they also have the same weight. Definitely first place. The rest of the participants share the second step. Although they differ in size and weight, they are not critical.

Each manufacturer conducts tests and indicates the approximate service life in the product description. There is also a warranty period during which you can easily replace a broken device or request compensation. Of course, the higher both of these values, the better for the buyer.

Of course, the run time depends on the quality of the assembly and the components used, and a manufacturer using the most reliable materials can afford to give a longer warranty.

The winners are unequivocal - these are Dab and Vilo pumps. In both cases, the manufacturer gives a service life of 10 years. Warranty obligations are different, but this is not so important. Grundfos makes sense to send to the second line. Here for 3 years both for the service life and for warranty service. Well, Unipamp and Elitek - by year, which is easily explained by the materials used in their production. Only third place in the nomination.

Despite the fact that our comparison included models in the same price range, their real cost is different. Of course, you can find the same model for more or less, but in general terms for 2022, the prices are as follows:

The results are quite predictable: the cheapest models are Unipamp and Elitek. This is due to the components used and the recommended service life. True, Grundfos and Vilo did not go so far, but we still give them the second line, since they are more expensive. But Dub has the most expensive option, which is not surprising, but in order to make the comparison objective, only third place.

The winner of our comparison is the circulation pump DAB VA 35/180 and this is not surprising. A top brand with top products and a price tag to match. It does not have the highest technical performance, but the build quality and service life are huge. However, so is the price tag.

As for the best value for money, these are the Russian UNIPUMP UPC 25-60 and the German Wilo Star-RS 30/4. This also includes the Danish Grundfos UPS 25-60. In terms of parameters, he sometimes lost, but his quality is as high as possible. And the most budgetary and simple option is ELITECH NTs 3218/6E. A pump that lacks stars from the sky, but fully meets the stated requirements.