What Are The Best Boiler Manufacturers? A Guide For Installers
As a gas engineer, you’ll have an idea of which your favourite manufacturers are. You might prefer Baxi, Vaillant, Worcester Bosch, or another of countless brands – many of which are highly-respected and produce some great boilers.
From a customer’s perspective, the best boiler is the one that provides reliable, problem-free heating at a fair price. Plenty will have a preferred brand and others will just seek out the cheapest option.
As the installer, you can always offer some advice. However, there are a few things to consider before making your recommendation.
In this article, we’ll discuss how specialising in one (or a couple) manufacturers can really benefit your business, weigh up the pros and cons of each major brand, and help you choose the one best for you. Keep reading or jump ahead below:
What are the benefits of developing a relationship with a specific manufacturer?
Installer loyalty schemes
One of the biggest reasons to stick with a boiler manufacturer is their loyalty schemes. The amount of competition in the space means that there are some truly rewarding packages on offer for any heating and plumbing business regularly installing new boilers.
As well as a flat cashback system for purchasing and installing a boiler, many manufacturers have a tiered system with greater rewards the more you install. In other words, they reward you for sticking with them.
You may also be able to get extra leads from the manufacturer, support with sales and marketing, websites, extended warranties, and more.
The specifics of the schemes vary between manufacturers, but they all function on creating a mutually beneficial relationship between manufacturer and installer.
We recommend you look into those that you already work with and sign up (if you aren’t already).
- Cash & credit rewards
- Extended guarantees
- Sales & marketing support
- Business trips
- Extra cash bonuses
- Customer finance packages
- Reward points
- Extended guarantees
- Sales & marketing support
- Branded workwear
- Listed on Baxi ‘Find an Installer’
- Same-day priority engineer callouts
Worcester Bosch: Accredited Installer/Partner
- Reward points that can be converted into cash
- Extended guarantees
- Sales & marketing support
- £1000 cashback for installing in your own home or showroom
Viessmann: VPlus
- Reward points
- Points can be used to buy tools, office equipment, and branded merchandise.
- Reward points & cash rewards
- Sales & marketing support
- Dedicated web page (with help for images and logos)
- Exclusive MiTech+ promotions
- Facebook group
ATAG: Installer Direct
- Cash & credit rewards (up to £85 on boiler purchases)
- Register boiler installations, order parts, track warranty information in one place
Glow Worm: Club Energy
- Cashback & credit rewards
- Extended guarantees
- Club Energy app for on-the-go registrations
- Homeowner leads
- Exclusive promotions
Ideal: Max Accredited
- Reward points
- 12-year extended warranty on the Vogue Max range
- Van stickers and polo shirts
- Priority listing on the homeowner Find Your Local Installer tool
Vokèra: Approved Installer
- Cash & credit rewards
- Extended guarantees
- Marketing support
- ‘Approved Installer’ van livery
Free training
Most manufacturers offer training courses, usually discounted or free if you are a member of their installer scheme. This can be a great opportunity to learn something new, expand your services, and become a more experienced engineer.
Some courses will also go into specifics on that brand’s boilers, such as Vaillant’s ecoTEC and ecoFIT Diagnostics and Fault Finding course. This can be especially useful when you know what brand you want to specialise in.
Extended warranties
Better manufacturer warranties are as good for you as they are for your customer. Almost all manufacturers will offer extended warranties for installers that are part of their loyalty programme. When things go wrong, this is where the manufacturer can step in.
These warranties are often contingent on good upkeep of the boiler — meaning your customer will be more keen to keep in touch and have you service it every year. They’re also a great selling point for your brand, as customers looking for a specific manufacturer will look for an installer that can get them extra warranty.
Branding
Manufacturer brands put a lot of work into these installer schemes to make them as appealing as possible. One benefit of this is that you can use them in your own branding. For example, to say you’re a Worcester Bosch Accredited Partner, Ideal Max Accreddited, or maybe part of Baxi Works will help build trust with your customers and make your brand look professional.
This can be placed on your van, your website, social media, paperwork, and much more.
Personal preference & experience
Most popular and well-respected boiler manufacturers offer competitive installer packages and good training. For many, the choice will come down to personal preference. You might be more partial to a specific brand because that’s what you learnt on, have the most experience with, or maybe have had the fewest problems installing.
Whatever the reason, your experience and preferences do matter. You’ll be able to:
- Spot and fix problems faster when servicing older boilers
- Install new boilers more efficiently and confidently
- Give better advice to your customers
- Keep up to date with new boiler models and differences
- … and generally offer a more professional service.
How do the major manufacturers compare?
| Manufacturer | Warranty | 2025 Pricing | Popularity | Training |
| Vaillant | Up to 10 years | £1000 – £2000 | 5/5 | Yes |
| Baxi | Up-to 10 years | £700 – £1500 | 3/5 | Yes |
| Worcester Bosch | Up-to 10 years | £1000 – £3200 | 5/5 | Yes |
| Viessmann | Up-to 10 years | £1000 – £2200 | 4/5 | Yes |
| Intergas | Up-to 10 years | £700 – £2200 | 2/5 | Yes |
| ATAG | Up-to 18 years | £1,300 – £2,100 | 4/5 | Videos and live sessions |
| Glow Worm | Up-to 10 years | £650 – £1400 | 4/5 | Yes |
| Alpha | Up-to 10 years | £700 – £1300 | 2/5 | Yes |
| Ideal | Up to 12 years | £1000 – £1700 | 4/5 | Yes |
| Vokèra | Up-to 5 years | £550 – £1200 | 2/5 | Yes |
How can you convince a customer to choose a boiler you recommend?
At the end of the day, the customer gets the final say on what boiler they want. However, as the installer, you can offer genuine advice and insight into why they should choose your preferred manufacturer.
Here are some ways you can do this:
- Explain the benefits of an extended warranty they could get by choosing the brand you are partnered with.
- Talk about reliability, the benefits of new models, and anything you know from your experiences installing different makes and models.
- If you are able to get a good deal buying boilers directly from your local rep, make sure the customer is aware they’re getting a better value deal on the boiler you’re recommending.
- Mention the ease of getting replacement parts. Some less common boilers have difficult-to-source replacement parts, while less successful boiler models may be sold off cheap but manufacturers will stop supporting them.
What if customers wants the cheapest option?
Some customers, usually landlords, will look for the cheapest option on the market. This kind of customer can be a bit harder to persuade. However every brand has a more budget-friendly option.
If you generally install boilers from one of the more pricey brands like Vaillant or Worcester Bosch, you may find some success emphasising the following:
- Long-term savings of a more reliable boiler
- Availability of spare parts
- Length of warranty
- Value for money (especially if you get good deals with a certain brand).
Generally, it’s good practice to stick with reliable boilers as in-warranty repairs won’t earn you money and will end up costing you a significant amount of time, hassle, and energy helping sort out.
The repeat business from annual servicing will still be a valuable source of income, as boiler warranties require annual maintenance to stay valid.
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