10 most economical boilers
When installing a heating system in a house, the owners are repelled by a number of factors. This is the availability of communications, and the price for the heat source, and the climatic conditions of the region, and the safety of operation, etc. At the same time, it is important to remember about economy, so as not to throw money down the chimney in the cold season. It should be noted that even the most economical boiler will not save the owners if the house is poorly insulated and the heating system is illiterate. When choosing a heating device, the price of the boiler is often the main factor. But the immediate benefit can turn into serious spending on gas or electricity. Gas and electric boilers are capable of providing a modern house with heat and hot water in an autonomous mode. How do you choose the most economical option?
- In settlements where there is a gas main, it is economically expedient to purchase gas boilers. At the first stage of the purchase and connection, home owners will have to face serious investments. The boiler itself will cost a round sum, but most of the time, nerves and money will have to be spent on the design and supply of the gas pipeline to the house. Additional funds will be needed to create effective ventilation, organize space in the boiler room in accordance with regulatory documents. Gas workers and firefighters will be frequent uninvited guests. But in the future it will be possible to save a lot when heating a house during the heating season.
- The gas pipeline is far from everywhere near the house. In this case, you have to choose alternative heat sources. One of the easiest and safest ways to heat your home is to use electric boilers. Since electricity is available in most settlements, the homeowner will only have to choose a device with optimal power and efficiency.
When calculating, you should use a simple formula. It is generally accepted that for heating 10 sq. m of a house with a height of 3 m requires 1 kW of energy. Therefore, for country houses up to 100 sq. m. an electric boiler with a maximum power of 10 kW is suitable. It is better to have a small supply of several kilowatts, but you shouldn't get too carried away either. Due to the frequent switching on and off of the boiler, the load on the heating elements will not only increase, but also the consumption of electricity will increase. To roughly calculate how much electricity heating will cost, you should determine the average daily operating mode of the boiler. To do this, the power of the device is multiplied by the number of hours of continuous operation and divided by 2. This figure is multiplied by 30 days, and then by the number of months of the heating season. It remains to find out the electricity tariff and multiply by the resulting consumption. The percentage of error depends on the vagaries of the weather, but usually it does not exceed 20% of the calculated value.
The most economical gas and electric boilers were included in our review. The rating is compiled on the basis of an analysis of technical characteristics and taking into account the reviews of compatriot homeowners.
The most economical gas boilers
Gas boilers are widely used in heating systems of private houses, shops, car repair shops, etc. They allow heating large areas, while providing people with hot water.
5 Lemax Premium-10
Domestic gas boilers compete successfully in the domestic market due to their affordable price and efficiency. A striking example is the Lemax Premium-10 model. This single-circuit device is designed for heating houses up to 100 sq. m. The manufacturer managed to achieve high efficiency (90%), which made it possible to reduce the consumption of natural gas to the level of 0.6 cubic meters. m per hour. The use of high-quality steel with an anti-corrosion heat-resistant coating helped to reduce the cost of the device.
A distinctive feature of the boiler is its non-volatility from the power grid, which gives another item of savings. An Italian gas burner device helps to optimize the operation of the boiler. Domestic consumers note such advantages of "Premium-10" as affordability, efficiency, compactness, safety and reliability. To prevent the device from letting down in frosty winter, it is necessary to carry out maintenance in a timely manner.
4 Buderus Logamax U072-24
Traditional boilers are not as economical as condensing boilers, but they are much more affordable. And if the device was developed by German engineers Buderus and Bosch, then there is no doubt about its effectiveness. Thanks to its compact dimensions 40x30x70 cm, a closed combustion chamber and minimal noise (38dBA), the unit can be installed directly in the kitchen, while it is capable of heating an area from 70 to 240 sq. m.
The heat exchanger in U072-24 is made of copper. With the same power indicators with cast iron and steel models, copper boilers are considered more economical, since they provide an accelerated transfer of the heat of combustion of the fuel to the coolant circulating through the pipes. Other advantages of the product include an integrated 3-speed circulation pump, reliable electronic control and easy maintenance. There is also a minus - some owners blame the autodiagnostic system for the same error, which sometimes requires a flashing of the board to eliminate it.
3 NAVIEN GA 35KN
The gas boiler NAVIEN GA 35KN allows heating large houses, offices and shops with minimal costs. This convection-type double-circuit model is capable of heating a building with an area of up to 350 sq. m., providing people with warmth and hot water. The floor-standing device has a fairly high efficiency (91.4%), which allows minimizing natural gas consumption to 3.34 cubic meters. m per hour. The heating device can also operate on liquefied gas, the boiler needs to be connected to a single-phase power supply. The consumer can also save money on the purchase of the boiler itself, since the model compares favorably with its competitors in cost.
The owners of cottages, shops, auto repair shops note such positive characteristics of the NAVIEN GA 35KN gas boiler, such as efficiency, availability, high quality. Of the minuses, it is worth highlighting the noise, the need to use only original spare parts.
2 Vaillant ecoTEC plus VU INT IV 306 / 5-5
Vilant is one of the best European manufacturers of high-tech products for heating and cooling residential buildings. Its range includes many reliable and high-quality boiler models, which include the latest generation wall-mounted unit ecoTEC plus VU INT IV. Users speak of it exclusively in a positive way, noting that the installation of the boiler in their homes has led to at least 20% savings in operating costs. They consider the layout of the heating system with this boiler and underfloor heating to be especially successful - it is in this version that it pays off as quickly as possible.
One of the factors for the economical operation of the boiler is the use of a modulating burner. Its introduction into the design provides a smooth adjustment of the operating power in a wide range from 16 to 100%, depending on the need for heat. By keeping the frequency of on and off cycles to a minimum, longer maintenance-free and overall unit life is ensured. Its only drawback is its high cost.
1 BAXI Duo-tec Compact 1.24
The most noticeable gas savings are provided by condensing units, which are able to take heat energy from flue gases that is irretrievably lost in convection-type devices. Boilers of the Duo-tec Compact line are no exception, the efficiency of which, according to some sellers, reaches 107.6% at a load of up to 30%. And although they exaggerate (based on the technical characteristics, the boiler gives up to 91.2%), you must agree that this indicator is very good for gas equipment.
The device becomes even more economical due to its design. A serpentine stainless steel heat exchanger, an adaptive combustion and draft control system allow you to reduce to a minimum the cost of heating a house with an area of 100 to 240 sq. m. It is worth noting the presence of built-in automation for changing the temperature of the coolant, depending on the weather outside. Thus, maintaining a stable micro-mode is inexpensive in terms of time and effort, which is also an indirect indicator of efficiency.
The most economical electric boilers
Electric boilers can be used as a backup or main source of heat energy. They are used in small buildings, but with the help of electrical appliances, you can achieve complete automation of the heating system.
5 ZOTA 9 Lux
Looking at the cost of this electric boiler, someone may doubt its reliability. However, after studying its characteristics, we did not reveal any obvious design flaws. Moreover, in terms of the number of functions, there is no equal to it even among the more expensive models. In a 9-kilowatt electric boiler, designed for heating 90 sq.m., a number of "luxury" features are implemented: electronic control based on the operation of 5 controllers, protection of the control unit against overvoltage up to 400V, weather-dependent automatic correction of the coolant temperature, the function of connecting a warm floor and etc.
From the point of view of the efficiency of the heat generator, the function of the chronothermostat is interesting - with its help the user sets the program at what time the house should be warm, and at what time the microclimate can be made cooler. Such a thermostat with a timer is very convenient for setting up work at the most favorable electricity consumption rate - night. To be fair, we will also mention the disadvantages of the device: in particular, users warn about the high cost of replacing failed heating elements, so it is better to start operation by reading the instructions.
4 Protherm Skat 6 KR 13
Consumers had a lot of time to check how reliable the Slovak “Skats” are in real conditions: they have been produced in their homeland since 1992, and in Russia, according to the manufacturer, more than 250 thousand units have already been sold. We did not find negative reviews and explicit criticism on the network, and even on specialized forums, where there is a rather skeptical attitude towards budget brands, they are in good standing. And it is not surprising - a wall-mounted heater, among other advantages, is characterized by simplicity and versatility of installation (there is no need to maintain a 3-phase network, you can connect weather-dependent automation, a storage hot water boiler and organize a cascade heating system).
The developers took a very responsible approach to the issue of the model's economy, providing a high (99.5%) efficiency and providing for a stepwise switching on of power with a step of 1 kW. At the same time, the heating elements are switched alternately, and the load on them is distributed evenly. Protective systems against overheating and freezing, as well as pump protection, are responsible for the durability of the product - according to technical characteristics, it is at least 10 years.
3 EVAN Warmos-IV-9.45
JSC "Evan" in 2019 turns 23 years old, and during this time the company has mastered the production of a wide range of heating equipment. This means that the entire heating and hot water supply system, except perhaps pipes and valves, can be equipped with products. Of particular interest to potential buyers is the updated electric unit of the Warmos-IV series with a capacity of 9.45 kW, capable of heating a house up to 94.5 sq. m.
In order to optimize energy consumption, the mechanical thermostat was replaced with an electronic thermal control system. Now the boiler "itself" determines how many heating elements out of 3 need to be started in order to provide the set temperature regime with an accuracy of 1 °. Manual power limitation can also be activated if necessary.Self-diagnostics functions, improved control panel with LED indication and the ability to connect remote control modules make it possible to call the boiler modern, economical and, importantly, accessible to a wide consumer circle.
2 Vaillant eloBLOCK VE 12
The most economical single-circuit boiler in our review was the Vaillant eloBLOCK VE 12 model (99% efficiency). An electric appliance can heat a house up to 120 square meters. m in the presence of a three-phase network. In addition to high efficiency, the device boasts an elegant appearance. There is only one button for adjustment, everything else is done for a person by a microprocessor, sensors, sensors, etc. Economical energy consumption is achieved due to a smooth increase in power, the presence of such additional options as anti-freeze mode, summer operation, weather-dependent control. The device can be equipped with a remote control, which allows the owners to get directly from the cold from a warm house.
Users praise the efficiency of the Vaillant eloBLOCK VE 12 electric boiler, its simplicity and neat appearance. To increase the service life, it is necessary to connect a voltage stabilizer.
1 ACV E-Tech S 240
The most economical double-circuit boiler is the premium model ACV E-Tech S 240 (99% efficiency). Due to the high thermal power (28.8 kW), the device will cope with heating a large house, providing its residents with not only heat, but also hot water. This high-performance heating device is controlled by electronics, which helps to minimize the consumption of electrical energy. The stainless steel heat exchanger also contributes to the economical operation. To reduce the heat loss of hot water, a boiler made according to the principle of "Tank in a tank" helps. Electronic control allows you to increase the service life, prevent the formation of limescale by optimizing the heating modes.
Owners of country houses and cottages highlight such advantages of the ACV E-Tech S 240 electric boiler as efficiency, reliability, versatility and noiselessness. The main disadvantage of the device is its high price.
