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Why get a new boiler?

  • Reduce your energy bills by up to 20-30%
  • Better heating controls
  • Less noise

Cheap Boilers: Best Budget Combi, Conventional and System Boilers

It's important to strike a balance between quality and price

Brands such as Potterton and Baxi are a good brands that won't break the bank

You can get a personalised quote for a new boiler by completing the form above


When looking at new boiler costs, you've surely noticed that some brands charge far less than others. But why?

Frankly, a lot of cheaper boiler brands cut corners, meaning you'll get a basic boiler without the features of more expensive brands.

If a boiler seems cheap, you should look at what it doesn't give you. Check for warranty length, build quality, efficiency, and reliability. Cheap doesn't always mean good value, and it might even cost you more in the long run (breakdowns, repairs, high heating bills, etc.).

It's essential then to find the right balance between quality and cost. Thankfully there are brands that offer both, so we've done the research to help you find them.

If you've already got your heart set on you perfect boiler, fill in this form to get a free quote from our professional boiler installers.


cheap boilers


Battle of the Budget Boiler Brands

When you think of cheap boilers, brands like Vokera and Ferroli might come to mind. With their boilers starting from as little as £440, it’s easy to see why you could get sucked in by their prices.

However, these brands have received some heavy criticism from both customers and boiler engineers for their disappointing build quality and overall reliability. With these brands, you really do get what you pay for.

“Stay well away from this make. It is cheap and no good during a cold spell.”

Review left by a Vokera customer on Trustpilot, 1st March 2018

Instead, we’d recommend mid-range brands such as Alpha, Baxi, Glow-worm and Potterton. While their prices aren’t quite as low as Vokera and Ferroli, their boilers are much better quality and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. These brands don’t produce the best boilers that money can buy (think Worcester Bosch and Viessmann), but they do offer great value for money if you’re on a budget. Read on to find out how much boilers cost from these mid-range brands.

“Been installing them for years now. Really good boilers and market leading warranties, easy to service and excellent customer service.”

Review left by a Baxi boiler engineer on Trustpilot, 7th October 2018


Cheap Boiler Prices

Boiler prices will depend on a few things, including the type you go for. For example, the average conventional boiler will cost you about £4,000, whilst the average electric combi boiler will only cost an average of £1,500.

Value-for-money boilers, on the other hand, can cost between £440 and £1,100.

The amount you’ll pay will also be affected by the size of your house. The more radiators, taps and showers your home has, the bigger the boiler you’ll need (in kW) – and the more this will cost. So if you live in a 4-bedroom house, chances are you won’t be able to get the cheapest boiler on offer.

As a rough guide, this is the combi boiler size you'll need:

For a 1 or 2-bedroom house with 1 bathroom: 24 to 27kW

For a 3 or 4-bedroom house with 1 or 2 bathrooms: 28 to 34kW

Anything bigger: 35 to 42kW

And this is the conventional and system boiler size you'll need:

1-bedroom flat: From 12kW

2 or 3-bedroom flat or house: 15kW to 18kW

4 or more bedrooms: 24kW to 30kW

The table below shows you the price of boilers produced by the best ‘value for money’ brands – Alpha, Baxi, Glow-worm and Potterton.

Brand
Size Range (kW)
Price Range
Alpha
20 to 40
£520 to £2,575
Baxi
12 to 32
£650 to £1,440
Glow-worm
12 to 35
£610 to £1,855
Potterton
12 to 33
£580 to £2,740

Cheap Combi Boilers

Combi boilers – or more formally, combination boilers – are the most common type of boiler in the UK. This type of boiler heats water directly from the mains when you turn on a tap or switch on your central heating, so you won’t need a hot water cylinder or cold water tank built into your loft. This means combi boilers are compact, great if you live in a small house or flat.

The table below shows you the cheapest combi boilers made by the best value brands on the market.

Brand
Model
Size (kW)
Fuel
Price
Alpha
Evoke 28
28
Gas
£520
Baxi
124 Combi ErP
24
Gas
£650
Glow-worm
BETACOM 4 30c -A (H-GB)
30
Gas
£610
Potterton
Gold 24 Combi ErP
24
Gas
£610

Find out more about combi boiler prices


Cheap Conventional Boilers

Also known as heat-only or regular boilers, conventional boilers are useful if you already have a heating and hot water system linked to a hot water cylinder. They must also have a cold water tank up in the loft which will feed the hot water cylinder, and a tank which maintains the central heating's water level.

The table below shows cheapest conventional heat-only boilers made by the best value boiler brands on the market. Please note: Alpha do not manufacture conventional boilers.

Brand
Model
Size (kW)
Fuel
Price
Alpha
Baxi
EcoBlue 12 Heat ErP
12
Gas
£685
Glow-worm
ULTIMATE 3 25R -A (H-GB)
25
Gas
£685
Potterton
Titanium Heat 12 Heat ErP
12
Gas
£700

Cheap System Boilers

A system boiler heats water directly from the mains when you fire up your central heating, but uses a hot water cylinder to heat water for your taps or shower. This will need to be stored in your loft.

The table below shows the cheapest system boilers made by the best value brands on the market.

Brand
Model
Size (kW)
Fuel
Price
Alpha
E-Tec 20S
20
Gas
£1,100
Baxi
Megaflo 24 System ErP
24
Gas
£855
Glow-worm
ULTIMATE 3 25s -A (H-GB)
25
Gas
£705
Potterton
Gold 18 System ErP
18
Gas
£575

Cheap Boiler Installation

When calculating how much a new boiler will cost you, It’s easy just to focus on the price of the boiler and forget about the installation cost. However, installation can sometimes cost as much as the boiler itself, so it’s important you shop around and compare quotes from several installation companies to find the best price.

Top tip: Local companies have been found to charge up to 33% less for the same boiler installation as big energy providers like British Gas

The cheapest installer will not always be the best option, however. Quality is crucial. If you choose an installer based only on price, they may not do a particularly good job which could leave you paying the price for repairs and maintenance down the line. So always do your research; have a look for feedback from previous customers, and ensure that they’ve got the appropriate qualifications for the job. You should always use a Gas Safe registered engineer if you’re installing a gas boiler, and an OFTEC registered engineer if you’re installing an oil boiler.


What If You Can’t Afford the Upfront Costs?

If you’re on a tight budget and really can’t afford to pay for your boiler upfront, there are some alternative options that will allow you to get a boiler at an affordable price (or even subsidised), without compromising on quality.

Boilers on Finance

Buying a boiler on finance allows you to break its cost down into manageable monthly instalments, which you pay over a number of months (or years). This means you won’t need to pay for your boiler in one lump sum. Interest can be added to your monthly repayments, however, meaning you’ll pay more for your boiler than it’s actually worth.

Most companies offer a wide range of finance options, so you should be able to find one that suits your needs. Here is an example repayment plan for a new boiler:

Cost of Boiler and Installation
Repayment Period
Interest Rate
Monthly Repayment Amount
Amount of Interest Charged
Total Repayment Amount
£2,122
36 months
11.3%
£69.77
£389.72
£2,511.72

To find out more about spreading the cost of a new boiler, visit our guide on boiler finance.

Subsidised Boilers

Under the Government’s ECO scheme, some homeowners in England, Scotland and Wales are eligible to receive money towards a new replacement boiler. Funding is limited, however, so the eligibility criteria is strict. Your household income must be less than £20,000 a year and you need to be receiving at least one benefit from the Government. To find out more about the ECO scheme, visit our guide on Government subsidies for boilers.


What's next?

So, there you have it — the UK's cheapest boiler options right at your finger tips. Once you've decided on a boiler that suits your needs, it's time to get in contact with our professional installers. You can do this by filling in our short form, and our clients will be in touch with you shortly. Getting a new boiler doesn't need to tighten the purse strings anymore.

Written by:
An eco hero with a head for numbers, Jon's data visualisation skills are legendary. Whether it's determining what countries will survive climate change or the animals most at risk from it, he has the planet's best interests at heart.
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