Ideal vs Baxi: Combi Boiler Comparison
An Ideal or Baxi are making some of the best combi boilers on the market.
So if you’re looking for a replacement combi boiler, you won’t do much better than them. But does one
The mid-range price offered by both manufacturers makes them an attractive compromise between top of the range and low budget. We've compared a Combi boiler from each brand to find out which brand comes out on top.
Is a combi right for my home?
Before installing an Ideal or Baxi combi boiler, you need to know that a combi is right for your home.
Combi boilers are compact units that heat water on demand. Meaning they don’t store hot water in a cylinder – a bonus if you’re trying to save space!
But this is only good news if your home has a single bathroom.
If you get a combi but home has two showers being used at the same time, the water pressure will drop. So homes with two or more bathrooms, would be better suited to a system boiler.
Combi boilers by Ideal and Baxi
Ideal combi ranges
- Logic Max
- Logic Plus
- Vogue Max
- Vogue GEN2
Take a look at Ideal combi boilers.
Baxi combi ranges
- 200
- 400
- 600
- 800
- Duo-tec
- Platinum
- Platinum+
Compare all Baxi combi boilers.
Does it matter which combi I pick?
Ideal and Baxi have plenty of combi boilers to choose between. But it isn’t a case of simply picking one at random or going for the cheapest. Your new combi boiler must suit the heating and hot water demands of your home.
To get that right you need to look at the output rating (otherwise known as the size of the boiler).
A boiler’s output rating shows its power. And combi boilers have two output ratings. One for central heating (CH) and another for domestic hot water (DHW). Both of these need to suit your home.
You can get an idea of the right central heating output for your home using the table below.
| Radiators | CH output |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 | 24-27 kW |
| 10-15 | 28-34 kW |
| 15-20 | 35-42 kW |
Now you know what size combi boiler you need, you can look for a model.
The tables below show which ranges by Baxi and Ideal have a combi boiler suitable for your home:
Baxi combi boilers
| Baxi range | 24-27 | 28-34 | 35-42 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | – | – | – |
| 600 | ✔ | – | – |
| 800 | ✔ | – | – |
| Duo-tec | ✔ | ✔ | – |
| Platinum | ✔ | ✔ | – |
| Platinum+ | – | ✔ | – |
Ideal combi boilers
| Ideal range | 24-27 kW | 28-34 kW | 35-42 kW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logic Max | ✔ | – | – |
| Logic Plus | ✔ | – | – |
| Vogue Max | ✔ | ✔ | – |
| Vogue GEN2 | ✔ | ✔ | – |
Baxi vs Ideal
Now it’s time to put the combi boilers by Baxi and Ideal head-to-head.
We’ve compared a combi boiler from each brand for homes with up to 10 radiators and between 10-15.
To compare them, we’ve looked at each boiler’s:
- Central heating output rating
- Domestic hot water output rating
- Efficiency
- Hot water flow rate
- Maximum warranty period
- Potential cost (before adding on the price of installation)
We’ve also noted whether an LPG model is also available. This is only important to home’s that aren’t connected to the gas grid.
Up to 10 radiators
Baxi and Ideal give homes with up to 10 radiators plenty of choice. Almost all of their ranges have a suitable combi but we’ve picked out the Baxi 836 and Ideal Vogue Max C32.
| Combi model | Baxi 836 | Ideal Vogue Max C32 |
|---|---|---|
| CH output | 26.4 kW | 26 kW |
| DHW output | 36 kW | 32 kW |
| Efficiency | 93% | 93% |
| Hot water flow rate | 15 l/min | 13.1 l/min |
| LPG compatible | No | Yes |
| Max. warranty | 10 years | 10 years |
| Potential cost | £1,096 | £1,206 |
| Other CH outputs | 21.2 kW | 18, 32 kW |
10-15 radiators
The Baxi Platinum 40 and Ideal Vogue Max C40 can both heat homes with 10-15 radiators.
These boilers are very evenly matched – making a comparison challenging. The output ratings, flow rate and maximum warranties are all identical. However, you could say the Vogue Max C40 clinches victory thanks to being slightly more efficient. Ideal also offer an LPG version for off-grid homes.
| Combi model | Baxi Platinum 40 | Ideal Vogue Max C40 |
|---|---|---|
| CH output | 32 kW | 32 kW |
| DHW output | 40 kW | 40 kW |
| Efficiency | 92% | 93% |
| Hot water flow rate | 16.4 l/min | 16.4 l/min |
| LPG compatible | No | Yes |
| Max. warranty | 10 years | 10 years |
| Potential cost | £1,276 | £1,323 |
| Other CH outputs | 24, 28 kW | 18, 26 kW |
15-20 radiators
For larger homes with 15-20 radiators, neither Baxi or Ideal have a suitable combi boiler. So you will need to turn to Worcester Bosch who have the most powerful combi boilers on the market.
If your home also has 2 or more bathrooms then you could be better off with a system boiler over a combi. Rather than heating water on demand and sending it straight to the taps like a combi, system boilers store hot water in a cylinder. This allows them to meet higher demand for hot water without a drop in water pressure.
And the winner is…
Ideal and Baxi are both trusted boiler manufacturers. Either way, you will be getting a reliable boiler that’s protected by an extensive warranty.
The key to finding the right boiler for your home is a suitable output rating. So make sure you know what size boiler you need – which you can do with the information above.
All you need now is a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit your new boiler.
You can get free quotes from up to 3 installers in your area by tapping through our short form. You’ll be matched with local installers who will then be in touch to quote on the job. And by comparing more than a single quote, you can be confident that you’re getting a competitive price.
