Highlighting the best heating units among the widest range of models from different brands is not an easy task. Since official sales statistics do not exist either, we offer the only correct approach: to compile a rating of gas boilers according to the reviews of homeowners who personally checked the reliability and quality of the products in operation. Customized praise was ruthlessly weeded out.
Popular wall units
So, in our field of vision were the following brands of wall-mounted heat generators burning natural gas (or liquefied propane-butane mixture):
- Navien Deluxe 13k;
- Protherm Lynx 24;
- Neva Lux 7218;
- Ariston EGIS 24 FF;
- Ferroli DOMIproject C 24.
It cannot be said that the listed gas boilers are the best among all, but they are the most discussed. That is, users most often choose these units for heating private houses and apartments. Information on their operation is the most complete and reliable.
Note. The models of heaters presented in the list are double-circuit ones, since they are more popular. This fact does not affect the rating of wall-mounted boilers, because manufacturers offer single-circuit analogs of models.
Navien Deluxe 13k Turbo
A Korean-made domestic heating unit has a heating capacity of 13 kW and is equipped with a domestic hot water preparation circuit. Heating is implemented in a bithermic counterflow heat exchanger made of stainless steel. The combustion chamber is closed type, respectively, the boiler is turbocharged (equipped with a fan - supercharger).
For reference. The bithermic heat exchanger is a tube-in-tube design and provides for simultaneous heating with a gas burner of a heat carrier for heating a house and hot water. Two fluid flows flow towards each other, and the coolant moves along the outer tube.
The double-circuit gas heat generator of the Korean brand Navien is considered a high-tech device and can boast an average price (415 cu or 24 thousand rubles as of 2017). The device is traditionally equipped with an expansion tank of 8 liters and a circulation pump. Briefly about the technical characteristics:
- claimed efficiency (COP) - 91%;
- the issued volume of hot water when heated to 25 ° C - 12.4 l / min;
- maximum temperature at the heating outlet - 80 ° С;
- heated area - about 130 m²;
- the temperature of the exhaust gases 120-140 ° C.
The boiler is adapted to the conditions of the CIS countries and is able to operate with voltage drops and gas pressure in the main line reduced to 0.025 Bar. The unit is endowed with a mass of convenient functions - a remote control panel, anti-freeze mode and so on.
Now add a couple of versatile reviews about this model of a mounted gas boiler:
- Anna, Samara, the duration of operation is 4 years. The heater went with the apartment purchased, so there was no need to install new equipment. One gripe - noisy work, it would be necessary to hide it in a closet. Heats water quickly, provides full heating. Every year, craftsmen come and clean, they say it’s good that there are aluminum radiators in the house. With a cast iron, the boiler would have to be serviced more often.
- Nikolay, Ufa, the age of the unit is 3 years. The only plus is the low cost, the product cannot boast of quality and reliability. He heated a private house with Navien, used antifreeze as a heat carrier. Repeatedly repaired - then the board burned out, then the heat exchanger dripped. I do not recommend replacing it with Protherm.
Conclusion: An inexpensive boiler called Navien 13k is a good multifunctional device of medium quality.The number of real positive reviews about him is half diluted with complaints about a variety of breakdowns. If you live away from cities and service centers, it is better to choose a reliable unit of another company, albeit more expensive.
Protherm Lynx 24 Lynx 24 kW
Further, we will not torment the reader with technical details, since wall-mounted boiler manufacturers are constantly improving products and endow them with approximately the same set of functions. We select only the main parameters and differences of the units.
The product from the Slovak brand Protherm is the best gas boiler in its price category (cost - about 570 cu) in terms of quality and reliability. Water is heated in a separate plate heat exchanger, and the list of functions compared to the Navienes is somewhat wider. The unit is a home mini-boiler room with a closed combustion chamber, developed by German engineers.
Important information. At the moment (autumn 2017) in the Russian Federation only the “Lynx” of the condensation version is offered, which costs about 56 thousand (970 cu). The closest analogues are Panther 2015 25 KTV and Jaguar 24 JTV. The price of the latter is 36 thousand rubles.
The advantages of the heat generator, verified by years of operation, can be listed from morning to night:
- high quality and reliability of the product;
- relatively compact dimensions;
- adaptation to post-Soviet working conditions;
- simplicity and convenience of management, attractive design.
Of the minuses of the device, users note the sensitivity of electronics to voltage drops in the network. A sore spot is the control board, which occasionally has to be changed. It is likely that adaptation to our conditions was 90–95% successful, since everything is in order with a minimum gas pressure — from 0.013 bar.
The turbocharged boiler Protherm has collected a maximum of positive reviews:
- Dmitry, Ukraine, unit operating time - 3 years. I like the convenient control interface and the emission of combustion products directly through the wall through a coaxial chimney. I'm not talking about things like heating and hot water - everything works flawlessly. The boiler is connected to the mains through the stabilizer.
- Maxim, Bashkortostan, Russian Federation. I have been operating Lynx for 2 years and have not found any flaws. I bought it when switching from central heating to individual heating, thanks to its small size, I freely placed the heater in the kitchen. Being warned in advance, installed a voltage regulator.
Conclusion. Protherm brand boilers are clearly recommended. If the minimum pressure in the heating system is 0.8 Bar and gas supply is 13 mbar, there will be no operational problems.
Neva Lux 7218 (modern analog - BaltGaz 18 Turbo)
The popularity of the Russian brand is based on two pillars: low cost + full adaptability to "native" operating conditions with voltage and pressure drops of the main gas. The price of an instance of 18 kW is 470 y. (27,200 rubles) at the time of October 2017. You will not find any more serious advantages over imported "brothers."
For reference. The two-circuit modification of the Neva Lux 7218 boiler, equipped with a closed chamber, is discontinued. Instead, the plant offers a new version of the BaltGaz 18 Turbo, which inherited most of the pros and cons of the previous one. In particular, the minimum gas pressure threshold is only 0.006 bar or 6 mbar.
Now about the disadvantages of the turbocharged Neva:
- low reliability compared to European wall-mounted boilers;
- breakdowns were noticed during prolonged operation in summer mode (only hot water supply);
- negligence of domestic assembly.
In fairness, it should be noted that BaltGaz products have many convenient functions and protection levels from overheating and freezing. What homeowners say about the gas boiler:
- Vadim, Saratov, the age of the heat generator is 4 years. Found a Neva Lux heating unit in a rented apartment where I have been living for the third year.In the fall, a typical problem arose with starting the heating - the circulation pump shaft stuck to it. The second moment: when heating water for domestic hot water, the Neva boiler makes a loud noise. Otherwise, there were no complaints, I operate without any stabilizers.
- Alexandra, Moscow, the life of the heater is 3.5 years. Our “warm friend” worked for 3 years without any complaints, and then broke. A week later, the master came, replaced the sensor, a month later the story repeated. Sitting in the middle of winter without heating is uncomfortable (to put it mildly), therefore I do not recommend buying Neva boilers.
Conclusion. The BaltGaz gas thermal unit is characterized by the best price-quality ratio and is therefore popular. Knowing in advance about all the shortcomings of the product, you will not be very upset when you come across them personally.
Ariston EGIS 24 FF
This Italian gas boiler with a closed combustion chamber deserves a brief mention, since it differs little from the Slovak product Protherm, but loses to it in reliability and price. We list the positive characteristics of the heat generator:
- the manufacturer declares an efficiency of 94% at a power of 24 kW;
- in terms of the number of functions and options, the unit is not inferior to the leading German brands Viessmann and Buderus;
- water heating in a bithermic heat exchanger.
The remaining qualities of the unit are quite ordinary: the d.h.w. capacity is 13 l / min (delta 25 ° C), the capacity of the expansion tank is 8 liters, the circulation pump is equipped with an air vent. Probably, buyers were attracted by a successful advertising campaign and promotional offers, because the cost of the boiler goes beyond the middle price category and amounts to 685. (39600 rub.).
We provide the disadvantages of the model to voice users:
- Sergey, Barnaul, the date of purchase of the heat generator - 2010. In order for the boiler to work properly in Russian realities, install a water and gas filter at the inlet, and connect a stabilizer. In order to avoid the formation of scale, the DHW heating temperature was set to 60 ° C. But after 3 years, the flame control sensor “turned off” - with the burner working, the ignition was switched on, then the unit went into error. Not too reliable electronics.
- Fedor, St. Petersburg, the age of the heater is 5 years. The Ariston FF boiler served properly for 2 years, then it began to crumble - then the flow sensor flew, then the pump stopped, then it refused to light. You can’t find spare parts in the hinterland; it is expensive to order.
Conclusion. If not for the decent cost of the heat generator and spare parts, then you can reconcile with the problems of electronics. The heating qualities of the product are not satisfactory; the boiler calmly heats the area of 200 m² declared in the passport and supplies the required amount of hot water.
Ferroli DOMIproject C24 is a discontinued product
The only atmospheric heater in our rating could earn the honorary title of the most reliable wall-mounted gas boiler if it had not been discontinued. In 2017, its place was taken by units of the new Diva and Arena line with the C24 index (open combustion chamber). Therefore, user reviews regarding the old model are irrelevant, although it received a maximum of 5 stars, having proved itself from the best side.
The new modification of the Ferroli Arena C24 costs about 520. (29900 rubles) and is not inferior in quality of execution to its predecessor. Since the Italian brand “Ferolli” is famous for its reliability and high-quality assembly, it makes no sense to advertise it again.
Overview of floor heat generators
Judging by the reviews, buyers prefer domestic floor boilers that consume natural and liquefied gas. It is understandable: these units are much easier to maintain and cheaper. Often there is nothing in them, except for a cast-iron heat exchanger, a burner and a block of Italian gas automation EuroSit (as an option - the American Honeywell).
The following brands were included in the ranking of the most popular gas floor boilers:
- Lemax
- Siberia;
- Protherm;
- "Zhytomyr";
- Aton.
Note.In this case, we put the names of the brands on the list, as homeowners leave a lot of feedback about the heat generators of different models made at the same factory. It is more correct to combine them.
The vast majority of stationary heat sources are not equipped with an expansion tank, pump and safety group. The listed equipment is installed separately. The exception is boiler plants imported, for example, Buderus, Viessmann or Protherm.
Boiler plants "Lemax"
This company leads in the number of reviews of floor boilers, and most of them are positive. Under the Lemax brand, heating units with cast-iron and steel heat exchangers are available, equipped with a POLIDORO step-type injection gas burner. Management and safety are provided by the EuroSit valve, the type of combustion chamber is atmospheric (open).
What are the advantages of floor-standing boilers of this company:
- simplicity and reliability;
- ability to work in a gravity heating system;
- non-volatility;
- long service life of devices with cast-iron heat exchangers;
- the range of thermal power covered by the lines of aggregates - from 7.5 to 100 kW;
- low price of equipment and spare parts.
For reference. The main hobby of any domestic heater is the simplicity and low cost of parts. In fact, the life of the boiler plant is equal to the "life" of the cast-iron heat exchanger - it is easy to replace the burner and automation. The resource of steel units is much less (15 years against 30), but the price is significantly lower.
What homeowners write about Lemax products:
- Boris, Republic of Belarus, Mogilev. I bought a gas boiler KSG-16 in 2007, since then I changed only the igniter nozzle. I operate with a combined heating system pump / gravity, because sometimes they cut down electricity. Although I purchased the product from a lack of funds, now I have no regrets.
- Larisa, Kazakhstan, Almaty. I put a cheap Lemax boiler into a private house, although the neighbors dissuaded and bought an imported one with electronics. Result: 3 winters I drown without problems, and a neighbor was tired of calling masters to repair complex equipment. I recommend to your house or cottage.
Often, users do not indicate a typical minus of these boilers - the relatively low efficiency of fuel combustion (efficiency 86–89%). The reason is simple: people compare the efficiency of new units with old ones and see an improvement. It is unlikely that someone will buy a wall and floor boiler for the sake of comparing performance.
Heating units Siberia
Maximum reviews were received by the cheapest model of all the products of the Rostov company - the stationary gas heater Siberia 11 (power 11.6 kW). We give a brief description of the apparatus:
- combustion chamber - open, 1 circuit;
- heat exchanger - steel;
- burner - injection, Italian brand POLIDORO;
- gas safety valve - EuroSit;
- power supply is not required;
- manual ignition from a piezoelectric element;
- the line of units includes 12 products with a power of 11.6–35 kW.
For reference. The company produces 2 lines of floor gas boilers. The second includes 8 products of the KCHGO series equipped with a cast-iron heat exchanger of the Czech company Viadrus. Power range - from 16 to 50 kW.
It is easy to notice the similarity of Siberia heat generators with the products of the previous Lemax brand. The products use identical automation and a gas burner, the only difference is in the shape of the heat exchangers and the external design.
However, half of the homeowners do not consider Siberia boilers to be the best and most reliable:
- Vladimir, Rostov. We bought and installed the device in 2008 with the aim of heating a private house of 120 m². In severe frosts, additional heating is needed - the boiler power is not enough. Tortured to turn off the burner because of the draft sensor - then the wire does not contact, then the appliance itself is “buggy”. Turning on the main burner is accompanied by a loud pop, as if gas explodes.
- Yuri, the city of Zlatoust, the life of the heater is 2 years. Buy "Siberia" I was advised by gas workers, they say, it will cost inexpensively and the design is simple. There are no complaints about the boiler for heating, but the piezo ignition button failed repeatedly.
Conclusion. Siberia water heaters are medium-quality products. They attract customers with simplicity and low price. We recommend that you take a closer look at the second-line boilers - imported cast-iron heat exchanger is much more reliable than steel.
Stationary coppers of Protherm "Bear"
The Slovak manufacturer offers 4 lines of floor heating generators of the Bear series: TLO, PLO, KLOM and KLZ. All units are equipped with cast-iron heat exchangers and various ignition systems - manual and automatic (depending on model). As in the case of wall-mounted gas boilers, Protherm outperforms its competitors in reliability and quality, but outperforms in price.
What is the difference between the Bears and the Russian heaters discussed above:
- Electrically independent TLO and PLO series are equipped with nozzles for connecting an external storage boiler;
- in all models there is the possibility of installing a fan - smoke exhaust;
- the devices are equipped with economical burners of step or modulation type;
- the volatile KLOM and KLZ series are ignited automatically, equipped with electronic and remote control systems, temperature controllers;
- KLZ heat generators are equipped with their own indirect heating boiler with a capacity of 90 liters.
Note. All stationary boilers have an open combustion chamber, and the manufacturer claims heaters efficiency at 90%.
Go to the reviews:
- Svetlana, Moscow, the duration of the operation of the KLZ series unit is 2 years. The 200-square-meter house with large panoramic glazing on the first floor of the Bear heats without problems (power 26 kW). For 2 seasons I have never failed; no shortcomings have been identified. True, a 90 liter boiler is not enough for our family, so they put an additional tank.
- Daniel, the city of Tolyatti. The Protherm KLZ 40 kW boiler has been with me for more than 10 years. The only minus detected is the insufficient volume of the internal boiler. And then there’s nothing to write about, I’ll start to praise - my response will be accepted for advertising. There was only one failure - the failure of the electronic board after 8 years of operation. Fortunately, it was inexpensive.
Conclusion. The title of the best in terms of reliability of stationary boilers can safely be assigned to products of the Proterm brand. The real drawback is the high price compared to Russian counterparts.
Aton and Zhytomyr heaters
Products of Ukrainian manufacturers practically do not differ from Russian "brothers" from the brands Siberia and Lemax, so we decided to combine them in one section. The design is identical: cast iron and steel heat exchangers with swirl inserts, POLIDORO burners and EuroSit automation.
Accordingly, Aton and Atem boilers (the new Zhytomyr brand) have all the advantages and disadvantages of such water-heating plants, the difference between them is only in the external design. The main characteristics of the units are simplicity and reliability, confirmed by many years of operation.
Comment. Atem and Aton also offer parapet (wall) gas boilers with a power of 7.5-12 kW. Their ridge is a short coaxial pipe that goes out through the wall and removes flue gases without a fan.
There is no point in providing feedback on these heat generators - they are similar to the impressions of users about Russian-made units. The main idea is this: these are budget boilers with a minimum set of functions, adapted to work without electricity. The absence of boards and other electronics gives its advantages - there is nothing to break in the unit.
Conclusions and recommendations
Making ratings for various gas boilers is a thankless task. The range of heating equipment is too wide, and there are no general sales statistics. Relying on the feedback of homeowners is the best way to convey reliable information to the reader, which we did.Add some tips to it:
- The characteristic given by users of a certain model of a heat generator extends to other products of the manufacturer. After all, the factory can not assemble one line of boilers with high quality, and the second - badly.
- Our rating is not the ultimate truth. When choosing a heating unit, listen to the opinions of people who operate a particular heat source.
- It is not necessary to chase one of the models presented in the ranking. Some of them are morally obsolete and discontinued; instead, manufacturers offer updated versions that are probably better than the old ones.
- We did not mention the leading European and Asian brands for an obvious reason: the bulk of homeowners are trying to purchase a boiler plant at an affordable price, as evidenced by reviews.
- Which heat source to choose - floor or wall - read in our comparative review.
On the Internet, many positive opinions are expressed about other gas boilers, for example, Baxi (Baksi), Kiturami (Kiturami), Bosch (Bosch) and so on. It should be noted that the products of these companies also do not sin low quality, but they just buy less.