Last year Worcester Bosch launched two new boilers positioned at either end of the domestic market. PHPI chats with Martyn Bridges to discover how they have been received.
In May 2019, Worcester Bosch launched the Greenstar 8000 LifeStyle boiler. How has it been received in the market?
Incredibly well, the boiler has the most distinct and unique appearance and raised many an eyebrow from installers when they first saw it. We were understandably nervous as the 8000 was replacing one of the most popular boilers on the market, the Greenstar CDi. However, we needn’t have worried as even installers who were not previous Worcester customers have started to install them.
What options are available in the range?
The options are in a Life or Style appearance with the Style available in black or white options. There are Regular, System and Combi variants with the Combi variants going up to an industry leading DHW flowrate of 20lts/min.
Were any new features added to the 8000?
The 8000 has a unique appearance with a touch screen, multi coloured text customer interface. There are a number of plug-in controls that RF to the room temperature controller or/and WiFi to the Broadband Router to allow the boiler to be monitored and operated remotely via a smart device.
Another unique option is the auto filling device, this allows a measured top-up of the heating system when there are pressure drops from micro-leaks and prevents a service engineer call-out being needed.
The 8000 has a new design, and comes with the option of a black front. Have these aesthetic changes been a success?
The black or white style options have been introduced to compliment the new style of kitchen appliances that the modern home tends to incorporate. The rounded edges, glossed finish and clean lines have drawn praise from a number of influential home choice magazines with many journalists praising the design for bringing a boiler design into the 21st century.
Overall, what kind of feedback have you had from installers?
The installers have spoken very positively about its striking appearance but also the engineering behind the appearance. The access to the components is unparalleled with the front, top and side panels being easily removed. The engineers touch points are clearly marked in green so there is a clear, unwritten instruction on where to go when working on the boiler.
At the end of last year the company introduced the Worcester 2000, aimed at the entry-level sector. Why did you launch into this market?
Whilst we are very content and happy with our top and mid-priced boiler offering, the market has changed in recent years and the entry price levels boilers have in fact got less expensive than where we originally were. The 2000 series has been introduced to compete in these sectors, it is made with all the same production and quality processes of our higher price products but has less features on it therefore making it more price competitive at this level.
What are the main features on this boiler?
The boiler has the same industrial architecture as the 8000 series in its appearance but lacks certain features synonymous with Worcester products such as the pre-plumbing manifold and wall mounting frame. It is a ‘no frills’ boiler with exceptional fluing lengths combined with low emissions and has the same quality and durability expected of a Worcester, but at a very competitive price.
Is the market beginning to embrace the 2000?
The phrase, ‘about time too’ has been heard more than once from many of our installers who were simply unable to compete on certain jobs with the price of our range of boilers. A recent YouGov pole placed Worcester boilers the top boiler brand in the UK and the sixth placed in the list of any domestic appliance. Now this is available at a price that can compete with all market segments.
Are we likely to see further range upgrades in 2020?
The present 2000 is despatched with a Comfort 1 RF controller within the boiler carton. Whilst most installers are delighted with this ‘Boiler+ Ready’ package some consumers have a desire to connect their boiler to different controls or perhaps their total home management system. Therefore, we will be making an upgrade to the control system to allow for the connection of non-Worcester controls.
