Worcester Bosch Boiler Review: Greenstar CDi Compact, Combi
The Worcester Bosch Greenstar CDi Compact combi boiler is a wall-mounted boiler that is about the size of a kitchen cupboard. Despite its modest dimension, it can heat water for a small or midsize home with one or two bathrooms.
Why Would You Choose a Worcester Bosch Greenstar CDi Compact Combi Boiler for Your Home?
If you have a smaller home with a standard radiator system and one bathroom (or two bathrooms with showers or baths that are not usually in use at the same time), then one of the three CDi compact boilers from Worcester Bosch can meet or exceed your needs.
One of the biggest positives of these boilers is that they are compact. They can fit discreetly in a cabinet or on the wall. At the same time, they have the flow rate and heating capacity to meet the needs of a small home with energy to spare.
In my experience, a compact boiler is more than sufficient for heating a two or three-bedroom home and providing a hot shower or hot bath in one bathroom at a time.
Technical Specs
The Greenstar 28CDi Compact can produce 11.4 litres of water per minute. The Greenstar 32CDi Compact ups this output to 13.1 litres/min, while the largest model, the Greenstar 32CDi Compact ups that to 14.7 litres per minute.
What Do These Numbers Mean for Regular Home Use?
As I have found, all models can provide enough hot water for a bath or shower while also running the radiators in a small or medium-sized home. The smaller model, the 28CDi, can provide enough heat for radiators in a one or two-bedroom house, while the larger sizes can heat a three or four-bedroom home with a total of 12 or fewer radiators.
For Boilers, Smaller is Often Better
The compact size of these units is a huge advantage because you can get all your heating needs in a small package. Since it heats water on demand, you do not need to store additional reservoirs or cylinders in your home.
Also, since the installers can mount these boilers on the wall, you do not have to take up any floor space, and you can easily keep the unit out of sight in a cabinet or a discreet corner.
Exactly how small is the Worcester Bosch Greenstar Compact Combi boiler? It is 690 mm tall, 390 mm wide, and 280 mm deep.
Though they have different heating capacities, all three compact models come in the same size, so you do not have to sacrifice more space to get a higher water flow rate.
Modern Features Put You in Control of Your Boiler
The size is a significant selling point for my home, but so too are the high tech control features available on this and other Worcester Bosche boilers.
The Greenstar CDi Compact boiler has a smart control system that you can access via an LCD panel on the side of the unit. You can also connect the system to your smartphone for additional control and data collection. You can control the settings for radiant heating and water separately and shut off the system when you don’t need it.
If you don’t want to operate an LCD screen, a traditional mechanical option is also available.
You can use the Bosch EasyControl system to adjust the settings using your smartphone, program your thermostat for efficient heating, and collect data to help you choose the most useful settings.
How Do I Measure Efficiency?
The ability to easily control the settings of your boiler can aid efficiency.
Like me, you may have thought that a compact boiler would be more efficient than a larger model. The base model of the Greenstar CDI Compact operates at 93% efficiency. That means that 93% of the energy that it uses, in the form of natural gas, goes directly to producing hot water. This performance is enough to earn it an A+ for efficiency.
Why Does Efficiency Matter?
A high-efficiency boiler like the Worcester Bosch Greenstar Compact CDi can reduce your energy costs. If you replace an older, less efficient boiler, your natural gas costs can be significantly cheaper.
Secondly, efficient boilers are better for the environment because they have lower emissions. If you are concerned about air pollution and energy use, these compact boilers can put your mind at ease.
Is This a Reliable Boiler?
There is one more factor to consider when it is time to invest in a new boiler. You will want to get a reliable system that makes your investment worthwhile. Of course, hot water and heat are necessities, so you do not want to have concerns about the reliability of your boiler.
If you install a Greenstar System Filter, the original warranty will last for up to seven years. You can also enhance the warranty by having an approved engineer service your boiler annually.
If the Worcester Bosch Greenstar CDi Compact combi boiler fits your water heating needs, it is one of the better options on the market because of its efficiency, reliability, and compact size, and ability to supply enough hot water for a small home.
