Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 Boiler Review

Is the Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 a good boiler for my home?

The Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 is one of the brand’s mid-range combination boilers with an energy output of 28 kW. This makes it suitable for properties with 1-3 bedrooms and a central heating system with 12 radiators or less.

Combination boilers heat hot water on demand, so they do not require a water storage tank. That’s a good thing in terms of space-saving, but you must ensure that the hot water supply will suffice. The EcoTec Pro’s hot water flow rate is 9.6 litres per minute, which would only be enough to supply one shower running at a time.

If your home is much larger, or you have high hot water demand, you should look for a higher-capacity boiler. You can learn more about different combi boilers offered by Vaillant by clicking below.

Please also note that although Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 is advertised as a ‘compact’ boiler, it needs to be wall-hung, as it is too big to fit into a standard-sized kitchen cupboard. If this is where you wanted to place your boiler, you might want to consider other models, for example, the Worcester Bosch Compact.

How much is the Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28?

The boiler-only prices for this model start at £1200. However, in order to get the boiler up and running, you will need to purchase additional parts, like a flue system and magnetic filters, and pay for the Gas Safe installation. In total, you’re looking at around £2,100 to install the Vaillant EcoTEC Pro 28, inc VAT.

Is Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 a high efficiency boiler?

The EcoTec Pro 28 has an efficiency rating of 'A', which translates to 89.3% efficiency; when compared to older traditional boilers that had efficiency rates of 60% or below, the Vaillant ecoTEC pro 28 has excellent energy performance.

However, there are more efficient boilers out there. Although it is practically impossible to have a perfectly efficient heating system, many major boiler brands have recently released improved versions of their ranges which come with energy efficiencies of 94% and higher. For example, a similar-sized boiler, the Worcester Bosch 4000, has an efficiency of 94%. Therefore, it might be worth looking into alternative options, as the higher the efficiency the less you will pay for your energy bills.

Key characteristics:

Easy repairs and maintenance

All Vaillant boilers, including the Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 are designed to make your engineer’s life easier by making all of its parts accessible without the need for removal of other parts. The Vaillant EcoTec Pro's removable side panels and push-fit flue system make installation, placement, and servicing a breeze.

Compatible with environmentally friendly heat pumps

The Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 is compatible with aroTHERM, Vaillant’s air-to-water heat pump hybrid system. The aroTHERM plus works by absorbing air outside into the environmentally friendly R290 refrigerant, which has a particularly low global warming potential and is therefore exempt from the EU-wide F-gas regulation. The refrigerant is then compressed to increase temperature and the heat generated is passed on into your heating system. In this way, you can safely use the heat pump solution over the long term and slowly transition into more environmentally friendly technologies, which can potentially involve solar panel installation and other options.

Comes with programmable heating controls

• VRT 350 Heating Controls

The VRT 350 intelligent heating control system comes standard on all Vaillant boilers, allowing you to conveniently control your hot water and heating. It comes in both wireless and wired versions, so you may choose which you prefer. The VRT 350 interface allows you to schedule your temperature for 7 days, weekdays or 24-hour time periods, making it easy for you to set your heating around your lifestyle.

• Vaillant vSMART compatible

If you’d like to have even more control over your home heating system and experience all the benefits a wireless control can offer, consider Vaillant’s vSMART. Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 boiler can be controlled by Vaillant’s vSMART application from the comfort of your smartphone, where all of the same features as the VRT are available plus more.

Effective frost protection

The Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 has in-built two-stage frost protection that ensures optimal performance all year round. The frost protection system operates the boiler pump as soon as the heating circuit water temperature falls below 12 °C.

During the winter months, the temperature can often fall below 3 °C; in this scenario, the system will automatically ignite the burner. This ensures you do not fall victim to any potential frost, yet the boiler still maintains efficiency under normal operation.

Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 Warranty

The Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 comes with a standard 2-year warranty, which is relatively short, when compared to other boilers on the market and can signal the poor quality of the appliance. However, it can be easily upgraded to a free 7-year warranty when you register through Vaillant Advance, Valliant’s loyalty program.

If you're interested in signing up for Vaillant Advance, click the button below.

Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 Technical Specifications

Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 alternatives

Although Vaillant boilers are highly reliable and offer some great features, it is always a good idea to consider different options before committing to such an expensive purchase.

There are a lot of boilers with similar power outputs and flow rates. Some of them, like the Baxi 630, come with intelligent filling systems, while others offer additional warranty coverage. For example, you could get a 10 years guarantee with Worcester Bosch when installing their mid-range combis.