A very popular boiler, from a very popular brand. Here's our in-depth take on the ecoTEC Pro 28 combi boiler from the heating giants, Vaillant.
Vaillant is a prestigious German boiler brand that is renowned for its reliability and high-quality engineering. As we all know, the Germans excel in engineering and scoring last-minute heartbreaking goals.
Among installers, they are credited as being one of the easiest boilers to repair. Due to their superb reputation, Vaillant is the second largest manufacturer of boilers in Europe today. You could say they’re the Pepsi of boilers, just better for your teeth.
Vaillant also ranked #2 in our review of the best boiler manufacturers, which takes into account the most important boiler buying considerations such as the warranty period, aftercare and price range.
In this review, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at one of the brand's most popular range of combi boilers - the EcoTec Pro 28.
Book before 3 pm and you could get your new Vaillaint ecoTec Pro boiler installed as quick as tomorrow. Check the latest boiler prices here.
So, here goes... our Vaillant ecoTEC Pro 28 review
In this ecoTEC Pro 28 boiler review, we've scored the Pro 28 in 4 key areas, including:
Reliability
Performance
Warranty
Price
We also looked at its weight, but that really didn’t have an impact.
The ecoTEC Pro 28 is offered in a variety of sizes including 24kW, 28kW and 30kW along with a 2-year guarantee (not just a warranty) with 7 to 10 years available when you book a Vaillant Advance installer.
Want to know what boiler is the right size and power for your home? Use our quick tool to find out in 60 seconds.
Let’s take a close look at the Pro 28 and all that it has to offer…..
Main features of the Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28
Before we take a deep dive into the details, here are the main standout features of the Vaillant ecoTEC 28:
Hand-built in the Derbyshire-based plant in the UK
A complete range of thermostat controls
Awarded the Which? Best Buy Award in 2016
Quiet Mark status - awarded to the quietest boiler models
ErP A rated for both hot water and heating efficiency
Precision heating to reduce your fuel bills
Dimensions: H 720 x W 440 x D 338 - compact design
Vaillant’s vSMART technology - control your heating from your smartphone
Available in the colour white
Reliability: 5/5
Vaillant is a brand that has a solid reputation among customers, installers and the wider heating industry as a whole.
Trustpilot Reviews
For example, on the third-party review platform TrustPilot, Vaillant UK has acquired thousands of positive reviews. As of May 2021, over 14,000 customers left a review.
Vaillant score 4.6/5 from over 14,000 reviews.
On average the manufacturer scored 4.6 out of 5, quite an accomplishment for a brand selling such a large number of boilers and a sign that some people still leave reviews online and a testament to their quality.
Additionally, in our article ranking the best boiler manufacturers, the brand was rated as offering the #2 best combi boilers; so, this is undoubtedly a boiler brand with a lot to offer.
Which? Boiler Survey Results
The consumer organisation Which? Carry out an annual boiler survey, where both consumers and installers are asked to provide feedback and score the brand in several categories and provide a score and star rating. From these results, Vaillant has been awarded a Which? Best Buy Award.
In fact, in 2016, this model performed well and in the boiler survey, Vaillant scored and received full marks in several categories including ease of repair, availability of parts and spares and efficiency. Most importantly, almost all customers and engineers said they would recommend the brand. And unlike online influencers or reviewers, engineers know what they’re talking about.
If Which? Best Buys tickle your fancy, consider looking at Worcester Bosch boilers. They've been awarded best buy status for over 10 years in a row. No other brand matches that.
Performance: 5/5
Vaillant ecoTEC Pro 28 Combi Boiler Power Outputs
The Vaillant ecoTEC Pro 28 combi boiler range is available in the following sizes (power outputs):
24kW
28kW
30kW
The 30kW combi boiler (most popular) has a heat output of 30kW and a flow rate of 12.3 l/min, making it suitable for average-sized properties that may have slightly greater hot water demands. It’s the better pick if you aren’t all that keen on cold showers (or just not with many people in your household).
The ecoTEC Pro 28 is also offered in two other power outputs with corresponding flow rates, ideal for smaller properties and apartments with lesser hot water demands.
The hot water flow rates range from 9.6 l/min up to 12.3 l/m, offering a fair amount of pressure and capacity for small to medium-sized properties and flats.
Want to know which boiler power is right for your home? Check out our boiler sizing guide.
Which EcoTec Pro model is right for your home?
To figure out which ecoTEC Pro model is the most suitable for your home’s needs, use our free tool. It will calculate the correct size boiler for your home and provide you with a fixed price.
The right size boiler for your property is based on a variety of different factors, but essentially, the fewer bathrooms you have the lower the heating output required. If you run an illegal nursing home, you’ll need a bigger model (and get your permits in order).
The efficiency of the ecoTEC Pro 28
The ecoTEC Pro 28 is a modern A-rated combi boiler with an energy efficiency of 89.3%.
As well as the incredible energy efficiency ratings, the ecoTEC is also installed with Vaillant’s vSMART technology. This smart thermostat adapts to the way you use your heating and has a range of features such as weather compensation that enables you to reduce energy waste and save money on your heating bills.
At 89.3% efficient, it's A-rated. So, you know it's good.
The best part is that all of these features and your boiler can be controlled from the vSMART app once installed on your smartphone. We just made your phone even smarter.
Controls & Features of the Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28
The Vaillant ecoTEC Pro 28 features a stylish and user-friendly digital display that offers incredibly useful information. After all, what’s a boiler without a temperature display? Old fashioned is what.
For example, the display provides temperature readings for the temperature of water in the flow pipes, pressure, and fault codes in the event that the boiler needs servicing or if a component needs to be replaced.
VRT 350 Heating Controls
The VRT 350 heating control is available to purchase with all Vaillant boilers, which is an intelligent control system allowing you to easily control your hot water and heating. This is available in both wireless or wired models, so you can select which you prefer. The intelligent part only applies to the boiler - it can’t help your children with their homework.
The VRT 350 is connected to your boiler and adapts, using the least amount of energy possible to maintain the heat you want, helping to keep your energy bills low and save you money. And let’s be honest, that’s better than your kids cheating on their homework.
You can also programme your heating from the VRT 350 interface, allowing you to set a 7-day, weekdays and weekends or 24-hour time period, making it easy for you to set your heating around your lifestyle, work routine and comfort.
Vaillant vSMART
As mentioned previously the boiler can also 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.
Love smart tech? Check out our guide on the best smart stats.
In conclusion, the Vaillant ecoTEC Pro 28 is one of the brands mid-range models, featuring A-rating efficiency, a user-friendly digital display and an integrated vSMART thermostat. And they’ll be more useful than your brother-in-law.
Warranty: 5/5
Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 Warranty
Vaillant provides a standard 5-year warranty with the ecoTEC Pro 28, but if you have the boiler installed by a Vaillant Advanced Installer, you can extend the warranty by an additional 5 years.
This means that should anything go wrong with your boiler over the next 10 years Vaillant will be there to offer assistance.
Price Point: 4/5
Vaillant is a premium boiler manufacturer with an impeccable reputation for reliability and aftercare. As a result, they are not the cheapest option out there but are certainly of quality.
The average cost of a Vaillant ecoTEC Pro 28 is around £1200 (but that is for the boiler only). Installing a Vaillant might be easy, but it’s not free.
The exact costs of the boiler (including Gas Safe installation) may vary depending on your type of property, hot water demands and a whole host of other facts.
On a budget? Look elsewhere. You'll pay around £1200 for an ecoTEC Pro 28 (boiler only).
So, to make it easy, we have designed a quick questionnaire that will give you an instant fixed price. It takes about 60 seconds to complete.
If you purchase a Worcester Bosch boiler through Heatable, our fixed price offer includes both the boiler and complete installation.
Prices for the Worcester Bosch 4000 range begin at £1,895 and are available with 0% APR (over 2 years). Get your fixed price.
Vaillant ecoTEC Pro 29 Verdict
There is no denying that Vaillant is a boiler brand with a solid reputation, notorious for their high-quality engineering and ease of repair, so we think the ecoTEc Pro is a wise choice for any smart homeowner.
Why else? The boiler is an A-rated, highly efficient model that is a Which? Best Buy award winner, available in a variety of sizes and suitable for both small and medium-sized homes (with a normal amount of bathrooms).
Both the Worcester Bosch 4000 and the VaillantecoTEC Pro 28, include the following:
A 10-year warranty.
German design and engineering.
Thousands of positive Trustpilot reviews.
Excellent customer service and aftercare.
Is your Vaillant boiler experiencing some of the brand's most common fault codes? We have you covered in our F29 fault code and F62 fault code guides.
Vaillant EcoTec Pro 28 Combi Boiler Conclusion
Simply put, this is an award-winning German boiler from an esteemed brand.
If so, get your new boiler installed with Heatable, here’s why:
Gas Safe installation within 24 hours
Thousands of happy customers – an average score of 4.9 on Trustpilot (that’s better than the market leader).
Price match guarantee – if you find a cheaper quote, we will match (must be like for like)
Multiple payment options - interest-free available
12 year warranty on selected boilers.
Fixed price guarantee – no hidden costs
Save your quote until later
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