Why is every Which? Best Buy boiler made by Worcester bosch?

[cjard]

This may have been asked before, as I recall a thread that mentioned which best buys, but I find it somewhat unlikely that they're the only people who can make a decent boiler. Is it some commercial backhander making a mockery of the impartiality which claims, or is it really that they kill all the competition?

And another thing, why does every single boiler from a given manufacturer have the same score? All the Worcester are 89pc, all the alpha are 79pc.. Is it because boiler guts are so identical that there really isn't a variation?

Finding it all a little bit lacking in credibility tbh..perhaps it's a website bug, perhaps it's just that they test one and assign it to all. Perhaps I should be raising this complaint with which..

 

[muggles]

It is a little bit odd, isn't it? It's been a great marketing tool for Worcester, I'd be surprised if there were any backhanders though. It's done on customer satisfaction and whether they'd recommend their boiler rather than how well the boiler is actually built, or how easy it is for an engineer to work on, or how expensive the parts are. Worcester owners seem to have rose-tinted spectacles to some extent and the huge amount of marketing WB do makes people think it's the best thing since sliced bread.

IMO there are much better boilers out there; you'll find very few of the pro's on here recommending WB

 

[vulcancontinental]

This may have been asked before, as I recall a thread that mentioned which best buys, but I find it somewhat unlikely that they're the only people who can make a decent boiler. Is it some commercial backhander making a mockery of the impartiality which claims, or is it really that they kill all the competition?

And another thing, why does every single boiler from a given manufacturer have the same score? All the Worcester are 89pc, all the alpha are 79pc.. Is it because boiler guts are so identical that there really isn't a variation?

Finding it all a little bit lacking in credibility tbh..perhaps it's a website bug, perhaps it's just that they test one and assign it to all. Perhaps I should be raising this complaint with which..

Good luck with that. I did write, pointing out some shortcomings in their surveys and they wrote back answering a question I didn't ask, nonre that I did ask and informing me they would not write to ma anymore. Many, many years ago they were looking for someone in the industry to help them when they started looking at central heating and asked me via a customer of mine but I never replied.

In the US Consumer Reports will prosecute any company using the results of their tests as a recommendation. Here, WHICH charge the 'Best Buy' and 'Recommended' product manufacturer's to use their logo. They charge boiler manufacturers to test their boilers.

They tell you WHICH is a charity, it is not, the owner, The Consumer Associuation, is a charity, WHICH and it's subsiduaries make a large profit but pay it to the owning charity thereby avoiding, legally, tax. The same arrangement incidentally as Worcester Bosch.

According to an accountant that works for the firm that handles their accounts they pay out compensation in large amounts each year when they've damaged a company but don't really publicise that either.

It b*ll*cks. Vaillant have been awarded the 'Quiet Mark' by the Noise Abatement Society. Vaillant are a Partenr, who has to pay a fee and also the only manufacturer that submitted a product for testing.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I have nothing more to add to vc's comments above other than I wish it was printed on absorbant paper.

 

[vulcancontinental]

I have nothing more to add to vc's comments above other than I wish it was printed on absorbant paper.

Do you mean toilet paper Dan or so I get sued?

 

[ollski]

I love Worcesters, dont go a bundle on the fixed co / co2 of the compacts but other than that there are no difficulties diagnosing or repairing the newer models and you know you will still be picking spare parts off the shelf in 20 years time. I like vaillants but they are like colanders.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I have nothing more to add to vc's comments above other than I wish it was printed on absorbant paper.

Do you mean toilet paper Dan or so I get sued?

Which? Of course VC


The boiler's are overpriced crap and the arrogance of Wooshitter Blotch is just as associatingastonishing.

 

[JohnD]

I just had a look at their methodology, it appears that they no longer test boilers but measure reliability as reported from their membership survey, and efficiency from official test figures.

They say that efficiency of modern boilers is all much the same.

Looking at their reliability table, they show Viessmann and Vaillant at 77% and Worcester at 79%. It appears that their cutoff line for Best Buys falls between the two figures. If I remember rightly, their last report classed all three of these as "above average" for reliability

They say average reliability score for boilers is 75%

Baxi and Vokera are at the bottom of their reliability table. Brands with less than 2% reporting are not shown.

I am willing to believe that their reliability table is broadly correct in showing the better brands and the worse brands. Drawing the line for Best Buys however gives a misleading impression of a sharp distinction. Their current methodology is only based on more reliable and less reliable brands.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Their figures are statistically meaningless.

 

[vulcancontinental]

I just had a look at their methodology, it appears that they no longer test boilers but measure reliability as reported from their membership survey, and efficiency from official test figures.

They say that efficiency of modern boilers is all much the same.

Looking at their reliability table, they show Viessmann and Vaillant at 77% and Worcester at 79%. It appears that their cutoff line for Best Buys falls between the two figures. If I remember rightly, their last report classed all three of these as "above average" for reliability

They say average reliability score for boilers is 75%

Baxi and Vokera are at the bottom of their reliability table. Brands with less than 2% reporting are not shown.

I am willing to believe that their reliability table is broadly correct in showing the better brands and the worse brands. Drawing the line for Best Buys however gives a misleading impression of a sharp distinction. Their current methodology is only based on more reliable and less reliable brands.

As this is the public forum you may not be aware of the fact, as Dan is, that I work for Vokera and know the truth. I also have some of the feedback sent to the company from WHICH regarding their survey results.
Not only the company I work for but I personally am very upset about the methodology and the operation at WHICH. All I can say is watch this space.

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

I'll put my two old pennies worth in here...

for a lady of germanic descent. I offered two 'German' brands, inc WB. She chose it, not me.

I vowed at the end of that job I would not be fitting another.

That still stands 4 years on.

Now of course there are lots and lots of satisfied customers, and installers out there who swear by them, while I swear at them, though to be fair the technical advice line back-up and spares availability is very good. (I felt I needed to balance up my rant, just a little!)

DH

 

[Bunnyman]

The thing is Vulcan/Dan it's a great marketing tool? I use it loads as people trust which (I don't) so it's irrelevant what u or I think. An I'm sure if vokera thought they would get good reports they would use it also as it sells boilers

 

[Richardthe3rd]

This may have been asked before, as I recall a thread that mentioned which best buys, but I find it somewhat unlikely that they're the only people who can make a decent boiler. Is it some commercial backhander making a mockery of the impartiality which claims, or is it really that they kill all the competition?

And another thing, why does every single boiler from a given manufacturer have the same score? All the Worcester are 89pc, all the alpha are 79pc.. Is it because boiler guts are so identical that there really isn't a variation?

Finding it all a little bit lacking in credibility tbh..perhaps it's a website bug, perhaps it's just that they test one and assign it to all. Perhaps I should be raising this complaint with which..

You seriously believe they're impartial??!!! I've been in the trade over forty years, so you can take it from me they are far from the best boiler. As for Which, wiping your rsole is all that is good for - a loads of rubbish!!

 

[vulcancontinental]

You're absolutley right bunny. It's a fantastic success but it's a con regarding boilers and more for all I know. Why shouldn't you make use of it when it helps your business but it could and possibly has destroyed others efforts.

Anyone can do something incorrectly or innaccurately but when it's done knowingly and repeated again and again, critisism's ignored and half truths used to cover up the fact that's not a mistake that's deception and fraud.

It's simply money, it costs them too much to do the job properly so they cheat as they must have something to show they're there.

 

[vulcancontinental]

Shame we will not be able to have a grumble about things Richard the third, in Scotland in July but in and out in a day over in Gourock