When remodeling your home or when otherwise in need of new construction windows, Pella and Andersen are among the first window manufacturers that pop up.
Both companies offer amazing products. Pella vs. Andersen windows – which to choose? Understanding where they overlap and where they differ should make it easier to make a decision.
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Pella Windows Overview
Pella has a varied catalog offering vinyl, fiberglass, and wood frame windows. It also has many window series that you can get through various dealers.
When it comes to replacement windows, Pella can seem like the cheaper option. One of the reasons is the company’s propensity to use vinyl over wood and fiberglass.
Pella Windows Costs
Pella windows options has amazing pricing due to the extensive range of offers available for all budgets.
| Pella Window Collection | Installation and Material Costs |
|---|---|
| Pella Encompass | $220 to $420 |
| Pella 250 Series | $280 to $445 |
| Pella 350 Series | $420 to $820 |
| Pella Impervia Series | $620 to $910 |
| Pella Lifestyle Series | $1,000 to $1,400 |
| Pella Architect Series Reserve | $1,350 to $2,100 |
| Pella Architect Series 850 | $1,200 to $1,700 |
Of course, these prices may vary based on the dealership and installer you choose to work with, the installation difficulty, customization options, etc.
You can use our Window’s Cost Calculator to estimate your cost of replacement windows.
Pella Windows Series Breakdown
The manufacturer has an interesting offering, with plenty of styles, material options, colors, and designs to accommodate practically every homeowner.
The Architect Series
Pella created two lines for its Architect Series, or 850 Series windows. This is to create sufficient variety for traditional-inspired windows and more contemporary choices.
The traditional windows line uses materials like pine, mahogany, oak, maple, and Douglas fir. But the contemporary windows line doesn’t offer white oak, red oak, cherry, and maple options.
You can find Architect Series windows in four paint colors and nine stain choices on the interior. Exterior colors go up to 27.
To further diversify the series, Pella windows are available in multiple traditional and contemporary finishes for the hardware in both standard and custom sizes.
Multiple accessories are available, along with glass options and window types like single and double-hung, awning, and casement.
The Architect Series Reserve
Using the same pine, Douglas fir, oak, cherry, and maple materials, Pella created a more purist-oriented window series.
The Architect Series Reserve is ideal for custom projects where authenticity and an old-timey vibe is imperative.
This Pella windows series offers more stain color options, including unfinished wood. Pella also provides 27 aluminum cladding colors and eight anodized cladding colors for the window exterior.
More hardware finishes and styles are available for this custom Pella window series. The same applies to Pella window types that have been expanded to include monumental-hung, fixed frame, and specialty.
You can select multiple glass options, and a wide assortment of grilles and accessories.
The Lifestyle Series
Pella’s Lifestyle Series is an easy choice if you only want pine windows. It contains many unfinished, primed, and stained, finishes, but only one color.
These Pella windows exterior colors get some diversity, as does the hardware, with four styles available in various finishes.
Even the window sizing is versatile, as Pella can deliver standard sizes in quarter-inch increments.
You won’t find any single-hung windows in the Lifestyle Series. Pella makes up for that by offering fixed sash, bay/bow, casement, awning, and three styles of double-hung windows.
These Pella windows are available in multiple grille patterns, screens, and specialty glass types.
The Impervia Series
If you’re looking for something more contemporary, with gorgeous aesthetics and solid durability, the Impervia Series fiberglass Pella windows are a good option.
These come in a painted wood style with five interior and exterior colors and dual-color window options. Pella windows offers hardware in eight finishes, multiple accessories, glass packages, and popular window types, like single and double-hung, casement, awning, special shape, gliding, etc.
Did you know? Fiberglass windows are generally considered much stronger than vinyl and have superior weather resistance compared to other frames. Fiberglass doesn’t warp, rust, rot, or fade when exposed to the elements. Hence, it can be a very reliable long-term choice.
The 350 Series
The Pella window 350 Series contains only vinyl windows and is considered the manufacturer’s most energy-efficient series. It even has the Energy Star certification, although the frame insulation is optional.
The vinyl Pella windows have nine interior and exterior colors, along with the popular white and almond interior options.
You can get hardware in three different styles and six finishes, and sizes are found in 1/8-inch increments. Pella windows also offers custom sizes in the 350 Series and a wide range of window types, including specialty windows.
Extra Pella window features include fiberglass screens and security sensors.
The 250 Series
If you’re looking for midrange-priced windows, the Pella 250 Series can be appealing. These vinyl Pella windows come with double- and triple-pane glass, and fewer color and hardware options.
Pella only offers these windows in standard, single, double-hung, and sliding styles. But while there’s less customization, you can still get a fiberglass screen and Insynctive security sensors.
The Encompass Series
Encompass windows, also referred to as ThermaStar in some cases, are part of another line of Pella vinyl windows.
These are the best window options from Pella for someone on a tight budget. The windows only come in white and almond colors and have fewer hardware, sizing, and style options.
However, you can find three glass package options, multiple grille patterns, window sensors, and fiberglass screens.
Pella Window Warranty
Pella offers a lifetime warranty on its wood and fiberglass windows. The glass gets a lifetime warranty, while the transferable labor warranty is only two years.
What’s also notable is that Pella’s windows warranties are transferable. Wood and fiberglass warranties become 10-year warranties that can benefit the new owner. The transferrable glass warranty is even longer, at 20 years.
Pella Window Reviews
Despite its popularity, Pella does have to deal with some negative feedback. Some customers will claim that the Pella windows are not as good as their competitors’.
That said, the negative reviews are almost evenly split between window quality and dealership complaints. Issues with the sales, service, or installation barely add up to 5% of Pella Windows’ negative reviews.
Pros
-Upscale Windows Availability
-Fiberglass Options
-Cheap Vinyl
-Great Warranties
Cons
-More Negative Reviews
Andersen Windows Overview
Andersen is a manufacturer that often uses a proprietary composite called Fibrex in its windows. This is a combination of 40% recycled wood fibers and PVC.
The company doesn’t offer many replacement windows with vinyl. However, this is an available material when browsing through the new construction window catalog.
Did you know? Various market studies have shown that vinyl windows lead the way in terms of popularity. Research done in 2017 found that vinyl frame windows accounted for around 50% of home remodeling jobs. For new construction windows, vinyl was even more dominant, with a 70% share of the market. The ease of maintenance and lower prices often outweigh the con of lower durability and shorter lifespan.
Andersen Windows Cost
| Andersen Window Collection | Installation and Material Costs |
|---|---|
| Andersen 100 Series | $225 to $575 |
| Andersen 200 Series | $630 to $930 |
| Andersen 400 Series | $1,000 to $1,400 |
| Andersen Architectural Collection E-Series | $1,200 to $1,900 |
| Andersen Architectural Collection A-Series | $1,300 to $2,000 |
| Andersen Renewal Series | $1,500 to $2,200 |
There are a few budget-friendly options. However, amount of customization Andersen offers can make even the cheapest windows series end up being expensive.
Andersen Windows Series Breakdown
Like Pella, Andersen has a very good offering regarding window materials, styles, and accessories in its various lineups.
Architectural Collection E-Series
If you’re looking for wood-clad windows, Andersen’s Architectural Collection E-Series windows is the flagship lineup. You’ll find multiple grain options of pine, cherry, mahogany, Douglas fir, maple, oak, hickory, and other woods, with up to 50 standard exterior colors.
Andersen also offers nine interior stain colors, over a dozen paint colors, and plenty of custom color options.
The hardware comes with 10 finishes to complement multiple window types, including push-out awning, casement, and standard.
Another interesting feature of Andersen windows is the availability of Stormwatch windows for coastal regions that get strong winds. As a bonus, Andersen offers VeriLock security sensors that seamlessly integrate into smart home designs.
Architectural Collection A-Series
The Architectural Collection A-series windows by Andersen contains pine, maple, and oak in both unfinished and finished styles, and unfinished cherry, mahogany, and Douglas fir windows.
You can get up to 12 finishes, six stain colors, seven paint colors for the interior, and up to 11 paint colors. Unlike the E-Series, the A-Series Andersen windows don’t have custom colors, but make up for it with custom sizes.
A defining feature of these Andersen windows is the availability of eight specialty glass options and decorative glass choices.
Andersen offers VeriLock security sensors along with a large assortment of screen options and grilles.
The 400 Series
While not the best window series from Andersen, the 400 Series is arguably the most popular. It’s easy to find in home improvement stores and through other dealers.
These windows only use unfinished pine and are very limited regarding colors. Interestingly, the manufacturer opts for vinyl cladding over the more common aluminum cladding for exterior colors.
For variety, you can choose between various classic and contemporary window types, custom sizes, and multiple hardware options.
Stormwatch windows are also available in Andersen’s 400 Series, as are security sensors for the double-hung windows.
The 200 Series
If you want a cheaper Andersen window, the 200 Series is a good choice.
These Andersen windows come in white, unfinished pine, wood, vinyl cladding, and standard sizes. While you can only choose between double-hung, picture, and gliding window types, there are eight finishes available and four glass options to help with Andersen window customization.
Several accessories are available, including security sensors, for these Andersen windows.
The 100 Series
The 100 Series is Andersen’s unique window frame lineup that only uses its patented Fibrex material. This combination of wood fibers and PVC is a gorgeous product and purportedly more durable than vinyl alternatives.
Fibrex windows have four interior colors, and six exterior colors and hardware finishes. You can get these Andersen windows in standard and custom window sizes.
Andersen provides single-hung, awning, gliding, and specialty windows, among other types, and offers plenty of variety for glass and accessories.
Renewal
The Renewal series by Andersen is a unique one. Andersen’s exclusive replacement windows series is only available through partnered dealers and installers.
As with Andersen’s 100 Series, this window collection contains only Fibrex windows. However, there are eight interior colors and up to 12 exterior colors. There’s slightly more variety with Andersen’s replacement windows with their 11 finishes, standard and custom sizes, and window types.
Unfortunately, you won’t find single-hung windows, specialty glass, or security sensors.
Did you know? Single-hung windows are hugely popular due to having cheaper installation costs. Additionally, fewer moving parts also translate to better energy efficiency and less risk of air leaks, making them preferable among many homeowners. In comparison, double-hung windows have other advantages, like being highly compatible with air-conditioning units.
Andersen Window Warranty
Andersen windows offer good warranties but nothing particularly special. For example, wood windows benefit from 10-year transferrable warranties.
Glass options are backed by fully transferable 20-year warranties.
One thing to note is that Andersen doesn’t offer a labor warranty for any of its window series except one. Only Renewal Series replacement windows benefit from a labor warranty covering the lifetime of the materials.
Andersen Windows Reviews
While Andersen is by no means perfect, it does seem to have a great track record with customers. There aren’t that many complaints against the manufacturer or its products.
The majority of consumers report negative experiences with certified dealers and aggressive sales tactics.
Some installation issues arise occasionally, but Andersen windows maintain a very low rate of negative product quality and performance feedback across the board.
Pros
-Amazing Reviews
-Extensive Color Options
-Great Accessories
Cons
-No Labor Warranty
-No Fiberglass
Pella vs. Andersen
Both Pella and Andersen Windows have clear advantages and disadvantages when compared directly to each other. But because each manufacturer works with big retailers and certified dealerships, the differences are emphasized by other aspects.
Materials
Pella and Andersen have decent wood frame window offerings, often allowing customers to choose from options that appear nearly identical.
However, Pella has more vinyl choices, whereas Andersen prefers its vinyl alternative, Fibrex. Despite its patented 60% vinyl and 40% wood fiber patented product, Andersen might not win the materials debate.
Fibrex is rather new on the window material scene, and hasn’t been tested enough to prove its superior efficiency and quality.
It’s also worth noting that Pella has more fiberglass choices than Andersen.
Warranties
The warranties from both Pella and Andersen windows are on par regarding transferability. But that’s where the similarities end.
Pella windows win the warranty debate by a clear margin with its limited lifetime warranties for homeowners and the labor warranty that Andersen windows fail to offer.
Reviews
Despite still having plenty of room for debate in terms of materials and product quality, Andersen windows seems to have more favorable reviews.
To some customers who use this as a criteria when choosing a product, this may compensate for Andersen’s higher window prices and shorter warranties.
Window Cost
Pella windows are arguably cheaper than Andersen windows. While both Pella and Andersen windows have good pricing flexibility, the top-end windows from Andersen are often much more expensive than Pella window alternatives.
Did you know? Window installation pricing can vary wildly depending on several factors. In the US, you can pay anywhere from $100 to $300 to have a window installed. In some cases, the installation is calculated at hourly rates that can be as high as $40. Custom and specialty windows increase the difficulty, and can raise the price per window for installation even higher.
Andersen vs Pella: Who Wins?
Every homeowner has the different requirements. This means Pella and Andersen windows can be the best choices in specific circumstances.
Pella is well-equipped to meet any request for higher-end-looking windows and more material variety. But if you want more customization and are willing to pay a premium for product quality, Andersen is as solid as any other window manufacturer.
Ultimately, the choice is yours.
