3 Best Replacement Window Brands of 2021

By MYMOVE

March 1, 2021 | 4 min read

If you’re looking for new replacement windows, there are a lot of factors to consider before deciding which is the best window brand for you. What do you value most when it comes to replacement windows? Here are some of the questions you should answer before purchasing:

• What is your budget?
• What style of replacement windows do you like?
• Do you want energy-efficient windows?
• What type of frames do you need?
• What warranty options are available?
• Do you need your replacement windows professionally installed?

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This deep dive into the three best replacement window brands of 2021 considers all of these factors in order to help you decide which replacement windows are right for you.

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The 3 best replacement window brands

Pella Windows

If you value high-quality, energy-efficient windows backed by years of experience, then Pella is a great option for you. The company has been around for nearly 100 years and is a true leader in window innovation. Additionally, they offer an energy-efficient product line with “options that will meet or exceed ENERGY STARⓇ certifications in all 50 states.” And no matter your favorite styles, colors, and materials, Pella offers the perfect replacement windows for you.

Pricing: The price of Pella windows depends on the style and material you choose. Double-hung windows from Pella cost between $118 and $355.

Andersen Windows

Andersen Windows is another best brand for several good reasons: they’re long-lasting, energy-efficient, and low maintenance. You can trust that these replacement windows, which offer a modern style, will hold up well over time. Best of all, Andersen allows you to design your own replacement windows so you get a good match for your home.

Pricing: The design-your-own option will vary depending on the type of window you need, but the average replacement double-hung window from Andersen costs between $409 and $674.

Milgard Windows

If you’re looking for high-quality replacement windows, Milgard is a brand you should consider. They earn high marks from customers for their quality work, durability, and diversity in designs. Most importantly, they have the experience, having been around for over 50 years. It solidifies their reputation as one of the top window manufacturers.

Pricing: The cost for Milgard double-hung replacement windows can range from $245 to $625, depending on the window size, the style series, and the glass thickness.

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Window Warranties

Even with the best window brands, there is bound to be a defect from time to time. It is essential to consider the warranties offered when choosing a replacement window brand. Without a good warranty, you could lose hundreds of dollars to remove a bad window and then reinstall a new one.

Pella offers a variety of warranties on their products. One of the best offers is The Pella Care Guarantee, which “is available exclusively for replacement customers who purchase and install Pella products through their local Pella Window and Door Showrooms.”

Andersen also offers a warranty on all of its products, and it can even be transferred if you sell your home. If/when you sell your home, you can transfer your warranty to the new owner with their exclusive Owner-to-Owner limited warranty.

Milgard warranty offerings are some of the best offered in the industry. You receive a full-lifetime warranty that’s also fully transferable. It demonstrates their ability to stand behind their work long after they do it.

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Window Replacement Process

Once you decide which is the best replacement window brand for you, next you’ll have to find the right supplier/distributor to purchase them from. Some companies have local showrooms that sell their products. Another great option is to visit a home improvement store if you plan to purchase Lowes replacement windows or Home Depot windows.

After you have purchased the replacement windows, you’ll then need to hire a qualified local installer to install the windows in your home. The companies often train their preferred contractors and dealers so that your replacement windows are installed quickly and perfectly. Before you hire anyone, be sure to search for them online so that you can read reviews from other customers.

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The bottom line

When searching for the best replacement window brands, these three companies, Pella windows, Anderson windows, and Milgard windows, represent the top ones available. If you’re looking for more efficient windows, be sure to check out a runner-up: Marvin windows. While these were our favorites, it is important to do research ahead of time-based on your needs, as this can help you select the right windows and the most reputable contractors to install them. In turn, you can enjoy the fresh look of your home with the comfort of knowing you had quality work done.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best brand of replacement windows?

The best option for your home will differ depending on your budget and window needs. Consider costs, available styles, energy efficiency, frame types, warranties and professional installation options. While we listed the top three brands above, Marvin windows and Simonton windows are also brands you should consider.

How do I buy replacement windows?

The best place to start is the company’s website. They make it easy to purchase directly from them and often have contacts for qualified installers to install the replacement windows in your home.

Where can I buy replacement windows?

In addition to purchasing online from the company’s website, you can also go to your local home improvement store, such as Lowe’s or Home Depot. These stores often sell the best window brands.

Sean Jackson contributed to this post

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Replacement Windows Definitive Guide

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For something so common and universal, replacement windows can be a real mystery to the average homeowner. A replacement window is a strange thing, with very few parallels elsewhere in the house. As the name implies, it’s a window that replaces your current window, but not on a one-for-one basis. What you take out (the old window) is not completely replaced by the new window (replacement window).

When you remove your old window, you are removing only the sash and a few other related parts. You are not removing the entire window that was originally installed by the house builder. It is difficult to remove every single bit of material from the old window, so some of it remains attached to your house.

Even though the replacement window is not the same as the original window (also called a new construction window), it does function the same. If it’s a double-hung window, it slides up and down. If it’s a casement window, it swings in and out. Even though replacement windows are smaller than the originals, usually they will perform better.

Signs That You Need Replacement Windows

It is usually glaringly obvious when you need to replace your windows. However, the high cost of replacing windows can cause homeowners to put off this project year after year.

• High energy bill. Energy costs are abnormally high, yet you have done other window-related repairs to save money (chiefly, insulation in walls and attic).
• Drafts. Chilly breezes in your house during the winter can come from even the tiniest cracks in window glass or window framing.
• Window glass cold to the touch. Single-pane windows will always feel cold to the touch, no matter their condition. But if you have double-paned windows, they should feel only moderately cold when the temperature outside is very cold.
• Difficulty opening or closing windows. Wood windows stuck to the frame by layers of paint. Settling of the foundation causing frames to twist, preventing the window sash from moving. Casement window hinges and latches rusted. Any of these might necessitate a full replacement rather than repair.
• Window painting and repair impossible. When your windows reach the point where the paint is alligatored, cracked, peeling, and the wood is rotting and falling apart, it becomes more cost-effective to replace the windows rather than repair.
• You get a financial windfall. If you have extra money that you can earmark for home remodeling (a work bonus, inheritance, home equity loan, etc.), it makes sense to put money into replacement windows.
• Do-it-yourself window replacement not possible. Most people do not or cannot replace their windows.

Finding a Window Company

Replacement window companies fall into two categories. First, you have purely local companies. These companies might favor one particular manufacturer, but usually, they have a variety of manufacturers to choose from. Second, you have the franchised or corporate operations, like The Home Depot, Pella, Andersen, or Empire. These larger operations may offer you a variety of manufacturers, but more often they offer their own brand (e.g., Pella will install only Pella windows) or a favored house brand.

Remember, when you are shopping for replacement windows, you are shopping for both windows and installation companies, though they fall under the same umbrella.

Consumer Reports is a good source for performance and quality ratings on windows. For background information on window energy ratings, visit the website of The National Fenestration Ratings Council (an industry-supported lobby). You can consult Angie’s List or similar contractor rating and referral sites for contact information and ratings on local window companies and installers.

Tips for Buying Replacement Windows

The replacement window industry is highly competitive, and it’s not hard to find an abundance of window companies in any sizable town. As with many areas of home improvement, salespeople can be misleading about how much money you can save by replacing your windows (through energy savings), and not every company is totally honest with its estimates. It pays to do your homework and shop around. A few tips can help get you started:

Window Replacement Basics: Cost, Materials, and Process

Unless you have owned your house for a number of years, you may never have had any need to think about replacement windows. The logistics and functioning of windows are rarely something that homeowners need to think about—at least until something goes wrong.

Dated styles, air leaks, water infiltration, thermal leaks, fogged glass, and insect intrusions are just a few of the many reasons why you might want to consider new replacement windows for your home.

What a Replacement Windows Is

A replacement window is a window that is smaller than the existing window and which replaces a majority of the existing window, such as the glass and moving parts. So, replacement windows are not a one-for-one, exact replacement. Replacement windows are sometimes called pocket windows or insert windows to reflect this.

In general, if the visible portion of your existing window is deteriorated or damaged, and its physical operation doesn’t work well anymore, it’s time to consider replacement windows.

Replacement vs. New-Construction Window

Replacement windows might seem like the ultimate solution to your window problems, but this is not always so. The framed portion of your window stays in place. Areas around the window are sometimes those that are most heavily damaged.

Window sills receive the brunt of the moisture from open windows, yet they are never replaced during the window replacement process. That is a job for a fine carpenter or contractor.

If the area around the window is so rotted out as to be structurally unsound, then you must build up that area again and use a new-construction window. This type of window comes with fins on the outer side of the window to allow it to be nailed onto the house. Replacement windows have no fins. This allows the window to slide into the opening.

Window Replacement Costs

As an average, expect to pay $600 to $700 per window. Less expensive vinyl windows can be as inexpensive as $300 to $500 per window. Architectural windows or other specialty windows can be as expensive as $1,000 to $2,000 per window.

How much it costs to replace your windows depends on factors such as locale, window materials, type of glazing, and type of window. It is safe to assume that most homeowners will not escape a whole-house window replacement for anything less than the low five figures.

Some homeowners cut costs by hiring a handyman and by having that person replace the windows. Because the professional window installers have perfected the installation process and often work in large crews, you may not save as much money as you would like. Even though replacement windows may prove to be a major investment in your home, they tend to return decent resale value when it comes time to sell your house.

Double-Hung vs. Single-Hung Windows

Both single-hung and double-hung windows are the types that have a lower sash (or pane) that slides upward. When the house gets too hot, you can unlatch the window and slide the lower sash up.

But with single hung windows, the upper sash is fixed in place and inoperable. Only the lower sash slides up and down. With double-hung windows, both sashes can move. This is especially valuable for upper story windows because it allows you to clean windows from the inside. Also, if you have small children, you can open the upper sash only, leaving the lower sash in place and your child safe.

If neither conditions apply to your home, there is little reason to buy double-hung windows. You will save some money with the single hung windows. Plus, with fewer moving parts, the single hung windows have less of a chance of failure.

Fixing vs. Replacing Windows

Many homeowners experiencing high energy costs jump the gun and pull out all of their windows and replace them. In some cases, this is premature and a waste of money.

The seals on the existing double-glazed windows may have failed, allowing cold or heat to more easily pass into the house because crucial argon or krypton gas has escaped. One indication that the glass has failed is fogging on the inside, between the panes of glass. In this case, it is possible to repair the window or replace the window sash.

Best Time to Replace Windows

If replacement window companies only installed in optimal conditions such as during spring and summer months, they would go out of business. Though the window technicians may be less than happy about it, your windows can be replaced in all manner of inclement weather, short of blizzards and hurricanes.

One downside of scheduling during temperate seasons is that everyone else is doing the same thing. You may find yourself in a long queue for installation or you may not even be able to get in during that period.

Still, if possible, it is better to have your windows replaced in better weather. If the technicians are working under duress, they may rush the job through. Caulking may not set well in extremely cold conditions. Moisture can affect the tight tolerances related to window installation.

Do-It-Yourself Window Replacement

Replacement windows are a prime example of why it is sometimes beneficial to have professionals take on a home improvement project rather than doing it yourself. Professional window installers do this job day in and day out, and they have the necessary tools and skills needed to finish the job in hours, not days or weeks.

In theory, homeowners can save money by replacing their own windows. But the retail supply chain for replacement windows can be limited. Home centers usually stock only new-construction windows and rarely replacement windows.

Brand Name Windows vs. Generic Windows

Replacement window companies often suggest generic or low-profile window brands. You can obtain decent windows that will serve you for a few years. Contractor- or builder-grade windows perform basically the same way that big brand windows should: letting in light, sealing out moisture, opening to allow airflow. Longevity may not be their strong suit, though.

Companies with visible brand names such as Pella, Andersen, and Marvin tend to have good follow-up customer service and robust warranties.

Replacement Window Frame Materials

Vinyl Windows

Homeowners concerned about maintaining the classic look of their own house often will reject the idea of installing vinyl windows in favor of wood materials. But vinyl windows are often worth a second glance. Vinyl framing materials inhibit energy loss, do not require sealing or painting, and are much cheaper than wood.

Metal Windows

Metal windows are often architecturally necessary in order to match the style of contemporary homes. Long associated with energy loss since metal is a thermal conductor, newer metal windows are better insulated against the cold.

Fiberglass Windows

Fiberglass-framed windows are far stronger than vinyl windows while using fewer materials. This is important because it expands the glazing area, thus giving you more light.

Window Glazing: Single, Double, and Triple

A double-pane window, or double-glazed window, consists of two sheets of glass with an air or inert gas such as krypton or argon in the middle. A double-pane window can increase your energy efficiency by almost 100-percent.

R-value is the standard by which energy loss is measured. A single pane window has an approximate R-value of 0.85. Contrast this with a double pane window with an R-value of about 1.5 to 2.0. Now consider a double pane window with low-e glazing with an R-value of 2.4 to 3.0. Finally, the highest rated window, a low-e double pane window using an argon gas fill, would have a 2.7 to 3.6 R-value.

Ultimately, windows are energy-wasters compared to more thoroughly insulated sections of the home. For walls and attics, an R-value of 1 to 2 is not impressive. These areas are typically filled with fiberglass batt insulation, exhibiting R-values of 13 or greater. Yet within the world of windows, an R-value above 2 is good.

The fact remains: double pane windows are standard, even in parts of the country that have temperate climates.

For extreme climates, consider purchasing triple-pane windows.

Enlarging Window Size Entails Major Carpentry

It is no easy task to enlarge a window opening to accommodate a newer, larger-sized window. But does it require ripping out all of the wallboard and siding?

When you enlarge a window opening up to eight inches horizontally, you can often keep the same header and sill (the top and bottom parts of the window) and simply install one new vertical stud to either side of the window. While this means ripping out wallboard from floor to ceiling, width-wise you only need to take out a foot or two, at most. This section of the wallboard comes out to accommodate the new stud. And no exterior siding ever has to be removed.

It is always easier to order smaller sized windows than enlarging a window opening. But if you have to enlarge, it is certainly a manageable task.

Tips For Buying Replacement Windows

Few homeowners who have been through the replacement window installation process will say that they care to repeat it. But for such an expensive purchase, it’s well worth your time to get three or even more estimates from window companies.

Replacement window sales tactics can be overly aggressive. Since profit margins can be so high, some companies might use unsavory tactics to make a sale such as bait-and-switch. With this tactic, you’re baited into a window sale presentation with a promise that sounds too good to be true. Once the window company rep is in the door, they switch things around and try to sell you more expensive windows.