Milgard and Andersen are two window manufacturers that are commonly compared. Both brands produce high-quality products and are well known in the industry for their high standards, good artistry, and wide range, but how do they compare? Which is better, Milgard vs. Andersen windows?
Milgard and Andersen both produce fine windows. Anderen specializes in quality, range, styles, and customization. On the other hand, Milgard focuses on brands concerning price and customer service. Overall, Andersen produces better quality windows.
Milgard and Andersen are excellent brands to use when purchasing windows, either for new development or replacement windows. These two companies are often compared because their products are similar in quality and design. Let’s more closely approximate the windows produced by Milgard and Andersen to determine which windows are better for you.
Milgard Vs. Andersen
Milgard and Andersen are both designers and manufacturers of windows and doors, with a wide range of products from budget to high-end premium products.
Both brands have been operating for many years, but Andersen has 62 more experience than Milgard. Andersen is a more extensive and older company, but Milgard has proven more innovative and streamlined.
Both companies have their pros and cons, but these two brands are similar due to the high-quality manufacturing and premium products they both produce.
Milgard and Andersen both have a wide range of windows available with varying designs and styles, multiple colors, numerous materials, and various price brackets to pick.
It can be challenging to decide which of these window manufacturers is best, as they produce similar products. Still, there are a few critical aspects of these companies to consider when deciding which to use and which company is best for you, and the requirements of your project.
When comparing these two brands, it is necessary to consider the following attributes of the windows that they produce:
- Frame Materials
- Product Range
- Available Colors
- Window Durability
- Brand Availability
- Price Range
- Installation Fee
- Warrantee
- Customer Service and Satisfaction
All of these attributes are what make a real difference when comparing any to window brands and the products that they produce.
Let’s take a closer look at how these various features and attributes of Milgard and Andersen windows compare to decide which brand is better.
How Do Milgard And Andersen Windows Compare?
Milgard and Andersen have comparable traits and benefits that make it difficult to decide which brand is better. Each of these companies produces a wide range of products and has comparable prices for their windows.
Below are the most prevalent comparisons between these two companies and the windows they produce to help determine the better brand for you and your requirements.
Comparison Summary Table
| Brand Attributes | Milgard Windows | Andersen Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Frame Materials | Wood, Fiberglass, Vinyl, Aluminum | Wood, Fiberglass, Vinyl, Aluminum, Fibrex, Combination Clad |
| Product Range | 7 window lines to choose from | 7 window lines to choose from |
| Available Styles | Range of 7 window styles and 3 specialty styles | Range of 8 window styles and many specialty styles |
| Available Colors | 9 available colors | 50 available colors |
| Window Durability | Very durable | Very durable, except for Fibrex, which is susceptible to damage |
| Price Range | $150 – $1500 | $200 – $2285 |
| Installation Fee | $250 – $2050 | $300 – $2000 |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty on all windows except Quiet Line | 10 – 20 year warranty depending on the product |
| Customer Service and Satisfaction | Excellent customer service and satisfaction | Good customer service and satisfaction |
Frame Materials
The materials that a window is made from determine the price, durability, style, color, and installation fee, making this one of the most important aspects of any window.
In this category, Andersen is the better brand. Andersen uses a wider variety of materials for the windows that they produce.
Andersen windows came from wood, Fibrex (which is Andersen’s composite material), vinyl, aluminum, fiberglass, or a combination of two of these materials.
Milgard only uses fiberglass, aluminum, vinyl, or wood for the windows that it produces.
The woods used by these two companies differ as Andersen is also a lumber company and uses a large variety of woods in their window construction.
This means that if you are looking for more options regarding window materials, Andersen will be the better option between the two companies.
Product Range
Another vital factor to consider is the range of products that each company produces.
A company with a broader range can cater to more projects and provide products at a wider range of prices than a company with a smaller product range.
With regards to the product ranges of Andersen and Milgard, these two companies have a similar degree of windows with regards to the number of window lines that they produce,
However, Andersen provides a wider range of styles and materials, which means that Andersen has a broader product range than Milgard.
The Andersen product range includes:
- Andersen E-Series windows
- Andersen A-Series windows
- Andersen 400-Series windows
- Andersen 200-Series windows
- Andersen 100-Series windows
- Andersen Heritage Series
- Andersen Renewal Series
Each product series from Andersen includes all of the windows styles that Andersen offers, only at differing levels of quality, and made from differing materials.
The Andersen E-Series is the company’s premium range, which is the most expensive but offers the most in terms of quality, materials, and craftsmanship.
The Milgard product range includes:
- Milgard Tuscany Line
- Milgard Trinsic Line
- Milgard Style Line
- Milgard Ultra Series
- Milgard Aluminum Series
- Milgard Quiet Line Series
Milgard offers fewer products than Andersen, but each product line covers all styles of Milgard windows and comes with customizable features such as colors.
The Milgard Tuscany Line is the company’s high-end range that offers the most for your money but is the most expensive to buy.
Available Styles
Windows are made in different styles, and the range of styles that a window manufacturer can produce often sets them apart from their competition.
When comparing Milgard and Andersen windows, an important consideration is the range of styles that each manufacturer can produce.
The larger of the two companies is Andersen, which means that this company has been around longer and has been able to bring more windows styles into its product line.
Andersen offers the following window styles:
- Gliding (sliding) windows
- Sing-Hung windows
- Double-Hung windows
- Casement windows
- Awning windows
- Picture windows
- Pass-Through windows
- Bay & Bow windows
- Numerous specialty windows
Milgard produces a wide range of window designs and styles, albeit fear than those produced by Andersen. This does not mean that Milgard will not meet your style requirements, but it may mean settling for something less than ideal in some instances.
The available window styles that Milgard produces are:
- Sliding windows
- Single-Hung windows
- Double-Hung windows
- Casement windows
- Awning windows
- Picture windows
- Bay & Bow windows
- Three types of specialty windows
Andersen produces a wider range of window styles, but Milgard still has enough types to meet the needs of most homeowners.
Available Colors
The colors available for use on windows are an essential consideration, as choosing the right color window frames will decide the entire aesthetics of the exterior of the home.
A broad color palette is not an essential attribute, but the company that offers the most colors for its products will suit the specialized needs of more clients.
Andersen has up to 50 colors available for the windows that it produces, depending on the series of the chosen windows.
Milgard has a selection of up to 9 different colors to choose from depending on the window line that you prefer.
Window Durability
Durability is an essential factor that not everyone considers when choosing windows. It is important to remember that windows do not last forever, and the material that the windows are made from will determine how durable they are.
Windows must withstand the harsh outdoor elements that they encounter every day, such as wind, sunlight, rain, humidity, dirt and debris, and even damage from animals such as birds or rodents.
Both Milgard and Andersen produce durable window products, especially those that are made from vinyl and fiberglass.
Andersen’s Fibrex material is less durable than the materials used by Milgard, but the vinyl and fiberglass from both companies are comparable to each other.
The real difference lies in the wooden products. Wood does not do well outdoors, and so Andersen produces wooden window frames that are clad with other materials such as aluminum and fiberglass on the exterior side of the frame.
This explains window frame is wooden located in the house to provide the desired aesthetic but clad with a more weather-resistant material on the outside for durability.
Depending on the product that you choose, both Milgard and Andersen produce very durable windows.
Price Range
The most crucial factor to consider when choosing which windows to buy is the price of the windows. In many cases, the price is the bottom line that determines which window will be used.
The price range of the products produced by Milgard and Andersen depends on the product range, the available materials, and the style of windows made.
Milgard windows are generally less expensive than Andersen windows. The price range of Milgard windows begins at $150 and $1500, depending on the window type and the window line.
Andersen has a more extensive product range than Milgard, which means that Andersen has a wider price range. Andersen windows are more expensive than Milgard windows, with a price range of around $200, and end at about $2285 depending on the window series, material, and style.
Installation Fee
The retail price of a window is only part of the required payment for each window. Each window must be installed, which means that there is an installation fee to consider when purchasing windows.
Different window manufacturers carry different window installation fees based on the cost of the window, the size of the window, the material of the window, and how challenging the window is to install.
Both Milgard and Andersen carry relatively high installation costs. The most expensive windows to install from both companies may cost more than $2000 to install.
Milgard’s lowest installation fee is $250, and Andersen’s lowest installation fee is $300. This means that windows from both companies cost less than the installation fee per window.
Warranty
Warrantee is essential with regards to windows. A good warranty protects the customer from manufacturer and installation faults and ensures the quality of the products remains consistently high.
The warranty is a crucial aspect of purchasing a window and should be taken into consideration beforehand.
Milgard provides better warranties than Andersen, as most Milgard windows come with a lifetime warranty on parts and labor. The only exception is the Milgard Quiet Line series which has a warranty of 10 years.
Andersen windows come with various warranties depending on the product, ranging from 10 to 20-year warranties.
Customer Service and Satisfaction
Customer service and satisfaction are important when dealing with any company, and window manufacturers are no different.
It is not uncommon for windows to arrive broken or for windows to be damaged in installation, which means that most customers will have to deal with the window company more than once during purchasing and installing windows.
Both Andersen and Milgard have exceptional customer service and satisfaction, but Andersen’s ratings are slightly lower in this regard when compared to Milgard’s.
This is mainly because Andersen is a larger company, and dealing with customer complaints and problems is more common and complicated than for Milgard.
That being said, if customer service is important to you, Milgard is the better option of the two window manufacturers.
Which Is Better, Milgard or Andersen?
We can not consider which of these two window manufacturers are superior with all of the above information.
The truth is, both Andersen and Milgard are excellent window brands that produce a wide variety of good quality windows with many industry-leading features and designs.
Overall, Andersen is better in the product range, window styles, colors, customization, features, and availability. Andersen is a more established company with more experience, and Andersen produces a better quality product overall.
Milgard produces high-quality windows, and in general Milgard windows cost less than Andersen windows, but the quality and range of Andersen windows narrowly sets it ahead of Milgard.
How To Choose Which Brand Is Best For You
The better brand between the two is Andersen, but that is not to say that Milgard does not produce high-quality products.
At the end of it, the best brand for you is the brand that best suits your requirements and your budget.
Milgard provides good quality products at lower prices than Andersen, so Milgard is the better option for those on a lower budget, but the range of products made by Milgard is less than the range made by Andersen.
Andersen produces more window styles, offers more materials, more colors, and higher quality, but they are more expensive and come at the cost of less than ideal customer service.
Those who require better quality and more options should choose Andersen windows over Milgard windows.
Conclusion
Milgard and Andersen windows produce exceptionally high-quality windows, but one brand stands out from the other.
Andersen makes better quality windows than Milgard, and the range of windows from Andersen is better than the range from Milgard. Andersen windows cost slightly more, but the cost is worth the quality and the product line.
Milgard is a good choice for anyone on a budget, as the windows they make are still exceptional, but Andersen windows are better overall.
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