Are Pella Windows Worth It?

Are Pella Windows worth their high price? A large number of our customers are looking for premium windows and their choice often falls on Pella products, also because of past, often very positive, experiences. As a pella windows contractor from Glenview, we’ve had the opportunity to serve many customers who have been using the brand’s windows for 15, 20 or even 30 years and still haven’t observed any problems during their lifetime. But surely there are no better alternatives in the form of other brands? Let’s find out.

The History Of Pella Windows

The history of this Iowa-based company dates back to 1925. Right from its beginnings, Pella specialized in the production of premium windows, relying on high quality workmanship and materials. Over the past 100 years, the window giant has introduced many technological innovations, which have won the admiration and affection of many homeowners across the country.

In the 1960s, Pella was the first to introduce windows with blinds between the panes (Slimshade blinds). There have also been windows with aluminum cladding, storm doors that can be installed in as little as an hour and argon infill windows. The company is constantly experimenting with the use of unconventional materials – over the years, the Iowa-based manufacturer has used wood, aluminum, vinyl and other plastics.

The company has been innovating in its industry and setting new trends in the market for many years, which it readily boasts on its website. But are Pella windows worth it? Do modern technologies justify the high price?

Pella’s Product Range

Suggesting a brand’s reputation when choosing windows is not wise – each model offers specific parameters for a specific price, making you should make your decision on an individual basis, analyzing all the advantages and disadvantages.

Pros And Cons Of Pella Reserve Traditional Series

The Reserve Traditional series will be perfect for older homes. Due to the use of pine, mahogany and spruce wood (depending on the configuration) and aluminum, you will have the feeling of dealing with a premium product from the first contact with these windows. The 13 interior finishes to choose from, combined with the 20 shades of the exterior part, give you the opportunity for tremendous personalization.

The choice of types is also huge. You can order:

• Single-hung;
• Double-hung;
• Monumental-hung
• Casement;
• Awning;
• Corner;
• Arched;
• Angle Top.

Pella is targeting Traditional Reserve Series to customers with the highest demands, but also very high budgets. Depending on size, wood type and color, the price ranges from $800 to $5500 per piece.

Pros And Cons Of Pella Reserve Contemporary Series

This is another premium window series. The choice of colors and materials is very similar to what you’ll find with the Reserve Traditional series. This time, however, you can count on thin frames and a modern design, directly created for luxurious, minimalist interiors.

This time, the list of available window types is shorter. You can opt for:

• Casement;
• Push-out casement;
• Corner;
• Awning;
• Picture;
• Angle-top.

The price is also exactly the same as for the Traditional series windows – the range is from $800 to $5400 per window.

Pella Lifestyle Series

Lifestyle Series is a series of windows made of pine and coated with aluminum for additional frame protection. The color palette is not that wide – 12 shades for the exterior part and 8 shades for the interior part of the windows. However, you can also order grilles to your new windows. There are five patterns available currently.

In this case, the window types offered are:

• Double-Hung;
• Awning;
• Casement;
• Picture.

In our experience, the Lifestyle Series is one of Pella’s best model lines, mainly due to its rather favorable pricing. Depending on the type and size of the windows, the cost of buying one will range from $700 to $1000, which is several times less than for more expensive models.

If we were to suggest you buy any of the Pella window models, it would probably be the Lifestyle. It’s an excellent compromise between design, price, insulation properties and customization options. Very importantly for residents of larger towns such as Glenview, Waukegan, Evanston, Arlington Heights and Palatine, Pella Lifestyle suppresses 52% more noise than standard single-pane windows, while having 79% higher energy efficiency. With three panes of glass with blinds placed between them, these are some of the most comfortable windows you’re likely to buy.

Pella Impervia Series

Pella Impervia Series are windows made of fiberglass, which has several, highly significant advantages. First of all, they are very versatile – you can use this model line in both modern and more traditional homes. Besides, durability and insulating properties mean that windows made with this technology will serve you for many years. 20-30 years of operation is as normal as possible.

In return, Pella Impervia windows are not offered in too many colors – only black, brown and white are available. Customization of the grills is a bit more, as 5 of their variants are available. You can order your Impervia windows as Single-hung, Double-hung, Casement, Awning, Sliding or Picture.

The basic models in this line are 50% more expensive than the Lifestyle series. However, we should point out that Pella products do not cost noticeably more than other fiberglass windows. What’s more, according to the advertising brochure, the fiberglass used in Impervia is 100 times more impact resitant, 10 times less flexible and 20 times less brittle than the comparable material used by Andersen.

Pella 250 Series

Unlike vinyl siding, which has a general tendency to wear out rather quickly, the PVC used by Pella is surprisingly durable and long-lasting, which was achieved with special fixative additives. At the same time, the 250 Series has excellent insulating properties, which was achieved by placing up to 18 insulating air chambers.

An additional feature that is certainly worthy of note are the hidden screens, which, while preventing insects from flying into the house, perfectly transmit light, providing 44% more transparency than standard screens.

250 Series is an excellent model line for those who want windows that do not require regular maintenance. The manufacturer’s current range includes 3 solid color varieties (white, almond and fossil). In addition, 6 grille options and 6 hardware options are available.

Types of windows available in this series are:

• Single-hung;
• Double-hung;
• Casement;
• Awning;
• Sliding;
• Picture.

Let’s point out that the 250 series is the cheapest model line of windows from Pella. Their prices start at $220, but it happens that you will pay more than $900 a piece. Although the low price translates into a slightly inferior design, in our opinion it is one of the best models on the market, in every respect.

Are Pella Windows Good?

From the descriptions of the brand’s product series, it is clear that the windows produced by Pella are extremely advanced in terms of technology, every detail is well thought out, and the relatively high price is due to the huge amount of work and time spent on research and development. This is true, but every medal has 2 sides.

Indeed, every window produced by Pella is made with great care, and high-end materials are used in its manufacture. Both pine and spruce wood are expensive, as is the high-end aluminum with which the frames are clad in some models. However, this is standard in this class of products, and it’s hard to expect any company to expect a higher price for using durable wood.

The manufacturer from the state of Iowa boasts of the enormous customization possibilities of its products. This is certainly true – the total number of configurations possible can exceed more than 100 for many model series. However, it is worth considering whether it is worth paying a few tens of percent more for the theoretical possibility of ordering an aluminum clad in red brick color.

As a Pella windows contractor, we pay attention to the reliability of these products. In our opinion, quality is a parameter that is definitely worth paying for, if only for the sake of greater mental comfort during later operation. This is a huge argument for choosing this brand, but it is worth bearing in mind the competition – windows manufactured by Simonton, Marvin or even custom can offer the same, or slightly worse, workmanship for a lower price.

Unfortunately, we must also mention the brand itself – Pella is a very recognizable company that has been building its reputation for 100 years, taking care of marketing. While the current image is certainly based largely on precision and superior engineering, the public perception of quality also comes into play, and this translates into the value of your home on the secondary market – people want to buy this brand of windows. In the article explaining what exterior renovation adds the most value to a house, we mentioned that virtually any replacement or repair will help you get a better selling price, but it doesn’t always have to pay off.

When Is It Worth Buying Pella Windows?

First of all, the windows manufactured by Pella are not cheap, and we do not recommend buying them for people who have a limited budget. Even if you can afford to spend on $800 for a window, which is not a low amount, you will still have to limit yourself to only certain products from this brand.

Besides, before buying Pella windows, it is worth looking at alternative products offered by other brands – many Andersen products, which are also dedicated to customers with a more affluent wallet, can offer similar build quality, warranty, energy efficiency and sound insulation. Pella, however, will be a good choice if you care about all of these mentioned features, but at the same time are looking for a recognizable brand, suit a slightly higher price and like the design of these products.