Those corners are the bane of my existence—I swear, there’s always some mystery crud hiding in there from the previous owners. I did Andersen a few years back in my kitchen, and while they weren’t as hefty as Kolbe, they’ve held up surprisingly well. The price difference helped since I was juggling a bathroom reno at the same time. Have you noticed any real difference in drafts or noise between the two brands? That’s been my big concern with our old windows.
- Dealt with both brands in my last house—Kolbe in the living room, Andersen in the back bedrooms.
- Honestly, Kolbe did seem a bit sturdier, but for drafts? Didn’t notice a huge difference. Maybe a tiny bit quieter with Kolbe, but nothing earth-shattering.
- Andersen’s easier on the wallet, and cleaning them didn’t make me want to rip my hair out.
- Still found dust bunnies in the corners no matter what, though... guess that’s just life with windows.
Funny, I had the same Kolbe vs Andersen debate when I swapped out my 90s sliders. I geeked out over insulation ratings, but honestly, my cat cared more about the window sills than the actual windows. Kolbe felt a bit more “solid,” but my energy bill didn’t really notice. If you’re into gadgets, Kolbe’s hardware is a little more satisfying, but Andersen’s tilt-in cleaning is way less of a pain. Either way, dust bunnies are eternal.