windows that clean themselves—worth the hype or nah?

I looked into Pilkington Activ a couple years back when we replaced some upstairs windows. Honestly, I was pretty skeptical about the whole "self-cleaning" thing—sounded a bit too good to be true. But we went ahead and gave it a shot on two windows that are awkwardly placed and hard to clean regularly.

After about two years, I'd say there's a noticeable difference, but it's subtle. The coating does seem to help rainwater wash off dirt more evenly, so you don't get those annoying streaks or water spots as much. But calling it "self-cleaning" might be stretching things a bit...it doesn't magically keep the glass spotless. You'll still need to give them a proper clean occasionally, especially if your area gets dusty or has lots of pollen.

So, worth the extra money? Maybe if you're dealing with windows in tricky spots or hate cleaning glass frequently—but don't expect miracles. For regular windows that are easy enough to reach, I'd probably skip it and save the cash for something else.

Had pretty much the same experience. Tried Pilkington Activ on a skylight a few years ago—figured anything that cuts down on climbing a ladder was worth a shot. It's definitely helpful, especially after rain showers, but "self-cleaning" is a bit of marketing hype IMO. Still gotta get up there once or twice a year, especially in spring when pollen coats everything yellow.

One thing I noticed though—bird droppings don't stick quite as stubbornly as they do on regular glass, which saves some elbow grease. Overall, it's handy for those awkward windows you dread cleaning, but if you're expecting spotless glass without effort, you'll probably be disappointed. For most windows within easy reach, I'd say skip it and put the money toward better insulation or something else practical.

I gave the self-cleaning glass a whirl on our sunroom windows a couple years back. Honestly, it felt like buying one of those robot vacuums—sounds amazing until you realize it still misses spots and gets stuck under the couch. Sure, rain helps wash off some grime, but spiderwebs and stubborn dirt still need manual intervention. It's not useless, just don't toss your ladder out yet...or your window cleaner.

We moved into our first house last year and inherited these self-cleaning windows from the previous owners. They're decent, but honestly, still gotta hose them down occasionally. Definitely cuts down cleaning time, but like others said, don't expect miracles—birds still leave their mark, lol.

Gotta be honest, I think the "self-cleaning" part is mostly marketing hype. My folks installed some a couple years back, and sure, they're better than regular windows at staying clean-ish... but they still get dirty enough to bug you. Especially after storms or pollen season—forget it. And birds? Man, those little guys seem to take it as a personal challenge. 😂

Honestly, I found just investing in one of those extendable window-cleaning squeegee things way more practical (and cheaper). Takes me like 10 minutes tops every month or two, and it's weirdly satisfying. I mean, if someone left them behind for free, cool bonus—but paying extra for the "self-cleaning" feature? Eh, probably wouldn't bother myself.

Yeah, I get what you're saying... but do those self-cleaning coatings wear off after a few years, or are they supposed to last the life of the window? Seems like another thing that could quietly fade away after warranty expires.

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm wondering too—seems like every "maintenance-free" thing I've tried eventually needs some kind of upkeep. Has anyone actually had these coatings for more than a few years? Curious if they really hold up or just slowly lose effectiveness over time...