Kolbe Windows And Doors are located in Wisconsin and have been at it since 1946. The companies has two factories that make their window and door series: one in Wisconsin and the other in Arizona. Kolbe is known mostly for their higher end wood windows. They generally enjoy a very good reputation. Browse below for our Kolbe Windows reviews.
Company Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Overall Price Point: 9.0 out of 10
Bottom Line: Kolbe & Kolbe is a high quality wood window manufacturer. While I have pretty low opinion of wood windows in general, this is a company that you should get a bid on if you are set on real wood.
(Always collect 3 to 4 additional bids)
Bill — Site Editor
Kolbe Windows Reviews
The Company sells the following window series: Heritage (all wood window that is sometimes called the Kolbe Classic), the VistaLuxe (available as an aluminum clad wood interior or as an all aluminum), the Forgent (fiberglass/vinyl hybrid known as Glastra, available as a wood clad or all Glastra), and the Ultra (wood interior, aluminum exterior).
Kolbe is a very solid brand that has decent availability and high quality options. Kolbe isn’t the most expensive wood-clad option on the market, but it isn’t all that far off either.
Vistaluxe Series vs Renewal
Bill, greetings from Phoenix. I recently got a quote on the Kolbe Vistaluxe series that came out to $1800 per window. Seems expensive right? Then I got a Renewal By Andersen pricing bid that was $2700 a window. Almost had a heart attack. What am I missing here?
Brad Lee – Homeowner – from 2023
Editor Reply
Hi Brad Lee, I think what you’re missing are some reasonable quotes – actually the Kolbe Vistaluxe price is about what I would expect, quite a nice unit in my opinion. Of course, I worry about wood-clad windows and how long they are going to last. But in terms of the price, that’s about what they cost. Have you looked into vinyl options – the Anlin Del Mar is a very nice window – not as nice looking as the Renewal or Vistaluxe, but it will also be roughly 1/3 the price of your Renewal bid.
Bill — Site Editor – from 2023
Kolbe Windows vs Marvin
If you want wood windows, you should have a look at Marvin or Kolbe windows. They are both considered top quality windows in the higher range. The Marvin does a line called the Integrity, which won’t break the bank.
Holland – Installer – from 2021
Kolbe Windows Reviews
Kolbe Windows And Doors has been around for over 75 years and has made a name for themselves in the industry for their high end wood clad and aluminum clad windows and doors.
The company is out of Wisconsin and cater to a “high end” consumer based — read — their windows and doors are expensive. Kolbe makes very solid wood clad windows that will be quite expensive for most homeowners. Definitely worth a bid if Kolbe has a dealer that services your area.
Bill — Site Editor
Kolbe Windows vs Marvin
If you want wood windows, you should have a look at Marvin or Kolbe windows. They are both considered top quality windows in the higher range. The Marvin does a line called the Integrity, which won’t break the bank.
Holland – Installer – from 2021
Kolbe Windows vs Pella
I am torn between Kolbe and Pella windows. The quotes I have show that Kolbe is slightly more expensive than the Pella and all the reviews I have read say I should choose Kolbe. I’ve had Kolbe windows before without any issues, but would still appreciate some advice before I make my final decision.
Guy – Consumer in New Jersey – from 2021
[Contractor Response]
I recommend Kolbe to all my clients. When speaking to other installers, they all agree that Kolbe are the way to go, even though Pella does have a good reputation. Personally I think Kolbe have improved customer services and they are a better quality window.
Tim – Installer – from 2021
[2nd Response]
I have worked with Pella in the past and don’t have much good to say about the brand. While I haven’t had the opportunity to work with Kolbe, I have seen them and they appear to be really good quality. Specifically, installing the Pella Architects was a nightmare. There was no attention to detail in any way and I wasted so much time trying to correct their mistakes to ensure functionality and ensure I did a good job.
Mark – Installer – from 2021
Read additional Pella windows reviews
Kolbe vs Jeld-Wen
I am in the process of obtaining quotes on some double hung replacement windows in wooden clad. The first one I looked at was the Jeld-Wen Siteline EX, which I believe used extruded aluminum rolled against the wood. The others that I really like are the Kolbe Classic and the Kolbe Ultra. The Classic series uses the rolled form, while the Ultra uses an extruded aluminum. Now the Kolbe Ultra has come in at a higher price compared to the Jeld-Wen and their Classic series, it’s around $2,000 more. What I was wondering if it’s worth the extra money or should I settle for one of the other options?
Helen – Consumer – from 2019
[Contractor Response]
From experience I would say you should pay the extra money and go with a quality window, which you will get with the Kolbe Ultra. Jeld-Wen are not a name I would recommend to my own customers, so I’m not going to suggest you choose them. Also I am not a fan of the rolled aluminum. Jeld-Wen purchased three window companies a few years ago and their windows have never improved. While they don’t have that many bad reviews, my personal opinion is to stay away from them. Go with the Ultra’s you will not be sorry.
Miller – Installer – from 2019
Kolbe Windows vs Marvin
I am busy replacing some windows and have narrowed down my search to the Kolbe Latitude windows, which are vinyl and the Marvin Integrity All Ultrex windows, which are fiberglass.
The Marvin Integrity is more expensive, in fact there is about thirty percent price difference between the two. Price isn’t a huge factor, the most important thing is that I get quality windows that are strong and durable. Any information is appreciated and just love your kolbe windows reviews from other people like myself.
Betty – Consumer in Louisiana – from 2017
[Contractor Response]
I always recommend Marvin to my clients. They are a well-known brand with a proven track record when it comes to quality products. The Integrity series is a stunning window and personally I feel they are the most visually appealing window you can get. I believe we are expecting a number of fiberglass windows that are due to be available in the coming months, so it will be interesting to see how they compare to the Marvins.
Wayne – Installer – from 2017
Color Options
I am in the process of installing Kolbe windows for a customer who wanted a cream interior finish. I was shocked at the strange creams available in their range. What is disappointing is that Kolbe is such a good window, they are durable and strong, yet their colors are much to be desired. I managed to reduce the price by changing the French door interior to pine and eliminating some of the screens, but we are still stuck with this horrid cream for the balance of the windows.
Jeff – Installer – from 2016
Good Wooden Window Choice
For anyone looking for quality wood clad windows, I would recommend Kolbe and Marvin. The Window World and Semco are some of the worst I have seen when it comes to wooden window options. If you are keen on the Marvins you can always go with the Integrity series if on a budget, as the Ultimates tend to be pricey.
Brandon – Installer – from 2016
Sash Kit Options
I have been doing window installations for years and one of the top requests lately are the Kolbe Sash kits. I must say I have now installed plenty of them and they are good wood windows. We did encounter a few problems along the way including the screens. We found Kolbe would deliver the wrong screens and eventually we outsourced the screens for a slightly higher price, but they were a great option.
Another problem we encountered with the Kolbe sash kits was that they didn’t always fit with the existing stools, but they did work very well which it came to compression jambs. These are in demand because they are an affordable option. If you were to choose Marvin or Pella, you would be paying considerably more.
They are definitely a good choice for anyone who doesn’t want to pay a fortune and don’t want to do a complete tear out in order to save money. Do yourself a favor and go read as many kolbe windows reviews as you can because I do worry sometimes about all wood windows and how long they are going to last.
Mike – Installer – from 2007
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