marti8a- We have 2 sets of aluminum clad, low e, argon filled sliders and a set of the same outward opening french doors, all by Eagle (now owned by Andersen, but independent when we purchased them 8 years ago). They all operate easily, close securely and have no air infiltration, we are in NNY and have wind, cold and snow and have never had a problem. While I like the look of french doors better, we chose sliders in two our of three locations because we wanted screens on the doors, we don't have or want A/C, so screens are on the doors are a must for us. The one french door we have will someday open onto a small sunroom/conservatory (hopefully), that's why we chose a set of french doors in that area. Eagle, as well as the other well known manufacturers, have lots of options on the interior; primed, painted, stained, different wood species, hardware options, etc. We rented a house with vinyl sliders when we were building and I would not recommend them at all, they didn't work well, ice built up in the channels and the cold air poured in seemingly from the entire opening. I strongly prefer the wood interior and aluminum clad exterior, but overall I would get the best ones you can afford, good doors and windows pay for themselves in the form of lower energy costs. Good luck- sandyponder

First, sliders aren’t very secure, so almost any French door is going to be more secure. Years ago we replaced sliders w/ Anlin French doors in the DR. They use a multi-point locking system that is way more secure than the sliders. Ours are outswing, too, b/c if they were in-swing they’d be too close to chairs on that side w/ someone sitting on the chair. We got operating sidelights so we could have air flow w/ doors closed. I didn’t want a screen door for ease of entry/exit & looks w/ V-grooved glass. The sidelights are screened.

In our area, we only have h.d. who is the only game in town and contracts all installs from contractors as far away as 350 miles. Way more horror stories than positive here and it's trying to get the contractors back to fix a problem that's the hard part. I would go to a reputable cabinet shop and get referalls to decent trim carpenter/door hangers in your area. You can check with lumber/building suppliers as well. This means purchasing the doors yourself and applying for the permit, then finding an installer. Ask family friends as well for referalls and always get more than one estimate w/ references especially those who are willing to show you past and present projects.

I have used both Anderson and Pella. With in the last year we installed Pella windows and patio doors. We used Pella to match up with other windows and doors which we had installed 8 years ago. Current Pella production does not even come close to what we had previously bought. In fact it was down right disgusting! Four service calls in two months and still issues. If you can use it, Anderson makes a great french patio door which seals like no tomorrow! We have used them on two different houses. In fact during a hurricane a few years ago, the river came over it's bank and literally splashed against the door, no leaks of any kind. From current experiences I would use Anderson over Pella any day. Have never used Marvin, but understand they make a quality product. Paul