"All things equal, are Impervia or Essential better windows?"

Nothing equal about that comparison. All day on the Essentials, much better window.

I like the Elevate or Ultimate better from Marvin, but in this comparison I'd agree with MWM that the Essentials is the superior choice.

+1. I would go with the Elevate as well for a prettier unit.

I am debating the Marvin Essentials versus elevate myself. The elevate line is a step up, but I think I prefer not having wood interior. You can't get lower maintenance than all fiberglass.

@artemis1, for lowest maintenance I'd agree that forgoing wood on the window would fit that best. The thing is, if that is how your priorities fall, you may want to consider an option with better performance.

Most times when a window with middling(or worse) performance is chosen, its either due to emphasis on aesthetics (wood in most cases), or a low price. The Essentials and all fg Impervia are really the opposite of the "best of both worlds". They aren't inexpensive, the performance(thermal and structural) isn't great, and they really aren't even particularly attractive. A higher end vinyl window would do a better job in most cases, otherwise a better performing fiberglass or composite, something like one of the Canadian fiberglass windows or the Starmark composite would also work well.

The Essentials isn't a bad window per se, but it also doesn't do anything particularly well. There are a narrow set of circumstances where it can make good sense, perhaps someone just wants the most cost-effective window that they can get with the Marvin name on it, or a painted interior without using wood.

Inline is a fiberglass window company in Ontario. Link.

Is the inline brand available in the US? I have never heard of them.

Thank you HomeSealed for the in depth reply. I really don't care for vinyl, which is why it is difficult to make this decision. My quote for Alside Mezzo vinyl windows came in at the same price as the Marvin Essentials. It's not even a high end vinyl. Do you feel that the Marvin Signature line is any better? I am getting a quote on those next week.

Sorry if anyone received multiple notifications. When I edited this, it went goofey...

"My quote for Alside Mezzo vinyl windows came in at the same price as the Marvin Essentials."

In that comparison I would definitely take the Essentials over anything Alside. Signature line is a much higher quality window but it is a wood / aluminum clad product.

+1 to what MWM said.

I like Homesealed ’s responce best. A top brand vinyl may meet your needs in appearance and would out outperform them all. Quite often a top performing vinyl will cost less then the Essential. The Mezzo typically would cost less then the Impervia and Essential due to the fact it is typically cheaper to purchase. we could suggest some other products if we knew your location. some details such as the options you are looking for would be helpful to.

I'm no expert. Just a window shopper myself. If you are looking for more visually appealing fiberglass window then you should go with Marvin Essential. However Pella Impervia are an extremely strong fiberglass window. Check out this page to watch videos on their strength tests and read comparisons Pella Fiberglass vs. Marvin Fiberglass | Pella

MWM, I live in the Chicago area. I have never liked vinyl products. I am not 100% opposed to a white wood interior, but seems silly to go with wood at that point. Although, the elevate line is still a contender for me. My home isn't large or upscale, so really, I don't need anything top of the line. Something decent will do.

"However Pella Impervia are an extremely strong fiberglass window. Check out this page to watch videos on their strength tests and read comparisons Pella Fiberglass vs. Marvin Fiberglass | Pella"

Look for reviews of Pella as a whole since the 70's. I would be hard pressed to use anything from them in a dog house.

The few little demo videos they have showing the fiberglass "strength" are such marketing crap its pathetic.

It would been more convincing if they would of had Howie Long there.

Good answers above. If the Mezzo is the the vinyl choice that you considered, I'd agree that it probably not a good example of a "premium" vinyl window.

What are the things that you like about the Essentials that you feel are superior to vinyl?

... and I'll add one more time that I don't think that Essentials is a bad window, it just doesn't offer great performance compared to some others. Someone mentioned Inline fiberglass windows above, they would be one of the high performance Canadian products that I alluded to. They do have some distribution in the US, it depends on your location.

The frames have a sleeker look. I have never liked the corner welds of vinyl. Plus I was buying into the fiberglass is stronger pitch, but not sure I believe that now...

HomeSealed and others, you mention a higher end vinyl that would do a "better job" than the Marvin Essential, what would that be? I'm in NW WA and shopping black inside and out, mostly fixed and casement. Original plan was A100s but current lead time is a no go. Essentials are 10-15% higher cost than A100s and not looking to go much higher.

I also received a quote on Sunrise Vinyl which a few people had mentioned as a higher end vinyl product. It was quite a bit more expensive than the Essentials and I didn't like them at all. They still had that clunky vinyl look. I still haven't made a decision, as it's not pressing, but vinyl is not a contender.

The "Essentials" is essentially....a throw away. I wouldn't put that in a chicken coop.

​WoW Can you elaborate why you think they are a "throw away"? Is there a Marvin that is not throw away in your opinion?

Earlier in the post, WoW you mentioned that you prefer the Elevate line for a "prettier unit." Isn't Elevate basically Essentials with wood clad interior. Correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding was that the wood is mostly for looks and doesn't add much in regards to performance? It is a pretty window and not much more expensive, but does it perform better?

"Isn't Elevate basically Essentials with wood clad interior."

Sightlines and detailing is completely different.

What about durability and performance? One of the worries I have with Essentials is the 2.25 inch jamb. It is very thin.

@gabe cascadia what was Andersen telling you is their current a100 black/black lead time? We ordered from them early Dec and assuming they will be super delayed but we haven’t gotten an update. What are Marvin and Pella’s lead times?

@rachel As of this week, lead time for A100 black/black is 32wks. Not too sure about the others.

@gabe ok thank you! That means we could be waiting for 5 more months😭 really hoping and praying that isn’t the case. Super curious if these other big companies can promise shorter lead times for black/black… let us know what you hear!

Sunrise also has an "Essentials" line, which I hadn't realized until now. They have a reputation of being junk, hence being referred to as "essentially a throw away window".

I know I'm a bit late to this thread. I'm about to pull the trigger on some black/black Marvin Essential casements, awnings & pictures for my cabin - which will have a modern look. Strength of fiberglass aside, I've not found vinyl windows that are as sleek/modern looking as fiberglass windows. I love the thin frames and maximum glass. I keep hearing the advice to consider higher end vinyl as an alternative, yet no brands are mentioned.

Depends on where you are located. There certainly are some vinyl windows that will compare in VT numbers (i.e. translated frame and glass to unit size). That said, fiberglass can have that modern look. Sounds like it will be a nice looking project. You doing the black interiors as well?

What climate zone will the cabin be in? Reason I ask is that there are plenty of folks with condensation and frost issues on double pane windows with this blast of cold. Keep that in mind when selecting glazing schedules. Might be worth the triple pane bump in price to make sure they don't sweat.

If you search this forum category, you will see a poster in Chicago dealing with ice on his Marvin windows. Don't want that in a building that you may not be occupying that often.

Thank you for the feedback! Our cabin is being built in the North Georgia mountains. Yes, we are doing black interior frame as well. We did consider triple pane but I don't think it's necessary in our climate (correct me if I'm wrong).

You're probably fine in Georgia.