Good Housekeeping magazine (and the Good Housekeeping Institute) published its 2025 Home Renovation Awards, including four selections across doors and windows. The Good Housekeeping staff performs hands-on analysis and “10,000 hours of testing” for the program, the article said, while also leaning on seasoned designers for input on aesthetics.
The article cites nine experts for their participation in the project, ranging from home improvement professionals and home builders, to designers, engineers and analysts.
“With 77 winners, this is our biggest list of award winners to date,” the article noted. “Still, our judges had a tough time narrowing it down, given the breadth and quality of this year’s submissions.”
In the category of “Scene-Setting Glass Walls,” the magazine selected Simonton’s MaxView Multi-Slide vinyl patio door. Among the key attributes listed was a variety of standard sizes, which “helps to keep the cost down,” the magazine notes. The product offers one-, two-, three-, four- and six-panel configurations, including pocket panel designs for maximum opening sizes and bypass panels that stack. Colors can be mixed and matched, designers noted.
Under the “Lab Results” section, editors said Simonton “is a [Good Housekeeping] Seal holder, so our engineers can attest to the construction quality of its vinyl windows and doors.” Third-party performance tests of the multi-slide door were also validated, including for Missile D impact resistance and High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) certifications.
Another key feature includes brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze and brass finishes for hardware, with advanced physical vapor deposition (PVD) treatments. According to Good Housekeeping’s tests, PVD finishes offer optimal corrosion and scratch resistance.
For “Awe-Inspiring Awning Window,” Good Housekeeping selected Western Window Systems (Miter Brands) pass-through awning window. “The windows are designed for kitchens with an adjacent outdoor living area, making it easy to pass drinks, dishes and the like between the two spaces while enhancing the visual connection to the outdoors from inside,” the article notes, adding, “For homeowners whose budget doesn’t allow for a moving glass wall, this new awning window is the next best thing.”
The magazine notes the product’s innovative design and “ample dimensions,” offering widths of 24 to 96 inches and heights of 36 to 60 inches. Engineers also examined durability, putting the window through 7,000 open and close cycles without incident and leaving it in the open position for 14 days, without sagging.
Marvin’s Elevate bi-fold door earned the label “Fabulous Folding Doors.” Among the key features mentioned in the article were its “strong,” fiberglass construction, which resists dents and cracks. The exterior finish also resists fading, editors noted. Inside, the product’s pine interior can be painted or stained to match existing motifs—an option they felt was a bonus for homeowners.
Under lab results, engineers reported that they found the fiberglass exterior on Marvin’s door to be extremely weather resistant and easy to maintain—a finding they back up with independent certification from the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). Other design features noted in the writeup include the ability to span openings up to 22 feet in width and energy-efficient, dual-pane, low-E glass.
Lastly, Window World’s premium sliding glass patio door made the list as the “Perfect Patio Door.”
In its writeup, the magazine notes the design of traditional patio doors as the starting point for multi-panel configurations. Good Housekeeping suggests those doors remain the “best choice for most homeowners who are looking to open their homes to the outdoors.” Window World’s product is available in two-, three- and four-panel configurations, they noted, with the option for side lites and transoms.
Window World is a longtime partner of the Good Housekeeping Seal program, the article noted. As such, the company’s products have been “thoroughly vetted for performance and efficiency” by the program’s engineers over the years, they said.
According to the article, Good Housekeeping has been independently testing and researching products for over 120 years. As an added perk, the article included direct links for more info and obtaining quotes.