I own and run the Aluminium Trade Supply Website and we receive daily enquiries about Origin and Schuco doors.
There's a lot of marketing hype with home improvements so it's important to separate the facts from the sales patter. If I may share nearly 30 years in the business and give you some insight into thse products.
Origin doors are excellent, there’s no best product on the market but Origin pioneered a lot of innovations in bifolding doors and are arguably the market leaders.
Nobody is sure why one of the most common product comparisons is between Origin and Schuco so I’ll explain a bit more below
Origin and Schuco:
Both these doors are excellent and meet current standards. Therefore as far as security, weathering and quality of product is concerned both and others meet these requirements. However Origin supply their doors to America and they’ve had these hurricane tested, as far as I’m aware Schuco have not. We won’t put our bifolds under anywhere near the duress of other countries but it shows how well Origin are engineered. But if your doors won’t be exposed to the elements, this probably won’t matter too much. So for security and weathering both are on a par.
Origin:
The Origin door is the best selling bifolding door in the UK. Origin are the only company in the UK to offer a 20 year guarantee with the product, it’s the only one available on quick lead times and it’s one of only a few doors on the market that is only made by one company. To some people the 20 year guarantee is important. To others that have no plans to remain in the property that long, perhaps not so important. But it’s there.
The door and window industry supply chain can be complex and generally the Systems Company provide the bars of aluminium and the components to a network of fabricators. This means for most bifolding doors there can be any number of people that make it. With about 14000 window and door companies in the UK, each will have their own source of supply, but the point here is that Origin are the only people that make their doors and therefore quality control is much stricter. Origin the company, the products, the people are all fantastic. It’s a great product made by a great British company.
Schuco
The Schuco product is long established all over the world and it is the preferred name of Architects, high end homes and anywhere that a well engineered product is required. If I was pushed I would say the Schuco door is better engineered than the Origin and it’s the typical ‘German Engineering’ ethos behind it. I’ve been involved with the manufacturing of these doors and how they’re put together is very impressive. Much of this engineering you don’t see but arguably schuco doors are the better designed within. Even thought Schuco don’t have the 20 year guarantee I can tell you Schuco doors and windows in commercial buildings installed over 30 years ago and where the use is far more intensive are still performing as they should to this day.
If I was pushed again I would go Schuco simply because its rarer and I know what Schuco do as a company with their other products. It’s Schuco you’ll see on Grand Designs for example where you see the large panoramic glass doors and screens and generally this is the choice of architects.
I would advise you that if you’re comfortable with the fact that both doors meet/exceed the required quality standards then go with the door you like the look of the most. This in my experience is what the homeowner looks for the most. What is the better looking door? Origin you’ll see is a bit more rounded in it’s appearance. Schuco is more flatline and is slimmer. I would also look at the hardware. The door handles on the Origin door are made by Debar and they’re excellent. They feel well sprung, robust and great quality. The Schuco handles and locking gearing is designed by Schuco and made only for them. For me I like the contemporary look of their hardware and it’s also very well made indeed.
The other difference is the door catch on the doors that holds them together when open. Origin use a strong magnet, Schuco use an engineered catch were you can adjust how tight the doors are held in place. It’s only a small thing and the Origin magnet isn’t better or worse, just different.
So my advice is go with the door you like the look and study the details like handles, locks, gaskets, how the profiles look and the overall feel of them because they’re both very good in their own way.
If I was to compare another product I would look at Reynaers. Reynaers like Schuco are installed in some of the best properties the world over. Brilliantly engineered very well made and look great too.
The other doors you may find are AluK or Smarts. These too are just fine but they use more ‘generic’ hardware and in my view a bit more 'basic'. These are very popular doors that you find all over the place and at vastly different price points. They’re good looking doors but for me Origin/Schuco/|Reynaers far surpass these.
There are then some fantastic frameless bifolding doors by Frameless Glass Curtains in Kent.
Then you move onto the more expensive although the same in quality such as Sunfold and Sunflex. Theres also Centor. All of these come from abroad but are there in the mix as well but i would imagine far longer lead times.
U Values are very similar on all doors and in my experience rarely a consideration with homeowners but the Schuco door has the better U Values depending on the type that’s been tested.
So whilst all bifolds meet all current standards for weather, security, quality of aluminium, quality of paint etc etc, some are better engineered and better made. Go for one of the premium ones assuming their within your budget and the doors that you like aesthetically - go with the doors you like the look of the most and those that will meet your needs the best.
(and the inside!)