Our review of the new Aluco elite doors & windows

So good is Elite™ by Aluco, that we’ve awarded it the Door and Window Experts Website, Product of the Year, 2024.

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What is Elite™ by Aluco?

Developed as a direct successor to the successful Exterior Collection, Elite addresses the limitations of existing steel-look products while introducing innovative features. The system combines great aesthetics with modern window and door performance, offering thermally efficient, secure, and customisable solutions for residential and commercial applications.

We’ve seen Aluco Elite both at the Aluco Factory, at the recent Homebuilding and Renovation Show in London, and in Aluco Dealer Showrooms for this review.

Futureproofed to meet 2025 Building Regulations, it is designed to be one of the best-performing and most versatile steel-look windows and doors. At the same time, Elite replicates steel windows and doors brilliantly, with a matching collection of internal doors, sliding doors and steel-inspired screens.

Aluco Aluminium Ltd remains the only manufacturing company in the UK to provide a fully integrated steel-look solution, ensuring a unified appearance inside and out. From doors and windows to internal sliding systems, their complete range makes it possible to enjoy the timeless elegance of steel-look styling throughout every area of your home.

Aluco Aluminium designs and manufactures Aluco Elite, which is available through a nationwide network of trained, approved, and fully supported quality installers. The aluminium profiles are the latest generation, thermally insulated, and coated with a professionally applied colour finish. You have a choice of high performance glass, toughened in doors as double or triple glazing and luxurious designer door handles. Elite has been cleverly designed not just to be a gorgeous steel-look window or door with the iconic glazing bars and grid-like pattern but also as a contemporary and ultra-slim system without any glazing bars at all.

The system’s ability to match slim sightlines across windows and doors creates a cohesive design, making it ideal for the replacement of dated metal, plastic or wood windows and of course, in new build window and door openings.

There are many new features within Elite, so we’ve separated them into those for the windows and the external single or double doors.

Features of Aluco Elite™ Windows

Elite by Aluco windows are packed with innovative features that set them apart from competitors, some more noteworthy than others.

The Concealed Trickle Vent

By far the most important innovation is how the trickle vent (and your new Aluco windows are most likely to need them) has been cleverly designed to be slim, unobtrusive and act as additional weather protection for the window. Where other window systems need a bulky add-on, Elite has been designed with an ingenious solution for the trickle vent. On the outside the external part of the trickle vent is hidden under a slim profile, way smaller than the typical 35-45mm add-on of other brands. This not only looks much neater, but the profile housing the vent also acts as a weather bar for the top of the window. Internally, the trickle vent is housed on the face of the slimline profile, giving a much neater appearance.

Other features and technical elements of Elite windows:

• Ultra-Slim Profiles: Slim glazing bars and transoms create an authentic steel-look aesthetic with unmatched elegance.
• Ultra-Slim Glazing Bars: A choice of 20mm, 25mm glazing bars.
• Enhanced Thermal Efficiency:
  • U-values of 1.4 W/m²K with double glazing (28mm units, centre pane 1.0 W/m²K).
  • U-values of 1.0 W/m²K with triple glazing (44mm units, centre pane 0.7/0.6 W/m²K).
• Seamless Design:
  • No handle blocks; handles are CNC-machined through the bead for a sleek finish.
  • Flush glazing beads for clean lines and a modern look.
• Bay Window Configurations:
  • Dedicated 90°, 135°, and flexible angles with load-bearing poles for structural integrity.
  • Improved internal finish with no visible gaps.
• Innovative Drainage:
  • Concealed drainage systems integrated into the profiles for a clean aesthetic and enhanced durability.
  • Sloped window cills drain water effectively without relying on glued end caps.
• Superior Construction:
  • Internally glazed panels prevent water ingress and enhance security.
  • Robust, heavy-duty box couplers for strength without compromising slim sightlines.

You’ll need to be very careful with competitor systems such as Alitherm and airMOD steel look windows because at the time of writing, these windows do not meet current building regulations for U-Values unless they are triple-glazed. The same applies to doors, and we would urge you to check and get the figures clarified and confirmed with these older generations of steel-look windows and doors. Additionally, it’s hard to achieve a 1.0 Wm2K U-Value on triple-glazed windows. Most only go to about 1.2Wm2K.

If there is a negative to this new system right now, it’s whether there is a suitable profile for this window to go into the various stone mullions and surrounding areas. If there isn’t right now, we understand it is something Aluco are looking to provide with a suitable odd or equal leg outer frame.

Slimmer doors without bulky couplers or dummy glazing.

The main benefit and new feature of Aluco Elite doors is the perfect lining through of door and side panel transoms with consistent and balanced sightlines. This is a downside of Alitherm and other similar systems, in that these doors, when needing side panels, need a dummy sash and external glazing. As a result, the side panels have thicker surround frames.

The new Aluco Elite doors with side panels are now fully internally glazed, eliminating the need for external glazing. The 38mm standard door transom is one of the slimmest, with other products being around 42mm to 48mm. Unlike other systems, the same transom can be used for the side panels of doors. The slimmer 25mm and 20mm bars are also available, making these doors look similar to steel doors.

This slimming down of steel-look doors also extends to doors with top-glazed panels. No couplers are required for French doors or single doors with fixed lights above or single doors, ensuring better aesthetics and rigidity. There is no flex despite using thinner and fewer profiles. Doors now come in one frame, whereas other brands come in two or more.

The maximum door heights have been increased up to an impressive 2.4m high, compared to the 2.1m or 2.2m maximum of other brands. There have also been improvements to the hardware. These doors are the only ones of their kind with fully adjustable hinges. The hinges also have a fire escape facility. Not only are these a valuable safety feature, but they also enable the doors to open fully backwards 180 degrees, in most cases.

The door locks are also substantially improved, with mushroom cams running all the way down the vertical of the door and a eurogroove designed into the system. The flush bolts for the secondary leaf are smaller and better designed, too. And at the most used part of the door, that is, the handle, the maximum security cylinder now sits flush with the handle plate instead of sticking out on each side on competitor doors. It cleverly comes in black as this is naturally the most desirable colour, but it is also scratchproof, given keys hit it. And as a finishing touch, the keys themselves are stylish and premium.

• Slimmest Transoms on the Market:
  • Transoms as slim as 38mm beat the 42mm and are thicker on other brands.
  • Available transoms: 38mm, 50mm for toplights and windows, and 60mm HD for drip bars and trickle vents.
• Improved Door Size Capability:
  • Maximum door height of 2.4m, exceeding the industry standard of 2.1m or 2.2m.
  • Maximum door width of 1000mm
  • Minimum width = 600mm
  • Minimum height = 1700mm
• Advanced Hinges and Locks:
  • Adjustable butt hinges ensure perfect alignment.
  • Mushroom cams and multipoint locking systems offer enhanced security.
  • Scratchproof, three-star black cylinders flush with the profile, eliminating protrusions.
• Innovative Ventilation:
  • Concealed trickle vents are integrated within the frame, maintaining the sleek appearance.
  • Drip bars are routed discreetly into the frame head to prevent water ingress.
• Structural Innovation:
• Threshold Options:
  • Ramp-style Part M thresholds for accessibility, compliant with new-build standards.

How Much Does Elite by Aluco Cost?

Aluco Elite is new and wholly bespoke and presently, there are no indicative prices. Get in touch with us for more information about Elite, and putting you in touch with a local Aluco installer near you.

Other Steel-Look Windows and Doors to Consider

There aren’t any like-for-like systems on the market to Elite right now, but let us explore some options you’re likely to come across and how they compare. You will see we focus on U-Values because these are important for compliance with Building Regulations, because these matter and product must comply.

Smart Systems Alitherm Heritage

The tried and tested steel-look system, Smart Systems Heritage, is now showing its age, superseded by the Alitherm Heritage 60. Alitherm Heritage remains a great system, but it only complies with Building Regulations as a triple-glazed product. Many installers are still selling this product as a double-glazed door and screening system, and its unclear how they comply. So do check!

Smart Systems Alitherm Heritage 60

Alitherm Heritage 60 is designed to address the limitations of Alitherm Heritage because the Smarts Systems website finally gives some details on how their products meet the required U-Values. While our calculations using Pilkington Spectrum, can’t get to the 0.9 required U-Value, let us assume this is a compliant door. That said, Elite is more sophisticated and more refined, with better features. The doors go wider and taller too.

Air MOD Heritage Doors

A well-made product, which again appears to be non-compliant as a double-glazed system, but when triple-glazed will get to 1.4 U Value using glass of 0.8Wm2K. Air MoD doors are well made, with good styling, and manufactured by one of the oldest established aluminium manufacturers in the UK. Unfortunately, it is only available in the South of England.

New Aluk Heritage Door System

Aluk is always spot on with its product performance claims, and its new Heritage Entrance Door is another option. It doesn’t have the slim bar options of Elite. However it is well-designed and has the reliable Aluk name.

RK Steel Exterior System

Given the closeness of Aluco to Steel, it’s also worth comparing it with the RK Systems exterior steel system. This uses profies from Secco Systemi, which are more expensive and have substantially longer lead times.

Why Aluco Elite™ gets our Product of the Year 2024

The industrial, heritage and steel-look style remains a growing trend in windows and doors as we explore in this article about what’s on trend in 2025. Despite its popularity, the UK market still offers very little in the way of standout choices and products. Some leading brands struggle to meet Building Regulations unless triple-glazed at best, or raise compliance questions among professionals. Meanwhile, new product sometimes seem more focused on filling portfolio gaps than creating something genuinely desirable for end users. Simply put, most steel-look products lack inspiration, refinement and appeal.

Too often, system houses prioritise ease of fabrication and fitting over aesthetics, something only manufacturers and fitters value but end users don’t. To reinforce this point, even a major player like Express Bifolds has yet to adopt a dedicated steel-look system in their product range. Could this be due to the uninspiring offerings from leading aluminium system houses?

Aluco, by contrast, specialises exclusively in steel-look systems, and this singular focus has produced an ultra-premium, hand-assembled, and meticulously finished range. Designed with the philosophy of being ‘the last doors you’ll ever buy,’ Aluco’s commitment to excellence is no accident, building on the legacy of its owners, who previously introduced the UK’s first timber-look PVCu window with Evolution.

More information and where to buy Aluco Elite™

Contact us for a more detailed explanation of the styling, design and product benefits of Aluco, and where to view this new steel-look collection.

Featured image Courtesy of Sherbone Windows, premier Aluco Installer in Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and London.