In the UK, there are numerous brands of bifolding doors to choose from. Contemporary aluminium bifolds are a great option for patio doors as they create a sense of spaciousness, connect your living space with the outdoors, and offer security, weather resistance, and energy efficiency.
In this guide, we discuss choosing the best bifold door; we explain our review process, and how we evaluate quality. We also provide recommendations for various categories, including the best overall, luxury, slimline, budget-friendly, Critical®-style, and heavy-duty bifolding doors.
I’m often asked to name the best bifolding door. In my opinion, Origin are the brand that provides the perfect balance of quality, styling, specifications and functionality. So, for that reason, they would be our pick for the best overall bifolding doors. However, “best” is subjective; aside from budget, it depends on the intended usage.
Nick Dardalis
How the Aluminium Trade Supply Website reviews bifold doors
We regularly visit systems companies, fabricators and installers to view their products being manufactured and fully installed in a display setting. We get routine and valuable feedback from manufacturers and installers who work with the product and those selling it to the trade or public.
The technical manuals for each new window or door contain essential information about design, aesthetics, sightlines, and technical elements. The people at the Aluminium Trade Supply Website have been part of the glazing industry since 1989 and have experience with all the various bifolding door brands. This allows us to understand and explain technical manuals accurately and without bias.
Evaluating quality when choosing the best bifold
Bifold doors vary in design, quality, price and features. The good news is there is no bad product on the market. Well-made and properly installed, even the lower-priced doors are reliable and will give you a good experience.
Everyone will have different criteria for choosing which bifold suits them best. The best bifolding doors will also depend on where you’re fitting them, for instance, in a dwelling as the main set of garden access doors, one of several patio door sets, or even a commercial environment where bars, restaurants or offices place greater demands on a bifold, compared with a door set in a typical home. In this guide we only consider Aluminium framed bi-folding doors, other materials such as timber and uPVC have not been included.
For security, energy efficiency, and weather protection, you can rest assured that all bi-fold doors provide good overall specifications, with most being tested to the latest security and weather performance requirements. With the correct glass specifications, they should also meet the requirements of current Building Regulations for new openings or replacement door projects.
Nick Dardalis
Therefore, whilst most salespeople may promote the higher quality aspect of their product it is unlikely the aluminium, colour and glass is significantly better on one product than the other. These key components are produced to set specifications and industry standards. In other words, aluminium can only be a certain grade for doors. The colour finish is done by professional applicators and glass is also made by the specialists.
Bearing mind mind that people will have different criteria when choosing the best bifold doors, so in this guide we have picked the best systems from each of the following styles:
- Best overall bifold for most uses
- Premium bifolds
- Engineering and design
- Budget bifolding patio doors
- Heritage or steel look bifolds
- Commercial and heavy use
Best Bifold Door at a glance
| Category | Top Choice | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Bifold for Most Uses | Origin OB-72/OB-49 | Balance of features, quality, price, aesthetics, security, handle options, availability, and brand reputation. |
| Premium Bifolds | Solarlux Bifolding Doors | German made, multiple threshold options, self-cleaning tracks, LED lighting, exclusive locking and handle designs, high-end luxury. |
| Engineering and Design | Schuco ASS70 FD and AS FD 75 | German engineering, slim sightlines, high-end handles, wide panel options, contemporary styling. |
| Budget Bifolding Patio Doors | Smart Systems Visofold 1000/1000 Slim | Reliable, attractive, affordable, widely available, suitable for trade and DIY. |
| Heritage or Steel Look Bifold doors | Aluco Steel-Look Bifolding Door | Stepped heritage sash, premium quality, wide handle choice, complements steel-look windows. |
| Commercial and Heavy Use | Solarlux Bifold Doors | Ideal for commercial environments, used in schools, libraries, various non-dwelling settings, robust design. |
Why Origin doors are the best overall bifolding doors
Origin provides the best balance of features, quality, price and specification. Both Origin OB-72 and OB-49 bifold doors combine virtually all of the features that make a fantastic overall bifold. Aesthetics, price, quality, security, handle options, availability, and brand reputation are all excellent with an Origin folding sliding door.
With an excellent guarantee, a nationwide network of great installers, standard or slim models, and arguably the best colour and personalisation options on the market. Origin does it best.
Premium Bifold Doors
If budget is not your primary consideration, the best high-end or luxury bifolding doors differ because they’re made and designed better than other brands. They also have features and options other bifold doors don’t come with. Another reason to choose these doors is that the company that designed them also makes and supports them either directly or through a carefully selected and trained installer network.
Solarlux Bifolding Doors
Solarlux invented bifold doors. When you choose a Solarlux bifold, whether all aluminium, all wood or a combination of wood and aluminium, this brand gives you several features you won’t find on other doors. Made in Germany, Solarlux doors offer more threshold and track options, self-cleaning tracks, optional LED lighting, and even the facility to clean the outside pane of glass from inside the house on certain models.
The locks, handles, and hardware are all designed by Solarlux – they do not use hardware from other manufacturers like most other brands. A Solalrux bifold is also one of the slimmest. The Solarlux Megaline is so advanced it can go up to heights only possible with the most expensive sliding doors.
Whichever of the Solarlux bifolding doors you choose, all promise a luxurious, high-end product with a distinctive style and the best possible materials and specifications. Solarlux is the best-engineered and made on the market. A Solarlux bifold costs more, it takes longer to make, and the lead times for delivery are longer, too. However, the waiting and overall investment are well worth it.
Centor Bifolding Doors
It’s the way Centor manufactures its luxurious and exclusive products, making them second on our list for best ultra-premium bi folding doors. Centor bifolds achieve what we know to be an unrivalled quality because the attention to detail applies at parts of the door set that other brands can ignore. Every other bifold door brand colours the aluminium first. Then they go through the cutting, machining and assembly process.
Centor assembles its doors first. Then, they go through the colouring process, ensuring any cut aluminium is covered by paint, creating a flawless finish at every part of the product. The handles used on these doors are also first class with remarkable styling and quality. Cantor even offers optional flyscreens. We know of no other bifold doors made with the attention to detail of a Centor. Centor isn’t the slimmest bifold, and they are expensive. However, when it comes to absolute quality, luxury and brand reputation, Centor is the go-to bifold. Find out more about Centor bifolds.
Sunflex Bifolding Doors
Another Made in Germany prestige bifolding door is Sunflex. The Sunflex brand delivers some of the slimmest sightlines and incredible product quality. Sunflex doors are all about style and carefully thought-out reasons to do things differently from other brands. One example is the main bifold door handles. Sunflex handles sit vertically, running down the profile instead of horizontally. As a result, you don’t get to see the back of the door handle as you look through the glass. Other components come with typical German over-engineering, such as the door catches, allowing sequential closing of the panels. Any Sunflex bifolding door provides excellent styling, thin aluminium profiles and overall user experience. It is also well-priced.
Award-winning Sunflex bifolding doors are available in aluminium or hybrid aluminium and timber versions and offer some of the highest specifications on the market.
Best Bi-fold door for overall engineering and design options
Certain bifold doors are engineered better and to meet specific needs. You may need a threshold and track for the disabled use or one that goes over and above what comes as standard. Perhaps you want the widest possible door panels and the best insulation, security and overall specifications. These bifolding doors automatically include the ultra-premium brands mentioned, but also include products offering an equally impressive product and user experience at a lower price.
Schuco ASS70 FD and AS FD 75
You only have to operate a Schuco bifolding door, then try another brand and the quality, design, and engineering are obvious. Contemporary styling, slim sightlines, high-end door handles, German engineering and design, but made in the UK. Most glazing professionals regard the Schuco brand as one of the best too.
The ASS70 FD HD model comfortably provides panels up to 1.5m wide, creating the appearance of a sliding door, but with the functionality of a bifold. There are numerous installers of Schuco doors, so get in touch for details of one near you.
New for 2022 is the ASFD75, now slimmer than most on the market, yet with the same impressive 1.5m wide panels if you want them. Simply put, a Schuco bifold gives you the best of all worlds in terms of styling, capability, brand reputation and product quality.
Reynaers bifolding doors
The Reynaers bifolding doors range is another prestigious brand similar in quality and reputation to Schuco. Whether you choose the CF77 or the more recent CF68 model, both come with excellent styling and several opinions for the threshold. Reynaers products also meet more demanding installations, with insulation and frame upgrades giving even better performance. Reynaers also give you the thickest triple glass capability as well. The styling of Reynaers products is modern, appealing and works in any setting.
aïr900 bifolding doors
The aïr900 bifold doors are a re-engineered system exclusively made by Everglade Windows, one of the longest-established aluminium manufacturers in the UK. The experience and reputation of Everglade as an aluminium specialist are evident in these doors for build quality and product support.
With excellent specifications, some of the most luxurious door handles available and contemporary lines, aïr doors come with a 25-year guarantee and through an exclusive dealer network.
Bifolds with slim sightlines
In reality, most bifolding doors have similar dimensions to the surrounding frame, comprising the physical door panels. Where they differ are the dimensions of the closed-door panels or middle mullions. In our professional opinion, you should never discount an otherwise excellent bifolding door because it is a little thicker. Other features of the door, such as the quality of its components, how well it slides and folds and its overall design, matter more. However, if getting the thinnest possible dimension at the closed panel junctions matters the most, here are the best bifolding doors with the slimmest dimensions and providing a great overall door experience.
With a meeting panel dimension of 88mm, the Alumil Smartia MF65 is the slimmest product in the UK. However, you will struggle to find Alumil generally. The Express Bifolds product is our recommendation for the Alumil Smarta, which is exactly the same Alumil product.
Smart Systems Visofold 6000
Smart Systems Visofold 6000 are the best bi folding doors for slim sightlines because the dimension is just 94mm whilst also having a fantastic price point. Widely available nationwide, this door is well designed, reliable and secure and comes from the UK’s biggest aluminium system company.
Visofold 6000 suits standard-size openings better than larger ones. Its door panels also don’t go as wide or as tall as other brands. The handle options are fewer too. However, its impressive slim mullion face dimensions and broad affordability make it worth considering. We’ve fully reviewed Visofold 6000 and think is a great product.
Schuco ASFD75
The latest Schüco folding sliding doors provide the slimmest option of the premium brands. These have a super-slim 90mm sightline with all the top-end engineering and design only Schüco excels at. These are the best bi folding doors on the market, with thin sightlines at the upper-end of the market.
Origin OB-49 bifolding doors
For 110mm slim mullion styling, the legendary Origin quality, some of the best bifold door handles on the market, and wide availability, when it comes to slim bifold doors, Origin’s OB-49 is hard to beat. Choose the OB-49, and you get the thin door mullions with the benefit of what we think is the best overall bifolding door you can buy right now.
Bifolding doors on a budget
The market for more affordable bifold doors is substantial. Many companies and brands provide quality products at slightly lower prices, appealing to the trade, DIY installers or those constrained by budget. Here are the best budget bifolding doors.
Smart Systems Visofold 1000 and Visofold 1000 Slim
The Visofold 1000 bifold door and the new slimmer version called Visofold 1000 Slim come from the UK’s biggest aluminium systems company. Visofold doors are tried and tested over many years, extensively used and provide anyone looking for a more affordable bifold door with a reliable and attractive product.
With such wide availability from numerous manufacturers, you’ll likely find the Smart Systems Visofold 1000 at a great price. Or you can get in touch with us for details of your nearest supplier or installer.
Aluk BSF70 HI Bifold Doors
Equal to the Visofold 1000 bifold door for longevity and reputation, also a firm favourite with the trade is Aluk’s BF73 bifold door. It’s styled similarly, has a heavy-duty version and is another super-reliable bifold when well-made and fitted.
The distinctive feature of the Aluk bifold is the pop-out T-Handle on the intermediate panels with options for better insulation, acoustics and security.
Alutech BF73 Bifold Doors
Newer on the market and designed to replicate the styling and size capability of the more premium Schüco ASS 70 FD model is the Alutech BF73 bifold door.
The sightlines are slim at 120mm, the prices affordable, and widely used under the Alutech brand, but also sold under other brand names. If there is a downside, it is the rather staid door handles provided with the BF73, which are only available in one style and a set range of colours, therefore limiting the choice.
Heritage Bi folding Doors in the Crittall® style and steel-look
In reality, any bifold door can have bars applied to the glass, giving it a Crittall® style, industrial, Scandi or Art-Deco look. However, you’ll mostly struggle to find a bifold with door profiles designed to replicate the steel look and one that isn’t an otherwise standard bifold door. There are two brands, we consider the best when it comes to the best bi folding doors in the Crittall® or industrial style.
Aluco steel-look bifolding door
Based on the Visofold 6000 but improved an with a wider choice of handles, the Aluco steel-look bifolding door features a stepped heritage sash, excellent product quality and comes from a premium aluminium brand.
Aluco also has the advantage of providing steel-look windows, a full aluminium internal doors range, giving you a one-brand solution for steel replacement windows or new windows in this popular style.
Smart Systems Visofold 6000 with Heritage Sash
The Smart Systems Visofold 6000, mentioned earlier provided with a heritage sash, offers a similar stepped sash appearance as the best-selling Crittall style aluminium French door and comes with the same period handle option. It’s the only product on the market giving a more authentic style, and overall it’s an excellent product at a mid-range price.
Bi folding doors for heavy-duty and commercial use
The demands and expectations placed on a bifold door in a dwelling are significantly less than on a bifold in a commercial, public or higher-traffic environment. If your bifolding door is likely to have intensive use or higher traffic, we consider these to be the best for their standard or optional heavy-duty design and hardware for heavy usage. These doors are designed for restaurants, bars, shops, car showrooms, and other non-dwellings.
Solarlux Bifold Doors
The Solarlux bifold is already extensively used in commercial environments and specified by architects for schools, libraries, leisure buildings and elsewhere. There’s also a non-insulated bifold used commercially in offices as partition screens or where flexible space is required.
The Ecoline, Highline and SL45 are three of the most commonly used and best bi folding doors for commercial use.
Comar 7P.i FSDX
Designed and made in the UK, Comar 7P.i FSDX is a slim bifold door also designed for commercial applications. The Comar bifold is already widely used in high-use buildings needing a strong, easy-to-use and reliable product.
Comar’s bifold is also designed to integrate fully with their other commercial products, such as curtain walling or shopfront systems.
Aluk BSF70 HD
Essentially with the same aluminium profiles as residential bifold, the Aluk BSF70 HD comes with heavier duty rollers and an increased weight per panel of up to 130kg. The maximum panel height reduces from 3000mm to 2400mm but it’s an excellent lower-cost solution for public buildings, retail and leisure.
What makes Origin OB-72/OB-49 the best overall bifolding doors?
Origin OB-72/OB-49 doors offer an optimal balance of features, including aesthetics, quality, security, handle options, and availability. They are well-regarded for their excellent guarantee, wide range of models, and extensive colour and personalisation options.
Why are Solarlux Bifolding Doors considered premium?
Solarlux Bifolding Doors, originating from Germany, provide luxury features like multiple threshold options, self-cleaning tracks, and optional LED lighting. Their locks, handles, and hardware are exclusively designed by Solarlux, offering a luxurious, high-end product with advanced materials and specifications.
What are the benefits of Smart Systems Visofold 1000/1000 Slim for budget-conscious buyers?
These doors are an affordable option, known for their reliability, attractiveness, and widespread availability. They cater well to both trade and DIY installations, making them a great choice for those seeking quality bifolding doors on a budget.
How does the Solarlux Bifold Door suit commercial and heavy-use environments?
The Solarlux Bifold is robust and designed for high-traffic areas, making them ideal for commercial settings like schools, libraries, and leisure buildings. Their design accommodates intensive use, with features suitable for non-dwelling environments.
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