Manual vs electric roller shutters: which is better?

Depends on three things: budget, how often you'll actually use them, and how tall the window is.

Manual shutters are the cheaper option, about $300-$400 less per window than electric. They use a winder, strap, or crank to roll up and down. Good for:

• Tight budgets.
• Smaller windows you can reach easily.
• Renters or short-term occupancy (they hold their resale value well).
• Anywhere without nearby power.

Downsides: tedious if you've got 8+ windows; nobody enjoys cranking shutters at 11 am every summer day; eventually the spring or strap wears out and the repair is fiddly.

Electric shutters cost $900-$1,400 installed and use a tubular motor inside the box. Good for:

• Windows over 1800 mm wide (too heavy to crank pleasantly).
• High windows you'd otherwise need a ladder for.
• Anyone who wants smart-home scheduling.
• Multi-shutter groups controlled together.
• People with mobility issues. Flick a switch, done.

Downsides: requires an electrician (unless battery/solar); motor is a wear part with a 5-10 year warranty; remote/controller batteries die; one bad limit-switch can disable the whole shutter until reset.

The honest split: if you're shuttering 1-3 small windows, manual is fine and you'll save real money. If you're doing the whole house, electric pays for itself in convenience within a year, and let's be honest, manual shutters that never get cranked do nothing at all.

A common middle path: electric on the big front windows you use daily, manual on the small bathroom and laundry windows you basically leave closed year-round.