6 best gutter guards of 2024

What we like

LeafFilter gutter guards are made of 275-micron surgical-grade stainless steel micro-mesh. This screen blocks debris as small as shingle grit. LeafFilter provides a host of additional gutter services, including gutter cleaning and repair. 

What we don’t like

LeafFilter’s high-quality product is reflected in its prices. We surveyed more than 1,500 customers of top gutter guard companies. According to our respondents, LeafFilter has the highest prices by a sizable margin.

We were able to inspect and test this system firsthand, as LeafFilter supplied us with a floor model of its product for testing. It performed as advertised by blocking the majority of debris while still allowing water flow. Debris that wasn’t washed away from the top of the guard during our simulated rainfall test was easily removed with a direct spray from a garden hose.

LeafFilter’s gutter guards use a stainless steel micro-mesh screen set into a PVC frame with supporting substructures. This system creates an efficient guard that keeps out debris, is long-lasting, withstands impacts and handles heavy water flow. Its guards are installed with a built-in pitch, which allows most debris to roll off for ease of cleaning.

LeafFilter has positive customer responses across independent review sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot. It has more than 6,500 BBB reviews with an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars. LeafFilter has more than 125,000 Trustpilot reviews, 82% of which are for 4 to 5 stars. 

We noted two major themes in customer reviews. LeafFilter’s customers are generally impressed with the performance of its representatives and technicians. Most customers note that representatives are polite, helpful and knowledgeable. LeafFilter’s service technicians were skilled, professional and prompt, according to many reviewers. 

However, negative reviews reference poor scheduling. Multiple complaints note LeafFilter failed to meet appointments, which led to rescheduling and other post-scheduling conflicts.

We surveyed just under 200 LeafFilter customers to get a general estimate of the cost of a LeafFilter system. According to the survey respondents, you can expect to pay nearly $4,500 for a 200-foot LeafFilter gutter guard system. However, some customers in our survey and in online reviews note prices up to and exceeding $10,000.

LeafFilter provides a transferable, lifetime warranty. It promises to replace your system or refund the price for all LeafFilter materials installed on your home if it ever clogs. LeafFilter’s warranty only extends to its products and does not cover “damage to gutters, fascia boards, or roof substrate or surface caused by the installation of LeafFilter products.” 

I read the warranty in detail and noted that it becomes invalid in the following scenarios:

• The guard “sustained damage from structural changes, adjacent trees or plant life, or an uncontrollable act of nature.”
• The guard was “modified or altered from its original installation or any willful action was taken to impede or restrict the flow of water through the gutter system.”
• An overflow occurred due to an improper number or placement of downspouts.

What we like

Gutter Guards America offers a high-quality micro-mesh screen that rests inside an aluminum frame. It also provides gutter and downspout installation, cleaning and repair. Gutter Guards America customer reviews are generally positive, with an average rating of 4.5 stars on Trustpilot. 

What we don’t like

Customer reviews mention that Gutter Guards America doesn’t communicate well and is prone to scheduling problems, noting issues such as failing to call back, frequent rescheduling and late arrivals. Our survey results support this, with a higher-than-average number of respondents noting late arrivals.

While we were unable to test Gutter Guards America, our testing process indicated that stainless steel micro-mesh guards are the most effective guard type and block more debris than any other type of filter. Most customer reviews praise the quality of its products, with very few reporting clogs or other system failures.

Gutter Guards America offers a stainless steel micro-mesh screen with an aluminum base, steel frame and supporting substructure. Its screen has a series of ridges (called “S-bend technology”) that improve filtration and self-cleaning.

Gutter Guards America is a smaller company, and online reviews are more sparse. However, the reviews that exist are positive overall. Gutter Guards America has an A+ rating on the BBB but has only two reviews. Its Trustpilot page has more than 600 reviews, 88% of which are for 4 to 5 stars. Only 7% of the reviews are for 1 to 2 stars. 

Customers praise the guard’s performance and the skill and professionalism of the company’s technicians. Common complaints include poor communication habits, late arrivals and long callback wait times.

We surveyed customers and discovered that Gutter Guards America is one of the market’s most reasonably priced professional gutter guards. According to the 237 customers who responded, the average cost for a Gutter Guards America system is $3,545 for 200 linear feet. This price is nearly $1,000 less expensive than LeafFilter and $500 less than LeafGuard.

Gutter Guards America offers a transferable lifetime warranty. Its website lacks many details on this warranty, such as its conditions or limitations. Gutter Guards America states, “Under this warranty, we guarantee that the quality and workmanship of our services will meet your highest standards. Should you encounter any issues within the warranty period, our dedicated team of professionals is just a call away, ready to address and resolve them promptly and efficiently.”

What we like

LeafGuard provides a durable all-in-one system that blocks most debris, handles heavy rainfall and protects your gutter system. LeafGuard backs its products with a no-clog guarantee and a limited lifetime transferable warranty. 

What we don’t like

LeafGuard’s system effectively blocks medium- and large-size debris but may fail to block pine needles, shingle grit and seedpods. LeafGuard is expensive and is second only to LeafFilter in price, according to our survey results.

LeafGuard uses a reverse-curse system and the scientific principles of liquid adhesion and surface tension to filter debris. Unlike many gutter guards, LeafGuard uses a one-piece design in which the guard is part of the gutter. This means it can’t be installed on other gutters, so LeafGuard will need to replace your existing gutter system during installation. 

LeafGuard’s product is made from aluminum and coated in scratch-proof paint, making it resistant to peeling, chipping, blistering and other damage. This design makes it more durable and difficult to damage.

LeafGuard has a mix of positive and negative reviews across the BBB and Trustpilot. Customers note the professionalism and expediency of its representatives and installation crews. A large number of respondents praise the effectiveness of LeafGuard’s products. 

Critical comments express concerns about LeafGuard’s sales tactics. Some customers compared LeafGuard’s sales pitches to timeshare or used car sales pitches. However, even critical reviewers rarely fault the quality of LeafGuard’s product.

According to a survey of 300 LeafGuard customers, it is the second most expensive professional gutter guard system you can purchase. We found that you can expect to pay an average of $4,000 for a 200-foot LeafGuard system. Reviewers on the BBB and Trustpilot have noted much higher figures, with some citing prices between $7,000 and $10,000.

LeafGuard provides a limited lifetime transferable warranty. It covers all manufacturing defects in the guard and its materials. It is transferable to new homeowners within 50 days of the home sale. To redeem it, you must notify LeafGuard within 45 days of apparent damage. 

I read the warranty and noted that it doesn’t cover any of the following: 

• Accidental damage
• Building settlement and structural failures
• Damage as a result of the installation of incompatible accessories
• Exposure to damaging atmospheric conditions such as salt spray or acid rain
• Fires, floods, earthquakes, radiation, lighting, storms, hail or other “acts of God”
• Improper installation 
• Misuse, intentional damage or vandalism
• Mold and mildew
• Normal weathering
• Unreasonable use
• Wind-borne or falling objects

What we like

Raptor Gutter Guard is one of the best DIY gutter guard options available. Produced by Gutterglove as a DIY alternative to its professional services, this product features a high-quality, stainless steel micro-mesh guard set into an aluminum frame. It comes with a detailed, easy-to-understand instruction manual that we used to install the guard during testing. Raptor’s website hosts a wide selection of articles and guides detailing installation instructions for uncommon or complex gutter and roof systems. 

What we don’t like

Raptor’s screen, while effective at stopping debris, is thin and bendable. During installation, we noted how easy it was to bend or dent the screen if we weren’t careful. The guard’s frame extended roughly an eighth of an inch beyond the screen, which led to gaps between each guard section. We used a pair of tinsnips to clip the frames to make the screens flush.

Raptor gutter guards perform very well. During testing, we applied an assortment of debris to the guard, including pine needles, deciduous tree leaves, seedpods, twigs, pine cones and shingle grit. Raptor’s screen kept out all debris except tiny pieces of shingle grit and dirt. We then applied water at varying speeds and intensities to simulate different levels of rainfall. Raptor withstood most rainfall intensities, only overflowing in simulated heavy downpours.

Raptor has more than 5,000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.5 out of 5-star rating. Customers appear satisfied with Raptor’s performance, price and installation. Positive reviews point to the instruction booklet, ease of installation and effectiveness of the micro-mesh screen. Customers were particularly impressed with Raptor’s ability to block pine needles.

Critical reviews note the difficulty of installing Raptor on nonstandard roof and gutter systems. Some customers expressed frustration about altering or modifying the gutter guard to fit on their gutters or fascia. Other complaints include Raptor’s inability to handle snow or ice. According to some customers, Raptor’s guard doesn’t filter snow; instead, it creates a platform for it to rest on. This issue results in ice dams or snow piling up.

Raptor’s products come in several different packs. Its standard stainless steel micro-mesh guard costs $124.99 for 48 feet on Amazon. To cover a 200-linear-foot gutter system, you will need to purchase at least five packs for a total of $624.95. For 6-inch gutters, you’ll need Raptor’s “super 6-inch” pack, which currently costs $149.99 for 48 feet or $749.95 for five packs.

Raptor products come with a 25-year warranty. Raptor’s Amazon page and website don’t host specific details, but the last page of its instruction manual covers warranty terms and coverage exclusions. The warranty only covers parts and does not protect against labor and reinstallation problems.

What we like

A-M Gutter Guard offers a DIY guard made from industrial 0.18 gauge, heavy-duty tempered aluminum. This means its guards are thick and will never rust. These guards are difficult to dislodge once secured to your gutter system. During our testing, we found them to be highly effective at keeping out medium and large debris; only pine needles were able to penetrate the guard. These guards perform well and are highly durable and fairly priced. 

What we don’t like

A-M’s aluminum gutter guards are difficult to install compared to other DIY brands. When we installed these guards, we had to screw holes through the gutter and adjust the back of the guard to fit onto our fascia board. We also noted some design issues, such as the lip at the front of the guard. This section creates a small ridge that can collect debris.

A-M’s gutter guards performed well during testing. These guards effectively blocked leaves while allowing water to pass through easily. The guards occasionally overflowed when exposed to heavy water flow but could handle average rainfall levels. 

We were most impressed by A-M’s durability and secure connection. Because A-M features a thicker gauge and screws directly on your gutter, it provides an impressive layer of protection. We applied a stress and durability test to the guard by attempting to dislodge and dent it, and it performed better than any other DIY product we tested.

On its Amazon page, A-M Gutter Guard has over 5,000 reviews, and 93% of them are 4- and 5-star reviews. Most positive reviews note the impressive performance of the guards. Some highlights include its durability, quick installation process and reasonable price. 

Critical comments note that the guards occasionally need to be bent, folded, cut or otherwise altered to fit on the gutter system. Other reviews note that the guard lip and flat surface allow debris to build up easily. Our installation and testing process confirmed both of these issues.

You can purchase A-M Gutter Guard on Amazon in 200-foot packs for 5- and 6-inch gutters. The 5-inch gutter guards cost $264.99, and the 6-inch cost $289.99. You can also purchase 100-foot sections for $144.99 and $164.99, respectively.

According to A-M’s website and Amazon page, it offers a lifetime product (manufacturer’s) warranty. According to its warranty, A-M promises its product won’t rust, rot or self-deteriorate. We were unable to find further information on this warranty, including its coverage, limitations and other conditions.

What we like

Amerimax Home Products offers a wide variety of guards for DIY installations, including mesh-screen, reverse-curve and micro-mesh guards. We tested each guard and found the metal mesh, snap-in gutter guards performed the best. These guards prevent the buildup of debris such as pine cones, deciduous tree leaves, twigs and long-leaf pine needles. We were most impressed with the guard’s ability to handle large amounts of water. It performed the best in our water passage test, handling downpour levels of water without overflowing. 

What we don’t like

Amerimax’s mesh guard doesn’t protect against small debris, such as pine needles, shingle grit and seedpods. It has sharp edges that required us to wear thick gloves to install safely. The guard’s design traps some debris, meaning homeowners must clean it more often. Due to the large holes and the ability for some materials to get lodged on top of the guard, it was also more difficult for us to clean than other DIY guards.

This guard performed above average in testing. It stopped most medium- to large-size debris but failed to prevent small materials from entering the gutter. It scored well for durability and ease of installation. 

Its metal frame was tough and resisted attempts to bend, warp and dent it. The screen also slid into the gutter section easily, with the curved lip fitting snugly under the edge. As a mesh guard, we were also able to screw between the wires of the mesh for added stability. It scored the best in our water passage test by withstanding the heaviest water applications.

Customer sentiments toward Amerimax’s gutter covers are positive. This product’s Amazon page has more than 1,500 reviews, with 91% being 4 to 5 stars. Positive reviews praise the guard’s performance, ease of installation and reasonable price. Some commenters noted that the guards can block some pine needles. 

Most negative complaints stem from shipping errors or the occasional overflow. Some customers claim to have received the wrong product or that materials were missing from their shipment. Other customers claim that the pitch of their roof combined with the guard’s design resulted in frequent overflows.

You can purchase a pack of 25 3-foot sections for $71.34 on Amerimax’s Amazon page. You’ll need to buy three of these to cover a 200-foot gutter system for a total of $214.02. You can find these guards at major home improvement stores, such as Lowe’s and the Home Depot, for $3.97 and $3.48 per 3-foot section, respectively.

Amerimax’s gutter guard warranty varies depending on which product you buy. The higher-end options have longer warranties. The metal mesh guard has a 10-year product warranty and manufacturer’s warranty.