While micromesh gutter guards often come with higher associated costs, the benefits that they can provide for your gutter system and home are more than worth the price. Generally, the best gutter guards will help your gutters to function as intended by preventing clogs, ice dams, leaks, and reducing the cleaning frequency for your current system.
The best micro-mesh gutter guards are made from corrosion-resistant materials and will keep even the smallest debris out, including pollen and shingle grit. Whether you’re after full-service gutter guard installation or a DIY option, we’ve got you covered. Read below to learn more about our top micro-mesh gutter guards.
Check out our top picks below:
275-micron stainless steel mesh design
Lifetime installation warranty
Offers new gutter installation services
Manufactured to match your home
One-piece system includes a guard and gutter
Guaranteed not to clog
Sturdy aluminum frame and steel screens
Offers 0% financing
Provides gutter repair & installation
Our Top 6 Micro-Mesh Gutter Guards
We’ve analyzed the best micro-mesh gutter guards on the market and looked at cost, features, effectiveness, installation, warranty, and more. Here is how the top 6 best micro-mesh gutter guards ranked:
Compare Micro-Mesh Gutter Guards
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LeafFilter
4.1
Our Rating
LeafFilter Gutter Guards gain our recognition for being the best available micro-mesh option on the market. Their proprietary three-piece construction helps to provide a gutter guard that not only keeps small debris out of your gutters and downspouts but also ages well and does not warp over time.
Though you’ll have to get professional installation for this option, LeafFilter offers all of this in-house. Each of their gutter guards includes the following components:
- Structural hangers: Corrosion-resistant hangers sit within all gutters to support the overlying frame and screen.
- uPVC frame: A plastic frame with large holes allows for free waterflow into the gutter system, while ensuring that the screen doesn’t warp.
- 275-micron screen: A stainless steel screen is secured to your existing gutters and keeps the smallest debris away from your gutters.
- Material: Stainless steel micromesh screen and uPVC frame
- Visibility: Not visible from ground level
- Cost: $17 – $45 per linear foot
- Size: Can be custom-fit to any gutter system
You’ll have to pay between $17 and $45 per linear foot for LeafFilter. This will include professional installation and the cost of all materials. You should be prepared to negotiate on whatever starting price they quote you, as all reviews point to there being some wiggle room on cost.
LeafFilter is one of the most trusted names in the gutter guard industry, and for good reason. The 4.4/5 rating on Trustpilot through more than 90,000 reviews and the A+ rating on BBB show that customers greatly appreciate the quality of the product they’re afforded with LeafFilter.
A common sticking point with customers was the high initial cost they were quoted. However, this appears to be by design, as all LeafFilter agents offer an array of discounts, and will be flexible on costs. The gutter guard itself performed well and only seemed to accumulate debris when paired with a low-pitch roof.
HomeCraft Gutter Protection
4.4
Our Rating
HomeCraft offers one of the more reliable micro-mesh gutter guards on the market. 304-grade stainless steel mesh, coupled with raised-diamond structures within the screen helps to maintain efficient waterflow. The aluminum frames ensure that the screen itself holds its shape despite any debris accumulation.
HomeCraft gutter guards require professional appraisals and installation but are well worth going with a full-service provider. Price points are relatively manageable despite the quality of professional work you’ll receive.
- Material: Marine-grade 304 stainless steel
- Visibility: Slim profile not visible from the ground
- Cost: $4.50 – $7.75 per linear foot
- Size: Can be custom-cut to fit any gutter system
You’ll have to get a personalized quote from your local HomeCraft representative in order to get an accurate appraisal for service. In most cases, costs range between $4.50 and $7.75 per linear foot.
HomeCraft’s reviews are high across most major platforms, which includes a 4.8/5 through just under 150 reviews on Trustpilot. This rating includes 3% negative reviews, with most customers reporting on the quality of their new and improved gutter system after installation.
HomeCraft seems to hold up over time as well, as the raised-diamond design is able to provide some necessary support without the presence of structural hangers under the guards. No matter your roof slope or material, this is a great option.
LeafGuard
3.5
Our Rating
LeafGuard is not a micro-mesh gutter guard; instead, it is an alternative to micro-mesh that is a one-piece gutter and guard solution.
LeafGuard only offers professional installation. However, the customization options with the LeafGuard design are considerably more versatile than other non-seamless gutter manufacturers. The product comes with a lifetime warranty to ensure longevity and increase the value of your home.
LeafGuard combines the functionality of a wide and strong gutter with the reverse curve style gutter guard into one seamless design. Since this is a seamless gutter created on-site at your home, customization and tricky curves or turns in your roof will not be an issue. With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, LeafGuard gutter guards can deliver.
- Structural Hangers: LeafGuard is not attached directly to your home’s roof, so there is no worry about a roof warranty being voided. In addition, the strength of the gutters is considerably higher because of this installation.
- Thicker Aluminum and Large Downspouts: The gutters and gutter guards from LeafGuard are designed to handle heavy rain. In areas of the country where 30 or more inches of rain per hour are standard, LeafGuard can help because of the larger downspouts.
- Guaranteed Not To Clog: LeafGuard states that their reverse curve design will never clog. It is possible for debris to run down the channel into the gutter, but it should never be clogged with leaves or pine needles.
- Material: Aluminum Reverse Curve Style Gutter and Guard
- Visibility: Custom painted to match current home colors
- Cost: Contact For Pricing
- Size: Seamless gutters available in all sizes
Some quotes for LeafGuard start around $10 a foot but can go much higher to over $30 a foot. The cost that you get will be determined by the size of your home, your location, and any customizations that you are looking for with the product.
LeafGuard has been in the industry for 29 years. There are some mixed reviews about the reverse curve design as a whole, but it can handle quite a bit of water at once. The LeafGuard gutter guards and gutters have an A+ rating with the BBB and actively respond to complaints and customer issues.
All American Gutter Protection
4.1
Our Rating
All American Gutter Protection offers some of the most customizable gutter guard options in the industry. With 30-plus different color and design options, your gutter guards are guaranteed to blend in with your present house and gutters.
Visit All American Gutter Protection’s website to sign up for a free in-person estimate.
All American provides full installation of aluminum and stainless steel gutter guards, which can filter out nearly any type of debris.
- Material: Stainless steel and aluminum
- Visibility: Matches your current gutter’s profile
- Cost: Contact for a quote
- Size: Can fit almost any gutter system
You’ll have to contact All American for a quote for gutter installation. Quotes will be all-inclusive within their service area.
Mary’s experience with the Southampton, Pennsylvania branch of All American is typical for many customers who opt for this provider’s gutter guards. It enjoys a solid A+ rating on BBB and provides a product that lasts.
Many customer reviews report solid performance, even under less-than-ideal conditions. This guard has been proven to provide resistance to pine needles, shingle grit, leaves, pests, and far more.
Raptor Micro-Mesh Gutter Guard
2.6
Our Rating
Raptor Gutter Guards earn our vote for the best DIY micro-mesh guard. When you purchase these gutter guards from Amazon, or from any other major seller, you’ll be supplied with all of the needed equipment, hardware, and instructions needed to install them on your own.
Visit Raptor’s Amazon page for current pricing info.
The patented v-bend corrugations in this mesh guard create greater structural stability, which allows each section to stand up to debris accumulation well. For DIY maintenance around your roof or gutters, you can’t do much better.
- Material: Stainless steel
- Visibility: When installed correctly, Raptor guards aren’t visible from the ground
- Cost: $125 to $150 for a 48-foot gutter guard kit
- Size: Fits nearly all gutter sizes, including the most common five, six, and seven-inch gutters
Raptor typically costs between $125 and $150 for a 48-foot kit. Since most homes will require between 150 to 200 linear feet of gutters, you’ll have to purchase multiple kits for full coverage.
Raptor’s aluminum frame and 304-grade stainless steel construction make it a fairly durable option for DIY gutter guards – and for gutter guards in general. The 4.6/5 rating across more than 4,000 reviews it has garnered on Amazon is well-earned due to its durability and ease of installation.
You’ll have to be fairly handy, as this buyer discovered, but the low cost is well worth the effort if you have the necessary tools. Through our own exhaustive testing, Raptor guards held strong. While some debris accumulated on its surface, water was still able to flow into the underlying gutters with relative ease.
Superior Gutter Guards
3.2
Our Rating
Superior Gutter Guards are another premium option for DIY micromesh gutter guards. They’re readily available from Amazon and are sold with all necessary hardware for an easy at-home installation.
Find current pricing of this gutter guard on Amazon.
Superior’s raised grid system provides a similar profile to many other top names in the micro-mesh niche, at affordable prices. The varied depth and structure of the micro-mesh screens ensure that debris is easily separated and channeled away from your fascia and roof, while water flows easily into your gutters. As a bonus, all Superior Gutter Guards come with a 20-year warranty.
- Material: Stainless steel with an aluminum frame
- Visibility: Lies flat on your existing gutters for minimal visibility from the ground
- Cost: $120.99 for a 48-foot gutter guard kit
- Size: Fits five-inch gutters
At $120.99 for a 48-foot kit, you’ll likely have to pay for three to five full kits to cover most residential gutter systems. However, this is still one of the most cost-effective options available.
A 4.6/5 rating through 350-odd reviews on Amazon is proof positive that Superior Gutter Guards are a quality product. Despite the fact that they’ll only be a suitable fit for five-inch gutters, they serve their purpose fairly well.
Customers most commonly remark upon the ease of installation with this product, and the quality of the hardware supplied for easy fastening to the existing gutters. Additionally, our own testing confirmed what clients had already said; that this product holds up to all types of debris and conditions.
What to Look For When Buying Micro-Mesh Gutter Guards
Quality of the guard
All gutter guard manufacturers offer slightly different products, and quality will vary from one provider to the next. Micro-mesh gutter guards as a whole tend to offer the best long-term protection, which justifies somewhat higher pricing.
You will want to ensure that your gutter guard is made from a material that will not rust or warp over time. Whatever gutter guards you eventually purchase will be exposed to the elements, and should be made with materials suited for such long-term exposure. High-quality steel gutter guards and aluminum gutter guards typically last the longest.
Price Point
How much you spend varies with the different kinds of gutter guards and the manner of installation. A DIY installation will always be cheaper but will come with shorter, less inclusive warranties. Professional installation of gutter guards will come at a higher cost but will offer quality assurance and greater peace of mind. If you’re opting for DIY installation, then be sure to shop around for the best product. Similarly, if you’re looking to pay a professional contractor, you should get multiple quotes.
Installation
Installation processes for any gutter guard will vary from company to company. Some slide under your roof shingles, while others are attached to the fascia board using fasteners. Labor warranties from certain providers will help to ensure that, no matter the installation method, you’ll be covered for damage due to shoddy workmanship.
Certain providers will also offer full gutter installations along with gutter guards. If you opt for this, your gutter guard installation cost and timeline will be altered.
Visual appeal
Most micro-mesh gutter guards are made to lay flat and not be seen from ground level. There is some variance here, with higher-pitched designs, but you may have to choose an option that balances aesthetic appeal and actual quality, depending on your exact wants.
Gutter Coverage
Proper measurements are key to any gutter or gutter guard installation. If you’re attempting a DIY installation, then you should buy around 10% more in the way of materials than you think you’ll need. This will account for loss due to odd cuts for corners and will offset any potential mistakes. If you’re going with a local licensed pro, then this should be of minimal concern. Your gutter provider will be able to render an all-inclusive estimate, regardless of linear feet or material to be used.
Warranty Options
The micro-mesh gutter guards we’ve reviewed here are made of high-quality materials. Warranties for these can last anywhere from 20 years to a lifetime transferable warranty. Your options here are an essential consideration to be made during the buying process, as they could cover any failures or maintenance issues.
Final Thoughts
Micro-mesh gutter guards are built with corrosion-resistant materials to keep even the smallest debris away from your gutters for the long term. Micro-mesh guards are also some of the best gutter guards for ice and snow. Our outline of our top five providers and gutter guard products should provide you with a baseline to begin searching for the best option for you.
Though we rate LeafFilter at the top of our list, we know that shopping around is essential. Depending on your exact needs, weather conditions in your area, roof pitch, gutter width, and budget, you may have a different best gutter guard in mind. Either way, we recommend careful consideration of your final decision, and that you examine both DIY and professional options here.
Our Testing Method
At Today’s Homeowner, we value transparency and authenticity when it comes to rating any of the products we review. For each DIY gutter guard option, we purchased sample packs and installed them at our facility. Eight feet of each gutter guard was installed on our five-inch gutters and was tested for a full week under harsh conditions.
We replicated these by loading the tops of our gutters with the following types of debris while subjecting them to periodic heavy rainfall (greater than 50 mm per hour). The debris below was loaded on at a weight not to exceed eight ounces per foot, by the percentages listed.
- Hay (30%): Dried hay was meant to replicate the weight and consistency of dry leaves and smaller sticks that could fall onto gutters in any location. Most of this would simply roll off the gutters at the start of any simulated rainfall, and would not pose an issue for most gutter guards.
- Mulch (45%): Cedar mulch is a bit weightier and of more mixed consistency. This would affect any non-micro-mesh gutter guards, as the varied texture would be troublesome when coupled with wet conditions.
- Screened Top Soil (25%): Screened top soil (no more than two ounces per foot) would simulate shingle grit, pollen, and any other small granulated debris which could accumulate on gutters.
Each of our gutter guards was tested outdoors for a full week with the above debris piled on. In addition to natural elements, we simulated heavy rainfall (50 mm per hour) on each for at least two periods of two hours to ensure proper water flow for the duration of testing.
Methodology: How We Rank Gutter Guard Companies
At Today’s Homeowner, we strive to bring you the most transparent, accurate information for your home improvement projects. Our gutter guard ratings emphasize what matters most to you — keeping your gutters debris-free for years to come.
Our ratings are based on publicly available information about each company, secret shopping online and over the phone, customer-review analysis, and interviews with former and current home improvement experts.
A company can earn a maximum of 100 points across six categories, converted to a five-star scale. We researched and analyzed over 50 gutter guards and developed the following formula:
- Product Overview (15 points): Micro-mesh gutter guards are the best on the market. They screen even the smallest debris from your gutters and typically have the structural integrity to withstand heavy rainfall and accumulated debris from trees and surrounding foliage. We also curated a rating based on customer testimonials and our in-house testing to determine debris resistance. Guards with multiple color and sizing options also rated well in this category.
- Services Offered (35 points): Gutter guard providers who offer a full range of services are rated highly here — gutter installation and removal, complimentary maintenance, and more factored into this rating.
- Affordability (15 points): Though getting cost estimates for gutter guards typically require home visits, we ranked companies based on factors such as discount and financing programs, multiple easy payment options, and the increased value of complimentary maintenance.
- Warranties (10 points): A company that stands behind its products and services will offer material and workmanship warranties. We evaluated companies based on how comprehensive these warranties are.
- Customer Service (10 points): We considered customer service availability and ease of communication.
- Company Reputation (15 points): We looked into each company’s service record to determine how they treated clients and how they responded to customer complaints. Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating and complaint response rate were our primary metrics for this category.
We monitor company data on an ongoing basis to keep rankings and information up to date.