Metal gutter guards are the material that everyone is looking for. Metal, whether it is aluminum or stainless steel, will last for years to come and is generally considered the best type of gutter guard. With metal gutter guards, the chance of small debris passing through the holes is greatly reduced. If you are in the market for the best metal gutter guards in 2023, we have you covered.

Top Pick

275-micron stainless steel mesh design

Lifetime installation warranty

Offers new gutter installation services

GET QUOTE
Limited Time:
Get 15% Off Your Full-Service Gutter Installation
Most Durable

Manufactured to match your home

One-piece system includes a guard and gutter

Guaranteed not to clog

GET QUOTE
Limited Time:
75% Off Installation
Best Customer Service
gutter guards america logo

Sturdy aluminum frame and steel screens

Offers 0% financing

Provides gutter repair & installation

GET QUOTE
Limited Time:
Get $500 off in select locations!

Metal gutter guards typically feature a micro-mesh material that does a tremendous job of keeping debris and buildup out of the gutters. Let’s take a look at some of the best gutter guards for your home and how you can eliminate the time that you spend cleaning your gutters.

Here are a few or our favorite recommendations:


Our Top 5 Metal Gutter Guards

Our team at Today’s Homeowner has carefully picked the top 5 best metal gutter guards on the market. Each of these gutter guards has some great functionality and will likely fit directly on your existing gutters. Here are the top 5 metal gutter guards for your home.

LeafFilter: Best Professional Installation

Compare the Best Metal Gutter Guards

CompanyLogoProduct ImageOur RatingBBB RatingLink

A+

B

A

NR

A+

CompanyOur RatingBBB RatingBest For
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A+

Best Professional Installation & Cost

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B

Best-Designed Gutter Guards

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A

Best Performance Warranty

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NR

Best Original Design

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A+

Best DIY Option


Best Professional Installation & Cost

LeafFilter

4.1

Our Rating

Limited Time:
Get 15% Off Your Full-Service Gutter Installation

LeafFilter Gutter Guards are the best overall metal gutter guards on the market. These guards have been helping homeowners with their gutter issues for more than 15 years. One of the things that really helps LeafFilter gutter guards stand out is 275-micron steel mesh. The micro-mesh gutter guard is by far the most effective option on the market for keeping debris out of the gutters and downspouts.

The LeafFilter Gutter Guards have an A+ rating with the BBB, and they typically install gutter guards within a matter of a few days. Customers will feel confident in their investment as the LeafFilter guards come with a lifetime transferrable warranty. There are plenty of low priced metal gutter guards on the market, but they will not provide even close to the same amount of protection and peace of mind as the LeafFilter Gutter Guards will.

  • Steel gutter guard with micro-mesh technology
  • Customizable sizing for any gutter
  • Guards are rustproof
  • Professional installation with a lifetime warranty
  • A+ rating from BBB

As we mentioned, LeafFilter has an A+ rating with the BBB, despite only showing 3.76 out of 5 stars. There are more than 86,000 customers that have reviewed LeafFilter on TrustPilot, and the overall rating is 4.4 out of 5. As you can see by these numbers, the company is highly rated, and their product does an incredible job of keeping the gutters from clogging.

The majority of reviews about these stainless steel micro-mesh gutter guards are positive. However, there are some issues that come up with the contractors and professionals that install them. Sometimes LeafFilter will contract with local companies in the area to provide installation. Some of these companies are better than others. Make sure you ask questions about the installers when you move forward with a quote from LeafFilter.

Best-Designed Gutter Guards

HomeCraft Gutter Protection

4.4

Our Rating

Limited Time:
New Customers Save 50% On Gutter Guards & Labor

HomeCraft Gutter Protection is the best gutter guard design on the market. These are designed to work with a wide range of roofs; everything from roof shingles to metal roofs can work with the HomeCraft Gutter Protection. For almost six years, HomeCraft has been offering its unique gutter guard system to about a dozen states, and they continue to expand. Not only will the HomeCraft Gutter Protection keep large debris away, but it also has a raised mesh design to avoid any type of debris buildup.

With the HomeCraft Gutter Protection, you will need a home improvement professional to install the gutter guards for you. Once they are in place, everything from pine needles, to roof shingle grit and leaves will be kept out of the gutters. The HomeCraft Gutter Protection guards are better looking than many others on the market, even though they are quite visible from the ground.

Get a free quote from HomeCraft.

  • Durable 275-micron steel mesh,
  • Patented system to help improve water flow
  • 304 marine-grade stainless steel
  • Lifetime transferable warranty
  • Unique design, unlike other gutter covers

The HomeCraft Gutter Protection gutter guards have a BBB rating of B. This is to be expected with the company being newer and the availability being a bit limited. However, on TrustPilot, with close to 125 customer reviews, the overall rating was 4.7 out of 5 stars. The HomeCraft Gutter Protection may not be the oldest company on the market, but they are, without a doubt, headed in the right direction.

One of the biggest complaints is that the service area is not bigger and that you must live within a specific state to have access to this heavy-duty gutter guard. In addition, homeowners were sometimes thrown off by the way the colors of the gutter guards look on the website as opposed to in person. These things can be worked out with the help of a great representative. Overall the reduction of gutter cleaning and the fact that these guards will work on every roof helped this company stand out.

Best Performance Warranty

All American Gutter Protection

4.1

Our Rating

Limited Time:
Save $300 on full-home installations

All American Gutter Protection is the most customizable gutter guard in the industry. If you are worried about the aesthetics of your gutter guard installation, All American Gutter Protection will put you at ease. This provider has more than seven years in the industry and an A+ rating from the BBB. The thing that helps All American Gutter Protection stand out from others on the market is the 30 different colors that you can choose from for your gutter guard.

The functionality of the All American Gutter Protection guard is quite good with its stainless steel micro-mesh on the top. The sides of the guard are aluminum, and they will help to keep small debris out of the guards. All American Gutter Protection comes with a lifetime warranty making it an excellent option for those planning on staying in their home for years to come. These All American Gutter Protection gutter guards need to be installed professionally, so ensure that you calculate the installation into your final quote.

  • High-quality stainless steel metal gutters
  • Lifetime warranty when professionally installed
  • Gutter guards are rust-proof
  • Over 30 color options for customers to choose
  • Aluminum frame material for longevity

All American Gutter Protection has strong reviews and ratings across several different websites. From the BBB, you will find an A+ Rating and a star rating of close to 4.5 out of 5. One of the nice things to see on the BBB website is that All American Gutter Protection resolves complaints that they get; this is traditionally the sign of a well-respected business.

As we mentioned, the All American Gutter Protection gutter guards can only be installed by a professional. Since this is an aluminum gutter guard with high-quality stainless steel mesh, you will need a trusted installer to get this project done. Some customers have complained about the installers and saying that teams were late or didn’t show up on a proper day. Keep this in mind when you book your installation; however, the actual product continues to rate very highly.

Best Original Design

MasterShield

4.5

Our Rating

The MasterShield Gutter Guard is the most environmentally friendly gutter guard on the market. With these MasterShield gutter guards, you can expect that the materials used are made from recycled metal to help with sustainability. The micro-mesh design continues to evolve from MasterShield, and this is one of the most effective sloped designs in the industry.

When gutter guards are installed on a slope, the same as the roof’s pitch, it is much easier for debris to fall off the roof. Like some of the other best gutter guards on the market, there are several color blends for you to choose from with this MasterShield Gutter Guard. Clogged gutters, as well as cleaning gutters, are a thing of the past.

Castle Windows is the best choice for homeowners seeking comprehensive, long-term warranty protection for their replacement windows. The company provides lifetime guarantees on windows and workmanship, giving customers some of the best buyer protection in the industry.

Castle’s protection applies to window units, glass, and labor, as long as the windows remain in their original openings. Even if you sell your home, its Castle Windows will retain non-prorated protection with transferable lifetime warranty coverage.

Castle provides customers with additional support in its troubleshooting and service guides. The troubleshooting guide provides extensive window maintenance and repair information, and the service guide video tutorials visually demonstrate how to care for your Castle Windows products.

  • Pitched design to push debris off
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Over 14 color options
  • Made from recycled materials
  • Helps prevent a blockage in the downspout

With the pitched design of the MasterShield gutter guards, heavy rain and adverse climates don’t seem to matter. The MasterShield Gutter Guard is not currently accredited with the BBB, and it has a rating of 3/5 stars. This is about average, and it may have to do with this being a slightly different type of gutter guard.

One of the problems that customers report is the filter inside the MasterShield getting clogged. Luckily there were no corrosion issues, and customers found the installation process to be seamless. You should have no trouble with these gutter guards working with both new gutters and old gutters. The MasterShield gutter guards typically offer fair pricing, and that can help with the overall purchase decision.

Best DIY Option

Raptor Micro-Mesh Gutter Guard

2.6

Our Rating

Limited Time:
No current offers available.

The Raptor Gutter Guards are the best DIY mesh gutter guards on the market. With these stainless steel mesh gutter guards, homeowners can experience easy installation and quick solutions to their gutter problems. We are impressed with the fact that the Raptor Gutter Guards come with a 25-year warranty; this is not something typically seen on a DIY gutter guard installation. The material used to produce the Raptor Gutter Guards is stainless steel, and it comes in three different size options.

When it is time to install these Raptor Gutter Guards, homeowners will benefit from the self-tapping fasteners that are included with the product. Aside from a lock-in gutter guard, installation and pricing won’t get much better than this. It can be a bit undertaking installing your own gutter guard system. However, with the right product and clear directions, this is something that even the new homeowner should be able to handle.

  • 25-year warranty
  • Rustproof gutter guards with lots of availability
  • Three sizes available (5, 6, or 7 inches)
  • Stainless steel material
  • Any homeowner can install without professional help

Raptor Gutter Guards are available in all 50 states, and you can simply order the proper amount to work for your specific roof. On Amazon, there are close to 4000 reviews for Raptor Gutter guards, and the rating is 4.6 out of 5 stars. This is truly one of the top picks on the market, not just for metal gutter guards but for DIY gutter guards as well.

The only issue we saw with the Raptor Gutter guards was that during heavy rain, the water might roll off the edge of the gutter. This fine micro-mesh material cannot always work fast enough with the rain coming down hard; this is especially the case with the smaller widths. As far as fitting these gutter guards on top of the gutter that you have in place, there were no significant issues reported. Directions to install are also clear and easy to understand.

What to Look For in The Highest Rated Metal Gutter Guards

Now that you have an idea of the top 5 best metal gutter guards on the market let’s take a look at which one of these could be the best for your needs. Whether you have K style gutters or you need reverse curve gutter guards, your options may be a bit more limited. However, here are the things to keep in mind when choosing a guard for your rain gutter.

Quality

The metal gutter guards are of the highest quality on the market. Whether you are dealing with rain, sleet, or wind, the metal guards hold up really well. Other options like foam inserts or brush gutter guards do not hold up over time the same way that a metal gutter guard can. In addition, you will want to look at the body of the gutter guard to look for an aluminum or steel material. Steel and aluminum gutter guards have greater longevity than something made with plastic. As always, stainless steel micro-mesh gutter guards remain the highest quality option on the market.

Cost

Metal gutter guards tend to have higher costs than other types of guards on the market. For those that choose the premium metal guards, like the top-rated copper gutter guards, expect there to be installation costs involved with the purchase as well. The cost of the gutter guards will also depend on the size of your home, the number of gutters you have, and whether or not you will need a new gutter as well. With the costs of gutter guards being somewhat high, make sure you research the overall warranty as well.

Installation

Most of the best metal gutter guards on the market are professionally installed. Luckily the Raptor Gutter Guards allow for a DIY installation. Something like a basic leaf guard can be installed by homeowners as well, but these gutter guards on our list of the best metal gutter guards have the perfect surface tension, impressive longevity, and a warranty that typically lasts for many years. In addition, sometimes, a professional installation is required to ensure there is no void of a roof warranty.

Appearance

Metal gutter guards come in a variety of colors. These gutter guards will be something you see from the ground, and finding a color that will match the aesthetics of your home is quite important. Most of the time, the gutter guards will slide under the first row of shingles and then hook to the gutter’s edge. Talk to a representative about the color that will work best for your home.

Size Options

Gutter guards typically come standard in 4, 5, or 6-inch sizes. Luckily there are some manufacturers that will make custom sized gutter guards work for any home. To ensure that you are purchasing the correct amount of gutter guards, you will have a representative come to your home to review the size and see where the gutter guards need to be placed. Most gutter guards are standard and will not need to be customized, but this is an excellent option for those with unique gutters.

Warranty

The best metal gutter guards will come with a lifetime warranty. Some of these warranties are transferrable, making it really easy for those that plan to sell their home. However, most DIY gutter guards have a very short warranty period. Luckily, Raptor Gutter Guards provides a 25-year warranty, even though their guards are DIY-friendly. A warranty is important to consider as gutter guards can be a big investment for homeowners. The great news is that a gutter guard system with a warranty will help increase the overall value of your home.

So, Are Metal Gutter Guards Right for Your Home?

We hope you now feel you can choose the best metal gutter guards for your needs. Metal gutter guards from LeafFilter gutter guards are the best on the market. They will help ensure that there is no clogging of the gutter and that your home does not experience any unnecessary damage. When choosing a gutter guard provider, ensure that you get more than one quote. Getting several quotes will ensure that you get the best possible deal on your metal gutter guards. In the end, gutter guards, especially metal ones, are a great addition to any home.

Check out our best recommendations below:

Top Pick

275-micron stainless steel mesh design

Lifetime installation warranty

Offers new gutter installation services

GET QUOTE
Limited Time:
Get 15% Off Your Full-Service Gutter Installation
Most Durable

Manufactured to match your home

One-piece system includes a guard and gutter

Guaranteed not to clog

GET QUOTE
Limited Time:
75% Off Installation
Best Customer Service
gutter guards america logo

Sturdy aluminum frame and steel screens

Offers 0% financing

Provides gutter repair & installation

GET QUOTE
Limited Time:
Get $500 off in select locations!

How we Ranked, Reviewed, and Tested the Best Gutter Guards

Here, we’ve broken down our rating methodology for gutter guards. You should know that we’ve taken the utmost care to provide the most up-to-date information and to ensure that you make the best choice for your budgetary and home maintenance needs.

Why Trust Today’s Homeowner? Our Gutter Ranking Methodology

At Today’s Homeowner, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. We’ve done the homework for you and have researched over 50 gutter guards so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each gutter guard and gutter guard provider company according to our gutter ranking methodology.

We also dug into the details of each gutter guard to ensure that you could make the best decisions for your home and keep your gutters debris-free for years to come.

To make the most of our research, we developed a formula to objectively determine the best gutter guards based on the following criteria:

  • Material: Material durability was the single most important factor that went into our rating methodology for gutter guards. Whether they were stainless steel micro-mesh or plastic screening, we gave an in-depth rating for this criteria.
  • Debris Resistance: Our testing served as the primary evaluator for this factor. We curated a rating based on customer testimonials and our own in-house testing here.
  • Ease of Installation: Most of the gutter guard options listed have some DIY component involved. For this reason, guards that required the fewest specialty tools got the highest rating here.
  • Cost: How reasonable are prices in comparison to the industry average? We compared the costs of each company to competitors.
  • Warranty terms: We looked into the warranty of lifetime warranty terms if it is offered by the provider.
  • Trust: What do customers rate the company? We looked into what customers are saying about their experience with the company.
  • Buying process: if the gutter guard is a DIY installation, how easy is the buying process? We looked for shipping costs and shipping time, as well as where the product can be bought from.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best material for a gutter guard?

The best material for a gutter guard is either aluminum or stainless steel metal material. The micro-mesh gutter guards have become the best on the market because of their ability to only let water flow into the gutter. The micro-mesh guards will increase the effectiveness of your gutter system while helping to keep your foundation from experiencing water damage.

 


What is the #1 gutter guard?

The number one gutter guard on the market is the LeafFilter gutter guard. These stainless steel micro-mesh gutter guards are extremely durable and have a lifetime transferrable warranty. LeafFilter does a great job of coordinating the installation and ensuring that all homeowners are happy with their finished product.

 


Do metal gutter guards work?

Metal gutter guards do a tremendous job of keeping your gutters free of debris, both large and small. However, this is not the only benefit of the metal gutter guard. In addition, you notice these other benefits:

  • Less cleaning of gutters
  • No water pooling at the foundation
  • Low chance of critters getting into the gutter system
  • Increased strength and stability of the current gutter system

Do I need to clean my gutters with gutter guards?

With gutter guards in place, you should not have to clean your gutters. There are times when you will have a branch that gets stuck or something similar with screen gutter guards, but chances are they will come right out with a quick tug. The real process of having to clean gutters and remove wet leaves and roof grit will be a thing of the past when you have gutter guards in place. Be careful what type of gutter guard you choose so that your experience is a positive one.

 


Do gutter guards go under shingles?

Some gutter guards will go under the shingles on your roof. This can cause problems for some roof warranties, which is important to consider as you shot for the best metal gutter guards. Talk to your sales representative and installer to make sure this is not going to be an issue. Gutter guards that are DIY installed typically slide under just the first layer of shingles, and the process is relatively easy.

 


Editorial Contributors
avatar for Britt Olizarowicz

Britt Olizarowicz

Britt Olizarowicz is a former real estate agent and landscaping business owner. She has a wide range of experience across several industries and was also a professional golfer. With her experience in investing, renovating, and improving properties Britt loves to share in all of the latest and greatest technologies, systems, and strategies to keep your home and garden looking great.

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Lora Novak

Senior Editor

Lora Novak meticulously proofreads and edits all commercial content for Today’s Homeowner to guarantee that it contains the most up-to-date information. Lora brings over 12 years of writing, editing, and digital marketing expertise. She’s worked on thousands of articles related to heating, air conditioning, ventilation, roofing, plumbing, lawn/garden, pest control, insurance, and other general homeownership topics.

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