Head-to-head · Best Gutter Guards

Amerimax Hoover Dam Metal Mesh Gutter Guard vs GutterBrush 5-Inch Gutter Guard

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Amerimax Hoover Dam Metal Mesh Gutter Guard is the only one of the two with a published score (4.0); GutterBrush 5-Inch Gutter Guard has none, so this is not a close call so much as an unmeasured one. Amerimax Hoover Dam Metal Mesh Gutter Guard is best for: Homes that see heavy rain and leaf fall, where water overshooting the gutter is the main problem and occasional sweeping of the guard is acceptable. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #4 in Best Gutter Guards

Amerimax Hoover Dam Metal Mesh Gutter Guard

4.0

1 sourceall derived

The Amerimax Hoover Dam is a powder-coated steel mesh guard sold in 3-foot pieces, with raised ridges meant to catch fast water and turn it into the gutter. Bob Vila named it best for downpours after seeing no overflow during a late-summer deluge, and This Old House scores the Amerimax mesh guard 3.9 out of 5 for its durable alloy steel. It is not micro-mesh, so shingle grit gets through, and its ridges hold debris that needs sweeping off.

Strengths

— No overflow during a late-summer downpour in Bob Vila's testing, thanks to ridges that catch running water
— This Old House notes a 15-year limited warranty
— Debris swept or blew off easily with a brush or small blower, per Bob Vila

Watch-outs

— Not micro-mesh, so shingle granules pass through, per Bob Vila
— The ridges trap debris that must be cleared periodically, per Bob Vila
— Its 7-inch width sat far under the shingles on 5-inch gutters and left a visible bump in Bob Vila's install

Buy at homedepot.com Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best Gutter Guards

GutterBrush 5-Inch Gutter Guard

Unrated3 sources$29.95as of Oct 11

GutterBrush is a cylindrical bristle insert that sits inside a standard 5-inch gutter with no screws or tools. This Old House says it has the easiest installation of the guards in its under-$1,000 guide and traps large debris well, but does not block shingle grit or pine needles as effectively as other brands and costs the most per foot. Bob Vila found it the most universal guard it tested and warns that it is not maintenance-free.

Strengths

— No tools, screws or fasteners needed, per This Old House
— Works with fascia-mounted and shingle-mounted brackets; the most universal guard Bob Vila tested
— Allows ample water flow, per Bob Vila

Watch-outs

— Does not block small debris such as shingle grit or pine needles as effectively as other brands, per This Old House
— Prone to clogging with larger debris and not maintenance-free, per Bob Vila
— The most expensive system in This Old House's under-$1,000 guide

$29.95 · Buy at gutterbrush.com Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Amerimax Hoover Dam Metal Mesh Gutter Guard

Unlike the Raptor and Waterlock micro-mesh guards, the Hoover Dam is a coarser steel mesh, and Bob Vila notes it will not stop asphalt shingle granules. It is metal like the A-M aluminum guard, but uses raised ridges to steer heavy runoff into the gutter. It needs screws and tools to fit, where the GutterBrush simply slides into the gutter.

GutterBrush 5-Inch Gutter Guard

The GutterBrush 5-Inch Gutter Guard is a bristle insert that needs no fasteners, where the A-M Gutter Guard 5-Inch Aluminum is screwed to the gutter lip and the Raptor Gutter Guard Stainless Steel Micro-Mesh and Waterlock Micromesh 5-Inch Gutter Guard are micro-mesh covers. This Old House says GutterBrush does not block small debris such as shingle grit as effectively as other brands; Bob Vila found the Waterlock mesh stopped asphalt granules.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Amerimax Hoover Dam Metal Mesh Gutter Guard	GutterBrush 5-Inch Gutter Guard
Type	Metal mesh cover with raised ridges	—
Material	Powder-coated alloy steel	—
Piece Size	7 in wide x 3 ft long	—
Fits	5- and 6-inch gutters (per Bob Vila); 4- to 6-inch (per This Old House)	—
Mounting	Slides under shingles, snaps to gutter edge, self-tapping screws	—
Warranty	15-year limited (per This Old House)	10-year material warranty
Style	—	Brush insert
Brush Diameter	—	4.25 inches
Gutter Compatibility	—	Standard 5-inch K-style gutters
Bristles	—	UV-protected polypropylene
Core	—	Galvanized steel
Length	—	6 feet (trial pack, four 18-inch pieces)
Installation Method	—	Slides into the gutter, no fasteners

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