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.
Full review
The simplest install of the group
This Old House says GutterBrush has the easiest installation process of all the gutter guards in its under-$1,000 guide: no tools, screws or fasteners, because the brush sections slide into the gutter trough and are held by their compressible bristles.
Bob Vila reports the same from its hands-on test, where the guard is placed in the gutter and pushed down until it sits at the bottom. It found the system works with fascia-mounted brackets as well as shingle-mounted ones, which made it the most universal of the guards it tested.
Large debris yes, fine debris less so
This Old House credits the brush with working well at trapping large debris such as leaves and twigs, and says it cannot block small debris, such as shingle grit or pine needles, as effectively as the other brands in its guide.
Bob Vila's two tests point in slightly different directions. In its main gutter guard roundup it found ample water flow but a tendency to clog with larger debris, and concluded that GutterBrush is not a maintenance-free solution. In its separate pine needle test, most needles sat on top of the bristles, where wind or a light brushing removed them, and water flow stayed steady. That roundup rated it 5/5 for installation, 4.5/5 for performance, 3.8/5 for ease of cleaning, 4/5 for durability and 4.5/5 for value.
Cost and warranty
This Old House calls GutterBrush the most expensive gutter guard system in its under-$1,000 comparison and says it believes there are better options for the money, while adding that it is hard to beat as a set-and-forget choice where small debris is not a problem.
The manufacturer's listing states a 10-year material warranty, which This Old House also notes. The linked listing sells a 6-foot trial pack of four 18-inch pieces alongside longer packs.
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
- +10-year material warranty
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
How it compares
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.
Rating sources
Every source above reviewed this product without printing a score, so there is no average to show. More about methodology.
