Professionally installed gutter guards can cost between $4,000 and $7,000. While the best gutter guards effectively block debris and protect your gutters from overflowing water, this high price tag may be outside some homeowners’ budgets. DIY gutter guards can provide adequate protection for a fraction of the price. We recommend Raptor by Gutterglove as the best of the do-it-yourself gutter guard options. 

We read hundreds of customer reviews on Raptor’s Amazon page and bought, installed, and tested a set of Raptor gutter guards firsthand to assess how it performed against heavy rainfall and large and small debris. Below, we’ll examine Raptor’s materials, performance, cost, and more to help you decide if it’s the best gutter guard for your home.

Rating:

Best For Nonstandard Roofs

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What Do We Think of Raptor Gutter Guards?

We think Raptor is one of the best DIY gutter guards on the market, if not the best. It’s made of high-end materials, and its micro-mesh screen is similar in design to top professionally installed products such as LeafFilter. It provides customers with an in-depth and easy-to-read instruction manual. Its website also features a series of guides for installing its guard on non-standard roof or gutter systems. 

We tested more than a dozen gutter guard brands and found Raptor to be the best-performing DIY product. It blocked the majority of debris we applied while still allowing water passage. It blocked pine needles, deciduous tree leaves, seed pods, and twigs. Most debris was self-cleaned with water flow, while the rest came off with a light brushing.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Includes an in-depth installation guide with each purchase
• Is compatible with various installation methods depending on roof style and slope
• Offers multiple convenient sizing options

Cons

• Doesn’t offer professional installation services
• Requires more work to install compared to other DIY guards
• Has a limited warranty

What We Think Sets Raptor Apart

Raptor’s high-quality materials, impressive design, and strong customer reviews set it apart from other DIY guards. Raptor features a micro-mesh screen, the most effective kind of gutter guard filter for both professional and DIY guards. Its screen has a series of ridges, a design that Raptor calls “V-bend technology.” This screen blocks even small debris, such as pine needles and seedpods, from entering your gutters while using water flow to push debris to the ground. Raptor’s filter is made from corrosion-resistant stainless steel and is set into an aluminum frame. 

Raptor performed exceptionally well during our firsthand testing. It was effective and easy to clean. Its screen withstood impacts from stones and direct stress tests. Water flow pushed off leaves, twigs, and seedpods. Materials such as pine needles and shingle grit remained on the guard surface but were easy to brush off. Overall, it performed the best out of any DIY guard we tested.

Where We Think Raptor Could Improve

Raptor can improve in two major areas: its installation process and durability. Raptor is more difficult and time-consuming to install than most DIY guards.

Its frame is made from aluminum and can be difficult to handle when installing. The product we ordered came with pre-drilled holes, but we still had to gauge them slightly to attach the system to our gutters. The natural angle of the guard didn’t match our roof pitch, and we had to modify the guard for it to work properly. Raptor’s website featured a guide on installing and altering the guard to fit steeper roofs, which we found helpful. However, the process was difficult and time-consuming, even with the help of Raptor’s guides. 

The other major issue with Raptor is its fragility. Raptor’s mesh screen is thin and bends easily—we accidentally bent one of the screens during installation. If you choose Raptor, we recommend being careful when installing it and purchasing extra material just in case.

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How Much Do Raptor Gutter Guards Cost?

Raptor Gutter Guard is available for purchase on Amazon. We researched pricing when writing this article, and you can currently purchase 48 feet of Raptor’s stainless steel micro-mesh guard for roughly $125, or $2.60 per linear foot. This “super 6” guard fits 6- and 7-inch gutter systems. Its standard size fits 5-inch and smaller gutters and costs $110 for 48 feet, or $2.29 per linear foot. 

Most homes require between 100 and 200 linear feet of gutter guards. Your final price will likely be around $300 to $600. This range is slightly higher than other DIY brands but is less than the cost of professionally installed gutter guards by thousands of dollars.

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How Does Raptor Compare to Other Gutter Protection Systems?

While Raptor is more expensive than other DIY gutter guard brands, it’s much cheaper than every professionally installed product. However, professional installations carry other benefits, such as gutter replacement services, long-lasting warranties, and superior product quality. The following table compares professionally installed gutter guard brands, such as LeafFilter and Leafguard.

How Raptor Compares to Other DIY Alternatives

Raptor performs better than the other DIY guards we’ve tested. Its micro-mesh screen blocks more debris than brush, screen, and mesh guards. These guards cannot stop small debris such as pine needles, seed pods, and shingle grit from entering your gutters. 

Foam and other micro-mesh DIY guards can block the same amount of debris as Raptor. Foam guards can block even small particles such as shingle grit but melt when exposed to UV rays and don’t last more than a few years. Plastic micro-mesh guards don’t last as long and have poor water passability. Other steel guards, such as those manufactured by Waterlock Pro, perform similarly to Raptor. 

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How Does Raptor Gutter Guard Work?

Raptor’s micro-mesh gutter covers fit over your existing gutters. They draw in liquid through small holes. Debris, such as roof grit and other clog-causing materials, accumulates on top of the gutter guard instead of falling into your gutter system. 

Water flows down your roofline, through the gutter guard, and into your gutters. As it passes through the screen, the water pushes debris onto the ground. This system makes cleaning easier and faster while preventing clogs and debris buildup.

How Do You Install Raptor Gutter Guards? 

As with any DIY gutter guard installation, you need the appropriate tools and to be comfortable working on ladders. We noted a common theme in customer reviews that you may need to cut Raptor guards to fit onto your gutter system, which requires a pair of tin snips.

According to Raptor’s website and additional instructional materials, some installations may require sliding the gutter guard beneath the shingles. Others might require bending the product, using fasteners, or screwing the guards to the fascia board.

Raptor Gutter Guard has a convenient online app that helps you approximate your gutter measurements, providing the information you need to buy the correct length of mesh.

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What Does Raptor’s Warranty Cover?

Raptor gutter guards don’t have a lifetime warranty like most professional installers offer. Instead, Raptor has a limited part and manufacturer’s warranty. Here’s a quick overview:

• Offers a 25-year warranty for most customers but reduces it to five years for any homeowners who live within 5 miles of a coast
• Excludes damage due to improper installation, deterioration of building structure, and many catastrophic events
• Covers the gutter guard only and not the existing gutter structure

This warranty is more comprehensive and longer lasting than other manufacturer warranties. Warranties from other DIY brands last an average of 10 years.

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What Are Customers Saying About Raptor?

Amazon customers have left more than 5,300 reviews about their experiences with Raptor Gutter Guard. These reviews are mostly positive, with an average score of 4.5 out of 5 stars—73% of all reviews are 5 out of 5 stars. Positive responses praise the product’s reasonable cost and effective filtration. 

Critical reviews mention that installation was more difficult than advertised. One common complaint is that customers had to alter the guard to get it to fit. Some purchasers said ice dams formed in extreme cold and caused water to spill over upon melting.

Here are a combination of positive and negative reviews from Raptor’s Amazon page:

What Does Reddit Think About Raptor?

Reddit has a generally positive view of Raptor Gutter Guards. Users note the Raptor’s micro mesh product is great for areas with a lot of trees or pine needles, and that they heavily reduce the need to clean gutters. One Reddit user said this about their experience with Raptor gutter guards: “I’ve had some installed for 9 years now, and haven’t needed to clean the gutters once.” Other users note their longevity as a pro, and expect their gutter guards to last them around 20 years.

The only major downside Redditors note about Raptor is that it can be expensive compared to more standard gutter maintenance. Additionally, users stated that while gutter cleanings are less necessary with Raptor, it is still occasionally necessary to use a ladder to brush debris off the top. Though users also claim this is easier and less time consuming than traditional gutter cleaning.

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How Easy Is Raptor To Clean?

Some gutter guard brands claim you’ll never need to clean your gutters again, but this isn’t true. No gutter guard system completely eliminates the need for regular maintenance and cleaning. It is recommended that you clean unguarded gutters at least twice a year. Gutter guards like Raptor make gutter cleaning easier and less frequent. 

Micro-mesh screens keep most debris from entering your gutter system, including pine needles, leaves, seedpods, and branches. Raptor’s design allows most of this debris to roll off to the ground. Customer reviews mention that Raptor guards still need the occasional brushing to remove the debris that settles on top of the mesh. The process is still much easier than scooping out piles of gunk from unguarded gutters. During testing, we noted that any remaining debris came off with a light brushing.

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FAQ About Raptor Gutter Guards

Which gutter guards are best?

Stainless steel micro-mesh gutter guards are best for most climates and debris types. This gutter guard type is effective at blocking small and large debris, including pine needles, seedpods, and leaves, while allowing water to flow through your gutters.

Is there a downside to gutter guards?

The biggest downside to gutter guards is their high cost. They also still require maintenance and cleaning once or twice per year, and micro-mesh guards tend to freeze over in cold winters.

Is Raptor Gutter Guard the same as Gutterglove?

No, Gutterglove is the company that produces Raptor gutter guards. Gutterglove has a professional installation service, which is separate from Raptor and doesn’t use the same gutter guards. Raptor is Gutterglove’s DIY alternative.

Is Raptor sold in home improvement stores?

No, Raptor isn’t sold in home improvement stores such as Lowe’s or Home Depot. Raptor is sold on Amazon.

Do you need any special tools to install Raptor gutter guards? 

You need the standard tools required for a DIY installation to install Raptor gutter guards. You’ll need a screw gun, self-tapping screws, a ladder, a pair of tin snips, thick gloves, and a spotter.

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Our Rating Methodology

The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our gutter guard recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each gutter guard product and provider. We conduct research by reviewing product specifications and provider website information, speaking with customer representatives, and analyzing customer reviews. We reinforce this research with thorough firsthand product testing, assessing each gutter guard’s durability, quality, filtration, and cleanability. To date, we’ve tested more than a dozen professionally installed and DIY gutter guard products. We then score each provider against our review standards for gutter guard design, customer support, the quote process, services, and reviews to arrive at a final score on a 5-point rating scale.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.