Short answer: Gutter Helmet scored 2 out of 5 overall. NCR gave it 1 out of 5 for industry reputation — tied for the lowest reputation score in the archive.
Scores
Price3.5 / 5
Protection2 / 5
Reputation1 / 5
Strength3 / 5
Water throughput2 / 5
Durability3 / 5
- Manufacturer
- Southeastern Metals Mfg Co.
- Type
- Metal reverse curve
What NCR wrote, in their words
Price w/ Installation — 3.5/5.
“Price is heavily dependent on the commissioned sales representative. The ‘one call close’ is almost always attempted.”
Effective Protection Coefficient — 2/5.
“Gutter Helmet is relatively poor due to the lack of surface tension effectiveness in low velocity rains. Debris is dragged into the gutter.”
Industry Reputation — 1/5.
“Poor industry reputation due to complaints, price and product ineffectiveness.”
Strength — 3/5.
“Tree limbs will bend or damage panels. During the heat of the summer the brackets are prone to fail and panels have been known to become detached from the gutter.”
Water Throughput — 2/5.
“In heavy rains, over-shooting will occur. There is no way that surface tension can roll the water in the open slot.”
Durability — 3/5.
“The Gutter Helmet sheet metal construction is rather flimsy and will be blown off gutters in heat and high winds.”— NCR Consumer Advocacy Group, archived December 3, 2016
Ratings from other sources, as NCR quoted them (updated July 2010)
NCR included these as reader complaints from Pissed Consumer, not from their own testing:
“OVERPRICED, DOES NOT WORK, RUINED THE LOOK OF OUR HOME, WOULD NOT RETURN OUR CALLS WHEN IT CLOGGED! Do not waste your time with this product or company.”Pissed Consumer reader quote, via NCR
NCR's write-up for this guard is nearly identical, word for word, to what they wrote for LeafGuard and K-Guard — see our sources for more on that.