Trying to decide between the cup style and the link style rain chains for the edge of my roof. My gutters are old and honestly kind of ugly, so I’m thinking of swapping them out for something a bit more interesting. I live in the Midwest, so we get a fair amount of rain but also some heavy downpours now and then. The cup style looks like it would handle more water, but the link ones just look cooler to me—sort of minimalist, you know?
I’ve read that the links can splash more, but I’m not sure how much of an issue that really is. Anyone have experience with either? Do the cups clog up with leaves or ice in the winter? Or do the links just make a mess on your patio? Would love to hear what’s worked (or not worked) for folks in similar climates.
The cup style looks like it would handle more water, but the link ones just look cooler to me—sort of minimalist, you know?
I’ve been through this debate a few times with different properties, especially in areas that get the kind of rain you’re talking about. The cup style does have a practical advantage in terms of volume—they’re designed to catch and guide the water down, which helps minimize splashing during those heavy Midwest downpours. With the link style, you’re right about the aesthetics—they do look cleaner and more modern, but the open design means water tends to leap off the chain, especially if your roof has much pitch or the rain comes in fast.
Splashing isn’t just a cosmetic thing either. If you’ve got flower beds or a patio underneath, over time you’ll notice some erosion or staining. I’ve seen patios get pretty marked up after a couple of seasons with link chains, especially when there’s clay in the soil. It’s not always a dealbreaker, but it’s something to keep in mind.
As for cups clogging up, I’ve found they do collect leaves, especially if you’ve got trees nearby. It’s not as bad as I expected though—usually a couple of flushes with a hose clears them out. Ice is more of a concern. Both styles will get some icicles in winter, but cups can freeze solid if there’s standing water. That said, links develop ice columns too, which can get heavy and pull down on the mounting point. I haven’t seen either cause real damage unless the installation was flimsy to begin with.
One thing I’d add: if your gutters are “kind of ugly,” as you said, rain chains will draw attention to that area. Some folks end up painting or patching up the fascia boards once the chains go in, since they become more visible than with traditional downspouts.
If you’re leaning minimalist but worried about splashing, there are hybrid designs out there—larger open links with small cups integrated. Not quite as sleek, but a bit of a compromise.
Hope that helps clarify some of the trade-offs. For Midwest weather, I’d probably lean toward cups for function, but it’s tough to beat the look of those links if you’re willing to do a little extra maintenance.
I went through this exact back-and-forth last fall when I replaced the downspouts on my place. I was all set on the link style at first—those things look like jewelry for your house, and I figured, hey, if I’m going to spend money on gutters, might as well get something that doesn’t look like a rusty pipe hanging off the roof. But then we got one of those classic Midwest thunderstorms, and I realized my “minimalist” dream would probably end with a mud pit where my flower bed used to be.
I ended up doing a test run with a cheap link chain from the hardware store before committing. It looked awesome for about five minutes, then the rain hit and water was flying everywhere. My dog thought it was a new game. The patio? Not so much. I had little rivers running off in every direction. Maybe if you’ve got gravel or nothing important underneath, it’s not a big deal, but if you care about what’s below, it’s something to think about.
Cups aren’t perfect either. Mine do catch leaves, especially in the fall when the neighbor’s oak tree decides my yard is its personal dumping ground. But honestly, it’s not much worse than cleaning out the gutters themselves. I just blast them with the hose every now and then and call it good.
One thing nobody warned me about: ice sculptures in winter. Both styles freeze up, but the cups make these wild icicles that look like something out of a fantasy movie. Pretty cool until you realize they’re heavy enough to yank the chain loose if you’re not careful. I ended up reinforcing the mounting after the first freeze.
If your gutters are already kind of rough-looking, just be ready for them to get more attention once you hang anything decorative there. I had to repaint my fascia boards because suddenly everyone could see them.
Honestly, if you’re in it for looks and don’t mind a little mess or maintenance, links are fun. If you want less drama during storms, cups are probably safer. Either way, there’s no perfect answer—just depends what annoys you less in the long run.
Man, you nailed it with the “jewelry for your house” thing. I got sucked in by the shiny link chains too—Pinterest made them look so classy, like my 1960s split-level was about to be featured in a magazine. Reality check hit when we got one of those sideways rains and the chain basically turned my mulch bed into a waterpark. My wallet cried a little, but my neighbor’s kid thought it was hilarious watching the water spray everywhere.
I did the budget version first—just a regular hardware store chain, nothing fancy. Looked cool for about a week, then it started rusting and left streaks down my siding. Pro tip: if you’re not splurging on copper or stainless, expect to be out there scrubbing or just making peace with “rust chic.” Also, I didn’t realize how much noise those things make. It’s kind of peaceful until it’s 2am and you’re lying there listening to what sounds like someone shaking a bag of coins outside your window.
The cup style is what I ended up with, mostly because I got tired of explaining to everyone why my dog was covered in mud every time it rained. They do catch leaves—no way around that—but honestly, I’m already up there cleaning out gutters twice a year anyway. At least with the cups I can just knock the leaves out with a broom instead of climbing all the way up.
Winter’s where it gets interesting though. That first freeze, I thought I’d invented modern art with the size of the icicles hanging off those cups. My spouse was less impressed when one of them nearly took out our porch light. Ended up zip-tying the chain tighter and just hoping for the best.
If you’re pinching pennies like me, honestly, neither option is totally maintenance-free or perfect. But at least the cups don’t turn your yard into a slip-n-slide every time it rains sideways. Just don’t expect them to be “set it and forget it.” And yeah, suddenly you notice every flake of paint missing from your trim once you hang something pretty next to it... funny how that works.
CUP STYLE HANDLES VOLUME BUT NOT MAGIC
That’s pretty much what I’ve seen too—cups are better for heavy rain, but you’re still going to get some splash if the wind’s bad. Midwest storms can be wild, so I’d be skeptical about any chain totally replacing a real gutter if you care about keeping your foundation dry. The cup chains do freeze up, but so do regular downspouts. I’ve noticed the links look cool but they’re basically a decorative fountain in a sideways rain. If you go with cups, just be ready to knock out leaves and keep an eye on icicles. Neither is maintenance-free, just a tradeoff in what kind of mess you want to deal with.
