Best Asphalt Shingles for Your Home (2020 Buyer’s Guide)

When choosing your new roof, you can’t go wrong with asphalt shingles. They’re affordable and look great. But price shouldn’t be your only consideration.

In this guide, we rate the best asphalt shingles for your home, rated by category, based on our experience as pro roofers.

Now, let’s review the asphalt shingles we recommend most, by looking at how they rate in these categories:

Manufacturer

For quality you can trust, look at shingles from the industry’s top-tier manufacturers:

GAF
Owen Corning
CertainTeed

Other manufacturers stand out in specific categories, but for consistent quality in multiple categories, you can’t go wrong with one of these three companies.

Affordability

When affordability matters, we recommend 3-tab asphalt shingles. This is a basic, entry-level shingle that gives you a good-quality, attractive roof at the lowest possible price.

IKO and Tamco 3-tab shingles are your rock-bottom bet. Instead of choosing a 3-tab shingle from one of the top-tier manufacturers, go with an IKO.

NOTE: Prices for roofing materials can vary significantly based on your location. Use the prices listed in this guide for comparison purposes only. Your roofer will help you find the best price in your area.

Here are our top picks for affordability.

IKO Cambridge 3-tab. IKO’s 3-tab asphalt shingle has some interesting features that make them a good bet at an affordable price. These shingles seal extremely well, protecting your home from wind uplift, blow-off, and water penetration. They also have a fiberglass mat that gives exceptional durability and strength.

$90
Type: 3-tab
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Atlas GlassMaster. Both durable and beautiful, this line of shingles is designed to reflect more of the sun’s rays, keeping your roof cooler and helping it last longer. As a bonus, it’s an affordable 3-tab.

$
Type: 3-tab
Wind: 60 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: 30 year
Energy Star certified: Cool White

Malarkey 3-Tab Shingles. Malarkey’s Dura-Seal AR 3-tab shingle line is impact resistant and is rated well for solar reflection. It’s a good choice for keeping your home cool.

$
Type: 3-tab
Wind: 60 mph
Fire: Class A
Impact: Class 4
Warranty: Your Choice program
Solar reflective Index: 27

TAMKO Heritage 3-tab. TAMKO’s focus is curb appeal. Their shingles have a blended shadowtone that adds vivid color and dramatic style to your roof.

$90
Type: 3-tab
Wind: 110 mph
Fire: Class A
Impact: Class 4
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

TAMKO Vintage. This is an architectural shingle that has the look of real wood shakes. It adds texture and beauty that the 3-tab asphalt shingle doesn’t always deliver.

$
Type: Architectural
Wind: 110 mph
Fire: Class A
Impact: Class 4
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Sustainability

Asphalt shingles aren’t winners in the sustainability category, so we give honorable mention to GAF and Atlas.

These manufacturers have redesigned their asphalt shingles to have more fiberglass and less asphalt, enhancing strength while giving you a lighter, more sustainable product.

GAF was the first manufacturer to launch highly reflective shingles. They recycle and reuse asphalt and other unsustainable materials and also offer solar roofing and green roofing options. Read their commitment to sustainability here.

Atlas’s environmental policy statement outlines their efforts to improve the sustainability of their products. They offer an entire line of low-asphalt fiberglass shingles.

Here are some sustainable options from these manufacturers:

GAF Timberline ArmorShield II Shingles. These shingles have a fiberglass asphalt construction that’s better for the earth while still being good for your home.

$
Type: Architectural
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Atlas Legend Designer Fiberglass Shingles. These shingles give you upscale styling at an attractive cost. And since they go light on asphalt, they also make your home more eco-friendly.

$
Type: Designer 3-tab
Wind: 110 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: 40 year

Energy Star Rated

An Energy Star rated shingle reflects more of the sun’s rays, which can lower your roof’s surface temperature by up to 50 degrees. That can reduce your home’s cooling demand by 10 to 15 percent, saving you 7 to 15 percent on total cooling costs.

Dark-colored asphalt roofs reflect only 4 percent of sunlight. White roofs, because they’re more reflective, have been found to decrease the urban heat island effect by a third. So any white shingle is going to be energy efficient.

Here are some Energy Star certified roofs that we like.

GAF Timberline Cool Series. This line of architectural shingles is highly reflective, which means you can have a beautiful roof while saving energy.

$$$
Type: Architectural
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime
Energy Star certified: all colors

CertainTeed Landmark Solaris. The cool roof version of CertainTeed’s Landmark shingle is a wood shake-inspired, solar-reflective asphalt shingle that reflects solar energy and radiant heat.

$110
Type: Architectural
Wind: 110 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime
Solar Reflective Index: up to 29 (depends on the color)
Energy Star certified: Crystal Gray, Mist White, Silver Birth

Owens Corning Duration® Premium Cool. Solar-reflecting granules help make this option good for your home and for the earth.

$
Type: Architectural
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime
Energy Star certified: all colors

Owens Corning Oakridge. This architectural laminated shingle gives good protection and impressive curb appeal. A full double layer in the nailing zone gives this shingle better holding power compared to shingles with single-wide nail zones.

$90
Type: Architectural
Wind: 110 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime
Energy Star certified: Shasta White

Tamko Heritage. Designer shingle that can give you the appearance of traditional wood shake roofing.

$70
Type: Designer
Wind: 150 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime
Energy Star certified: Glacier White

Tamko Elite Glass-Seal. Entry-level roofing, giving you energy efficiency at an affordable price.

$65 - $85
Type: 3-tab
Wind: 150 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: 25 year
Energy Star certified: White

Atlas GlassMaster. Both durable and beautiful, this line of shingles is designed to reflect more of the sun’s rays, keeping your roof cooler and helping it last longer.

$
Type: 3-tab
Wind: 60 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: 30 year
Energy Star certified: Cool White

Wind

If you live in a high-wind area, you need an asphalt shingle that can stand up to high winds and uplift. Here are our top picks for shingles that can stand up to windy weather.

GAF Timberline HDZ. To protect against high winds, this is your #1 choice. These are high definition lifetime shingles. They have the widest nailing zone and the first wind warranty with no maximum wind speed limitation.

$
Type: Architectural
Wind: no maximum
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime, with 15-year WindProven Limited Wind Warranty.

Atlas StormMaster Slate. This designer shingle rates well across the board, but especially well for its wind resistance and impact. If you want a beautiful roof that can stand up to the elements, this is your pick.

$140
Type: Designer
Wind: 150 mph
Fire: Class A
Impact resistance: Class 4
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

GAF-Elk Timberline Natural Shadow. The classic shadow effect of Timberline’s NS shingles give you an upscale, architectural look with the warmth of real wood. It has adhesive seals that reduce the risk of blow-off and withstands winds up to 130 mph.

$104
Type: Architectural/Laminated
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Owens Corning Duration. With a unique fabric strip in the nailing area, this shingle has outstanding gripping power. For exceptional wind resistance, this one is a smart pick.

$95
Type: Architectural/Laminated
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime
Energy Star certified: Shasta White

IKO Cambridge. These shingles seal extremely well, protecting against wind uplift, blow-off, and water penetration. Their fiberglass mat gives exceptional durability and strength.

$90
Type: 3-tab
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

CertainTeed Presidential Shake. While this shingle has a slightly lower wind resistance, it has been certified as tear resistance. To protect against winds and hail, this is a good option.

$325
Type: Architectural/Laminated
Wind: 110 mph
Fire: Class A
Tear resistant: UL certified
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Hail Impact

If you live in an area that gets seasonal hail storms, you know how important it is to get a roof that can stand up to impact. These asphalt shingles are rated for extreme weather or are heavy enough to handle the impact.

CertainTeed Grand Manor. Most asphalt shingles weigh in at 228 pounds. This super-heavyweight is a full 425 pounds per square, making it our number 1 pick for standing up to impact. As a bonus, it’s a beauty. Protect your home in style with this shingle.

$295
Type: Architectural
Wind: 110 mph
Fire: Class A
Tear Resistant: UL certified
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

GAF Glenwood. This designer shingle gets top marks for its authentic wood shake appearance. No other triple-layer asphalt shingle on the market matches the thickness of this shingle. And it’s been impact rated for extreme weather.

$
Type: Designer
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Impact rated for extreme weather: yes
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Owens Corning Berkshire Collection. These laminated shingles have a thickness, proportion, and color selection reminiscent of natural slate. If you’re looking to make an elegant statement, this is a winner. Weighing in at 360 pounds per square, it can withstand more impact than the average asphalt shingle.

$225
Type: Architectural/Laminate
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Curb Appeal

To turn your home into the neighborhood showplace, you need a shingle that’s a cut above. To be fair, any architectural or designer shingle will do. But these are our favorites.

$
Type: Designer
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Impact rated for extreme weather: yes
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Grand Sequoia. This beautiful shingle gives your home an amazing curb appeal. With a custom color palette and an unrivaled artisan-crafted design, it makes a dramatic, sophisticated statement.

$
Type: Designer
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Multi-layered Architectural Laminated Shingles

GAF Camelot II. Love slate roofs? This asphalt shingle features subtle blends with contrasting colors to enhance your home’s exterior and give it unexpected depth and beauty.

$
Type: Architectural Laminated
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

GAF Slateline. This shingle’s bold shadow lines and tapered cut-outs create the look of slate at a fraction of the cost.

$
Type: Designer
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

GAF Woodland. Give your home the stylish look of hand-cut European shingles with this shingle.

$
Type: Designer
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Owens Corning Berkshire Collection. These laminated shingles have a thickness, proportion, and color selection reminiscent of natural slate. If you’re looking to make an elegant statement, this is a winner. As a bonus, you’ll get the impact resistance of a heavyweight shingle (360 pounds per square).

$225
Type: Architectural/Laminate
Wind: 130 mph
Fire: Class A
Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Choosing the Best Asphalt Shingles for Your Home

After years of repairing and replacing roofs, we know the shingles that are worth investing in. And we’ve given you our favorites in this article.

But ultimately, the best asphalt shingle for your home is the one that meets your needs. Only you can decide on the qualities and features that matter most.

Review our recommendations in this article. Talk to your roofer about your options. Then make the decision that’s right for you.