In this article: We'll review 6 of our best pick garage door openers for your home garage, with quick reviews, photos, our opinion and price comparisons to help you save money on the garage door opener that you want.
Are you looking to install or upgrade your garage door in your home? In the market for a top rated garage door opener? Is your current garage door opener malfunctioning and you are looking for its replacement? Or are you just searching for newer and more advanced models of garage door openers to upgrade your current one?
If your answer is YES to any of these questions, then your search has landed you in the right place. Below is our comprehensive review of the most reliable, popular and budget-friendly car garage door openers to choose from. Today, opening and closing garage doors has become easier, quieter and more convenient as a result of the major advancements GDO (garage door opener) manufacturers are making – such as the incorporation of Wi-Fi smart control features into their products. Our reviews will give you a detailed guide into the highlights of our top selections and help you in making an informed decision during purchase.
What Is a Garage Door Opener Used For?
This is a pretty straight forward question.. But if you are not conversant with a garage door opener, it is a motorized device that helps in opening and closing garage doors by lifting them up and down. They are typically installed on the underside of the garage ceiling and controlled manually or automatically by use of remote sensors. Garage door openers work hand in hand with a garage door’s chain, belt or screw operation mechanisms. A typical opener has a power unit that contains the electric motor to generate the energy required to control the opening and closing of the garage door.
Garage door openers are used in almost all modern garage doors in homes, businesses, and industries. The first electric overhead opener was developed in 1926 by C.G Johnson in Hartford City, Indiana, but the concept of garage door openers only became popular after World War II. Today, significant advancements have been made towards producing garage door openers that are more effective, easy to use, quieter, stronger, and safer.
Best Car Garage Door Openers List
1. Ryobi GD 200
Ryobi GD 200 Quick Review
Ryobi GD 200 is arguably one of the best and most unique garage door openers in the market today. The GDO not only features almost everything that a modern day opener should have but also provides ample room to add extra cool accessories in the form of snap-in modules. It is simply one of the best garage door openers but quite expensive when accessorized.
Ryobi GD 200 comes with a 2 horsepower motor, which is ultimately bigger than what you would expect in a traditional residential opener, but this extra power makes the opener a perfect option for heavy, large residential and commercial garage doors. It also makes it last longer considering that it doesn’t have to work as hard as a ½ or ¾ HP opener. The GDO employs a belt-drive system that is super quiet.
This top garage door opener features a bright LED light that requires no bulb replacements ever. The LED light uses a motion detector to switch on and off each time you enter or leave the garage. The GDO is Smartphone-enabled so you can control and manage it using an application on your phone from anywhere in the world.
The most significant aspect about the Ryobi GD 200 is its seven ports around its sides that allow you to add various specialized accessories to enjoy more benefits with the gadget. These accessories include a fan, a Bluetooth speaker, a 30-foot retractable extension cord reel, a laser park assist module, a carbon monoxide monitoring device, and a lithium-ion battery backup. All these accessories will make your work easier in the garage and improve how efficiently you can operate the Ryobi GD 200 system.
Plus, the battery backup on the opener comes in very handy during a power failure. It provides adequate power to open and shut the garage door up to a hundred times during an outage. More modules are on the way, and for a few dollars (say $40 to $70) you can accessorize this opener to open up and enjoy all its capabilities.
Pros
- Smartphone control from anywhere in the world with cell phone service
- Ability to accessorize with many specialized modules
- High horsepower for powerful lifts and increased durability
- Super quiet operation
- Powerful backup battery
- Safety sensors
- Simple installation process
Cons
- It’s quite expensive to add all the accessories mentioned above
- Short working range for the remotes but considering that you have the Ryobi GDO app on your phone, this isn’t a big issue
2. Chamberlain B730
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Chamberlain B730 Quick Review
Chamberlain is one of the leading manufacturers of garage door openers in the nation. Their Chamberlain B370 model has some of the best features a GDO can have, and at a convenient price for that matter. One of its most valuable features is a battery backup that ensures safe opening and closing of the garage door even during power failures. This ensures that you are not locked from accessing your car or any other valuables in the garage.
The GDO has a robust, ultra quiet belt drive system that is steel-reinforced to guarantee you years of reliability and silent, smooth operation. Its quiet operation makes it a perfect option for use on a garage that is attached to the house or has a room above it. Performance-wise, the opener has plenty of power with a lifting force equal to ¾ horsepower – the highest lifting capacity compared to the ¾ power class.
Chamberlain B730 also comes with superior remote controls that include two 3-button remotes to enable you to manage a combination of up to 3 openers. The remotes feature Exclusive Triband technology that aids in boosting the remote operation range up to a distance of 1,500 feet for GDO control even from far. This GDO is also designed and engineered for safety and security. It uses safety sensors to detect objects on the door’s path during closure so that it can stop and reverse direction to avoid crushing things.
The garage door opener also offers premium code encryption to protect your door from being hacked and opened. It also uses the Posilock anti-theft protection system to ensure that the door remains locked once closed. The opener does not feature Smartphone control, but you can easily upgrade to smart control with the purchase of a Smart Garage Hub (MyQ-GO301) unit sold separately. In addition, the GDO comes with a lifetime motor and belt warranty as well as a 5-year parts warranty and 1-year accessory warranty.
Pros
- Battery back-up
- Ultra-quiet operation mechanism
- 2.0 code encryption and Posilock anti-theft protection system
- Upgradable to Smartphone control
- Safety sensors
- Lifetime belt and motor warranty
- Easy to install
Cons
- No built-in Smartphone control
- Not Homelink compatible
3. LiftMaster 8550W
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LiftMaster 8550W Quick Review
The LiftMaster 8550W garage door opener features a cool design with a big red shade and pearl housing. This opener, just like with many other LiftMaster products, is designed for professional installation, so DIY is not recommended. This GDO is driven by a DC motor belt system that provides the ultimate power paralleled with ultra-quiet performance.
This top garage door opener features a battery backup to power the unit when there is power failure in the building, wall control panels to provide temperature information as well as inform you if something is blocking the safety sensors, and motion detection lights to illuminate the garage automatically when you enter.
The LiftMaster 8550 is a modern opener enabled with the MyQ technology to allow you control from your Smartphone. With the technology, you can receive alerts related to your garage door as well as open and close it automatically from anywhere. The garage door opener also comes equipped with strong safety and security mechanisms such as deadbolt locks to make the door virtually impenetrable and rolling code technology to avert hacking attempts.
The opener also has a timer-to-close feature which shuts the door after a set number of minutes. Its alert-to-close warning system gives visual and audio signals/warnings when the door is about to shut. It also has safety sensors to allow automatic reversal of the garage door if an object is detected in its path. To crown it all, the opener’s motor has a lifetime warranty while all the other parts have a 5-year warranty except the battery which has a one year cover only.
Pros
- Smartphone-control enabled
- Battery backup
- Wall control panels
- Motion detection light sensors
- Smooth and quiet belt-drive operation
- Excellent safety and security measures
- Warranty cover on motor, parts, and battery
Cons
- Lacks a keyless entry touchpad
- Only offers ½ horsepower output
- Does not adapt to old modeled garage door settings
4. Decko 24300
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Decko 24300 Quick Review
Decko 24300 is another great option among the best car garage door openers that can offer you a high level of safety and security to protect the precious items in your garage. It is available at a competitive price and allows easy installation and operation.
The Decko 24300 GDO employs a powerful and quiet ¾ horsepower chain drive system which can lift doors up to seven feet tall and eighteen feet wide according to the manufacturer’s specifications. You can also opt for a height extension kit to enable your opener lift taller doors (up to 8 feet in height). One of the unique features of the opener is that it features non-polarized wiring, meaning you won’t have any trouble with wiring errors.
When it comes to safety, the Decko 24300 has two essential features to ensure safe operation of the garage door at all times. It has a motion-activated light which turns on each time the opener senses motion and a safety beam sensor which immediately stops the door from dropping down in case the beam is interrupted by an object positioned on the door’s path. The GDO also features an automatic reverse safety mechanism that automatically halts and reverses the direction of the door when an object is accidentally placed on its way, therefore preventing it from smashing it.
Some customers say that this opener is compatible with the Homelink system. However, the device falls behind other major models because it fails to offer Wi-Fi and internet connectivity, a battery backup for use in case of power outage, rolling code encryption to make the system completely secure from hacking, and soft start and stop tech. The device also only offers a lifetime limited warranty on its motor but nothing on parts and lifting system. However, this device is still a popular choice for many users because of its high level of security and safety at a reasonable price.
Pros
- Powerful and quiet chain drive system
- Features non-polarized wiring
- Comes with safety sensors and an automatic reverse system
- Offers a limited lifetime warranty on the motor
- Easy to install and use
Cons
- No battery backup for standby in case of power failure
- No rolling code technology to improve on the door’s safety
- No internet compatibility
- Short remote range
5. Sommer Direct Drive 1042V001
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Sommer Direct Drive 1042V001 Quick Review
The Sommer Direct Drive 1042V001 garage door opener is an innovative and powerful system powered by a ¾ horsepower motor. Unlike with many other best garage door openers, the motor, in this case, moves along the rail with only one moving part and uses a chain drive mechanism. However, although traditional chain mechanisms are known to be noisy than belt drives, the fact that the Sommer Direct Drive 1042V001 only has one moving part makes it an exceptionally quiet opener.
The 1042V001 ¾ horsepower motor provides adequate lift force to lift doors up to 550 pounds. The opener features a rail that is tall enough for a 7 or 8-foot tall door, but you can buy an extension if your door is around 10-foot. The GDO comes with two remotes, a pair of infrared sensors and a wall control panel.
Sommer Direct Drive 1042V001 comes with several safety features to ensure your family and property’s well-being. It includes a sensor system that helps in automatically stopping a door when closing if there is an object on its path. It also has an automatic reverse technology that ensures the door opens back up when an object is detected in its path. The opener is also equipped with remote rolling codes to help prevent hackers from penetrating your garage lock.
The garage door opener also boasts of one of the best warranty covers in the whole industry. The entire opener is covered by a lifetime warranty that touches on the motor, railing, and any other components of the unit. It is rare to come across such a warranty when searching for a top garage door opener, but the 1042V001 assures you that you will be well-taken care off in case you encounter any problems with its use. The GDO is also Homelink compatible.
Pros
- Quiet opener operation
- Lifetime warranty coverage on the entire unit and its components
- Secure rolling code technology
- Safety sensors and automatic reverse tech
- Homelink compatible
- Powerful ¾ horsepower motor
- Offers easy installation
Cons
- No internet connectivity or Smartphone control
- No battery back-up
- No motion detector sensors
- Lacks a keyless entry pad for use outside the gate
- Small buttons on the remotes
6. Genie SilentMax 1200
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Genie SilentMax 1200 Quick Review
Genie SilentMax 1200 is another great option among the top car garage door openers in terms of performance, safety features and security. It features a powerful belt drive system powered by a ¾ motor and can therefore easily handle doors of up to 8-feet in height. The system offers a smooth operation through a soft start and stop technology.
The opener’s belt-drive mechanism allows for ultra-quiet operation and makes this opener an ideal option for garages attached to your living spaces. As the name suggests ‘SilentMax,’ this product is designed with quiet operation capability in mind. Regarding safety, the Genie SilentMax 1200 uses the innovative Genie Sense monitoring and diagnostic technology to provide adequate safety during the garage door’s operation. This system also ensures that the door is using all of its power effectively.
SilentMax 1200 also features infrared beams that act as safety sensors to prevent the door from shutting when there is an object passing or positioned under it. It also features the automatic reverse safety mechanism and uses Intellicode security to generate a new code each time to prevent hacking. This GDO additionally has motion sensor lights that automatically come on when you enter the garage.
The manufacturer offers a limited lifetime warranty on the motor and gearbox, as well as a 5-year warranty on parts.
Pros
- Quiet and smooth operation
- Soft start and stop feature for smooth operation
- Steel-reinforced belt drive for extra durability
- Safety and security measures
- Genie Sense diagnostic technology to ensure optimal performance
- Wireless keypad and remote control
- Motion detection lights
- Warranty on motor, gearbox and parts
Cons
- No battery backup
- Not Smartphone control enabled
- Not Homelink compatible
What to Look For In A Garage Door Opener
When comparing the best car garage door openers, there are specific features that set them apart and can influence your purchase decision. When undertaking our review, these factors played a prominent role in our discovery of the best models in the market. However, while all our reviewed models below varied in terms of power, price, efficiency and noise levels, they all qualified as great options for closing and opening your garage door.
Here are the various features we put into consideration – and you should also be on their lookout when on the market for a top garage door opener:
- Power – How much horsepower can the door opener offer? Will you need a ½-horsepower, ¾-horsepower opener, or more? All this depends with the size and weight of your door.
- Safety features – Does the opener offer safety features such as automatic reversal if it detects an object on the door’s path when closing? Is the opener secure enough to prevent remote codes from being hacked?
- Smart control – If you want a garage door that is easy to control and manage from the palm of your hands, consider an opener that is Wi-Fi enabled. Several brands allow you to manage your garage door remotely using your Smartphone via an app. With such, you can even open or lock down your door while away on vacation.
- Noise control – Look out for a brand that can let you and your family have some peaceful sleep, especially if you have bedrooms attached to the garage door.
- Performance and durability – Check out what other customers are saying about a specific opener’s performance over time, its maintenance requirements, and durability. Reviews from vendors such as Amazon can be of substantial help.
- Budget – Budget is always a significant purchase determiner, but don’t go for the cheapest option because you might be sacrificing on product quality.
- Battery backup – Does the opener have a backup battery to power the system when there is power failure?
- Homelink compatibility – If you have Homelink in your car, consider an opener that can link with it to make opening and closing of your garage door effortless when inside your vehicle.