The 4 best garage door openers in the market. Garage door openers may not be a necessary purchase for your home, but they sure do make life easier, saving you the hassle of getting out of your car to open your garage by hand. Today’s garage door openers may even be controlled using a smartphone. Allowing you to check whether you remembered to shut the door from anywhere in the world.
Several factors will help you decide which garage door opener is best for your home. There are several styles available, including belt-drive, chain-drive, screw-drive, and wall-mount options and you’ll also need a model with adequate horsepower to raise and lower your garage door. As you shop, you’ll likely notice that there are a few big-name brands that dominate the market—mainly, Liftmaster and Chamberlain—but there are several smaller manufacturers that are worth considering, as well.
The 4 Best Garage Door Openers In The Market
- Skylink Atoms Chain Drive Garage Door Opener
- Chamberlain Smart Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
- LiftMaster Elite Series 8500
- Chamberlain Secure View Smart Garage Door Opener
Best Budget Garage Door Opener
Skylink Atoms Garage Door Opener: ATOMS ATR-1611 – By Skylink
Skylink Atoms Garage Door Opener
If you’re willing to give up on some premium features, the Skylink Atoms Garage Door Opener is a no-frills model that’s available at a great price. It’s designed to open a 7-foot garage door using a durable chain drive, but the brand does sell extension kits that are compatible with 8- and 10-foot garage doors, as well.
This garage door opener comes with a wall-mounted push button, as well as a one-button remote, and its infrared safety sensor stops it from closing if there’s ever something in the way. The unit has a built-in LED light to help you see at night.
Best Smart Garage Door Opener
Chamberlain Smart Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
Chamberlain Smart Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
Smart garage door openers are quickly becoming the new normal—these Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-enabled units can be remotely controlled via your smartphone, allowing you to open and close your garage from anywhere, whether you’re down the road, at work, or even on vacation. One of the best smart garage door openers is this model from Chamberlain, which operates via a steel-reinforced belt drive and has built-in Wi-Fi that allows you to control the opener through the myQ app.
This unit is designed for 7-foot garage doors (extensions for 8- and 10-foot doors are available), and it features a built-in backup battery that allows you to operate the door when the power is out. It comes with two pre-programmed remote controls that have an impressive 1,500-foot range, and thanks to the device’s smart functionality, you can grant up to three people access to your garage door—ideal for kids and visitors.
Best Wall-Mounted Garage Door Opener
Wall-Mounted Garage Door Opener
The LiftMaster 8500 is another direct drive garage door opener, and it’s unique thanks to its wall-mounted design. Instead of hanging from the ceiling and taking up room in your garage, this unit mounts beside your door, freeing up ceiling space for other storage. It can handle doors up to 14 feet tall and 650 pounds, but you must have a front-mount torsion bar system (not included) for operation.
Because it uses a direct drive system, the LiftMaster 8500 is extremely quiet during operation. And it has a built-in light that automatically turns on when you enter the garage. The unit comes with a wall-mount control panel and one visor remote control, and it can be upgraded to smart functionality by installing LiftMaster 828LM Internet Gateway
Best Garage Door Opener With Camera
Chamberlain B4545 Secure View Garage Door Opener
Garage Door Opener With Camera
This garage door opener from Chamberlain doubles as a security tool for your home thanks to its built-in HD camera. When the camera senses motion, such as the door opening, it will stream 1080p live video to your smartphone, letting you see who’s entering or exiting your garage. You can manually adjust the angle of the camera 360 degrees. In addition, it’s equipped with a glare-resistant night-vision lens and two-way audio.
You can install this garage door opener on doors up to 7 feet tall, and the high-grade belt drive operates smoothly and quietly. It comes with two remote controls with a range of up to 1,500 feet. As well as a multi-functional wall control and safety sensors. And, of course, you can control it through your smartphone, customizing alerts, setting personalized schedules, and more.
What to Look for in a Garage Door Opener
Drive type
Garage door openers work in a variety of ways. A chain-drive model raises and lowers doors with a metal chain—these tend to be inexpensive and able to handle heavier doors, but they’re loud. A belt-drive opener uses a belt and operates more smoothly and quietly. Wall-Mount openers, which lift doors with a threaded steel rod, are also quiet and don’t require much maintenance. Finally, a direct-drive opener operates as a single unit—the whole contraption moves to lift the door. These tend to be the quietest, smoothest mechanisms available.
Horsepower
You’ll also want to consider the horsepower of your opener. Typically, 0.5 horsepower will work for most doors in newer homes. If you have a heavier solid wood door, though, you may want to opt for 0.75 horsepower so it can lift it with ease. You can also get 1 and 1.5 horsepower models, but those are a better fit for commercial or special situations.
Security
All garage door openers are required to have a special reversing mechanism to prevent closure if a child, pet, or car is in the way. But in terms of additional security features, you get what you pay for. If safety is a top concern, choose models that offer the most features such as Wifi, Security camera, motion sensors, and more.
What size garage door opener do I need?
All garage door sizes and arrangements will work well with most openers. If your garage door is tall (more than 8 feet), you’ll need a rail long enough to accommodate the height. You may also require one with extra horsepower if your door is heavier than normal.
How do you program a garage door opener?
All garage door opener units have a “Learn” button. To pair your new remote with your opener, press the Learn button that is located at the back of the garage door opener unit. It should activate an indicator light for 30 seconds to a minute. While it’s lit, press and hold the open/close button on the remote until the light on the overhead unit starts blinking. The blinking light tells you your garage door opener is now programmed with the new remote.
How do you open a garage door manually that has a garage door opener?
Your garage door most likely has a manual cable, which disconnects from the opener chain. Allowing you to open it manually. Pull down hard on the string to disconnect the door from the chain. Then lift the door up with your hands. Pushing it all the way up to make sure it stays in place and doesn’t fall back down.
Conclusion
It’s time to get a new garage door opener and we want you to know what the best options are for your home. We’ve compiled the 4 best garage door openers in the market that will work well in any climate, whether it be hot or cold with up-to-date technology like voice control and smartphone integration. If you need help choosing the right garage door opener for your home or business in the GTA, contact Pro Entry Garage Doors today for a free estimate
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