Keep Your Life Easy with the Best Garage Door Opener
-
Chamberlain Smart Garage Door Opener -
Genie Garage Door Opener -
LiftMaster Garage Door Opener -
Sommer Garage Door Opener -
Craftsman 54985, 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Door Opener -
Buyer's Guide
You probably already have one, but maybe it is time to replace your garage door opener. Garage door openers are fairly simple devices. A geared motor is connected to a drive, which is in turn connected to the garage door. When the button is pushed, power is applied, the motor turns, lifting the garage door. Once the door is lifted all the way, a sensor tells the motor that it's time to turn off. Closing the door is just the opposite.
Thanks to advancements in technology, there are so many more options available on the market today. From smart, high-tech options to simple openers, there is one out there for your home. Read on the best garage door openers of 2022.
Reviewing the Best Garage Door Openers of 2022
Chamberlain Smart Garage Door Opener - Best Garage Door Opener Overall
This garage door opener has it all. To start, it's the most powerful home garage door opener you can find, with a 1-1/4 HP motor. The drive mechanism is a steel-reinforced belt, providing both strength to keep it from breaking and quiet operation, so you don't disturb sleeping family members. The opener comes with two remote controllers, as well as wireless keypad. Chamberlain goes one step further though, allowing you to open this unit from your smartphone, via your home's internet connection. The onboard lights have a motion sensor, so they'll turn on if you go into your garage while sensors are easily accessed for replacement, easing the most common maintenance task.
Genie Garage Door Opener - Runner Up
Genie is one of the oldest and most trusted names in the garage door opener business. This is their most powerful homeowner unit, with a 1 HP motor. The drive system on this opener is a screw drive, making it quiet and maintenance free. There's no reason why the drive won't last the lifetime of your home, allowing you to concentrate on matters other than repairing your garage door opener. It's also fast, raising the door at 12 inches per minute. That's only seven seconds to raise the average garage door.
A motion sensor illuminates the lights if you enter the garage and the system also comes with a Safe-T-Beam system, which senses if anything crosses under the garage door while it is closing. Should anything be sensed underneath, it will reverse immediately. Superior encryption technology using rolling codes helps prevent piracy of your radio signal and keeps your home secure.
LiftMaster Garage Door Opener - Honorable Mention
ListMaster and Chamberlain are actually the same company, although they do market two separate lines of garage door openers. This is LiftMaster's top of the line unit, packed with features, as they say in the product's name. The DC motor is backed up by an onboard battery, allowing you to use the unit, even when the power goes out. It's belt drive, making it a quiet unit that won't disturb your family.
An on-board timer closes the door a pre-programmed number of minutes after it is opened for those times when you forget to close it yourself. Like the Genie unit, it has a lighted safety system, to reverse the motor is anything passes under the door while it is closing. It also comes with the same access system as the Chamberlain, allowing you to access the unit from your computer, tablet or smartphone. Additionally, both the motor and belt carry a lifetime warranty.
Sommer Garage Door Opener - Consider
The Sommer unit is unique in that the motor and drive mount to the garage door, not to the track, producing much more force as the gear pulls the motor and door along the chain. In fact, this unit is rated as being able to lift doors that weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. The unit requires very little space and can be installed with only 1.5 inches of clearance and the motor is self-locking, preventing people from forcing it open. Rolling code technology keeps others from stealing your code and getting into your home. This unit is HomeLink compatible, allowing it to be controlled by your home's central controller.
Craftsman 54985, 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Door Opener - Best Garage Door Opener
This unit is a little smaller than the others, with a 1/2 HP motor, limiting it for use with single-wide garage doors. It is a simpler unit, but also carries a lower price tag than the others we've looked at. Two wireless controllers come with the unit for use in your cars, as well as a wireless keypad for opening the garage door securely from outside your garage. The rail system is designed to be quick and easy to install, requiring minimal tools. A light beam protects your family and pets from having the garage door close on them. Like the other units, rolling codes are used to prevent others from picking up your code and getting into your home.
Buyer's Guide
When investing in a garage door opener, there are certain things you have to look out for. Otherwise, you might regret your selection. Here are the most important things you should check before making your purchase.
Types of Garage Door Openers
When it comes to types, there are 4 kinds of garage door openers that you can choose from. They are:
Chain Drive
The chain drive garage door opener is one of the most commonly available types. It has been used for quite a few years and uses a metal chain to move the trolley to open and close the door. These are the kinds of garage door openers that make the most noise and simply will not grant you a quiet entry or exit. The reason why people opt for them is that they are the least expensive of the lot.
Screw Drive
One of the least maintenance requiring garage door openers is the screw drive opener. It has a threaded rod that helps in opening and closing the door, making it preferred for bigger and heavier doors. It is much quieter as compared to other garage door openers and thus a good choice for those who leave early and come back late so as not to disturb people around them.
Belt Drive
Manufactured with a steel-reinforced rubber belt that helps lift and lower the door, the belt drive garage door opener runs smoothly and without any noise. If your house features a room over the garage that you have rented out, this is the best choice of garage door opener for you because it would not cause any disturbance. Keep in mind though that this opener requires proper maintenance.
Direct Drive
The motor of a direct drive garage door opener works as a trolley, meaning the motor runs along the rail. Since there are very few parts in these openers, they don’t make noise and make the least amount of vibration. They are perfect for all those who prefer discrete entries and exits.
Top Features
When it comes to features, the essential ones you should look out for are:
Controls
Garage door openers come with a keypad that can be placed outside the garage door so that you can enter a code on the keypad and access it. Others come with a wall-mount button inside the garage or a remote control device for your car. These help with easier access from all points.
Battery Backup
If there is a power outage and you need to get in the garage, some garage doors feature a battery backup that allows you to still use the opener and let you enter the garage. You will have to check this feature because not all garage door openers have it.
Horsepower
Horsepower or HP is the power that describes the garage door opener’s motor. The greater horsepower, the more quickly your door will open and close. Greater horsepower also means that it can lift up wider and heavier doors. The most common garage door openers for residential properties are HP ½ and 1.
Security Lights
The new models of garage door openers feature two bright light bulbs and motion light activation. This helps in handling the device, as well as knowing what is where in the garage.
Smartphone Control
These new models of garage door openers also let you connect your opener with your wifi connection. This means that you can easily open and close the garage door with your smartphone through an app. These apps also alert you about the unlocked door if left open for a long time. There are also models that connect to a Smart Home system. If you have one of those, you can access all your appliances on one single system.
Security Code
Garage door openers these days come with a security code so that you can open the door without using the button inside your car or on the remote. The encryption or rolling code technology allows for the complete safety of your house.
AutoClose
An automatic close is an option where you set up your garage door to a system where the door closes automatically after a period of time. This is particularly helpful for people who forget to close their doors when backing their cars out.
Best Garage Door Opener FAQs
Q: What size garage door opener is best?
A: The answer to this question would mainly depend on the size and type of your door. Most openers work with all kinds of doors, but if your door is 8 feet or longer, you would need an opener with a rail long enough for height adjustment. Similarly, if your door is too wide or heavier than usual, you will need an opener with high horsepower.
Q: Is it possible to open a garage door manually when you have an opener installed?
A: Yes, it is very much possible. Most garage door openers come with a manual cable that helps in opening the door without the opener. Some openers come with small keys that release doors.
Q: How to program a garage door opener?
A: All garage door openers come with a manual guide that you can read for assistance. There will be an option to pair the remote with the opener. Also present will be an activate light that would show you whether the program has been set correctly or not. You will be able to follow the instructions easily. Just do as the guide tells you.
Q: Why does the door rattle when going up, even with a new door garage opener?
A: This happens because your roller wheels have not been appropriately lubricated. If this still doesn’t work, replace your old steel roller wheels with plastic or nylon wheels that have ball-bearing shafts. Also, check whether the opener was installed correctly at a 90-degree angle to your garage door.
