Every home with a garage door requires a garage opener and, since people do not buy new ones on a regular basis, it is important to be aware of the features and functions modern openers can offer for faster, quieter entries into the garage and home.
Garage Openers – Top 6 in 2023
Our team of experts has researched the garage openers currently available on the market and has picked the top choices so you can shop with confidence and know that you are getting the best product to meet your needs and preferences. You will be able to review very useful information about the top models, key features, pros/cons, and you will surely find what will work best for you!
1. Chamberlain B970 – Expert’s Choice
Stay connected and protected with the Chamberlain B970 Smart garage door opener featuring built-in MyQ technology. Additionally, the battery backup means you can safely get in and out of your garage even when the power fails. The opener itself is extremely quiet and quite strong – strong enough to break free when frozen to the ground – and operates flawlessly when excessively hot, cold, or humid.
The MyQ app allows you access to real-time information about your garage doors, including open and close alerts, and the current status of your garage door from wherever you happen to be. The steel-reinforced belt drive is built for durability and longevity – to provide years of flawless service from your garage door opener.
The MAX Lift Power System Chamberlain is famous for means these openers have the lifting for equivalent of 1.25 HP and the exclusive Triband technology in the openers allows you to enjoy superior range – up to 1,500 feet for swifter entrances and exits.
Whether you’re looking for a garage door opener you can operate from your smartphone or you simply one want one that is powerful enough for year round operations, you’ll have a hard time finding one that offers all the bells and whistles of the Chamberlain B970 at such an affordable price.
Features: Chamberlain B970
- Item Weight: 35 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 18 x 10 x 6.5 inches
- Item model number: B970
- Color: Blue
- Power Source: DC
- Batteries: 2 Lithium Metal batteries (included)
- Warranty: Motor & Belt: Lifetime; Parts: 5 Years; Accessories: 1 Year
Pros: Chamberlain B970
- Max Lift Power System
- Wifi enabled for myQ
- Ultra-Quiet Belt Drive
- Battery Back-Up
- Two 3-Button Remotes
- Safety Sensors
- Wireless Keypad
- Motion Detecting Control Panel
- Control from Anywhere
- Real-time Notifications
- Access Sharing
Cons: Chamberlain B970
- It opens a bit slower than other models, but it is a great door opener
Garage doors are very convenient for homeowners. Especially when you get a garage door opener that takes advantage of the latest technology, like the Genie ChainMax 1000. This durable chain-driven opener is quiet, reliable, and powerful. It features some of the most advanced technology for smooth and quiet operation at a highly affordable rate. Some might argue that this system offers incredibly value for your money.
In addition to the low profile operation of this opener, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve invested in a safe opener featuring self-diagnostic technology to help prevent accidents thanks to infrared beams that automatically reverse the door if an object crosses it – making it safer for homes with children and pets. Plus, it features a battery backup system, keeping it compliant with various state laws.
You can also enjoy a fast opening experience with the Genie ChainMax 1000, which opens at a speed of 7.5 inches per second. If you’re looking to replace a broken system or simply want to upgrade your garage opener safety standards, you’re sure to love all the Genie garage door opener has to offer – not to mention the attractive price point. Try it today to see how much you’re going to love it.
Features: Genie ChainMax 1000
- Item Weight: 33.5 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 40 x 12 x 9.5 inches
- Item model number: 3022-TKH
- Style: ChainMax 1000
- Voltage: 110 volts
- Coverage: Works on residential garage doors up to 7 ft in height
- Included Components: Building Materials & Ladders; Doors; garage-door-openers
- Batteries: 2 CR2 batteries required (included)
- Battery Cell Type: Lithium Manganese Dioxide
- Part Number: 37280U
- Average Battery Life: 2 years
- Warranty: Lifetime Motor Warranty; 5 Year Parts Warranty
Pros: Genie ChainMax 1000
- Easy to program
- Quiet performance with soft start and stop control
- Compatible with HomeLink and Car2U
- Safety and security
- Prevent accidents
Cons: Genie ChainMax 1000
- Some people complained of missing parts in their shipment
Durable and secure. Those are the words that come to mind when discussing the Chamberlain C870 smart garage door opener. The rugged chain drive features steel construction built to provide dependable performance time and time again. Thanks to the Max Life Power System which delivers 1.25 HP lift force you don’t have to worry about your garage door being too heavy. This opener can even power through ice, heat, and humidity to deliver reliable service for your needs.
The battery backup means you never need to worry about ordinary irritations, such as power outages keeping you out of your garage and the 1,500-foot range means you can get into or exit your garage much more quickly.
The Smart aspect of this garage is also worth noting. You can control your garage from afar using an app on your phone to monitor the status of your garage door, open the door, close the door, or grant access to others. You can also designate up to three additional guest users to have access to your garage controls.
If you haven’t taken the leap to bring your garage door opener up to date, the Chamberlain C870 is the perfect tool to help you do just that!
Features: Chamberlain C870
- Part Number: C870
- Item Weight: 35 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 18 x 10 x 6.5 inches
- Item model number: C870
- Color: Pewter
- Power Source: DC
- Batteries: 2 Lithium Metal batteries (included)
- Warranty: Motor: Lifetime; Chain & Parts: 5 Years; Accessories: 1 Year
Pros: Chamberlain C870
- Safety Sensors
- Wireless Keypad
- Motion Detection Control Panel
- Control from Anywhere
- Real-time Notifications
Cons: Chamberlain C870
- Less lifting force than other models
Looking for a garage door openers you can control and monitor from your mobile phone, that is reliable and durable, and that has battery backup so that you can access your garage even when your power is out? Look no further than the LiftMaster 8550W Belt Drive Garage Door Opener.
This opener has a half horsepower lift force, which is less than many similar models and it has a chain rive, which some complain is noisier than models that operate without the chain. However, it is easy to install, and that makes a world of difference to many people investing in garage door openers. That isn’t the only benefit to consider with this model, however. Other benefits include things like added safety generated when a new code is generated for your opener with every click, adding new degrees of safety and peace of mind for consumers. Then there is the lifetime warranty on the motor and one year warrant for the parts.
Top off the benefits with WiFi capabilities and control, and you have a garage door opener that is functional, without unnecessary bells and whistles, and simple for the average person to get up and running. There is a lot to love about this opener!
Features: LiftMaster 8550W Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
- Item Weight: 22.1 pounds
- Batteries Included: No
- Drive Type: Belt
- Battery Backup: Yes
- Security / Lock: Yes
- Soft Start / Stop: Yes
- Timer To Close: Yes
- Batteries: 2 CR123A batteries required
- Smartphone Control: Yes
- Lights Turn On When Entering Garage: Yes
- Part Number: 8550
- Warranty: 1 Year Battery and Remote Control, Belt Warranty: Lifetime, Motor Warranty: Lifetime, Parts Warranty: 5 Years
Pros: LiftMaster 8550W Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
- Easy installation
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Can pair with existing rails
Cons: LiftMaster 8550W Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
- Motor can be noisy
Not an opener in and of itself, NEXX Garage NXG-100 allows you to transform your existing garage door opener into one that is Wi-Fi enabled, meaning you will now be able to operate your older model garage door that isn’t “connected” through the power of your mobile phone. You will enjoy the same privileges other people with Wi-Fi openers enjoy, such as monitoring your garage from practically anywhere.
Even better, you can do this without security concerns that may plague others because this system offers best in class security encryption. You can even use voice commands from Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant to open or close your garage door.
When you’re ready to take your garage experience to the next level, look no further than NEXX Garage NXG-100 for an upgrade that requires no manual labor, little technical expertise, and considerably less cash than installing a new Wi-Fi enabled garage door opening system. While the system does work with most openers, check for compatibility before you buy.
Enjoy the upgrade of Wi-Fi enabled garage door opening and monitoring without the expense, aggravation, and intense installation of a normal upgrade with the NEXX Garage NXG-100. We’re convinced you’ll wish you had given this system a chance much sooner!
Features: NEXX Garage NXG-100
- Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 1 x 1.5 inches
- Color: White
- Item Weight: 8.2 ounces
- Part Number: NXG-100
- Included Components: Controller, wired sensor, brackets, stickers, screws, wire, manual, wires, sticker, screws
Pros: NEXX Garage NXG-100
- Very responsive: No delays
- Programmed to open door automatically
- Reminders
- Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Cons: NEXX Garage NXG-100
- Installation may be hard for some people
Have you been considering making the upgrade to a Wi-Fi enabled garage door opener but fearful of the costs? Fear no more. The Chamberlain MyQ-G0301 Garage Hub is your perfect solution. With this Wi-Fi enabled garage hub you will put the power of your garage door literally in the palm of your hand – along with your smartphone.
No complex, backbreaking installation necessary. This simple solution will have you ready to use your smartphone to monitor and operate your garage door from practically anywhere. You can even set up guest access from the MyQ app on your smartphone, giving others temporary access to your garage.
Of course, there are limitations to how much you can do with this upgrade. It only works with garage door openers made after 1993 that are made by major brands and have standard safety features. It’s also easy to set up just by following the instructions on your MyQ app.
When you’re ready to make the technology upgrade app control provides but aren’t interested in paying the “upgrade price” for a brand-new garage door opener the Chamberlain MyQ-G0301 Garage Hub makes the upgrade on your behalf. Try it today and see what a difference it makes on how you view your garage and your home.
Features: Chamberlain MYQ-G0301 Garage Hub
- Item Weight: 8 ounces
- Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 1.5 x 4.5 inches
- Item model number: MYQ-G0301
- Batteries: 1 Lithium Metal batteries (included)
- Color: Black
- Battery Cell Type: Lithium Metal
- Included Components: Wi-Fi Hub, Door Sensor, Power Adapter, Mounting Hardware
Pros: Chamberlain MYQ-G0301 Garage Hub
- Real-time notifications
- Control from anywhere
- Access sharing
Cons: Chamberlain MYQ-G0301 Garage Hub
- It may take long to setup
For those of you who like to do your own research, our experts have written a comprehensive Garage Openers Buying Guide. This can help you review a lot of useful information, and select the best Garage Opener to meet your needs.
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I recommend LiftMaster 8550W. quality and low price. the first door opener I have was a 3850 model. works good but was more noisy.
I love the Genie ChainMax 1000. It is very quiet and easy to use. I needed to replace my garage door opener right away. It came exactly when they said it would. It was installed the next day to open a two-car garage door. No problems.
My hubby was forever losing his remote for the garage door opener. Not only did we have to keep buying new ones, we didn’t know where the old ones were or who had them, which also caused concern. So we decided to go the “smart” route. I will say Chamberlain Group C870 was a pain for my hubby to install, it took him and a neighbor 2 days. But that was apparently because the old homeowner did a lot of things himself and the old system was an odd size, so they had to cut this one to fit. But other than that, we have been very happy with this. It’s awesome to use our phones to open and close it, and to get alerts when it opens or closes (you need them as you will never hear this open or close, it is amazingly quiet). There is a keypad outside the door for emergencies and to let service people into the garage. I had to use it once, when my hubby got an alert that the garage door was open while he was at work, and thought it would be funny to close it remotely to mess with me! I feel safer with a battery backup as I know I will not be locked out during a power outage. We would definitely buy this again, and will never go back to remotes. We didn’t even program the ones that came with it. It was easy to set up the app, even for my non-tech honey.
I really like Chamberlain Group C870 opener! I would have given it five stars except for two things. 1) It didn’t come with the brace for the ceiling 2) It was missing two bolts. Fortunately I was able to use one of the two braces on the ceiling and I cut the other one into two for the vertical supports. But I had to make a 15 mile round trip to the hardware store for the bolts.
That said, I really like this product! The instructions were ACCURATE and EASY to understand. Pretty rare today with all the Chinglish instructions! Assembly was fast and easy, even by myself, and the Wifi connection went smooth. The app works very nice. I don’t think I have ever heard a quieter unit, and I love the motion detector! It turns the light on as soon as I open the inside door. The notifications on my phone are great as well. It tells me when the door opens, how long it’s been open, and I set an automatic closure time of midnight.
I’ve had five openers in the past, the last one a Craftsman. This is the best one I have ever owned…
Chamberlain MYQ-G0301 is really a simple device and easy to install. I installed it and got it up and running in less than an hour. No hubs or anything else is needed — other that a wi-fi signal. Works as expected and I will buy the second sensor, soon.
When you open or close the door remotely, the unit beeps pretty loud and the light flashes about 5 seconds before it actually moves. That’s a bit annoying. But if you think about it, that makes sense in the scenario where someone is in the garage and they have no idea the door is about to move. Besides, you’re rarely activating Chamberlain MYQ-G0301 while inside the garage.
The wireless sensor is powered by an included battery (CR2450). No idea how long it’s supposed to last, but the app is supposed to notify you when the battery lets low.
It took me calling support for Chamberline MyQ to find out that the LED bulb in garage was causing interference for MyQ Hub to connect with my Garage Door (GD) opener, when Learn Button was used. It wouldn’t pick up the Garage Door opener. This should be included in the manual, although calling support was easy and quick response. However, once I removed LED bulb, it connected so fast I was shocked when the GD opened. Then I ordered the sensor for second door, I was almost ready to send this back. Also make sure you buy a WiFi Extender that is closer to Garage, I spent $50 to get AC1200 TPLink Dual Band (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz, MyQ users 2.4GHz)to extend my WiFi. The WiFi high signal is critical for smooth connection. So, in short make sure WiFi Signal is high in garage (use your phone to check for BARs) and NO LED Bulb near MyQ.
Chamberlain B970 is a great garage door opener. It is definitely a step up from my old Chamberlain chain drive. I downloaded the app and the WiFi setup was quick and simple. The owners manual said to use CFL bulbs or standard bulbs. I saw on several reviews that LED bulbs worked so that is what I installed and they came on no problem. But, there is a problem with LEDs that Chamberlain should have noted in the manual and that is LED bulbs interfere with the opener’s receiver. While in the garage I tested one of the remote switches that came in the box and the garage door opened and closed. I then went outside to program one of our vehicles and I noticed the remote would not open the garage door outside. I thought that was odd but continued programming my vehicle. I went through the steps and the system recognized our vehicle. But then, our vehicle would not open the garage door. I pull our vehicle inside the garage and then the vehicle was able to close the garage door. I Googled this and found that LED bulbs are very noisy with radio frequency (RF) emissions and in essence blocks the opener’s receiver. I unscrewed the LED bulbs and bingo, the garage door remote and our vehicle was able to open/close the garage door outside the garage. So I hope this saves you some headache when trying to program you vehicles and you happen to have installed LED bulbs. I will be putting in some CFL bulbs instead.
Update, GE makes a garage door LED bulb specifically for garage door openers that do not interfere with remotes. I installed a set and they worked fine with the remotes and our vehicle.
Next Day Delivery. The B970 is a very strong unit that is feature packed. Contains 2 Remotes, and can be programmed in your car if you have Homelink Compatibility. Not seamless to program but I managed to finally get both programmed. Suggest you call homelink which was needed on one car, but would have gone faster on the other car if i had called.
In addition, it can be programmed to your smart phone with an App, and has a motion sensor light that is very bright, and even comes on when not opening the garage door. It also has an outdoor keypad to open the garage door even if you do not have a remote handy. Much quiter than my previous Stanley garage door opener. Opener pad has time and temperature on it.
I would highly recommend and it is a very reasonable price.
I purchased two of NXG-100 (one for each door). They work great and were easy to set up. I installed them on two brand new Genie screw-drive garage door openers. Fashioning a bracket was easy. I cut up an old Ohio license plate and shaped it to clamp around the drive channel, then used hot glue to attach the proximity sensors to the trolley and the homemade bracket. For the other door, I paid homage to the state of my birth and used a license plate from the Garden State. I could have gone to the hardware store and got a shinny new piece of sheet metal, but recycling old license plates was more fun. I then ran the wire on top of the drive channel up to the drive head and used hot glue every foot to hold it in place. Except for the bracket and the small control box, you can’t even tell it’s there. If I were installing it on the older-style Genie drive with the thinner drive channel and had it’s own limit switches (like I had at my previous house), I probably wouldn’t have needed to make a bracket at all.
Alexa integration works great. Having to say “tell Nexx Garage to” once in a while is a small price to pay for being able to tell if you accidentally left your garage door open (and close it) from the furthest reaches of the internet.
I really enjoyed installing this on my garage doors and I didn’t mind having to manufacture my own brackets. Considering the thousands of combinations and permutations of door and opener brands and types, it’s unrealistic to expect that from any product. This is a “fun” thing to have and to show off to your friends. Part of that is showing off your skills and inventiveness.
Just bought and installed the Liftmaster 8550 from amazon.com, unfortunately it does not come with the battery however You can buy the battery or (485LM) for $10 more. Took about 30 mins to install, In my case, I just swapped out the head unit only from an Chamberlain 1/2 hp belt drive and put the new 8550 in its place and reused the rail and belt from my chamberlain Whisper Drive (Warning swapping motor heads may not work for everyone different openers use different parts such as rails and belts ) Immediately after installing this opener one of the first things I noticed was how quiet this opener is! You almost dont even here it, and I have exceptional hearing. The Soft Start and Stop feature is a Genius! Soft Start means no more sudden jolt of the garage door when you first hit the button to close the door because the motor starts slowly and gains speed, and the Soft Stop means no more slamming when the door hits the ground because the motor slows down before to stops. This opener also has great features such as the MyQ capability were I can use my Smart Phone to monitor and operate the door from anywhere!!!. This opener also has a standby/sleep mode that its goes into after 5 min of the door being closed which everything on the opener goes dormant so it uses 75% less energy. The fact that the opener only came with 1 remote was no issue eather, I drive two vehicles 1 of which, is a 2012 model with Homlink (Warning if you have a vehical with Homlink thats older then 2012, you’ll need a repeater kit). When I comes down to it, In my opinion the Liftmaster Model 8550 is a fantastic opener and worth the extra money. I would have absolutely no problem recommending this Garage Door Opener to anyone. Keep up the fantastic work Liftmaster.
This is my second Chamberlain B970 unit, not because the first one broke but because I sold that house and missed it so much, I had to buy another one
The whole MyQ system is very responsive and easy to setup
app on the phone has gotten better and speedier too
in my old house, the door was louder since it has no insulation, thinner metal and not as aligned so the door vibrated more
but my house built in 2006 is in great condition and it opened so quietly even without new nylon rollers
There are 2 negatives:
1. the rail is only good for 6~7ft doors, for 8ft, you need to buy the pricey rail extension kit, no other ways about it
the kit is about $50 from either home depot or lowes.
2. the light cover is old and blocks too much light
i have an LED bulb that uses 16W (120W equiv or so) and still isnt very bright
Chamberlain B970 is a fantastic product, I have a very heavy solid wood door on a two car garage and this motor has no problem opening it and it’s extremely quiet too. Works great in very cold weather as well
So I just bought a house with an old garage door opener. And I mean old – it has an install date on it of March 1986. In fact, I think Huey Lewis and the News plays faintly whenever I hit the button.
So, no surprise – NexxGarage doesn’t work out of the box with this old thing. I contacted them, and they worked out to send me their remote cloning transmitter. Well, the thing is so old the remotes are even out of the frequency that modern transmitters use, so no dice. So I let them know, thinking that was the end of it.
Nope.
NexxGarage had me send them one of my ancient remotes – and they modified the remote to hook to NexxGarage. Amazing. They literally cracked open my remote and customized it to work with their system and sent it back. Who does that? But that’s pretty good.
Got the modified remote back, and it works great.
Here’s the thing. I’m pretty sure NexxGarage spent more time and money dealing with my ancient opener than they made off of me on a $99 device. That’s service, and doing right by a customer.
Happy with the product and the company. Five stars