Any decent garage door openers?

[kenc184]

After 30 years, my old Genie screw drive garage door opener is dying. I did have to replace the carriage maybe 15 years ago, but pretty good service overall. Looking for a new garage door opener, first I see that most of them are wifi enabled, with alexa support, smart phone control and a bunch of **** I have no interest in. Next thing is because CA has a boat load of brain dead politicians, I HAVE to have a battery back up - by law!

The worst thing is the online reviews of modern low priced (<$300) openers are terrible. Both Genie and Chamberlain openers are chock full of one star reviews.

Anyone have an opinion on a decent door opener without wifi/alexa/smart anything for under 300 bucks that has a good chance of lasting say 10 years?

thanks!

 

[shawhite]

A lot of openers under $300. If you don’t want all the extras don’t install set them up. When my opener dies I’m going with the wall mount opener from genie

 

[FMB4]

One star reviews from DIY installers that do not know what they're doing.

 

[kenc184]

A lot of the one star reviews were for blown motherboards. Genie's customer service when issues like that occurred, got absolutely slammed for being unhelpful. They also got criticism for charging shipping for warranty parts.
Of course, there were the usual idiots also.

 

[GeoBruin]

I recently got a Liftmaster 8500 and there is a lot to like about models that mount beside and spin the jack shaft directly. It removes the whole opener assembly and chain/screw from overhead, and it's really quiet.

 

[Packard V8]

X2 on the Liftmaster. I fought with the overhead screw/chain/cable pull-type openers for fifty years. After the Liftmaster, I wouldn't install an overhead if given it for free.

jack vines

 

[kenc184]

Hmm, thanks Geo and Jack. I'll look into that. I wonder if I have the room either side. My garage is packed, every inch of wall space has something on it.

 

[Packard V8]

If you go with the Liftmaster, it requires a pair of pusher spring "kickers" to move the door down off horizontal. I've got an extra pair, so PM me if you need them.


jack vines

 

[Sneezer]

I have a Sommer direct drive opener that I have been really happy with. Quiet, no problems to date. Only complaint I have is the light is timed, so it turns off after 2 min or so.

 

[Wiz02]

I will second the Liftmaster 8500 recommendation as being quiet, mechanically reliable and straightforward to install, but after 4 years of minimal usage, the automatic light stays on permanently, this despite using an incandescent bulb as required. I would also check the GJ thread where people routinely complain that the door opens by itself, although it hasn't happened to me.

 

[Lucid Moments]

I also have the liftmaster 8500. It came with a defective switch which was a nuisance, but other than that I haven't had any issues in 2 1/2 years.

 

[shawhite]

No way I could trust the 8500 after the long list of people stating it would randomly open on its own. They say they fixed the faulty controller but I’m still not trusting it. Genie makes a wall mount that is just as good.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I installed 2 Liftmaster 8500W Elite openers. They have refreshed them since a lot of the issues people have discussed. It's only been 3 months for me, but they have been great so far. I love the battery back-up feature as well, and installation was a breeze.

 

[reader2580]

I have a Sommer direct drive opener that I have been really happy with. Quiet, no problems to date. Only complaint I have is the light is timed, so it turns off after 2 min or so.

Isn't it pretty much the norm for garage door opener lights to be timed? I have never seen a garage door opener light that didn't turn off after a few minutes.

 

[reader2580]

I have a Chamberlain garage door opener installed in late 2014. It has worked just fine, but not Internet connected.

I haven't read the reviews, but I bet a lot of the bad reviews are related to the technology part of the openers.

 

[RTM]

Isn't it pretty much the norm for garage door opener lights to be timed? I have never seen a garage door opener light that didn't turn off after a few minutes.

Some of them you can also turn the light on manually, which is why mine are on mostly, not from the door opening

 

[kenc184]

If you go with the Liftmaster, it requires a pair of pusher spring "kickers" to move the door down off horizontal. I've got an extra pair, so PM me if you need them.


jack vines

Jack : Thanks for the kind offer, I'll be all over it if I go liftmaster. I have been reading mixed reviews on them however - to be fair like every other opener.

I get adding "smart" controls to many items - my lawn sprinkler controller for example, but why add it to a garage door opener like every manufacturer has? If I want to open my garage door, it's because I'm standing in front of it, or sitting in a car right in front of it. So, I push a button on the wall, or on my cars mirror (or wherever the buttons are). What possibly can be the advantage to having a phone app to open the door, or the hassle of adding yet another dongle onto a router? Seems absolutely pointless.

 

[Terra Nova]

I tossed a Genie Screw drive after 10 yrs. Spent too many hours not getting anywhere with their tech support/warranty people. Got in a bind and went with a Chamberlain belt drive from Home Depot and have been very happy with it. Just set your expectations accordingly, it's a homeowner door opener from a big box store.

Wouldn't touch another Genie.

 

[will335i]

Jack : Thanks for the kind offer, I'll be all over it if I go liftmaster. I have been reading mixed reviews on them however - to be fair like every other opener.

I get adding "smart" controls to many items - my lawn sprinkler controller for example, but why add it to a garage door opener like every manufacturer has? If I want to open my garage door, it's because I'm standing in front of it, or sitting in a car right in front of it. So, I push a button on the wall, or on my cars mirror (or wherever the buttons are). What possibly can be the advantage to having a phone app to open the door, or the hassle of adding yet another dongle onto a router? Seems absolutely pointless.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is why. While true home automation is still in its infancy it is coming and coming quickly. The widespread adaptation of 5G will only accelerate this. A simple answer as to why a smart garage door is convivence and security. Ever leave the house and forget to close the garage door or at least weren't sure? Now you can check it and close it from anywhere. Family, friend or even contractor needs access to your house? Now you can let them without lending a key or telling them the opener code.

It gets fancier if you have a home automation controller, you can set up scenes and geo fences to do things without you even moving a finger. A quick example would be a motorcycle enthusiast, not a lot of places on the motorcycle for an opener so you set a geo fence with your phone that the garage door closes when it leaves the wi-fi and opens when it reconnects. Pare this with a smart switch and it will turn on or off lights for you and you never have to come home to a dark house again.

 

[Steve_P]

I have two Chamberlain, chain drive, 27 years; I'm sure they were the cheapest available when the house was built. No issues with them. But, I have a friend with a belt drive unit and it is much quieter.

 

[username2]

The Internet of Things (IoT) is why. While true home automation is still in its infancy it is coming and coming quickly. The widespread adaptation of 5G will only accelerate this. A simple answer as to why a smart garage door is convivence and security. Ever leave the house and forget to close the garage door or at least weren't sure? Now you can check it and close it from anywhere. Family, friend or even contractor needs access to your house? Now you can let them without lending a key or telling them the opener code.

It gets fancier if you have a home automation controller, you can set up scenes and geo fences to do things without you even moving a finger. A quick example would be a motorcycle enthusiast, not a lot of places on the motorcycle for an opener so you set a geo fence with your phone that the garage door closes when it leaves the wi-fi and opens when it reconnects. Pare this with a smart switch and it will turn on or off lights for you and you never have to come home to a dark house again.

Aside from all the security issues, my guess is that a lot of that stuff is going to end up being like buying a retromod car filled with kewl stuff from magazines. Lots of obsolete technology weirdly intertwined with the house that will cause great confusion in the future. Unavailable controller boards when broken, lack of documentation.

Generally, I don't like mixing long-term capital-intensive stuff like a house (or the house's furnace, etc.) with quickly obsolete things like consumer electronics.

 

[will335i]

Aside from all the security issues, my guess is that a lot of that stuff is going to end up being like buying a retromod car filled with kewl stuff from magazines. Lots of obsolete technology weirdly intertwined with the house that will cause great confusion in the future. Unavailable controller boards when broken, lack of documentation.

Generally, I don't like mixing long-term capital-intensive stuff like a house (or the house's furnace, etc.) with quickly obsolete things like consumer electronics.

Maybe, it depends on how intertwined the features are. As long as it can still perform the base function without the "smart" stuff working it should be just fine although we have seen some manufactures try to take advantage and lock things down cough **** you Canon cough. We know wi-fi isn't going anywhere but there are some other protocols out there for smart devices, Z-wave, Zigbee, Bluetooth low energy. Those others are the ones you could see going obsolete based on which ends up coming out on top. Think Betamax vs VHS.

Right to Repair laws are going to become even more important because of these trends to make everything smart. If consumers are locked out of the devices they buy then what is stopping them from sending a signal to the device to stop operating after x number of years.

 

[Sneezer]

Isn't it pretty much the norm for garage door opener lights to be timed? I have never seen a garage door opener light that didn't turn off after a few minutes.

My old one would stay on indefinitely if you turned it on from the wall switch. This one times out even from the wall switch.

 

[rancherbill]

Anyone have an opinion on a decent door opener without wifi/alexa/smart anything for under 300 bucks that has a good chance of lasting say 10 years?

thanks!

The Kids, but they grow up and move away.

 

[BarryWells]

I've had 2 liftmasters opening horizontal 1x1x8foot tall box tube gate that're 12 feet long... for 15 years

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

I installed two of the cheapest belt drive Chamberlain openers I could find for my Grandmother probably 7-8 years ago. I seem to remember they were under $200 a piece, easy to install and not a single issue that I've heard about.

 

[ddawg16]

Chamberlin owns Liftmaster.

I installed the Chamberlin version of the Liftmaster jack shaft about 6 months ago....wish I had done it sooner. I think I paid about $450 off Amazon.

It's a hell of a lot easier to install than any other traditional opener.

The LED light is super bright. The motion detection in wall controller is a nice feature.

I installed the MyQ app...works fine. I'm at work and it says my garage door has been closed for 2 days

And, damn....it's quiet.

Oh, did I mention how quiet it is?

 

[Rc_Guy]

If you go with the Liftmaster, it requires a pair of pusher spring "kickers" to move the door down off horizontal. I've got an extra pair, so PM me if you need them.


jack vines

Why does that brand need those?