Ryobi Garage Door Opener

[gahrajmahal]

Here is the "Smart" garage door opener I bought from Liftmaster, the 8550w. It has wi-fi connectivity, a DC motor with soft start and a belt drive so quiet you can barely hear it opening and our living room is directly over it. My favorite feature is the adjustable timer that automatically closes the door after a set time period. We have ours set at 20 minutes. You can also lock it out for when you are working in the garage. It comes with a battery backup. It has been several years now since getting it and it is on my "favorite purchase ever" list of stuff I have bought for my home.

https://www.liftmaster.com/for-homes/garage-door-openers/elite-series/model-8550W

 

[racintj]

Here is the "Smart" garage door opener I bought from Liftmaster, the 8550w. It has wi-fi connectivity, a DC motor with soft start and a belt drive so quiet you can barely hear it opening and our living room is directly over it. My favorite feature is the adjustable timer that automatically closes the door after a set time period. We have ours set at 20 minutes. You can also lock it out for when you are working in the garage. It comes with a battery backup. It has been several years now since getting it and it is on my "favorite purchase ever" list of stuff I have bought for my home.

https://www.liftmaster.com/for-homes/garage-door-openers/elite-series/model-8550W

Liftmaster is not a bad unit at all, but I can't say that I'd be happy about the battery backup on that unit. I mean, you have a Lead-acid battery, hence Lead and Acid, sitting directly over your $20-50k vehicle; in 150 degree garage no less.

...disaster waiting to happen.

 

[garthg]

Of course, all of that makes perfect sense. I have my cord reel dangling off my garage door opener bracket and plugged into the same outlet in the ceiling. Of course they should be integrated.

And LED lights make sense also. Since the opener vibrates so much when it's running, light bulbs (including CFL's) don't seem to last very long.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

The name alone makes me want to just walk away. Perfect for those that have to use a normal garage door opener but after being on here for a while I would see no advantage to this and want to get as much stuff above the car to disappear. IE: High track. I can't even begin to tell you how much more open the garage felt once I got the low hanging stuff removed.

Mind you I still have a two power reels in the middle of the ceiling (one per bay).

I too had a Ryobi tool.. it was a compound miter saw that just wouldn't quit. It had broken pieces on it and it went through hell... I only sold it because I got a dual miter sliding 10" dewalt, and sold the Ryobi on craigslist. I knew instantly the saw wouldn't last too much longer when the idiot went and picked up the saw by the handle that you use to cut wood instead of the carrying handle that is directly built into the to of the saw...lol

Great idea and concept, a lot of it makes sense but isn't practical for most of us here I think... more along the lines of somewhat handy man but really has no idea what they are doing but likes to have cool gadgets. Also has a horrible color scheme... Why manufactures keep switching to these "toy" color schemes is annoying as hell to me. Everything being introduced anymore is of a fisher price look... That's cool when I was a kid but the whole point of tools is knowing you got the big boy version, and not something that your kid has in their play box.

-Nigel

-Nigel

 

[soj]

Tough crowd... at least on Ryobi.

Not to be argumentative, but here is my take:

A couple of you who said the brand was reason enough not to even be interested, much less buy one, also own, or have owned, Ryobi tools that "just wouldn't quit" and "is still running strong". You're confusing the hell out of me.

To the "all in one" is a bad idea crowd. I agree. But this is almost the opposite of all in one. It is modular. If any one of the modules craps out (including the GDO), just replace that one part, not the whole assembly of modules.

For those who mentioned other openers with wi-fi control, the Ryobi has that as well.

Just my take, not trying to change anybody's mind.
jp

 

[elefan]

I wonder how many people disliking this product because of Ryobi being a "diy brand" has **** HF tools and other cheap hand tools?

 

[jahn]

To the "all in one" is a bad idea crowd. I agree. But this is almost the opposite of all in one. It is modular. If any one of the modules craps out (including the GDO), just replace that one part, not the whole assembly of modules.

jp

Good argument. Looking at the whole picture, it could work. Just narrow mined as I am looking it as an all in one. I am use to low voltage "DC" and see it as power supply issue. But with household "AC" direct to each modular makes it less of an all in one problem.

Small garage with very occasional fix/maintenance and wanting a nice looking garage (less ceiling acne), this would fit the bill.

As for quality, I do not own a Ryobi myself. But it has been around and I would suspect that they are improving the quality through the years. In my business (AV) even the best brands have issues with a product or 2 and the "****" comes up with some quality.

 

[fourjeepin]

I saw this a couple of weeks ago and thought it was a cool idea, but not something I would get. The gdo is not easy to get to in my garage being centered over the cars and 7' doors. Without the car there, sure, works great. And most diy are not as particular about brands as folks on this site. I don't own anything Ryobi.

 

[mrrooG8]

I think its a cool idea. Lots of people will buy into it. I can't knock Ryobi stuff. I have about 6 different Ryobi tools that are at least 15 years old. Only issues I've had was the 18 volt batteries going to **** after 5 years. We use Dewalt and Milwaukee stuff at work and still have issues with those from time to time. Anything can fail. It's all made in China anymore unfortunately.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

My cousin bought one of those all-in-one bag of Ryobi cordless tools when he bought his house. They lasted juuust long enough to do what he needed when he updated everything and finished his basement and bar.

Interestingly enough, Ryobi is owned by the same company as Milwaukee...

Tommy

 

[pmiranda]

I'm in no hurry to replace my opener, but it's a great idea to use a standard battery pack for backup on something like this. And the LED lighting and wifi is a no-brainer these days.

I probably wouldn't bother with the built-in cord reel since I'd rather have that be something I replace separately.

 

[djjsr]

My cousin bought one of those all-in-one bag of Ryobi cordless tools when he bought his house. They lasted juuust long enough to do what he needed ......
Tommy

Do you know what quit working, the tool or the batteries?

I have several Ryobi 18v tools and none have completely quit yet. The oldest is a drill that's almost 20 years old. The old nicad batteries would only last me about 3 or 4 years but the lithiums seem much better. My oldest lithium is 9 years old and still works.

 

[AV8OR]

I've cobbled together the same package in my garage:

(1) Garage door opener
(2) Cord reel
(3) Laser parking assist
(4) Drop light

But to have an integrated system is a novel idea but I'll wait to see and let someone else figure out if it is reliable.

In this day and time with web sites like this it is the kiss of death if the manufactures don't come out with quality products.

 

[pmiranda]

Good point about batteries. I had a few Craftsman C3 tools I was about to throw away until I tried the newer Li battery pack and now I love them.

 

[djscotty]

The cord reel is kind of nice, not so sure about the rest of the accessories.

The one thing I want in the next garage door opener is wifi control. Its an easy way to let somebody into the house, and if the garage door is left open, you get an alert.

Chamberlain makes a great add on kit for your existing garage door. Have had it for the past year and now it hooks directly to my Wink hub.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Some more thought has brought me to the conclusion that the cord reel a stupid setup. It can't be accessed when the car is in the garage, when you're most likely to use it...

Tommy

 

[ilovevocs]

If this was Milwaukee people would be breaking down doors at home depot.

 

[rooster shooter]

If this was Milwaukee people would be breaking down doors at home depot.

So true.

 

[FriendOfYours]

Did anyone watch the video? It has a DC motor, Wi-Fi so you can open close from phone anywhere and has a lifetime warranty. I think that covers all the complaints.

 

[soj]

Did anyone watch the video? It has a DC motor, Wi-Fi so you can open close from phone anywhere and has a lifetime warranty. I think that covers all the complaints.

NO, NO, NO, you misunderstand. The complaints have nothing to do with features, quality or warranty. The problem is the color and the brand. Go to the tools section of GJ. You will read the same put downs of ALL tool brands, from Great Neck & HF (or insert your fav. lo buck tool) to Snap-On & S-K (or insert your fav hi dollar tool). Many of the complaints will be valid, and based on real world experience. But many will be based on brand preference alone. Such behavior is not a character flaw, just a character trait. It is like the age-old Ford vs Chevy vs Mopar deal. That is why, in my previous post (#45), I stated I am not trying to change anybody's mind.

Looking back at your post, you are right. You have pretty much covered all the complaints, but you haven't satisfied or alleviated them.

Nice try though!

 

[pmiranda]

Clearly it's a terrible product, since it doesn't come in Ford blue.

 

[soj]

Clearly it's a terrible product, since it doesn't come in Ford blue.

See what I mean?

And some guy is thinking, "I wish it was Hemi Orange with black wrinkle finish trim"

And another is figuring where there is room to stick a bow tie emblem on it.

 

[upndown]

Did anyone watch the video? It has a DC motor, Wi-Fi so you can open close from phone anywhere and has a lifetime warranty. I think that covers all the complaints.

Did you actually read the Limited warranty?

 

[JohnnieMo]

Ford *****.

Sent from my BlackBerry Priv

 

[timtim2008]

i want this in a craftsman

 

[elefan]

Gimme a dewalt version pls

 

[AV8OR]

The wire on the extension cord reel is 30' and is 16 gauge wire.

Not that you would be running your MVP 110/220v MIG welder on it but 16 gauge wire will limit you to around 10'ish amps for power tools.

For not that more space and cost they could have put in 14 gauge wire and you would have been good up to 15 amps.

An LED trouble lamp on a reel would be another nice accessory to occupy the other side.

 

[dwysywd]

I think everyone missed a very important point here... cool concept, poorly executed by Ryobi marketing. If you buy all the accessories, it costs over $450!

Now lets add this up, if you get a nice top of the line Chamberlain, its $250-$275

You add a fan... I don't know about you, but I don't need to spend $54 on a fan... usually you can acquire box fans for about $10... again, not sure I need one mounted to my opener.

Blue tooth speaker is another $54, again, I can buy a lot of BT speakers for lots less than $54 and great, known quality.

Cord Reel is $64, I digress, another item I think hanging from the garage door opener that is over priced... cord reels do not cost $64

And finally, pull down light... another over priced accessory.

I received as a gift the chamberlain garage buddy with (2) halogen lights, pull down 110v cord with LED light integrated, has an air pump and I barley use it. the pump is pretty much only good for pumping soccer balls... although it is handy to have it alreayd plugged up...It was $100 gift. I would have never purchased this for myself.

 

[upndown]

I will be very curious to see how these sell. I'm sure they'll be attractive to the techno-types. Time will tell.

 

[4free]

I think everyone missed a very important point here... cool concept, poorly executed by Ryobi marketing. If you buy all the accessories, it costs over $450!

Now lets add this up, if you get a nice top of the line Chamberlain, its $250-$275

You add a fan... I don't know about you, but I don't need to spend $54 on a fan... usually you can acquire box fans for about $10... again, not sure I need one mounted to my opener.

Blue tooth speaker is another $54, again, I can buy a lot of BT speakers for lots less than $54 and great, known quality.

Cord Reel is $64, I digress, another item I think hanging from the garage door opener that is over priced... cord reels do not cost $64

And finally, pull down light... another over priced accessory.

I received as a gift the chamberlain garage buddy with (2) halogen lights, pull down 110v cord with LED light integrated, has an air pump and I barley use it. the pump is pretty much only good for pumping soccer balls... although it is handy to have it alreayd plugged up...It was $100 gift. I would have never purchased this for myself.

So I just put this in . . . .http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324926

I agree - most of these accessories are WAY overpriced for limited functionality. Comparing it to the TOTL Chamberlain, the 950/1000 belt drive unit, with battery backup and built-in WiFi (on sale at Lowes for $229) it is $20 more (without the battery). The reason I went with it was I wanted to get some 'occasional use' cordless tools that were cheaper that the options Makita has ($250 for a bare-tool jigsaw?!?) and this gets me that reasonably ($99 for 2 4Ah 18v Lithium+ batteries and $59 for jigsaw) without buying another charger or drill kit.

One note on the built-in charger - it DOES charge the battery but it is SLOW - the 2 batteries I got showed 1/2 charge initially; I charged the first overnight, then swapped the second about 8am - it didn't show full charge until noon on the app!

The only attachment I got was the laser pointers ($44), which are still pricey, but if you figure you need to get 2 separate ones for Chamberlain, then this is cheaper. The attachments that I DO think would be useful are the CO monitor and the security camera. The CO price is below $100, then it would be competitive with other connected CO devices. Integration with the app is the key differentiator here. Same with camera.

Bluetooth speaker, not so much - that's all I need is for the neighbors seeing me talking on the phone TO my garage door opener . . . .

 

[4free]

BTW, even if you don't get the Cord Reel attachment, you still get an extra outlet you can use on the opener.

Maybe you can plug in . . . . . a separate cord reel?

 

[4free]

So far, the biggest issue I have with the opener is the lighting - it may last forever but it is very poorly executed. The LEDs are NOT that bright, but it is a very cool color, almost ghostly, and have a lot of glare, since the lens is clear and you see each individual LED - at eye level - in your face. I may need to add some frosted contact paper to reduce the glare.

I also don't like that this is only down-facing. My old opener had the lights in front - facing the garage door. This allowed the area below the opener and the garage door to be lit - there isn't another good way to light that area when the door is open.

Maybe they can add a brighter light attachment, similar to the fan, on a swivel, that can be aimed where it is needed, and be able to tie it to door operation.

 

[dwysywd]

Nice right up! Always helpful to have perspective. I see your point with the tools. I'd be curious if they stand up with use. I've had mixed success with Ryobi battery tools. Usually the batteries part! As for the lights, because LED draw so little, maybe you can add a small strip to the front. The wiring would be easy, use an electrical Displacement Connector, 18-14 AWG, https://www.zoro.com/3m-displacemen...gclid=CNiUt4r0qcwCFUZrfgodM0AB9w&gclsrc=aw.ds


Regards,
Jeff

Sent from my bag phone...

 

[Weekend_warrior]

Despite the name its a great concept! I've only owned on Roybi thing and it was a gas weed trimmer. Worked well for about 6 seasons. Then became a hard starter. I didn't spend a ton of time fiddling with it. Went and bought and Echo. I sold it at a garage sale and I'm sure dude got an easy fix. I suspect now it was a clogged up exhaust screen.

 

[Pig In A Poke]

I have beat on the same set of ryobi cordless tools for 15 years, I have replaced every single battery, but the tools have worked well.I would buy the garage door opener but I am going to a jack shaft opener and losing the overhead.

 

[Allaboutdaz]

I bought this opener couple weeks ago seems like a good product

 

[Firebird 1]

Ive had mine for maybe a month or two. The only access. I bought was the lazer dot parking stops. I only did that just because. I really don't think I will buy any others, I don't need a cord reel, I already have a stereo in the garage, etc. I am very happy with it. I have 2 more doors and will replace both of those openers with the Ryobi. By far the quietest opening garage door I have ever heard. Still happy with it.

 

[Aquarices]

I have a three car garage and I'm thinking about using this on the single car door. I use that single car slot exclusively for working on my bike and car maintenance, so if it goes bonkers I still have the double door to use to get in and out. For 250 bucks I'll take a flyer on it...

 

[csilvest]

I like it. Problem is the Craftsman opener I bought 5 years ago it still sitting in the box, not installed. Gonna be hard to convince the boss that this one is needed now.

I like the modular system. Don't have enough lights? Maybe a module will become available. If Ryobi is smart, they'll allow folks to add to the system; I could easily add lights if I had the right connector.

My first wish would be 2 or 3 battery charge ports instead of just 1 that does the battery backup.

On the Ryobi quality... I'm just a Weekend Warrior, DIYer. I've had very few problems with the 15 or so Ryobi products I own. 2 cordless drills, 2 drivers, recip saw, circular saws, weed whacker, etc, etc. None have failed me.

I've worn out 8 NiCad batteries. Now I have 3 of the 4Ah and 1 of the smaller ones, all LiOn. Best move ever going to LiOn. Other than the colour mismatch, they work perfectly in my oldest tool.

Matter of fact, I stick with Ryobi tools for the 18V One+ system. Seems that everyone I know has gone through 3 or 4 battery technologies with other brands; 18V, 20V, 24V in NiCad then switch to INCOMPATIBLE LiOn systems.

Yes, I understand the build quality of other brands is better. And every extra volt adds torque. But for my use, Ryobi is plenty good enough.

 

[flyfl1pguy99]

so just picked up this new RYOBI garage door opener today. Came with a free cord reel. There was other modules to choose from. It was either the bluetooth speaker, but i already have a radio in the garage. WIll post some pics after the install. . .