The Best Smart Garage Door Openers
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Smart garage door openers have become a staple in the ever-growing world of intelligent home upgrades, and it’s easy to understand why.
Smart garage door openers eliminate that sinking feeling caused by the realization that you left the garage door open, allowing you to control the garage door from anywhere, all through a handy app on your phone. In addition to opening or shutting your garage door, this also means you can let deliverymen drop packages, or let your kids in the house — even when you’re away.
But the features offered by the best smart garage door openers don’t stop there. Most of them also connect to existing smart home hubs (such as Alexa, Google Assistant, etc), allowing you do open the garage door with your voice. Plus, companion apps for these smart garage openers provide further conveniences such as notifications when the door opens, access sharing (for, say, the dog sitter), schedules and more.
What Are the Best Smart Garage Door Openers?
If you’re ready to upgrade your garage with an intelligent opener, we’re here to help. Below are some features to look out for when shopping for the best smart garage door opener for you.
Door Compatibility: Smart garage door openers connect to your existing opener mechanism, essentially replacing that old button on the wall. Traditional garage doors mostly come from a shortlist of brands (Chamberlain, Liftmaster and Genie, to name a few). Still, make sure to check whether a smart system is compatible with your current garage door.
Companion App: Not all smart garage door companion apps are made equal. Some offer more features than others, such as schedules, notifications and access sharing. Plus, some companion apps are simply more intuitive.
App Compatibility: If you already have smart home devices such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, you’ll want a smart garage door opener that can connect to those devices. Plus, some smart garage door openers can also connect to apps such as IFTTT (If This Then That), letting you program the garage door to work with the weather, other smart devices and more.
Installation: Not all of us are trained handymen. Be sure to check installation procedures and reviews to see how much work is required for set up. Some smart garage door openers require a wired installation and others require a separate WiFi hub in addition to a door sensor. Most of the picks on our list though can be easily installed without the need to call for help.
1. Chamberlain Group myQ Smart Garage Door Opener
Chamberlain is one of the few smart garage door opener brands with a history in making traditional garage doors. Their smart door opener, myQ, is lauded as one of the best smart garage door openers because it’s packed with features, works with almost any existing garage opener and requires minimal installation.
The opener works with a myQ companion app that can control the door from anywhere, send notifications if your door is open, set schedules and even connect to Google Assistant and IFTTT. Plus, the Chamberlain boasts a feature that our other picks don’t have: Amazon Key. This allows Amazon deliverymen to place packages securely inside your garage, avoiding weather and theft.
2. Meross Smart WiFi Garage Door Opener
Smart garage door openers such as this Meross take a slightly different approach than options such as the Chamberlain myQ. The Meross requires a wired connection that should work with your existing garage door. Although the installation might be a bit tricker, the Meross is packed with features and compatibility.
The Meross connects to a companion app, allowing you to control the door remotely, set schedules and connect to major smart home devices including Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Samsung Smartthings. This means seamless voice control and integration with your whole smart system.
3. Refoss Smart WiFi Garage Door Opener
The Refross smart garage door opener is similar to the Meross with a single device that’s wired to your current opener. It works with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control, and uses a companion app for remote control, checking garage door history, setting schedules and notifications. Although installation requires some wire work, it is easy enough to figure out on your own.
4. Nexx Smart WiFi Garage Door Controller
This smart garage door opener from Nexx uses a different set up consisting of a hub that connects via wires to your door opener and a wireless door sensor. This sensor gives your garage door the ability to open automatically when it detects your smartphone.
Plus, the hub features an antenna that improves connection to the house WiFi (because who has good WiFi in their garage?) The Nexx is also widely compatible with smart home devices including Alexa, Google and Samsung Smartthings, enabling voice control.