If you have a garage door, you know how important it is to have a dependable garage door opener. Your opener needs to work during inclement weather, come equipped with bright lights, and be controlled from your phone.
Luckily, today’s garage door openers are full of tech that ensures your door opens smoothly and will operate when the power is out.
But while the latest garage door openers have many features, choosing the best garage door opener for your budget and home can quickly become a research project. There are a handful of brands and dozens of models on the market at different price points and with different functionalities. The best garage door opener for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of today’s 5 best garage door openers. We’ll look at price, features, drawbacks, and customer review scores to help you choose the best garage door opener for your home.
At Doorvana, we always try to present you with the latest info on garage doors, operators, and more. The most recent list was published on February 20, 2023. LiftMaster cycles through products every few years, so we’ll continually update this article as new information becomes available.
Best Smart Opener for Heavy 2 Car Garage Doors: LiftMaster 87802, Elite Series
Includes LiftMaster’s strongest motor, sturdy I-beam rail system, plus powerful chain drive to lift the heaviest of garage doors.
- Price (includes installation around North Texas): $849 – $899
- Average customer review: 0 stars (LiftMaster)
- Battery Backup for Use When Power Is Out: Yes
- Sizes: Available in 7′, 8′, or 10′ tall garage doors
- Motor: 3/4 HP, 12V DC, 53 RPM
- Power: 120V AC, 60 Hz Voltage, 6′ Power Cord (3-Prong)
- Drive: Heavy Duty Chain Drive System
- Mount: Ceiling
- Speed: 5.5″ Up Per Second, 6.5″ Down Per Second
- Warranty: Lifetime Motor, 5-Year Parts, and LED, 1-Year Battery, and Accessories
- Smart: Built-in Wi-Fi, myQ®Mobile App
- Learn Button Color Compatibility:
- What’s Included: With the purchase of an 87802, you’ll receive an 880LMW Smart Control Panel, 485LM Garage Door Opener Battery, and 839MAX 3-Button Visor Remote Control.
- Extra: The protector system’s invisible light beam auto-reverses the door if there is an obstruction. Lifts heavy doors and carriage house wood doors up to 750 lbs.
LiftMaster garage door openers are the most popular openers on the market, and they’ve got something for all garage door owners, including those with 2-car garages. The 87802 will open & close when the electricity is out and offers a soft start/stop for buttery smooth operation. It also comes with room for two 100W light bulbs for bright lighting.
Additional LiftMaster 87802 Resources
Best Opener for Wood Garage Doors: LiftMaster 87504, Elite Series
Complete with all the bells and whistles, the 87504 garage door opener is the most advanced garage door opener, built to easily operate steel and wood garage doors.
- Price (includes installation around North Texas): $799 – $849
- Average customer review: 3.8 stars (LiftMaster)
- Battery Backup for Use When Power Is Out: Yes
- Motor: 12V DC, 53 RPM
- Power: 120V AC, 60 Hz Voltage, 6′ Power Cord (3-Prong)
- Drive: Steel chassis, T-rail, and Trolley, Fully Reinforced Belt Drive
- Mount: Ceiling
- Speed: 9” Up Per Second, 6.5″ Down Per Second
- Warranty: Lifetime Motor & Belt, 5-Year LED & Parts, 1-Year Accessories, Battery, & Camera
- Smart: Wi-Fi Built-In & Integrates With myQ®
- Learn Button Color Compatibility: Yellow
- What’s Included: With the purchase of an 87504, you’ll receive an 880LMW Smart Control Panel, 485LM Garage Door Opener Battery, and 839MAX 3-Button Visor Remote Control.
- Extra: A built-in 140⁰ wide-angle camera lets you see and hear what’s happening in your garage through the myQ app.
Secure View™ Smart Garage Opener with Built-in Camera, LED Corner to Corner Lighting™ System, Battery Backup, Ultra-Quiet Belt Drive
The motion detector feature automatically lights your way and the myQ® app delivers real-time alerts to let you know when and if your door is open or closed.
Additional LiftMaster 87504 Resources
Best Opener for Quiet Operation: LiftMaster 84505R, Premium Series
Secure View™ Smart Garage Opener with Built-in Camera, Integrated Dual LED Lighting System, Ultra-Quiet Belt Drive®
- Price (includes installation around North Texas): $699 – $749
- Average customer review: 5 stars (LiftMaster)
- Battery Backup for Use When Power Is Out: No
- Motor: 3/4 HP, 12V DC, 53 RPM
- Power: 120V AC, 60 Hz Voltage, 6′ Power Cord (3-Prong)
- Drive: Belt Drive System
- Mount: Ceiling
- Speed: 7.2″ Up Per Second, 7.2″ Down Per Second
- Warranty: Lifetime Motor & Belt, 1-Year Parts, Camera, Accessories, and LED
- Smart: Built-in Wi-Fi, myQ® Mobile App
- Learn Button Color Compatibility: Yellow
- What’s Included: With the purchase of an 84505R, you’ll receive an 882LMW Wi-Fi Multi-Function Control Panel and 839 3-Button Remote Control.
- Extra: A built-in wide-angle camera lens lets you see and hear what’s happening in your garage through the myQ app.
myQ Diagnostics compatible Provides real-time insights for your garage door via its Health Report. You will be sent alerts if an issue arises and can connect to your Dealer for professional services if needed.
Additional LiftMaster 84505R Resources
Best Wall_Mount Garage Door Opener: LiftMaster 8500W, Elite Series
Wall-mount design frees up ceiling space.
- Price range (includes installation): $1,100
- Average customer review: 3.7 stars (LiftMaster)
- Battery Backup for Use When Power Is Out: Yes
- Sizes: Most residential garage doors
- Motor: Heavey-Duty 12V DC
- Power: 120V AC, 60 Hz Voltage, 6′ Power Cord (3-Prong)
- Drive: Internal Chain and Sprocket-Drive Mechanism
- Mount: Wall
- Speed: 8.5” Up Per Second, 7.5″ Down Per Second
- Warranty: Lifetime Motor, 5-Year Parts, 1-Year Battery, and Accessories
- Smart: Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener
- What’s Included: With the purchase of an 8500W, you’ll receive an 841LM Automatic Garage Door Lock, 485LM Garage Door Opener Battery, 827LM myQ Remote Led Light, and 893MAX 3-Button Visor Remote Control, an 880LMW Smart Control Panel.
- Extra: Powers up to 850 lb doors.
The LiftMaster 8550 can operate doors up to 14′ wide by 18′ tall and requires 3″ of headroom clearance to be installed. This opener boasts a 200′ operating range and has encrypted controls for additional security.
The wall-mount design and quiet DC motor eliminate noise and vibrations through the ceiling and provide smooth operation.
Additional LiftMaster 8500W Resources
Best Builder Grade Garage Door Opener: LiftMaster 81650, Contractor Series
Reliable performance built to last.
- Price range (includes installation around North Texas): $499 – $549
- Average customer review: 0 stars (LiftMaster)
- Battery Backup for Use When Power Is Out: No
- Sizes: 7′, 8′, and 10′ tall garage doors
- Motor: 1/2 HP AC
- Power: 120V AC, 60 Hz Voltage, 6′ Power Cord (3-Prong)
- Drive: Chain Drive System For Steady Performance
- Mount: Ceiling
- Speed: 7” Up Per Second, 7″ Down Per Second
- Warranty: 4-Year Motor, 1-Year Parts
- Smart: Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener
- What’s Included: With the purchase of an 8165, you’ll receive an 882LMW Wi-Fi Multi-Function Control Panel and 893LM 3-Button Remote Control.
- Extra: Needs 2″ of headroom clearance.
Posilock® protection Electronically protects against forced openings of the door.
Additional LiftMaster 81650 Resources
Which garage door opener opens the fastest?
The LiftMaster 87504 opens garage doors the fastest, at up to 9” per second.
What garage door opener is the safest?
The LiftMaster 8500W has an Automatic Garage Door Lock that engages after the door is shut, effectively adding another layer of home security. While some openers have that feature available, the 8500W is the only one that has it included. Because of that, we believe the 8500W is the safest operator out of the box.
Which ceiling mount garage door opener do you recommend?
We install a few thousand doors and operators each year, so we feel confident and qualified to make this recommendation. For the money, the LiftMaster 87504 is hard to beat. It features the ultra-quiet belt drive, battery backup, and integrated corner-to-corner lighting, and is strong enough to operate with our heavy wood garage doors.
For a wall mount operator, the 8500W is hands down the favorite. It has heavy-duty lifting power, a battery backup, and an automatic sliding lock. The only shortfall is that it doesn’t have a camera.
Is your garage door ready for a new opener?
Did we miss a model you think beats all of the garage door openers on this list? Let us know — you deserve the latest and most accurate information, and we’re always here to help.
At Doorvana, we install and repair garage doors, openers, and accessories from the best brands. If you’re shopping around for a new garage door or garage door opener, please take a look at our product catalog, visit our extensive blog, or request an in-home estimate.
