Garage Door Opener Reviews

"Finding the best garage door opener for your
situation isn't so hard once you determine your needs"

Our garage door opener reviews will help you find the right opener for your door size, garage type and location, and your personal preferences. Garage How To has buying advice to help you make smart shopping choices.

If you need a garage door opener, review the following information on brands, models and other helpful details before making your decision. Learn about screw drive, chain drive, belt drive and torsion drive models.

We also have information on garage door remotes, including brand-specific remotes and universal remotes for garage doors.

Garage Door Opener Reviews: Manufacturers and Brands

What about all the different brands? When you strip off all the private labels, there aren't so many to choose from.

For example, Allstar is made by Linear, Craftsman is made by Chamberlain and Genie is made by the Overhead Door Corporation. Finding the best garage door opener for your situation isn't so hard once you determine your needs.

Check our garage door opener reviews to find a suitable replacement. You might be surprised at the affordability of a new model with modern safety and security features. Browse through the list below.

Allister Garage Door Openers / Allstar Garage Door Openers

Allister garage door openers are now known as Allstar garage door openers and include the Allister, Challenger, MVP and Pulsar lines of openers. Many, but not all parts are interchangeable between the different Allstar brands.

For example, Allister/Allstar often used Linear receivers on their garage door openers, so you must contact a parts dealer to be certain you are ordering the correct parts. Although parts are still available under the former brand names, the Allister and Allstar brands are no longer manufactured.

Linear acquired Allstar and now makes all its openers under the Linear garage door opener brand. Linear has indicated that model numbers have not changed from those of its previous brand names.

Chamberlain Garage Door Openers (see Side-by-Side Comparison of models)

The Chamberlain Group is the world's largest garage door opener manufacturer. They have a broad line of models, including belt drive, chain drive, screw drive and jackshaft garage door openers (wall mounted). Most garage door opener reviews rank the Chamberlain WD822KD as a top pick.

The "WD" designation stands for Whisper Drive®, and rightly so as they are a very quiet garage door opener ideal for garages with living space adjacent to or above the garage. Read the Chamberlain WD822KD garage door opener review here.

Chamberlain also does private label manufacturing for other brands, including Craftsman and Raynor. Most people understand private labeling, but it's basically when a manufacturer makes their own products and places someone else's name on them. Ever heard of the Xbox 360? You many think Microsoft makes the Xbox, but they are actually made by Flextronics, a Singapore-based electronics manufacturer. That's private labeling.

Chamberlain is also behind the Liftmaster garage door opener brand, a popular line of professionally installed models. If you are not the do-it-yourself type, Liftmaster is a great option.

Belt Drive Garage Door Opener Models

• Whisper Drive® Plus with EverCharge® Standby Power System Model WD962KD
• Whisper Drive® 1/2 HP Belt Drive Garage Access System Model WD822KD

• Power Drive® 3/4 HP Chain Drive Garage Access System Model PD752D
• Power Drive® 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Access System Model PD610D
• Power Drive® 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Access System Model PD212D
• Power Drive® 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Access System Model PD210D
• 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Access System Model CG40D

• Power Drive® 1/2 HP Screw Drive Garage Access System Model PD432D

Craftsman Garage Door Opener Reviews

Most people have heard the Sears Craftsman brand name, but many people don't know Craftsman garage door openers are made by The Chamberlain Group, the world's largest maker of garage door openers. Craftsman is a trusted brand with a full line of screw drive, chain drive and belt drive garage door openers.

Belt Drive Garage Door Openers

• Craftsman Model 53915 - 1/2 HP Garage Door Opener, Belt Drive
• Craftsman Garage Door Opener - 53918, Belt Drive, Battery Backup

• Craftsman 1/2 hp Garage Door Opener, Chain Drive Model 53920
• Craftsman 1/2 hp Garage Door Opener, Chain Drive Model 53985
• Craftsman 1/2 hp Garage Door Opener, Chain Drive Model 53930
• Craftsman 3/4 hp Garage Door Opener, Chain Drive Model 53990

• Craftsman 1/2 hp Garage Door Opener, Screw Drive Model 53993

Genie Garage Door Openers

Genie is nearly synonymous with screw drive garage door openers and now has an outstanding new line of DC powered, dealer installed models.

When you think of Genie, you think screw drive. Why? Because they invented it. Today, Genie is owned by the Overhead Door Corporation, the company founded by C.G. Johnson, inventor of the first electric garage door opener.

Screw Drive

• DirectLift™ and DirectLift™ Plus Screw Drive
• PowerLift™ Excelerator
• PowerLift™ Plus Excelerator
• TriloG 1500 - 1 HP DC Dealer Installed
• TriloG 1200 - 3/4 HP DC Dealer Installed
• IntelliG 1200 - 3/4 HP DC Dealer Installed
• IntelliG 1000 - 3/4 HP DC Dealer Installed
• ReliaG 800 - 1/2 HP DC Dealer Installed

• QuietLift™ Belt Drive
• Genie Pro® Stealth™ - Dealer Installed
• BeltLift™ (Dealer Installed)

• Genie Pro Max® (Dealer Installed)
• Chain Lift® (Dealer Installed)
• Genie Chain Glide (This model was manufactured for the do-it-yourself market for some time but has apparently been discontinued. Genie's dealer installed line still offers the Chain Lift® and Chain Glide 2® models.)

Hormann Garage Door Opener Reviews (Hormann Gadco LLC)

If you prefer German engineering, Hormann is a good choice. Hormann garage door openers are engineered in Germany and manufactured in various plants around the world, including the United States.

Horman is also a leading maker of residential and commercial garage doors in steel and HDPE (high density polyethylene). Like their door operators, doors are engineered in German and made in the USA.

The Hormann garage door opener line is narrow and their models are high-tech, just as you might expect from a German company (ever heard of Mercedes Benz?).

There are only three SilentDrive™ models. They are all DC garage door openers and they only offer belt drive lifting mechanisms.

Belt Drive

• SilentDrive 5500 Series
• SilentDrive 7500 Series
• SilentDrive 8500 Series

Lift Master Garage Door Opener Reviews (see Side-by-Side Comparison)

Liftmaster is the professionally installed line of garage door openers manufactured by The Chamberlain Group. Chamberlain also makes its own brand of openers as well as Craftsman, Raynor and others. Liftmaster garage door openers are very highly rated and some of the most popular professionally installed models.

Screw Drive

• Elite Series Model 3840
• Premium Series Model 3240
• Contractor Model 3130

• Elite Series Model 3850
• Elite Series Model 3585
• Premium Series Model 3280

• Elite Series 3595
• Elite Series 3575
• Premium Series 3275
• Premium Series 3265
• Contractor Model 3255
• Contractor Model 3245
• Contractor Model 1355
• Contractor Model 1345

• Elite Series Model 3800

Chamberlain 3/4 HP Whisper Drive Plus
w/Battery Back-up, Belt Drive - Model #WD962KD

Linear Garage Door Openers

Linear LLC is a major manufacturer of wireless electronics technology, including security systems, garage door openers, gate operators and wireless remote controls, to name a few. Although many people have not heard of this brand, they have been around for 50 years.

Chain Drive Garage Door Opener Models

• Challenger SE, 1/3 HP Chain-Drive Model 9300M
• Challenger GLE, 1/2 HP Chain-Drive Model 9500M
• MVP 1/2 HP Chain-Drive Garage Door Operator
• MVP-SB 1/2 HP Super Belt Garage Door Operator

Operators for Chain or Belt Drive Garage Door Opener Rail Systems

• LDO33 1/3 HP Standard Single Lamp Garage Door Operator
• LDO50 1/2 HP Deluxe Single Lamp Garage Door Operator
• LSO50 1/2 HP Premium Dual-Lamp Premium Garage Door Operator
• LCO75 3/4 HP Deluxe Dual-Lamp Garage Door Operator

Marantec Garage Door Opener Reviews

Marantec is another of the lesser-known garage door opener manufactuers, although their products are high quality. They are a German-based company that manufacturs in many countries, including the United States.

Marantec garage door openers are all DC-powered and are sold exclusively through a network of professional dealers. Marantec also makes Martin garage door openers.

All Marantec Control Modules can be Coupled with a Belt Drive or Chain Drive System

• M-4500e
• M-4700e
• M-4900e
• Q-7500e
• RV8000

Martin Garage Door Openers (see Side-by-Side Comparison of models)

Martin Garage Door openers are manufactured by Marantec America and use
chain, steel reinforced belt or torsion drive lifting mechanisms, depending on the model.

• Martin DC3700e - 3/4 HP*
• Martin DC2500e - 1/2 HP*
• Martin Q7500 - 1/2 HP*
• Martin DC3700HD - 1 HP*

*DC motor strength equivalent comparison to AC motor horsepower. DC strength is generally measured in Newtons.

Overhead Door Corporation Garage Door Opener Reviews

(see Side-by-Side Comparison of Overhead Door openers)

The Overhead Door Corporation sells a full line of garage door openers, including belt drive, screw drive and chain drive. Founded by C.G. Johnson, inventor of the electric overhead garage door opener, Overhead Door also owns the Genie Company, a name synonymous with screw drive garage door openers.

Screw Drive Garage Door Opener Models

• OverDrive® Garage Door Opener
• Signature® Screw Drive

Chain Drive Garage Door Opener Models

• Legacy® 800 Chain Drive
• Legacy Chain Drive
• Standard Drive™ Chain
• Python 2® Chain Glide

Belt Drive Garage Door Opener Models

• Legacy® 800 Belt Drive
• Standard Drive™ Belt
• SilentMax™ XL
• Phantom® Belt Drive

Raynor Garage Door Openers (see Side-by-Side Comparison of models)

Raynor Garage Doors is a company that started in the 1940s. Today, they are a leading garage door manufacturer as well as a distributor of their own brand of garage door openers. Raynor-branded openers are made by The Chamberlain Group.

Screw Drive Garage Door Opener Models

• Commander II 1/2HP Opener

Chain Drive Garage Door Opener Models

• Raynor Ultra™ 3/4 HP Heavy-Duty Opener
• Pilot™ 1/2 HP Opener
• Navigator™ 1/3 HP Opener

Belt Drive Garage Door Opener Models

• Admiral Premium 3/4 HP with EverCharge® Raynor Standby Power
• Aviator™ 1/2 HP Opener

Jackshaft Wall Mounted Garage Door Opener

• Prodigy space-saving Jackshaft Opener

Sears Garage Door Openers

Sears garage door openers bear the Craftsman® name and include a full line of screw drive, chain drive and belt drive garage door openers. Sears remains a trusted brand after more than 120 years.

All Sears Craftsman garage door openers are made by Chamberlain® and are some of the most popular among do-it-yourself homeowners. Despite the DIY popularity, Sears not only sells, but also installs and repairs garage door openers as well as steel and wooden garage doors.

Skylink Garage Door Opener Reviews

Standard Line

• EQ-1511
• EQ-1522
• EQ-1722
• IQ-1523
• IQ-1723

Professional Line

• EQ-2511
• EQ-2522
• EQ-2722
• IQ-2523
• IQ-2723

Stanley Garage Door Opener Reviews

Stanley garage door openers are a thing of the past. The Stanley Works company (the well-known tool brand) has not made or sold garage door openers or garage doors since 1997. When The Stanley Works did sell garage doors and openers, there were actually two companies with rights to use the Stanley name on products they manufactured. Both companies are bankrupt.

According to the Stanley website, The Stanley Works does not and cannot address complaints, warranty issues, parts requests, etc., on Stanley garage door openers. Although the garage door openers are no longer manufactured, some parts are still available with a bit of searching.

Some of the more common names associated with Stanley garage door openers include:

• Vemco
• Super Digital
• Secure Code
• Quiet Glide
• LightMaker
• Whistler
• Popular Mechanics

Wayne Dalton Garage Door Openers

Wayne Dalton is better known for their line of garage doors and their innovative garage door safety standards than for Wayne Dalton garage door openers. While they used to focus on a narrow line of their own branded openers, today they market the complete line of Genie garage door openers instead.

Why? Because Overhead Door Corporation, parent of the Genie Company, now owns Wayne-Dalton Corporation. That's why you won't find much about Wayne Dalton garage door opener reviews on this site. It's also why you see a picture of the Genie IntelliG 1200 instead of a Wayne Dalton model.

prorive™ Ceiling Mounted Garage Door Opener Models

• prodrive™ with Chain Drive Rail
• prodrive™ with Belt Drive Rail

idrive® Wall Mounted Garage Door Opener Models

• idrive® for TorqueMaster® garage doors by Wayne-Dalton
• idrive® for Torsion Springs on non-Wayne-Dalton garage doors

More Garage Door Opener Reviews

This page contains a lot of information, and links to even more information, on most of the major garage door opener manufacturers. By following these links you will be taken to detailed descriptions of each manufacturer, including links to the particular garage door opener models they make or sell.

While buying a garage door opener is not often considered a "major" purchase, unless coupled with a new garage door and professional installation, it is important to choose the right make and model for your specific needs. Take your time, do your home work, and spend a little time seeking further information from other garage door opener reviews you may find at online merchant sites.

If you are still "on the fence" about whether to replace your old opener, there are many reason to do it now. Read 6 good reasons to consider a garage door opener replacement to help with your decision.

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