The front door is a key touch point for welcoming visitors, accepting packages and rejecting vendors, but for many of us, garage doors are a much more commonly used portal to our homes. Whether you pull out a car or carry some garden tools into the yard, the garage door is a big, motorized barrier.
So why are they smart locks i doorbell cameras for our front doors that are so popular while smart garage door technology is often overlooked? Smart upgrades to your garage are just as useful as anywhere in the house, and can be even more practical, given how often a garage door is our primary entrance. Smart garage door openers have many of the same features as other smart home devices, such as remote locking / unlocking (or opening and closing) and app monitoring.
For those who are already familiar with smart locks, smart bells and smart cameras, it should be a little surprise that there are now more than a few good, easy options on the market to transform your existing garage door opener into a garage door opener with a smart controller. Here are our favorites that are now available. We update this list from time to time.
Chamberlain
Available for just $ 20 on Amazon, the latest version of Chamberlain’s MyQ Smart Garage Hub promises to add wit to a wide range of garage door openers. With MyQ installed, you can check the status of your garage door and open or close the door remotely from the MyQ app on your iOS or Android smartphone. The system is easy to install, without wires to attach to the existing door opener, although it requires attaching the holder to the ceiling instead of the usual access with duct tape used by other manufacturers.
MyQ works with a variety of smart home products such as Nest, Wink, Vivint and Xfinity Home to control and automate multiple smart home devices from a single platform. Chamberlain is not compatible with SmartThings or Amazon Alexa, but there is compatibility with Google Assistant and IFTTT, and it supports Amazon Key, which allows delivery company drivers to open doors and drop your packages in the garage (before closing the door behind them).
In addition, Chamberlain offers HomeKit users no other manufacturer’s compatibility in our testing, although a MyQ Home Bridge adapter is required. Chamberlain’s MyQ system comes with the quality of a reliable garage brand and should be at the top of your list for well-made garage appliances.
Read our full review of Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub.
Chris Monroe / CNET
The $ 80 Tailwind iQ3 is reliable thanks to the wired setting, and with the vehicle sensor in your car, it will open automatically whenever you stop. These smart auto-open and close options worked well in our tests – on top of that, the iQ3 can control up to three garage doors at once and works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. However, you won’t get HomeKit compatibility, and installing wires can be a bit of a hassle.
All in all, this garage door controller checks all the frameworks for basic intelligence and practical automation if you don’t need HomeKit compatibility.
Chris Monroe / CNET
Available for about $ 90, Garadget adds voice control and remote access to your existing garage door. The Garadget sensor system consists of a reflective mark placed on the top panel of the garage door and a laser built into the Garadget device. When the laser hits a reflective mark, Garadget knows your garage door is closed. Easy, isn’t it? Like many of the garage controllers we tested, Garadget needs some wiring to make the door controller work.
Garadget has its own Amazon Alexa skill, and IFTTT integration means you can create custom commands for Google Assistant. The Garadget app for smartphones (iOS and Android) doesn’t include scheduling, but if you’re just looking for simple controls and remote garage access for mobile apps, Garadget will get the job done at a reasonable price.
Read our complete Garadget review.
Chris Monroe / CNET
By far one of the more attractive and interesting garage devices we tested, the Garager 2 is a two-in-one camera and easy door control. This surveillance camera attaches to the bottom of your garage door opener via a magnet and controls your garage door from the Alcidae app for smartphones (Android and iOS). The camera includes 1080p color video and night vision and two-way sound, all great for a device that costs less than $ 50, although storing clips requires a monthly subscription of $ 5.
Control works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, via your Wi-Fi connection, for commands to open and close your garage. An upgrade over the previous model adds a magnetic base to stabilize camera movement when you open or close the garage. If you want to add video surveillance and be able to watch and talk to your garage space, this device is for you. You can also set it to send you notifications, and you can control it remotely or via voice assistants.
Chris Monroe / CNET
Nexx Garage is a smart garage controller that adds skills to your normal garage doors that open and close with ease. You’ll get voice commands, remote access and automatic opening via the Nexx Garage app for your smartphone (iOS and Android) without including the IFTTT applet. Although the Nexx Garage is not as broadly integrable as Chamberlain’s MyQ system, there are no voice compatibility fees for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The biggest drawback of Nexx Garage are the sensors you will need to detect the status of the door. Two sensors are attached to your garage door and the wall above them and must be placed at a distance of a quarter of an inch from each other for best results. The upper sensor in this pair is wired, and adding more wires to any room is something I don’t prefer. While not cheap for $ 100, the Nexx Garage is great for anyone who wants a simple hassle-free mind and compatibility with voice-activated assistants Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
Read our complete Nexx Garage review.
Smart garage door openers 101
If you already own a motorized garage door opener, even one with a belt or chain drive opener, you can use one of the above simple accessories for smart garage door management. If you are in the market for a brand new opening mechanism and want a smart device, you can find smart door opener and door sensor options from manufacturers such as Chamberlain, LiftMaster and Ryobi.
Smart garage door controllers come in several variants. Generally, the control is attached to your existing opener using double-sided adhesive tape. In most cases, you will need to connect two small wires to the control nodes to open and close on your existing garage door opener.
Smart garage kits also usually include some sort of sensor to attach to your garage door. This sensor detects and transmits the status of your garage door, so the control knows exactly whether the door is open, closed or somewhere in between, and using the garage door opener app can send you a push notification if your garage is open when it should be. t be. It also usually serves as a safety sensor.
Being able to connect to a Wi-Fi signal is key to making sure your new smart garage door and remote control work the way you want it to. On the smart side, an additional controller connects to yours Wi-Fi network, which is easy enough. You will need a strong 2.4 GHz internet connection which reaches your garage. Usually, the appropriate application will guide you through adding your device to the network, as well as a general installation.
The functions and smart features of the garage door opener application vary from brand to brand. One app can offer geofencing, scheduling, remote access and voice control, while another app can just make your smartphone a duplicate of your garage door controller.
Deciding which controller is the best smart garage door opener for you comes down to which control functions you want the most and which smart home platforms you use in your home (such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home or Apple HomeKit). Whatever your requirements, there is probably a smart garage door opener and app that will meet your needs.
Frequently asked questions about a smart garage door opener
Are smart garage door openers safe?
Smart garage door openers carry the same risks as any smart home appliance, including potential hacks if someone gains access to your network. Fortunately, smart garage doors also have many of the same protections as other smart home devices, including data encryption and password-protected access and settings. Furthermore, a smart garage door opener can improve home security by allowing homeowners to check that their garage door is open and close it remotely if necessary.
Will my smart garage door opener work if the power goes out?
Garage door openers, smart or not, run on electricity, which means they won’t work in the event of a power outage. You may still be able to open and close your garage door manually, but try to avoid this unless absolutely necessary, for example, if you need to remove the car. It can be dangerous to raise or lower the garage door with the opener attached.
Can Siri or Alexa open the garage door?
Many smart garage door openers are compatible with other smart home devices, such as the Amazon Echo or your smartphone. By integrating your smart garage door opener with compatible devices, you can open the guest door while putting baking in the oven saying “Alexa, open the garage door” or even close the garage door behind you while your hands are full of groceries with simple “Cheese, close the garage door”. ”