Most people (cause not all were lucky to own a vehicle) have experienced this at least once in their lives. What happened next? You’re fortunate if nothing disastrous happened. However, if your house was broken into by nasty burglars, then you’re up for a big trouble. But, you can prevent it from happening again. What a sigh of relief! Enter smart garage door opener. As what its name suggests, this garage door opener is smart enough to help you whenever you need a lift. 5 Best Samsung SmartThings in 2021 – Smart Home Devices 5 Best Ecobee Thermostats in 2021: Heating and Cooling for the Smart Home 4 Best Smart Appliances For Your Home in 2021
How Does a Smart Garage Door Opener Work?
A smart garage door opener can be opened and closed remotely so you don’t have to rush home to make sure you haven’t left it open. It also has a mechanism that will alert you once you inadvertently failed to close it. To do this, you simply need to connect the smart garage door opener to your Wi-Fi network. To enable remote access, you have to download the corresponding app of the smart garage door opener to your Android smartphone. Here, I’ve rounded off 5 of the best smart garage door openers that are compatible with your Android phone. Check my top recommendations below:
1. Chamberlain MYQ-G0301- $59.00
Chamberlain products have garnered a lot of positive reviews throughout the years. Its latest smart garage door opener, the MYQ-G0301, is considered the best one in the market by satisfied users. The MYQ-G0301 can open and close the garage door for you and you can make them do it remotely. It alerts you whenever the door was left open or opened unexpectedly without your consent. You can also schedule when to open or close the door. The Chamberlain MYQ-G0301comes with a sensor and a hub. The sensor activates the garage door, opening or closing it depending on your needs, while the hub connects to your Wi-Fi network at home. First, you need to download the MyQ Smart Garage Control app from Google Play Store. Through the app, you can send commands which will be received by the hub and will activate the garage sensor. An interesting thing about the Chamberlain MYQ-G0301 is that it is compatible with a wide variety of garage door openers. If your garage door opener mechanism is from 1993 or newer and it has the standard safety sensors, chances are big that it can be paired with the MYQ-G0301. The Chamberlain MYQ-G0301 works with Nest, Xfinity Home, SmartThings, and Wink smart home systems. It is also compatible with Google Assistant but before you can use it, you need to sign up for either a monthly or yearly plan with MyQ. Pros
Hassle-free installation and command transmission.Automatic garage activation and customized alerts.Compatible with a wide variety of garage door openers.Can be paired with different smart home systems.
Cons
Google Assistant pairing requires signing up for a plan.
2. Gogogate 2- $99.99
While it seems expensive at $99.99, the Gogogate 2 offers a slew of features that you may not find on other smart garage door openers. Plus, it flaunts a gorgeous aesthetic and is indeed very intelligent. For instance, it can sense if the garage door is open or close or how hot or cold it is outside. It can also handle extreme temperatures, so you won’t have a problem when winter comes. It also has a wireless sensor that packs safety features. Opposed to the Chamberlain MYQ-G0301, the Gogogate 2 can control up to 3 different garage doors. It can also cater to multiple accounts so everyone in the family has one. You can also lend a temporary account for a guest. However, it also has a few downsides. You may have a difficulty installing the Gogogate 2, depending on your garage door setup and power outlets location. Also, its smart home systems compatibility isn’t as wide as the others. To use the Gogogate 2 device, you have to download the Gogogate 2 app from the Google Play Store. Pros
Intuitive interface and beautiful design.Can handle extreme temperatures.Supports multiple accounts.Controls up to 3 garage doors.Compatible with IFTTT and uses a geofencing system.
Cons
Quite difficult to install.Not-so wide smart home systems compatibility.A bit expensive than others.
Also read: 5 Best Smart Thermostat: Intelligent Heating and Cooling The Best Google Home Compatible Thermostats for Smart Climate Control 2 Best Home Assistant Devices: Google Home and Alexa Alternatives
3. Nexx NXG-100- $99.99
It packs a lot of similarities with its rival device, the Gogogate 2. It also supports IFTTT and makes use of geofencing systems. Moreover, you can integrate multiple accounts on the NEXX NXG-100. You can also authorize other people to access the garage while you’re on a vacation. Of course, you can readily check the garage activities or when the garage door was opened and closed and by whom, thanks to the built-in log. On the flip side, you may be annoyed with the frequent alerts you’ll be receiving from the NEXX NXG-100 if you left the garage door open by purpose. These alerts won’t go off automatically unless you manually do so. The NEXX NXG-100 will be connected to your Android phone after you set it up on your Wi-Fi network and download the Nexx Garage app from the Google Play Store. Pros
Can be controlled by using voice commands via Alexa and Google Assistant.Supports IFTTT and uses geofencing systems.Lets you integrate multiple accounts.Tracks when the garage door was opened and closed and by whom.
Cons
Frequent alerts can be quite annoying.You have to turn alerts off manually.Quite costly.
4. Asante 99-00900-US- $149.78
The Asante 99-00900-US might be the most expensive one on this list but I’d assure you that it’s worth every penny. It isn’t just a smart garage door opener; it also has a camera kit to go with. Simply put, it’s a 2-in-1 device! The garage door opener hub itself offers a measure of security, but having a camera in the package is a major security upgrade. Upon installation of the camera kit, you can use it to see what’s happening in your garage area. There’s a built-in infrared sensor that’s suitable for nighttime viewing and if you choose to save the video footage, you can enjoy an unlimited cloud storage. It is very useful for those people who like to store valuable items in their garage. The only drawback of the Asante 99-00900-US smart garage door opener is that it doesn’t have a wide support for automated home systems. Also, if you want to receive an email or SMS telling you the status of your garage, you have to buy another sensor that’s sold separately. Before anything else, download and install the Asante SmartHome app from the Google Play Store on your Android smartphone. You’ll then be able to control your garage minus all the hassle. Pros
Comes with a camera kit that has an infrared sensor.Offers a higher level of security.Has an unlimited cloud storage.
Cons
Most expensive one on this list.Doesn’t support a lot of smart home systems.Requires purchase of a different sensor for alerts.
5. GarageMate- $53.95
It may seem very basic, but the GarageMate is an attention-worthy device. You may not believe this: It would only take you a couple of minutes to install the whole package due to its simple and user-friendly interface. The GarageMate is an affordable smart garage door opener, that’s why we don’t expect it to offer extra features like the expensive ones. Surprisingly, it comes with support for Siri and some other voice assistants. When it comes to the downsides, the GarageMate only functions via Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi. That being said, it has limited app capabilities and the Bluetooth pairing must be done on the garage. To make it work, you have to be at least within a 50-feet range. You can pair multiple accounts on the GarageMate, but only for up to 8 people. All of them get a limited access to the device. While you can check the log for the garage activity, you won’t be notified with its status when you’re far away. You can use it by download the GarageMate app on your Android phone first and you’re good to go! Pros
Very easy installation setup.Has an affordable price tag.Comes with support for Siri and other voice assistants.Garage activity log is available.
Cons
Only works with Bluetooth.Limited app capabilities.Can only be paired with up to 8 people with limited access.Doesn’t notify the garage status once out of range.
Suggested reads: The 5 Best Smart Home Devices & Systems of 2021 5 Smart Tech and Gadgets for Your Home That Are Better with Android
Conclusion
These smart garage door openers listed above are all worthy of our attention. They can prove to be helpful when you repeat the same mistake again. This time, however, you won’t be having those mini-heart attacks; rather, you just make a simple tap on your phone. Problem solved! We know that you’ll greatly benefit from smart garage door openers. Have you already tried one? Share your experiences with us! Planning to grab yours? Which garage door opener do you want to try first? Tell us in the comment section!
