People overthink openers. There aren't that many real decisions, and most of the marketing is noise. Here's how I'd pick one if it was going on my own house, and what I actually put on my customers' doors.
Belt drive if the garage is near a bedroom
Chain drives are cheaper and tough, but they're louder. Belt drives are quiet and smooth, worth it any time there's a bedroom over or next to the garage, which is most newer homes. If it's a detached shop where noise doesn't matter, a chain is fine and saves you a few bucks. That's about the whole decision on drive type, don't let anyone upsell you past it.
Get the battery backup (in California it's the law)
This is the one I push. When the power goes out, and it does out here, a battery backup means you can still get your car out of the garage. And in California it isn't optional: SB 969 has required battery backup on new residential garage door openers since July 2019. Every opener we install has it built in. The day you actually need it, you'll be glad it's there.
Match the horsepower to the door
A standard steel door is happy on a 1/2 to 3/4 HP motor. A big solid-wood carriage door, a full-view glass door, or a heavy insulated door wants more muscle. Undersizing the motor is how people burn openers out early, the opener spends its life straining against a door it can't comfortably lift. We size the opener to your actual door, not to whatever's stacked on a shelf at the big-box store.
Wi-Fi and MyQ: nice, not necessary
Phone control, alerts, closing the door from the road, it's genuinely handy, especially if you've ever laid in bed wondering whether you left it open. MyQ does all of that on current LiftMaster openers. Just know a smart opener on a worn-out door is still a worn-out door. Fix the door first, then enjoy the app.
Buy the one somebody local will service
We install LiftMaster because parts are everywhere and they hold up, best reliability we've seen in 30 years. The best opener is the one you can get a part for and a person to fix within a day, not some off-brand off the internet that nobody in the area works on. When it's the company down the road that put it in, you're not stuck waiting on a part from three states away.
The short version
Belt drive if it's near living space, battery backup always (it's the law here anyway), horsepower sized to your door, smart features if you want them, and a brand somebody local actually services. Do that and you won't think about the opener again for years, which is the whole point.
Ready to upgrade? Here's our garage door opener service, and if you're putting in a whole new door, our installation page. Or call us for a free estimate.
Frequently asked questions
- Do new garage door openers have to have battery backup? In California, yes. SB 969 has required battery backup on new residential openers since July 2019, so the door still works during a power outage.
- Belt drive or chain drive? Belt for attached garages near living space, it's much quieter. Chain is fine for detached shops where noise doesn't matter.
- Can I add smartphone control to my existing opener? Often, yes. LiftMaster sells hubs that retrofit MyQ to many older openers. If yours is older than about 2005, replacement is usually the better call.