The Best Garage Door Opening Remotes
When it comes to electronic household essentials, few products are more overlooked than the trusty garage door opener remote. In many cases, the remote controls are sold separately from the actual opener system and it's easy to see why. Between the longevity of door motors, the flimsy design of some remotes, the development of IoT technology, and similar technical protocols across major brands, the markets for increasingly sophisticated remotes have ballooned in size. Whether you intend to replace a lost opener, add an extra channel or upgrade to 21st-century technology, we've got you covered. Below we've assembled a list of our five favorite models, ranging from the pocket-sized and universal to visor-friendly and app-enabled.
Gate1Access Garage Door Opener Remote
Lift Your Spirits (And Garage Door)
Finding the proper frequency of your garage door opener is fairly easy, but finding a corresponding remote can be anything but. In general, garage door openers correspond to one of five colors or ranges of radio waves: red, orange, green, purple, or yellow. While a large number of products correspond to the purple frequency, Gate1Access offers remotes that come in two variations to match a wide breadth of brands. Furthermore, older homeowners need not fret about older model openers not connecting properly; Gate1Access’s hand-held hero works on products nearly three decades old under the widely popular Liftmaster brand.
Pros:
- Rolling Code Encryption
- Includes batteries and visor clip
- Works with four of the most popular door opener manufacturers
- Step-by-step video setup guide available online
Cons:
- Included written instructions are confusing
Genie G3T-R 3-Button Remote
I Dream of Genie
Complex technological advances can be intimidating if you’re not a computer scientist, especially with the increasingly dangerous threat of identity theft online. Savvy hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in a website’s code if not properly updated, phish your information via scam emails, or even gain access to unencrypted wireless networks directly. While the first two options are irrelevant, gaining access to unsecured radio frequencies is a real possibility that can be exploited if not properly secured. Genie’s G3T-R is a three-channel remote compatible with both older and more recent models of garage door openers. Its Intellicode security technology prevents intruders from obtaining your access code by randomizing your specific code during every use.
Pros:
- Extremely easy to pair
- Can fit in the car or on a keychain
- One-year warranty
- Works on all Genie-brand products
Cons:
- The range is relatively short
Tck Tech Keychain Garage Door Opener Remote
Houston We Have Liftoff
Tck Tech isn’t just a market leader for naming companies. Their aftermarket keychains are the quintessential replacement for the older model door opener. Lightweight, compact, and packed with a spare, Tck Tech’s remote will go from box to keychain in record time. While the age range of compatible models is a little more narrow than Gate1Access, it includes four of the most popular brands of garage door openers manufactured around the turn of the millennium. Setup is as easy as pressing the pair button on your door opener, waiting for the indicator light, and pressing a corresponding pair button on your remote control.
Pros:
- Works with red, orange, and purple ‘learn’ buttons
- Both remotes can work simultaneously
- Internal, long-lasting lithium battery
- Friendly customer service
Cons:
- Buttons are extremely sensitive
Refoss Universal Garage Door Remote Control
Refit With Refoss
There are few traits more sought-after in modern hardware than universal compatibility. While, in some cases, exclusivity can translate to a unique, superior build, this can also lead to products becoming obsolete more quickly and difficulty getting replacement parts, similar to, well, Apple. Think of Refoss like the Android of the garage door opener world. This visor-mounted model comes with two channels, support for legacy hardware that relies on DIP switch or multi-code protocols, and much more. Also, the Refoss Universal Remote Control can connect to the five aforementioned colors/frequencies, covering just about every major brand made in the last several decades.
Pros:
- Broad frequency range from 300MHz to 390MHz
- Works with every green, yellow, and purple learn buttons and most red, and orange learn buttons
- Customer support will assist in the installation
- Only three ounces
Cons:
- Does not have Bluetooth accessibility
Chamberlain myQ Wireless Garage Hub
Show Off Your High IQ With MyQ
For those out there who feel as though garage remotes are so 20th century, we get it. It would appear that the internet of things has been so busy simplifying everything in our homes from the doorbell to the washer that the trusty garage door across from home has gone ignored. Chamberlain would like to invite you to check again. The MyQ Wireless Garage Hub is every techie’s retrofitted dream, boasting compatibility with all openers made after the early nineties. Although it’s near impossible to be more simple than three buttons and a battery, the myQ app is a game-changer in garage remotes, with several programmable features that make securing your carport easier than ever before.
Pros:
- Allow up to 3 guests access to your garage
- Receive notifications upon opening or closing
- You can program schedules of when to open and close door
- Can be linked to the Key app to receive Amazon packages securely in your garage
Cons:
- Requires strong wifi signal with router within 50 feet of the hub
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to buy a new garage door remote, but I don’t have the original remote. Where do I start?
For the most part, garage door openers use a range of radio frequencies similar to most competitors in the marketplace. On top of the opener’s motor, there should be a square button with one of five colors: red, orange, yellow, green, or purple. Each color corresponds to a specific radio frequency for which only some remotes work. If you can’t find a corresponding color, call the manufacturer with the stock keeping unit or model number to get the correct channel. The vast majority of manufacturers, including Craftsman, Stanley, Liftmaster, or Raynor, are still in business and will gladly provide information not easily accessible online.
What are some crucial factors to consider before purchasing a garage door opener remote?
For most of their history, garage remote controls had little variability and seldom tried anything more revolutionary than the traditional ‘tombstone’ design. Some of our ‘must-have’ features to ponder before purchase include security measures, protective covers, universal connectivity, and multiple channels. To start, security measures such as rolling code, whereby the access code for your door is never constant, can be the difference between a home invasion and another disgruntled hacker. Protective covers are ideal for hand-held or pocket-sized models, where sensitive buttons can lead to unintended openings, and universal connectivity means you’ll never have to second guess your opener’s channel. Lastly, having a remote that is multi-channel enabled is a must-have for households with more than one car. Whether you have several garage doors or a handful of remotes for one, pairing with your hardware can be interrupted or completely reset without a spare channel or two.
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