A garage door is probably one of the most important parts of the house because it operates multiple times in a day as your home’s primary point of entrance. However, it is also the most forgotten part, when it comes to maintenance.
If you are planning to replace your garage door opener anytime soon, let us help you out in deciding the best one for you.
In this article, we are going to consider these brands: Chamberlain garage door opener, Liftmaster garage door opener, and Craftsman garage door opener. These are considered as the best garage door openers of 2018 because they are known for offering high-end access products and solutions.
We will also discuss the pros and cons and differences between the belt drive and the chain drive, and their respective costs of garage door opener installation.
Chamberlain belt drive garage door openers are available in different models and prices:
Belt-Drive | Features | Price |
B970 | Smartphone-controlled, ultra-quiet and strong belt drive with battery backup and MAX lifting power | $ 450.00 |
B550 | Smartphone-Controlled, ultra quiet and strong belt drive garage door opener with MED lifting power | $ 400.00 |
B750 | Smart-phone controlled, ultra quiet and strong belt drive garage door opener with PLUS lifting power | $ 400.00 |
B730 | Ultra-quiet, strong belt drive garage door opener with battery backup and PLUS lifting power | $ 400.00 |
B500 | Ultra-quiet and strong belt drive garage door opener with MED lifting power | $ 325.00 |
B503 | Ultra-quiet and strong belt drive garage door opener with MED lifting power | $375.00 |
On the other hand, the different models and respective prices of chain drive garage door openers are as follows:
Chain-Drive | Features | Price |
C400 | Durable chain drive garage door opener with MED lifting power | $345.00 |
C203 | Durable chain drive garage door opener with MED lifting power | $ 250.00 |
C410 | Durable chain drive garage door opener with MED lifting power | $ 360.00 |
C205 | Heavy-duty chain drive garage door opener with MED lifting power | $ 359.00 |
C450 | Smartphone-controlled durable chain drive garage door opener with MED lifting power | $ 390.00 |
C870 | Smartphone-controlled durable chain drive with battery backup and MAX lifting power | $ 550.00 |
Liftmaster garage door openers has elite series which has full-suite of innovative features, like smartphone control, battery backup, and other advanced security features.
The following are their belt drive models and the respective prices:
Belt-Drive | Features | Price |
Liftmaster 8550W Elite Series | DC battery backup, belt drive, Wi-Fi, compatible with optional 841 LM locks, with battery backup and MyQ technology, compatible for 7 to 10 ft doors, comes with 1 remote, has safety sensors and wall button rail and belt. | $ 570.00 |
Liftmaster 8335W Premium Series | ½ HP AC belt-drive Wi-Fi garage door opener, for 7 to 10 feet doors, and has MyQ technology that includes timer to close option, 893LM remote abd 882LM control panel and photo eyes | $ 550.00 |
Liftmaster 8155W | ½ HP AC belt-drive Wi-FI | $ 460.00 |
The following are the different models and prices for the chain-drive garage door openers:
Chain-Drive | Features | Price |
Liftmaster 8360W Premium Series | DC battery backup, chain drive, Wi-Fi | $440.00 |
Liftmaster 8164W | ½ HP AC chain-drive Wi-Fi | $ 325.00 |
Liftmaster 8165W | ½ HP AC chain-drive Wi-Fi | $360.00 |
Liftmaster 8587W | HD chain-drive ¾ HP with built-in internet gateway | $ 590.00 |
Liftmaster ATS2113X | ½ advance trolley system for residential or light duty commercial door, light duty operator incudes rail. | $600.00 |
The last brand that we’re going to consider for this post is the Craftsman. The following are the different belt-drive models and respective prices of Craftsman garage door openers.
Belt-Drive | Features | Price |
Craftsman 57918 | 1 HP Diehard, battery backup, ultra-quiet, lifetime motr and 3 year parts warranty, includes 2 remote controls, has safety sensor beam, includes two lights, can be connected to the internet, has rolling code protection. | $ 299.99 |
Craftsman 57915 | ¾ HP, ultra-quiet, with Wi-Fi connectivity, includes 2 remote controls, has safety sensor beam technology, includes 2 lights, has motion detecting wall control and has rolling code protection. | $ 379.99 |
Craftsman 54931 | 1.25 HP engine, can be controlled by Smartphoneapp, diehard battery backup, ultra-quiet operation. | $349.99 |
On the other hand, the following are the chain-drive models and respective prices of Craftsman garage door openers
Belt-Drive | Features | Price |
Craftsman 54985 | ½ HP garage door opener, tri-frequency radio system and anti-burglary coding technology | $ 359.99 |
Craftsman 54930 | ½ HP chain-drive garage door opener, multiple-frequency system, 3-button remotes and anti-burglary tech for added security, reversing sensor stop the door and reverse its motion when the beam is broken. | $ 307.93 |
Craftsman Series CR1150 | Powerful ½ HP AC motor, rugged chain-cable dive system, 5-piece sectional steel rail, force control, 1-button remote control, illuminated push button, heavy duty angle iron. | $ 309.99 |
Belt-Drive | Chain-Drive |
Pros
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Cons
| Cons
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We mentioned earlier that belt-drive garage door openers can be more costly than the chain-drive garage door opener. This is because the belt-drive type can cost you an average of $250.00 to $350.00 while chain-drive type can only cost you an average of $200 to $350. Though considering the three brands mentioned, the cheapest brand would be the Craftsman.
For the installation, if you want to DIY it, expect to spend about $200 assuming that you need to buy other materials, like: screwdrivers, hammer, adjustable wrench, socket wrench, tape measure, drill driver, hacksaw pliers, wire stripper, level and ladder.