Garage door openers haven’t changed much in the last 20 years other than different motors that help reduce noise. All that has changed with some really cool new technology from LiftMaster. MyQ™ Technology is bringing smart home features to your next garage door opener! Recently the folks at LiftMaster sent us their Elite Series® DC Battery Backup Belt Drive Garage Door Openers with MyQ™ Technology. We’ve been testing them for several months and now we’re happy to report our findings.
The heart of this new offering from LiftMaster is the MyQ™ Technology. Smart Home Technology sounds great to all home owners until they learn that it’s often expensive and difficult to install. I’m happy to say that’s not the case with MyQ™ Technology.
Installing the MyQ™ Technology was very easy. First off you’ll need a wireless router in your home (today most homes already have this so it’s not a big deal). You simply plug a wireless controller into your home’s wireless router (pictured above).
Once the wireless controller is set up you log onto the www.LiftMaster.com site and set up a free account. Once your account is set up then you can download a Free App for your smartphone. The directions are really easy to follow and the set up only takes 30 minutes or so.
Once you have the system all set up you’ll quickly realize the power of this new feature. You can check on your garage doors from anywhere in the world that you have access to the internet. Whether it’s on your phone or a computer you can log on and check to see if your doors are opened or closed and it will also tell you the last time one was open!
Just this week I was able to open the garage door when I was away on business 2,400 miles away! I used my phone to open the garage door and let a delivery guy drop off a package. Five minutes later I closed the door and had the confidence that everything was secure.
The Elite Series® DC Battery Backup is another feature I love! We live in New Hampshire where power outages are a way of life. Our previous LiftMaster openers did not have this feature and it was always a struggle to get the doors open to get cars out or our generator. Now when the power goes out we can safely and quickly open the doors without any hassle. I’ve already used the feature twice and it’s great!
One huge benefit to DC openers is how quiet they operate. If you have a garage under or close to living space this is a huge benefit. These openers are nearly impossible to hear when they open from inside an insulated room. The only downside (and this is a really small downside) is DC openers open much slower than regular AC units. I’d guess they open 40% slower than my previous openers. However, that’s a small price to pay for the convenience of the battery backup feature!
The Smart Control Panel® for this opener is also great. These panels not only list the time but they give you temperature readings for your garage, they have a motion sensor that turns on the garage opener lights and you can make adjustments to the openers from easy to use menus. At first they seemed complicated but I’ve grown to really like them and all the adjustments I can make now.
Check out a quick video demonstration that I created. It shows you how easy it is to use the new LiftMaster MyQ™ Technology.
I’ve been using LiftMaster Garage Door Openers for years in both my own homes and the houses that I build for customers. It’s a brand that I’ve come to trust and know very well. The new MyQ™ Technology is really great. Frankly I can’t find one bad thing to say about it other than I wish it was available years ago! The new Elite Series® Garage Door Openers are also really great. Packed with great features like their Battery Backup and Smart Control Panel® these are top of the line garage door openers. If you’re in the market for a new garage door opener then I highly recommend the LiftMaster brand.
If you’re interested in finding a local dealer than simply click on THIS LINK for a dealer locator.
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Looks to be a pretty great product. Thanks for the review Todd.
I love technology and I love when companies make smart home features that everyday consumers can afford. They did a great job!
I'm really excited for the next 5-10 years as this tech gets put into more home items. Thermostats, door locks, lights, etc sort of exist already but could be better. Appliances could use some of this tech too. I'd love to be able to check the status of the washer, dryer, and dishwasher or even schedule them remotely.
How much does the 8550 cost.
They cost around $275 to $300 without installation.
How much does the 8550 and 8360 cost with installation
You'd have to call a certified installer to get a quote.