LiftMaster Elite Series 8550WL Garage Door Opener

After 20+ years of dependable service, it was time to replace my still working Genie Pro 88 garage door opener. I just did not want it to die suddenly on me and force me to quickly make a decision.

Beyond durability, reliability, and security, I had 3 non-negotiable requirements for my new garage door opener.

First, it must be quiet. The garage door opener I currently have is a screw-drive which is quieter than the chain drive which it replaced. The new garage door must be even quieter which means it must use the Belt Drive System.

Second, it must have battery backup. It's easy enough for me to manually disengage and open/close the garage door in case of power failure. But I want to make it a lot easier for my wife in case I'm not around.

Third, I must be able to control and monitor the garage door opener using Apple's HomeKit.

The choice came down to The Chamberlain B970 and the LiftMaster 8550WL. Both are made by Chamberlain. The main differences is that the Chamberlain is geared towards the "do it yourself" crowd and the LiftMaster rail is one piece. Since I was planning on having an expert install it, it was an easy decision for me to pick the LiftMaster model.

My favorite local garage door people came by for the regular maintenance of my garage door. He had the LiftMaster model in his truck, so I had him install it. The serviceman noticed the Trump pennants in my garage which allowed him to open up as a Trump supporter. I was more than happy that I could give him and his company my business.

It didn't take him long to install, set up the new garage door opener (except the MyQ and WiFi which I did by myself), and perform the garage door maintenance which included adjusting the springs.

The LiftMaster 8550WL is quiet! It is the quietest in the LiftMaster lineup.

I was surprised by how small the backup battery is. I haven't had the opportunity to test it. The battery is only warranted for one year. The motor and belt drive had lifetime warranties. Other parts are warranted for 5 years.

I was expecting to receive only one 3-button garage door opener. I got two although I only really need one. My wife's car has HomeLink.

Setting up MyQ and the Built-in WiFi is quick and simple using the Smart Control Panel. The Smart Control Panel also displays the current time and temperature. And it has a motion sensor which automatically turns the garage door opener lights on. With the MyQ app, I could monitor and control my new garage door opener.

But my goal was Apple HomeKit compatibility. I want to control everything from the Apple Home app. I had to order the MyQ Home Bridge for that and it cost an extra $70. Setup was easy although I was surprised that I had to turn off the built-in MyQ and WiFi on the garage door opener after transferring it to the MyQ Home Bridge. The bridge communicates with the garage door opener using its own radio. It doesn't have to be installed in the garage with the opener. I have it installed in my home office where I have it powered by a Back-UPS.

The only other thing I had to do was turn off the MyQ notifications so I would only get alerts from Home.

I'm more than pleased with the LiftMaster 8550WL Garage Door Opener. The only possible con is the price.

#Review #LiftMaster #GarageDoorOpener