Is Liftmaster Better Than Genie?

Today there are quite a few Garage Door Openers of varying models and makes that are available on the market today. Two of the leading companies or perhaps the most popular ones happen to be Chamberlain Group who manufactures their LiftMaster brand of garage doors.

The second one and arguably equally popular is the Overhead Door Company who manufactures and sells their The Genie Company brand of garage door.

According to the figures as they are available as this article is drafted both the Genie and LiftMaster brands make up 90% percent of garage doors in the US. To put things into perspective, it is 90% of 50 million garages. However, the question we still get asked is which of these two brands is better?

While some people will make their choice based on aesthetics alone, aesthetics is subjective. Your choice should be based on hard facts. That’s why to compare the two brands fairly we have to take a couple of factors into consideration, i.e. their warranty, price, security, features, reliability and most of all, safety.

Which Brand Offers Better Safety?

Genie has what it terms as Safe-T-Beam®System that’s been built into their Garage Door Opener. The system prevents the door from closing shut if there is an obstruction in its path.

However, LiftMaster has a similar system they branded as The Protector System, which uses an infrared array as part of the reversing system which prevents the door from closing if there is an obstruction.

LiftMaster has also included an automatic safety reversing and stopping system which offers more protection as compared to just stopping the door. By reversing automatically, it gives the obstruction the opportunity to get away or be removed.

Plus the door can easily be locked or stopped at any point if there is a need for extra ventilation.

In terms of safety, we’d have to give LiftMaster the win here because their feature is a lot more versatile.

Which Brand is More Secure?

Genie uses what’s called Intellicode® rolling code technology which will automatically change the door’s access code each time the button on a remote is pushed. Since the codes change at random, no unauthorized person can get a hold of the code from the garage door to gain entry.

LiftMaster uses a similar technology called Security+® rolling code technology. Even though the technology is patented, it works the same as what Genie offers. However, LiftMaster has a second layer of security they call PosiLock®.

The system automatically closes and secures with lock monitoring against forced entry. Plus, you have the option of setting a temporary password for their Keyless Entry System.

The temporary password can be used by people you give it to but without revealing the “master password”. Plus, the password can be used for a limited number of times.

In terms of security, LiftMaster offers better features, which make the garage door more secure.

Warranty and Pricing

We’ve examined both brands and found that they both offer similar pricing and warranties. Many openers offer lifetime warranties on the motor, with 1 to 5 years for parts. Plus, the pricing for both brands is very similar, depending on the model you choose.

Overall Reliability

In terms of service life and reliability, both brands are known for their quality. However, you’ll find more LiftMaster models in many states of the US, because they are highly recommended.

Plus, LiftMaster offers better customer satisfaction, better speed, lower noise and their products are seen as being comparatively more durable.

According to Consumer Reports, LiftMaster garage door openers rank higher than Genie brands, and that’s been a trend for now close to five years.

Finally – Features

Now if all things are equal for a buyer, it all boils down to features. Both brands offer similar wall control panels and remote controls. Also, both brands have belt, chain and screwdriver type garage doors. However, that’s where the similarity of the features ends unfortunately for Genie.

LiftMaster models offer additional features like EverCharge Battery Backup, which is designed to open and close the garage door 40 times when there is no power. You also get the Smart Control Panel, which shows temperature and time.

There is also a motion sensor built into the panel that has a 200-watt light which will shut off after you have left the garage.

The biggest difference has to be the Residential Jackshaft opener, which isn’t ceiling-mounted but mounted on the side of the wall. So, you have more ceiling space for extra storage.

At the end of the day, it is clear that LiftMaster has and continues to be a pretty safe bet for most homeowners for these and other reasons.