What we have here is one of the worst brand names in history, did anyone really think this was a good idea at the branding meeting? Looking past that sore point, this aims to bring a little intelligence to a product that has been basically unchanged for decades.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Garageio comes to us via the crowdfunding route, but is now generally available on Amazon and other stores.
By remote control with a or code, people have been unlocking and automatically opening their forever, and its a gimme for the market to provide a slightly better solution the works via your or smartphone for a more modern approach.
Other than that, its a for your – expecting it do much more would be stretching the minds of the creative genius behind “Garageio”! If you are considering such device or if you desperately need it, here is the full Garageio Review that will put your mind at ease.
Contents (Jump to)
Key Features of the Garageio
- Pricing: The Garageio is available in one, two, and three-door models with modest increments on price. The single door model is available here and is the focus of this review.
- Compatibility: Before investing in any Garageio , check if your is on the compatible list found here . This covers 19 brands of the self-opening door from Allstar to Wayne Dalton, listing those that will work or are incompatible.
- Installation: If your door is compatible with this , then you should face an easy installation. If it is not listed, get in touch with the company anyway and you might find out the job is doable with a little help and advice. Once sorted, you install the Garageio blackbox in the , connect it to your WiFi, which may create some distance issues, and then set up the .
- Dimensions: The box measures a hefty 11 x 11 x 5 inches, and is connected by tape to your . If everything works, then you can open the door from the comfort of the driver’s seat as you roll up, or trigger it for friends from any location.
- Voice assistant: The Garageio motorized garage door opener has a voice control/ voice assistant that connects with Amazon Alexa, and it offers excellent support.
Pros of the Garageio Smart Garage Controller
- Plays Well with Others: Garageio isn’t just a one-trick pony with its app. It works well others, supporting Amazon Echo and IFTTT systems.
- Real Time Reports: While the garage door isn’t the sexiest part of any home, you can still monitor it opening and closing with real time reports, which may be useful if someone is using it without permission.
- Access Control: You can give other people access through their devices, and there’s also a web interface and dashboard for long term patterns, perhaps if you have a lot of activity.
- Activity Logs: It keeps an activity log and the door can also be controlled by other smart home tech.
- Smart App: The Garageio app is pretty cool looking, with a good design motif. Swipe down to close and swipe up to open, but there’s no location sensing so it won’t detect your arrival and open the door auto-magically.
- Expanding Support: Improved smart home device support is another plus, Echo was added in the summer and the company continues to add further devices.
Cons of the Garageio Smart Garage Controller
- Not Super High Tech: There’s little magic in the Garageio function. A magnetic wired sensor detects if the door is open or closed, while control wires run to the door opener it may be tricky to install and secure the door sensor for some.
- WiFi Could be Problematic: Otherwise, it is not the smartest piece of tech on the planet, reacting to your phone as you come and go. As mentioned, if your WiFi is on the other side of the house, it could have problems picking up the signal.
- DIY Support: The company is also an online-only outfit with online tech support that can be helpful or limited depending on your problem.
- Online Only Instructions: Also their installation instructions are all online, so you may need to take a laptop outside to get things sorted, or a print out if you want to do things the old-fashioned way.
FAQs
Answer: Garageio 1 is not available for sale right now, but a restock is expected over the next few months in 2021. Also, there is another version coming soon – the Garageio 2 which is available for preorders right now on the official site.
Answer: It’s very easy to operate the garage door with Garageio no matter which model you choose from. It only takes one button on your phone, and the door will open and close upon your request. It doesn’t get any easier than that.
Answer: Garageio can operate up to 3 different doors which are Wifi operated and can be operated from any iOs or Android device as well.
Answer: There are no additional costs for using Garageio besides purchasing the device itself, and having a Wifi connection.
Patrick Sinclair is a geek; make no mistake about that. He runs All Home Robotics in his spare time so he doesn’t have to think about his depressing cubicle and it gives him an excuse to buy expensive gadgets to review!
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