The best smart garage door controllers of 2019

By far one of the more eye-catching and interesting garage devices we've tested, the Garager 2 is a two-in-one camera and door controller. This $149 surveillance camera attaches to the bottom of your garage door opener via a magnet and controls your garage door from the Alcidae app for Android and iOS devices. The camera includes 1080p color and night vision video and two-way audio, though clip storage does require a $5-per-month subscription. The controller works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, via your wi-fi signal, for voice commands to open and close your garage. An upgrade over the previous model adds a magnetic base to stabilize the camera feed when the garage door is in motion. If you'd really like to be able to add video monitoring and be able to watch and talk to your garage space, this device is for you. You can also get notifications and control it remotely or via voice assistants, Garager works well.

The Nexx Garage is a $100 smart garage controller that adds skills to your normal garage door opening and closing with ease. You'll get voice commands, remote access and auto opening through the Nexx Garage app for iOS and Android devices without involving IFTTT applets. Though Nexx Garage isn't as widely integratable as Chamberlain's MyQ system, there aren't any fees for the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice compatibility. The Nexx Garage's biggest negative is the sensors you'll need to detect the door's status. Two sensors attach to your garage door and the wall above it and must be placed within 1/4-inch of each other for best results. The top sensor in this pair is wired, and adding more wires to any room is something I don't prefer. The Nexx Garage is great for anyone wanting simple, fuss-free smarts and compatibility with the voice-activated assistants Amazon Alexa or  Assistant..

The Tailwind iQ3 is a reliable way to add Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa smarts to your garage. It also stands out for security, since it requires more than just your phone to enable auto opening or closing. The wired setup makes it reliable, and at $99 for a standard kit and $110 for one with a vehicle sensor, it's a good value. You won't get HomeKit compatibility with the Tailwind iQ3, and anyone using an iPhone will have to purchase the vehicle sensor package. Still, you can control up to three doors with one controller, and the Tailwind iQ3 checks all the boxes for basic garage door smarts..