There are lots of things we take for granted when we buy a house, especially in the way of brands. How many people actually know what brand their water heater is, or their garage door opening mechanisms? While knowing these things would often get you labeled as obsessive, there’s a certain amount of peace of mind from knowing that these major appliances are sturdy, and built by a company with a track record for dependability and optimal performance. However, it’s sometimes hard to separate fact from fiction when you’re dealing with objects that are at once so intrinsic, and so forgettable, about the function of a home. Lots of the time it just boils down to simple anecdotal experience where a friend had a friend who said one was better over the other. So what’s the verdict on the two garage door opener behemoths, Genie and Chamberlain?

The two stack up pretty favorably with one another, both having their own sets of hallmarks and drawbacks, but it’s good to be informed about the company as a whole. In terms of sheer experience in manufacturing, Genie wins by a good 20 or 30 years, having been active under the name Alliance Manufacturing since the 20’s, and building sturdy home appliances during World War II. Of course Genie garage door openers were not even close to realization yet, but the sheer advantage of having been manufacturing long enough to know how to build something long-lasting is invaluable. Chamberlain may have come a little later to the game, but they have built an impressive name for themselves all the same—many people proclaim the Chamberlain Whisper Drive to be the latest and greatest in garage door opener tech. What it really comes down to is what exactly you are looking for in a garage door; is sturdiness your biggest qualification, or is it silence and ease of use? Genie garage door openers provide a state of the art key-code randomizer that will change the combination of your garage door every time it receives a signal to open. While obviously not a function needed for everyday home-attached garages, this extra level of security is invaluable for any businesses that operate behind garage doors, such as auto shops. Chamberlain is not completely blind to this idea either, providing a variety of security measures in their models.

This decision comes down largely to personal taste, but it’s important that one knows what tastes are available before they saddle themselves with a product that doesn’t fit them. Genie and Chamberlain have both been in business for a long time, and it would behoove any homeowner to brush up on what the two big companies offer before settling.