The Big Issue With Ryobi Garage Door Openers (& Better Alternatives To Consider)

If you're a fan of battery cordless power tools, you probably know the Ryobi brand. It's definitely one of the most popular and best tool brands, according to rankings, even though it may lag a bit behind DeWalt and Milwaukee in terms of quality. The Ryobi brand has expanded well beyond affordable battery-powered tools by adding manual tools, outdoor power tools, and other Ryobi products to consider owning that aren't tools.

One such non-tool product from Ryobi that you may have heard of is the Ryobi garage door opener. This opener plugs into a wall outlet like nearly all openers but also has a spot to plug in an 18V ONE+ battery. This versatile Ryobi battery system that you can use with its power tools goes into the opener, allowing you to operate it more than 100 times off battery charge in case you ever lose power. Additionally, Ryobi offered add-on modules you could plug into the opener, like wireless speakers and carbon monoxide alarms.

If you're considering purchasing one of these openers, the bad news is that Ryobi discontinued them. Ryobi and its parent company, Techtronic Industries, had to stop selling them after losing a legal battle over copyright infringement. The legal case found that Techtronic Industries infringed on two patents from garage door opener manufacturer Chamberlain Group. If you like the idea of the Ryobi garage door opener's features, you might be able to find some used models on eBay. Otherwise, learn more about some similar openers on the market that you can try.

If the battery backup option on the discontinued Ryobi garage door opener appealed to you, you can find a similar option on some other brands of modern openers. Some openers include a rechargeable battery like the Ryobi model, while others have batteries built into the opener that you have to replace if they ever run out of power.

The Chamberlain B2215T Garage Door Opener is available on Amazon for $229. This product includes a built-in (but replaceable) battery backup, so you can open the door in case of a power outage. The backup battery carries a 1-year warranty. On Amazon, this Chamberlain opener has a 4.5-star rating out of five. One reviewer on Amazon likes that you can replace the battery if it ever wears out, allowing you to avoid having to replace the entire unit. You can purchase a replacement directly from Chamberlain. One reviewer on the Chamberlain website gave it four stars, saying the features were great, but installing this garage door opener yourself is difficult.

The Liftmaster 84602 Garage Door Opener also carries a battery backup. It costs $320 on Amazon without a rail. This is a rechargeable battery that provides up to 24 hours of operation when you lose power at the house. It will recharge when the power is restored. Should the battery ever stop holding a charge, you can purchase a replacement from Liftmaster. One reviewer on Amazon said this model was easy to install and runs very quietly.

The discontinued Ryobi opener had the capability to add a carbon monoxide detector to the device. This alarm would sound if carbon monoxide levels in the garage suddenly rose to dangerous levels. A buildup of carbon monoxide (CO) in a garage can potentially happen when someone leaves a car running with the garage door down. If any people are in the car or garage, this could result in a fatal accident within a couple of minutes. The carbon monoxide buildup in the garage could seep into your home, potentially leaving your family at risk unless your home has enough carbon monoxide sensors.

Perhaps the best option to integrate a carbon monoxide detector with a non-Ryobi garage door opener is with a Genie brand garage door opener that can run the Aladdin Connect smart garage door controller system. Through the Aladdin Connect app, you can monitor your Genie opener on your smartphone. Several popular smart home systems work with Aladdin Connect, including Alarm.com. By combining Aladdin Connect with Alarm.com, you can monitor your carbon monoxide detector in the garage. If you receive an alert about a CO problem from Alarm.com, you can open the door with Aladdin Connect, bringing fresh air into the garage. Alarm.com can also automatically shut down your HVAC system, preventing CO gas from circulating in the home. You can buy a Genie Garage Door Opener with Aladdin Connect on Amazon for $240.