Chamberlain Whisper Drive WD822KD

The Chamberlain Whisper Drive WD822KD is a belt-driven garage door opener, and reviews say that assembly makes it quieter than chain- or screw-drive models. The ½-horsepower engine is fine for standard single or double garage doors, but you'll need a $50 extension kit for doors taller than seven feet. If you have a very heavy door, you may need a ¾-horsepower model like the Chamberlain PD752D (*est. $170), which is chain-driven and noisier. The Chamberlain Whisper Drive WD822KD, like most residential garage door openers, is designed for do-it-yourself installation. The warranty is lifetime on the motor, ten years on the belt, and one year on other parts. Included are two remote controls, a keyless entry pad and rolling-code security to thwart "code-grabbing" criminals.

Professional reviews are scarce for garage door openers. Consumer Reports' 2002 coverage is outdated, unavailable on its website and includes one Chamberlain Whisper Drive, but not the WD822KD. The best coverage overall is in James Dulley's $3 report, but he doesn't rate the brands, just describes them. The best ratings are in owner reviews at Amazon.com – about five dozen at this writing and mostly extremely positive. We found some more owner reviews at the website of retailer Builder's Square.