Remsol iSmartGate Pro Kit review: An easy way to smarten up your garage door

Just about everything in your home can be turned into a smart device given the proper tools. The same goes for your garage door; by installing a simple Wi-Fi enabled device to the mechanism that mechanically opens your garage door you'll be able to use your smartphone to open or shut your garage door from anywhere as long as you can access the internet. There are several different smart garage door openers on the market, so it can be hard to tell which one will fit your needs best.

I tested the iSmartGate Pro for a couple months to see how well it works. I found it was easier to install than many other smart garage door openers, it responded beautifully to the app, and made it so I only needed my phone if I wanted to open the garage from out front. It isn't perfect, but it's a great option overall.

iSmartGate Pro Kit What I like

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Easy install Setting up Wi-Fi and sensors

Setting up the iSmartGate Pro with my Wi-Fi and smartphone was a cinch. When I opened the box, I found a paper listing a QR code as well as a link to the iSmartGate Pro installation guide. From there, the website walked me through each step and helped me get the device on my Wi-Fi in no time.

The actual installation of the main device is a little more tricky. I needed to do a bit of wiring to connect the smart device to my garage door opener. The iSmartGate Pro works with a number of different garage door openers, but the wiring will be different depending on which model you own. If you aren't comfortable wiring a light switch or don't like heights, then you'll probably want to hire someone to install the iSmartGate Pro for you. Something I really like is that if you want to check and see if this smart device works with your garage before making a purchase, you can use Remsol's handy compatability checker.

I found that the iSmartGate Pro is a lot easier to install compared to several other garage door openers since it uses a battery-powered sensor instead of requiring you to run wires on either side of the garage door. The sensor runs on two LR1 batteries and comes with the first two to get you started. Adhesive comes included in the package, so I was able to set everything up without needing to run to the store. I simply applied the adhesive to the back of the sensor and then pressed the sensor onto the garage door. Once in place, the iSmartGate Pro can tell if the garage door is open or shut. What's more, you can always check the app to determine how much battery life is left in the sensor. You can also set up email alerts to inform you when these batteries are getting low.

I'm able to open and shut this garage door opener any time my smartphone has access to the internet. In addition to testing the device while I was in the house, I tested it when I was several miles away, and I even tested it when I was in another state. The garage door opened and shut whenever I wanted it to and I could check the app at any time to see the door's status.

This remote accessibility is useful in a number of instances. If your child calls you to tell you she's locked out of the house you can easily jump into the app and open the garage door for her. Similarly, if an emergency happens while you're away from home and you need a friend to run into your house you can easily open the garage for them. You can also turn this remote access off, if you want. Things are also more convenient on your end. You aren't limited to using your smartphone to control the iSmartGate Pro. You can also control it via tablet, PC, and Apple Watch. That way, if you happen to misplace your phone you can still open the garage door in a number of other ways.

Accessibility and compatibility Accounts and smart assistants

Something I really like is that the iSmartGate comes with up to 10 free user accounts. That's typically enough for each family member to each have their own code. Just note that you'll need to download user plugins to make this feature work. If you're purchasing this garage for a business, say you're a landowner for a bunch of condominiums, you can also pay a subscription for either 100 or an unlimited number of user accounts. That way everyone has their own unique identifying account and you can tell who's going in and out of your garage(s).

The iSmartGate Pro also works with Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, IFTTT, and Amazon Alexa when hooked up with IFTTT. When set up with these smart assistants you'll be able to open the garage door via voice command. The best part about this is that you don't have to pay any additional fees to make this smart integration work. This is especially helpful considering that the iSmartGate Pro can control up to three doors, making it perfect for smaller and larger garages alike.

It's also compatible with video monitoring. You can purchase the Garage Camera that iSmartGate recommends, or you can purchase the Video Plugin to make your existing camera compatible. When a camera is set up with your garage door opener, you'll be able to see a live feed of your garage whenever you open the app.

Intuitive app Plenty of convenient features

This is a very easy app to navigate and use. You'll find all of the features you want simply by poking around a little bit in the menus. In order to open or close your garage door, you simply open the app and then slide your finger up or down on the lock button. The lock button displays as red when the door is closed and green when open. If you use IFTTT, then you can also set up the optional automatic unlocking feature so that the garage door opens on its own at a certain time of the day. This can make your commute home just a little simpler as your garage door will be open for you as soon as you get home.

As previously mentioned, the iSmartGate Pro can control up to three garage doors. You can check the status of all three and control them from the same menu. In fact, there's also a Door Events section within the menu that allows you to go through the garage door's history to determine when it was used and which user accessed it.

Customer support Helpful and quick

I contacted customer support several times during the test period to see how well the company responded to customer issues. The only way to reach iSmartGate support is through email, which isn't what I prefer. However, I was always responded to within one business day after initiating contact. The customer representatives themselves were always kind and answered my questions thoroughly.

iSmartGate Pro Kit What I don't like

The expense Costlier than other garage door openers

If you've been shopping around on the internet for a smart garage door opener, then you've probably seen that the iSmartGate Pro is a lot more expensive than several other options out there. There are a few reasons why you have to shell out more money for this device. Firstly, it can set up its own Wi-Fi in areas where you don't have internet. That's really helpful if you're in a location with a bad connection. Secondly, it is able to control up to three different doors in your garage. Some can only control one door. Thirdly, it features advanced convenience features like automatic unlocking, which isn't something you'll always find. Finally, if you're willing to spend more money, you can set up a camera with the iSmartGate Pro so you can see a live feed of your garage.

Whether or not these features are worth it to you will really depend on your own preferences. If you're looking for something that offers all of the bells and whistles, this is a great smart garage door opener to get. If you don't need all of these features and simply want something that can open and close your garage door from your app, you probably want to look elsewhere for something less expensive. If you like this garage door opener overall, but don't like the price you might want to consider the iSmartGate Lite. It's a simplified version that only costs around $120.

The alarm Delay and beeping

There's a bit of a delay when opening your garage door. First off, it always takes a couple of seconds for the app to connect to your home whenever you open it. Additionally, in accordance with UL325 regulation, this device also flashes a bright white light and beeps several times before opening or closing the garage door. This beeping and light flashing makes it so that it takes longer for the door to open than it would if you simply pressed the button that comes with your garage door opener. Keep in mind that this delay is something you'll face with any smart garage door opener that meets the UL325 regulation and not just the iSmartGate Pro, so you'll want to take that into consideration if you're considering buying one.

I was startled to discover that the default beeping was a loud, shrill noise. Fortunately, I figured out that the app lets me turn the volume completely down and also allows me to change the sound to a music file I have on my phone. Unfortunately, it has to be a WAV file, but at least there is an option.

A cool thing about this is that you can even assign different songs to different users. That way, your family members can be greeted by their favorite tunes whenever they open the garage. I use Coheed and Cambria's Welcome Home, since it's an awesome song with a fitting title.

Admin user name You cannot change it

This is perhaps the most bizarre thing about the iSmartGate Pro. For some reason, the main owner on the account must have the user name "admin" and you cannot change it to another name. This feels like a security risk to me since anyone who really wants to hack in doesn't need to worry about figuring out the user name and only needs to figure out your password. This is especially strange considering secondary persons on the account can use their own unique user names. It would be better if the main users could choose what user name was displayed as well.

iSmartGate Pro Kit Should you buy it?

The iSmartGate Pro is an impressive smart garage door opener. It's compatible with a large number of mechanisms and makes it so you can open your garage door simply by using your app. The number of conveniences it provides accounts for its high cost.

4 out of 5

However, if you're wanting a simple device that just opens and shuts your garage door, you might want to consider going with a less expensive device. Otherwise, this is the perfect device to get if you're looking for a smart garage door opener that's compatible with video monitoring, automatic unlocking, several different smart home assistants, and is relatively easy to install.