Best Blackout Curtains

The Best Home Fashion Premium Blackout is the style-forward pick, named Bob Vila's 'Best Style' for its dual-layer and sheer-lace design options. Triple-weave panels block up to 99% of light and 100% of UV, hang from smooth stainless-steel nickel grommets, and come in the widest range of colors and styles here. It costs a bit more than the budget leaders and tops out just below true-blackout territory. For blackout performance with real decorative range, nothing else here compares.

The NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout takes the top spot on CNN Underscored's flashlight test, where it was the only panel that let no light through. The lined triple-weave build also adds thermal insulation and some sound damping, and the panels cost very little. Consumer Reports is cooler on it, flagging glare from the pure-white colourway, so the colour you pick matters.

The Eclipse Fresno is the proven-blackout specialist, laboratory-tested to block 98-99.9% of sunlight through patented Thermaback construction. Bob Vila praised the Eclipse line for blocking 'nearly all sunlight, even in the middle of the day,' and reviewers note no light bleed from the edges, no chemical smell, and roughly 40% noise reduction. It ships as single panels with a rod-pocket header. As a thick, durable, near-total blackout panel at around $40, it is excellent.

The Sun Zero Barrow is the budget room-darkening pick, a classic rod-pocket panel that cuts light and noise for better sleep at often under $20. It is honest about what it is: Sun Zero rates it room darkening rather than full blackout, so some light will show through, especially in lighter colors. A shopper who wants to soften daylight and add privacy and energy efficiency cheaply will be happy. Anyone needing total darkness should choose a true blackout panel.