Best Budget-Friendly: Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout Window Curtains with Tie Backs

Let’s talk blackout curtains.

After spending seven hours researching these curtains, we realized there are some essential shopping tips to keep in mind:

• There are two basic types of curtains. The more affordable ones have a single piece of fabric. The room darkening is a coating on the window side. More expensive blackout curtains have a sewn-in blackout lining that is a separate piece of fabric.

• Don’t expect a full black out. While these curtains are effective at blocking light, some folks we interviewed for this article were disappointed that some light still bled through. This is sometimes caused by the design of the curtain rod, not the curtains—the closer the rod is to the window, the better. The width of the panel can also impact how much light can leak into a room.

• Wash at your own risk. Most of these curtains are hand wash only—and we heard from more than one reader that washing can damage or destroy the curtain. We would suggest spot cleaning only. Or simply replace the curtains if they start to look grimy after a few years. 

For the best budget-friendly white blackout curtain, we think the Amazon Basics curtains offer good bang for the buck. We like the fabric quality, compared to others we researched for this article.

What We Liked

• Effective at blocking light.

• Affordable.

• OEKO-Tex Standard 100.

• 2-panel design includes a small rod pocket at top.

What Needs Work

• Wrinkles are hard to remove.

• White color has a bit of a grey cast to it.

Best Looking: NICETOWN Pure White 100% Blackout Lined Curtains

As we mentioned at the start of this article, more expensive blackout curtains are made from two layers of fabric. This gives them a better look, in our opinion. And our readers agree: these curtains by NICETOWN are probably the best-looking curtains we could find. 

What We Liked

• Thick fabric material.

• Excellent job at blocking light.

• Keeps the heat (and cold) out.

• No chemical coatings.

• Absorbs sound and light well.

What Needs Work

• Tiny holes in fabric can still let in a small amount of light. 

• Wrinkles can be hard to get out.

Best Linen Style: Rose Home Fashion Primitive Linen Look, 100% Blackout Curtain

If you are planning to hang blackout curtains in a living room, having a nicer fabric weave is a plus. These linen-style curtains would be our pick in that case. We like the quality here—great at blocking light.

What We Liked

• Thick, heavy material.

• White colored liner.

• Double layer design.

• Great at blocking light.

• Very good at noise reduction.

What Needs Work

• Thick, heavy material requires a sturdy curtain rod.

• Can arrive wrinkled.

• A bit pricey.

Best Single Panel: Sun Zero 56684 Cyrus Thermal 100% Blackout Back Tab Curtain Panel

Most blackout curtains come in two-panel sets. However, if you just need a single panel, this would be our pick: Sun Zero’s 56684. We think the overall quality is good . . . and it is a budget option if you just need one panel.

What We Liked

• Blocks light well.

• Blocks heat and well.

• Affordable.

• Thick fabric.

What Needs Work

• Only a single panel. If you need two, you must buy them separately.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!