Best Blackout Curtains: What 8 Hands-On Reviews Reveal About True Blackout
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Searching for the best blackout curtains? Here is the honest answer independent reviewers keep landing on. Most curtains sold as 'blackout' only darken a room, and the ones that truly kill the light are the ones with a real blackout backing or liner behind the face fabric. Of the picks here, the MIULEE linen panels come closest to genuine blackout while still looking like a designer drape. The solid-black NICETOWN set is the cheap workhorse that blocks the most light for the least money. The thermal LEMOMO panels are the pick when heat, drafts, and street noise matter as much as darkness. The part no product page tells you: light leaks at the edges and the top, not through the fabric, so how you hang a curtain decides how dark the room actually gets.
Quick picks
- 1Check price on Amazon
Best overall for true blackout
MIULEE 100% Blackout Linen Curtains for Bedroom 52x84 Inches Natural — the only pick here with a dedicated blackout backing, so reviewers rate it closest to genuine darkness, and the natural linen look reads far more expensive than it costs.
- 2Check price on Amazon
Best value workhorse
NICETOWN Black Blackout Curtains for Bedroom 42" Wide x 63" Long 2 — the solid-black set reviewers reach for first. A dense triple-weave fabric blocks more light than most, as long as you accept that it darkens a room rather than sealing it to a true 100%.
- 3Check price on Amazon
Best for heat, noise and tall windows
LEMOMO Blackout Curtains 52 x 84 inches Long Black Curtains Set of 2 — thermal panels with the same fabric on both sides and a floor-length drop, the choice when cutting summer heat and road noise counts as much as blocking light.
What reviewers agree on
| Product | Praised for | Common complaint | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIULEE 100% Blackout Linen | Linen-look texture over a light-blocking backing; neutral colors that hide the liner inside; floor-length 84-inch drop. | Pale shades read a touch brighter at the fabric than a solid black; linen collects dust. | Style plus close-to-true blackout. |
| NICETOWN Black (triple weave) | Dense black weave blocks 85–99% of light; inexpensive; easy grommets; machine washable. | Not a sealed 100%; unlined; the 63-inch drop is short for many windows; edge and top gaps. | The budget solid-black default. |
| LEMOMO Thermal Insulated | Thermal weave against heat and cold; same fabric both sides; quiet grommet glide; 84-inch length. | Labeled room darkening, so it needs a snug fit or a blind behind it for full dark. | Heat, drafts and street noise. |
| Joydeco Linen Blackout | Heavier linen with a strong backing; a repeat favorite for real darkness. | Costs more; rod-pocket versions sit lower from the ceiling. | Day sleepers who want true blackout. |
| Sun Zero | Widely stocked; respectable room darkening for the money. | Many lines darken rather than hit a true 100% blackout. | Easy big-box availability. |
| Deconovo | Large color range; light and quick to hang. | Thinner panels dim a room rather than black it out. | Color choice on a tight budget. |
| Sleepout (premium) | Near-total blackout with edge coverage built in. | The most expensive option here by a wide margin. | When nothing but total dark will do. |
How we chose: we analysed 8 independent video reviews from The Mexican Dad, Dad Reviews with @LaneVids, Nicholas Demski Product Reviews, The Well Loved Finds, Bridge Contract Interiors, MeggieMommyMe, Ashleigh Patino, Life Tested plus owner comments. We don't test these hands-on; our role is to synthesise what reviewers and owners consistently report.
Best overall for true blackout
MIULEE 100% Blackout Linen Curtains for Bedroom 52x84 Inches Natural
Who it's for: Bedrooms where you want the room genuinely dark but refuse to hang a slab of black polyester. Neutral, linen-style decor.
What reviewers say: Across the linen reviews, the MIULEE panels are the set owners say finally did the job after cheaper 'blackout' curtains let them down. Reviewers highlight the construction that matters: a separate blackout layer sits behind a textured linen-look face, and because that backing is wrapped in fabric, the inside of the panel shows the curtain color instead of a flat black sheet. One owner who works night shifts called the darkness an outright game changer. A mother testing them in a toddler's room said they beat every other curtain she had tried. The 84-inch drop reaches the floor, which closes the bottom gap that trips up shorter panels.
Common complaint: The natural beige and other pale shades read a touch brighter at the fabric than a solid black would, so the very light-sensitive may want the darkest color or a blind behind them. Linen texture also shows dust and needs the occasional shake-out.
Specs that matter: 52 by 84 inches per panel, set of two; grommet top; fabric-wrapped blackout backing; neutral colorways.
Check price on AmazonBest value workhorse
NICETOWN Black Blackout Curtains for Bedroom 42" Wide x 63" Long 2
Who it's for: Anyone who wants the cheapest reliable way to darken a standard window and is fine with a solid-black panel.
What reviewers say: NICETOWN is the brand independent reviewers name most often as the sensible budget default. The black version uses a dense triple-weave polyester that one reviewer judged to reach the top of NICETOWN's own 85 to 99 percent light-blocking range, and he confirmed a real insulating effect by feeling the draft stop at the fabric. The grommets slide easily and the panels are light enough for a thin rod. Owners who had been burned by flimsier 'blackout' curtains report these run noticeably darker.
Common complaint: Two honest limits. First, even the black panel is room-darkening grade, not a sealed 100 percent blackout, and it carries no separate liner. Second, the popular 42-by-63-inch size is short, so it often stops above the floor and leaves a light gap. Reviewers and owners fix the side and top leaks by mounting the rod higher and wider, then tucking or Velcro-ing the outer edges to the wall.
Specs that matter: 42 inches wide by 63 inches long per panel, set of two; grommet top; triple-weave polyester; machine washable; a 100% blackout grommet version now exists if you need darker.
Check price on AmazonBest for heat, noise and tall windows
LEMOMO Blackout Curtains 52 x 84 inches Long Black Curtains Set of 2
Who it's for: Rooms that run hot or cold, face a noisy street, or have tall windows a 63-inch panel cannot cover.
What reviewers say: The LEMOMO set is the thermal option. It uses the same fabric on both sides, woven for insulation, the construction reviewers credit with cutting heat transfer and softening outside noise. At 84 inches it hangs to the floor on a standard window, which removes the bottom light gap shorter panels leave. Reviewers testing comparable thermal grommet curtains liked the quiet slide and the way the longer drop sat closer to full sill-to-floor coverage.
Common complaint: LEMOMO labels these room darkening rather than 100 percent blackout, which is the honest description for a single-fabric panel with no separate liner. For a fully dark room, fit them snug to the window or run them over a blind.
Specs that matter: 52 by 84 inches per panel, set of two; grommet top; thermal-insulated weave; same fabric front and back; black.
Check price on AmazonHow to choose the best blackout curtains for a bedroom
Watch: a useful overview
Video: MeggieMommyMe
Frequently asked questions
Are blackout curtains actually 100% blackout?
Rarely on their own. Reviewers find most curtains labeled 'blackout' are really room darkening: the fabric blocks light, but gaps at the edges and top let it leak in. A panel with a genuine blackout liner or backing, hung higher and wider than the window, gets you closest to total dark.
What is the difference between blackout and room-darkening curtains?
Room darkening dims a room; true blackout aims to remove the light. The deciding factor reviewers point to is the backing. A dedicated blackout liner or a fabric-wrapped backing blocks far more than a single dark fabric. Among these picks, the MIULEE linen panels carry that backing, while the NICETOWN and LEMOMO sets darken rather than seal.
Why is light still coming in around my blackout curtains?
Because light leaks at the edges and top, not through the weave. Owners close those gaps by mounting the rod several inches higher and wider, overlapping the panels in the middle, and tucking or Velcro-ing the outer edges to the wall. A valance or pelmet seals the strip above the rod.
Do blackout curtains help with heat and noise?
Somewhat. A thermal weave like the LEMOMO set's cuts heat transfer at the window and muffles outside noise a little, and one reviewer felt the draft stop at the fabric of a NICETOWN panel. The effect is real but modest, and it improves when the curtain fits snug and overlaps a blind or shade.
What size blackout curtains should I buy?
Wider and longer than the window. Reviewers advise panels that total roughly double the window width so they gather and overlap, plus a length that reaches the floor. A 63-inch drop often stops short, so an 84-inch panel or sizing up removes the bottom gap.
Do grommet or rod-pocket curtains block more light?
Rod-pocket and back-tab tops sit tighter to the top and open silently, so they seal the top gap a little better. Grommets slide easily and hang high near the ceiling, but the wave between rings can let some light through and the rings can click when you draw them.
Sources
- The Mexican Dad — Do You Need Room Darkening or Total Blackout Curtains? Find Out Here!
- Dad Reviews with @LaneVids — BEST BLACKOUT CURTAINS? | Nicetown Blackout Curtains VS Nicetown 100%
- Nicholas Demski Product Reviews — Installing Nicetown Blackout Curtains | Do they DARKEN the room and COMPLETE?
- The Well Loved Finds — Honest Review: MIULEE Blackout Linen Textured Curtains Bedroom Solid
- Bridge Contract Interiors — What are blackout curtains? 5 TOP TIPS FOR BUYING BLACKOUT CURTAINS!
- MeggieMommyMe — Blackout Curtains Comparison: Grommet vs Back Tabs + Curtain Rod Review
- Ashleigh Patino — Honest review of blackout curtains
- Life Tested — MIULEE 100% Blackout Linen Curtains Review | Thermal, Noise-Reducing & Stylish