2024-01-15
(For People Who Want to Sleep Like It’s Midnight Even at 7 A.M.)
You don’t know how bad your sleep is until you black out your room and finally get a full night of it.
It doesn’t matter if your mattress is ergonomic, your pillow is memory foam, and your bedtime routine is dialed in like a NASA re-entry protocol—if you’ve got light leaking into your bedroom at 5:43 a.m., your body will start whispering, “Hey… maybe we should wake up.” And your brain, being the unreliable narrator that it is, will probably agree.
Blackout curtains are one of the most immediate, low-effort ways to fix this. They turn your bedroom from a place that can be used for sleep into a space that insists on it. The best ones don’t just block sunlight—they dampen noise, insulate against cold and heat, and help you create a cocoon that tells your nervous system, “It’s okay. You can turn off now.”
This guide is about the best blackout curtains you can buy right now. Not just the thickest ones. Not just the most expensive. But the ones that actually work—without turning your room into a sad hotel cave or a crinkly, wrinkled mess.
There are a lot of junk products in this category. Here’s what makes a blackout curtain worth it:
Bonus points for good drape, quiet fabric, and not looking like something salvaged from a dorm room blackout party.
The best blackout solution isn’t always permanent—and that’s why Sleepout is genius. It’s a portable, adjustable curtain you can put up and take down in under 60 seconds, using industrial-strength suction cups and a thick, lightproof panel that genuinely blocks everything.
This thing is ideal for renters, travelers, shift workers, or anyone who doesn’t want to commit to rods and screws. It folds into a tote bag and goes up in any window, instantly turning a room dark—even mid-afternoon in July.
Best for: Total blackout in apartments, rentals, travel, or irregular window sizes.
Price: Around $98 (per panel)
These are the Wirecutter favorite for good reason. Nicetown’s curtains aren’t flashy, but they deliver real blackout performance at a price that makes outfitting your whole bedroom—or house—totally doable.
They use a thick, heavy drape that hangs nicely and doesn’t wrinkle like cheaper blackout options. Not 100% blackout, but close enough for most needs.
Best for: Budget-conscious folks who want solid blackout and a ton of color/size flexibility.
Price: Around 35–50 per pair (depending on size)
https://www.moondreamwebstore.com
Moondream is a French brand making some of the most effective blackout curtains out there—especially if you want blackout and aesthetics. These don’t look utilitarian. They look intentional. And they block 100% of light with a high-density lining that also absorbs sound.
You can get them in neutral modern tones that actually elevate a room rather than make it feel like a blackout bunker. And they’re especially good for media rooms or street-facing bedrooms.
Best for: Design-conscious people who still want a pitch-black room.
Price: Around 120–180 per panel
These are one of the best value picks you can find on Amazon. They’re thermal-insulated, block up to 95% of light (more with a darker color), and come in enough sizes to fit nearly any window. They’re not fancy, but they get the job done well.
They don’t have the same heavy drape as Nicetown or Moondream, but they’re plenty thick, and great for layering behind sheers or using in rooms that need serious darkening on a budget.
Best for: Blacking out lots of rooms without breaking the bank.
Price: Around 25–40 per pair
Rutterllow’s secret sauce is the sewn-in white liner. Most blackout curtains rely on thick fabric alone, but this dual-layer setup completely blocks light—no glow, no leaks—and helps quiet down noisy neighbors or city streets.
They’re perfect if you want blackout that doesn’t look like blackout. The liner does the work, so the face fabric can be soft, stylish, and even light in color.
Best for: Quiet, totally dark bedrooms with a little visual softness.
Price: Around 60–85 per pair
Let’s say you want full blackout, but you also want your bedroom to look like it belongs in a Nancy Meyers movie. The Emery Linen drapes are heavy, lined, and luxe—and yes, expensive. But they also work beautifully, both in light control and aesthetics.
You’re paying for the brand here, but also the finish. These don’t look like “blackout curtains.” They look like high-end home design—with the functionality of a sleep cave.
Best for: People who want their blackout curtains to blend in, not take over.
Price: Around 180–300 per panel
These are an amazing hack for travel, kids’ rooms, or short-term blackout needs. They’re suction-cup mounted polyester panels with Velcro adjustments, and while they’re not gorgeous, they’re effective.
You can toss one in your suitcase or keep one stashed at the grandparents’ house. The suction cups actually stay put, and they’re surprisingly effective on large windows too.
Best for: Travelers, naps in bright rooms, or solving “the light leaks in” emergencies.
Price: Around $35
| Need / Use Case | Curtain | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Best portable blackout | Sleepout Curtain | Total darkness anywhere, installs in under a minute |
| Best budget pick | Nicetown or BGment | Solid triple-weave at low cost |
| Best high-end design | Moondream or Pottery Barn | Premium looks + real blackout |
| Best for sound + light blocking | Rutterllow with liner | Sewn-in blackout + insulation |
| Best for travel | Amazon Basics Portable | Lightweight, foldable, suction-cup blackout |
Blackout curtains are one of those rare upgrades that change your life immediately and quietly. You don’t have to think about them once they’re up. You just sleep better. You wake up slower. You nap in the middle of the day without apologizing to your circadian rhythm.
The best blackout curtains make your bedroom feel like a safe little den. Not a prison cell. Not a dark cave. Just a space where your brain can finally—finally—turn off.
Pick the ones that match your space, your sleep habits, and your vibe. And then turn off the lights. Pull them shut. Take a breath.
Welcome to the dark side. You’re going to like it here.