The Best Blackout Curtains

The West Elm Worn Velvet is the one curtain three independent reviews agree on, appearing as a top pick at Wirecutter, Forbes and Apartment Therapy. What sets it apart is craft. Wirecutter's Dorie Chevlen tested 35 curtains and found it was the only model that could be hung straight out of the box with no wrinkles, a problem that plagues almost every other panel. The dense velvet carries a sewn-in blackout liner, so it muffles noise and drafts better than the thin polyester panels, and it comes in ten jewel-tone colors that read as decor rather than a basic window covering. Forbes named it Best Premium and Apartment Therapy chose it for living rooms, praising the same luxurious drape.

The Nicetown Contemporary Lined panel does the one thing this category exists for better than anything else, and it costs about $19.50 a panel in a two-pack. CNN Underscored's editor tested five grommet blackout curtains over a sliding glass door and this was the only one to pass the flashlight test, with no trace of light shining through and no gaps at the sides. The two-layer triple-weave build is thermal insulated, and Bob Vila also picked it for nurseries and large windows. It looks classier than the price suggests, and it is the easiest recommendation for anyone who simply needs the room dark.