Head-to-head · Best Blackout Curtains

Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout vs NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about Anyone who wants the most complete light blocking for a nursery or bedroom, validated by hands-on flashlight testing, at a budget price. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #2 in Best Blackout Curtains

Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout

4.6

$22.49as of Jun 7

The Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout is the value champion, Reviewed.com's Editor's Choice for blackout curtains, which found it blocked light better than every other panel they tested. Its triple-weave 240 GSM polyester with a back coating is rated 100% blackout, and it adds thermal insulation and noise reduction for around $35. It is plain and stock can be spotty, but for pure light-blocking per dollar it is the best buy on this list.

Strengths

— Reviewed.com's Editor's Choice for best blackout curtains, doing 'an excellent job of blocking out unwanted light'
— Triple-weave 240 GSM polyester rated 100% blackout, with a thick blackout coating on the back
— Metal grommets slide easily on standard or decorative rods and look modern

Watch-outs

— Stock can be intermittent, with the top configuration occasionally unavailable
— Limited color and size range compared with specialty curtain brands
— Plain styling without decorative options like lace overlays

$22.49 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Blackout Curtains

NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout

4.7

$17.95as of Jun 7

The NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout is our top pick because it was the standout in CNN Underscored's hands-on testing, the only curtain that passed their flashlight test with no light visible through the fabric. Its triple-weave, lined construction blocks the most light here while adding thermal insulation and noise reduction, and it costs around $42. Other labs rate it more middlingly, but in the test that matters most for sleep, it won.

Strengths

— The only curtain to pass CNN Underscored's flashlight test, with no light visible through the fabric
— Triple-weave construction blocks 85-99% of light plus thermal insulation and noise reduction
— Silver grommets with a 1.6-inch inner diameter slide smoothly onto standard rods

Watch-outs

— Reviewed.com rated it only 'solidly average' at blocking light, so results vary by reviewer and color
— Consumer Reports noted the pure-white colorway can produce glare
— Lined construction makes the panels heavy and somewhat stiff

$17.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout

Reviewed.com ranked it ahead of the NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout for outright light blocking, though NICETOWN won CNN's flashlight test. It uses the same triple-weave approach as the NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout and undercuts the Eclipse Fresno, Best Home Fashion Premium Blackout, and Sun Zero Barrow on price.

NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout

Blocked light more completely than the Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout, Eclipse Fresno, Best Home Fashion Premium Blackout, and Sun Zero Barrow in CNN's flashlight test, the only panel to pass it. Like the Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout it uses a triple-weave build, but its added lining edges it ahead on true blackout.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout	NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout
Fabric	Triple-weave 240 GSM polyester	Triple-weave polyester (lined)
Light Blocking	100% (room darkening, back-coated)	85-99%
Header	Metal grommets	Silver grommet (1.6 in inner dia.)
Sizes	52 x 84 in, 2 panels	52 x 84 in (and other sizes), 2 panels
Thermal	Insulating barrier	Insulating
Noise	Noise-reducing	Sound-reducing
Extras	2 Velcro tie-backs	—
Care	Machine washable	Machine washable
Reversible	—	Same color both sides

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