Head-to-head · Best Blackout Curtains

NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout vs Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Extreme 100% Blackout Rod Pocket Curtain Panel

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

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The short answer

Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Extreme 100% Blackout Rod Pocket Curtain Panel comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.0 vs 3.9). Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Extreme 100% Blackout Rod Pocket Curtain Panel is best for: budget shoppers who want a true blackout rod-pocket panel and do not mind a shiny polyester finish. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Blackout Curtains

NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout

3.9

1 source$16.16as of Oct 19

The NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout takes the top spot on CNN Underscored's flashlight test, where it was the only panel that let no light through. The lined triple-weave build also adds thermal insulation and some sound damping, and the panels cost very little. Consumer Reports is cooler on it, flagging glare from the pure-white colourway, so the colour you pick matters.

Strengths

— The only curtain to pass CNN Underscored's flashlight test with no light visible through the fabric
— Lined triple-weave construction rated at 85 to 99 percent light blocking
— Machine washable and inexpensive for the performance

Watch-outs

— The lining makes the panels heavy and somewhat stiff to drape

$16.16 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Blackout Curtains

Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Extreme 100% Blackout Rod Pocket Curtain Panel

4.0

2 sourcesall derived$14.29as of Oct 19

The Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Extreme is a polyester rod-pocket blackout panel sold singly, 52 inches wide in 63, 84 or 95-inch lengths. Bob Vila's tester named it the best bang for the buck, rating it 4.5 of 5 for effectiveness and 5 of 5 for value, and liked its heavy, velvety fabric. Reviewed tested three sets bought from different retailers and found they do a decent job blocking light, but its staff thought the shiny polyester looks cheap.

Strengths

— Bob Vila rated it 4.5 of 5 for effectiveness and found it performed well once installed
— Heavy fabric with a plush, velvety feel, per Bob Vila
— Rod-pocket header avoids light leaking through grommet holes, per Bob Vila

Watch-outs

— Heavier weight makes the panels harder to slide open and closed, per Bob Vila
— Reviewed's staff found the shiny polyester looks cheap
— Bob Vila found it a bit confusing to tell which pocketed end is the top

$14.29 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout

It blocked light more completely than the Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout and Eclipse Fresno in CNN's flashlight test, the only panel to pass it. It shares the triple-weave approach of the Amazon Basics panels, but the extra lining is what pushes it ahead on true blackout.

Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Extreme 100% Blackout Rod Pocket Curtain Panel

In Reviewed's lab tests the Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout blocked more light than every other curtain tested, the Oslo included. Like the Eclipse Fresno it hangs from a rod pocket rather than the grommets on the NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout and Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	NICETOWN Contemporary Lined Blackout	Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Extreme 100% Blackout Rod Pocket Curtain Panel
Fabric	Triple-weave polyester (lined)	—
Light Blocking	85-99%	Up to 100 percent (maker claim, per Bob Vila)
Header	Silver grommet (1.6 in inner dia.)	—
Sizes	52 x 84 in (and other sizes), 2 panels	—
Thermal	Insulating	—
Noise	Sound-reducing	—
Reversible	Same color both sides	—
Care	Machine washable	—
Material	Fabric	Polyester
Dimensions	63"L x 52"W	95"L x 52"W
Width	—	52 inches (single panel)
Lengths	—	63, 84 or 95 inches
Hanging Style	—	Rod pocket (rod up to 1.5 inches)
Machine Washable	—	Yes (per Reviewed)
Colorways	—	10+

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