# Blackout curtains that block light

Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/home/blackout-curtains/block-light/
Category: Home > Blackout curtains. Updated 2026-10-08. Based on 182 counted first-hand reports from Target shopper reviews, Dec 2017 to Sep 2026.

**Question:** Which blackout curtains actually make a room dark?

**Short answer:** Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Blackout Curtain has the best record: 29 of 34 shoppers said it blocked light and made the room dark. Exclusive Home Oxford Sateen Room Darkening Curtain comes next at 18 of 25, even though it is sold as room darkening, not blackout. The other three panels fell well short, and Sun Zero Kenneth Blackout Curtain has the weakest record here at 7 of 32.

**What stands out:** The word on the package didn't sort these panels. 65% of reviews for Sun Zero Kenneth Blackout Curtain say light gets through, about as many as for Sun Zero Seymour Room Darkening Curtain (65%). For Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Blackout Curtain it is 15%.

## Ranking (shoppers who said whether it worked)

| Rank | Product | Room gets dark | Share | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Blackout Curtain | 29 of 34 | 85% | yes |
| 2 | Exclusive Home Oxford Sateen Room Darkening Curtain | 18 of 25 | 72% | yes |
| 3 | Sun Zero Seymour Room Darkening Curtain | 10 of 33 | 30% | no |
| 4 | Exclusive Home Sateen Pinch Pleat Blackout Curtain | 5 of 16 | 31% | no |
| 5 | Sun Zero Kenneth Blackout Curtain | 7 of 32 | 22% | no |

Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works.

## Product notes

### 1. Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Blackout Curtain

55% of reviews say it blocks light, and 42% like how it looks. The catch is color: 25% say it doesn't match the photo.

- Praised for: Looks nice (43%), Good value (18%), Keeps room cooler or warmer (10%)
- Complaints: Color differs from photo (25%), Wrinkles (8%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 2. Exclusive Home Oxford Sateen Room Darkening Curtain

Shoppers like the look (46%), and its record is strong for a panel sold as room darkening. 26% say the color differs from the photo and 18% still saw light come through.

- Praised for: Looks nice (46%), Good value (26%), Keeps room cooler or warmer (8%)
- Complaints: Color differs from photo (26%), Wrinkles (8%)
- Reports counted: 39

### 3. Sun Zero Seymour Room Darkening Curtain

Light coming through is the main complaint, in 65% of reviews, and 28% call the fabric thin. Just 10 of 33 said the room got dark, though 30% like how it looks.

- Praised for: Looks nice (30%), Good value (15%), Keeps room cooler or warmer (5%)
- Complaints: Thin (28%), Wrinkles (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 4. Exclusive Home Sateen Pinch Pleat Blackout Curtain

The look wins praise in 57% of reviews and 22% call the fabric thick, but 57% say light gets through. Fewer shoppers weighed in on this pair than on the other panels, and 5 of 16 said the room got dark.

- Praised for: Looks nice (57%), Good value (26%), Thick, quality fabric (22%)
- Complaints: Color differs from photo (13%), Wrinkles (9%)
- Reports counted: 23

### 5. Sun Zero Kenneth Blackout Curtain

Despite the blackout label, 25 of 32 shoppers said light still came through, and 12% call it thin. 30% like how it looks.

- Praised for: Looks nice (30%), Good value (13%)
- Complaints: Color differs from photo (13%), Thin (13%)
- Reports counted: 40

## Questions

**Which blackout curtains make a room dark?**

Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Blackout Curtain has the best record, with 29 of 34 shoppers saying the room got dark. Exclusive Home Oxford Sateen Room Darkening Curtain is next at 18 of 25. This is a short list of 5 panels from two brands, and the other three came in between 22% and 31%.

**Is room darkening the same as blackout?**

Not on the package: blackout panels are sold as blocking more light than room darkening ones. In these reviews the label didn't decide it. Exclusive Home Oxford Sateen Room Darkening Curtain, sold as room darkening, did better (18 of 25) than Sun Zero Kenneth Blackout Curtain, sold as blackout (7 of 32). Check the record, not just the word on the label.

**Why does light still get through my blackout curtains?**

Thin fabric comes up for the panels that let light through: 28% of reviews for Sun Zero Seymour Room Darkening Curtain and 12% for Sun Zero Kenneth Blackout Curtain call it thin. Light around the edges and over the rod is a separate gap any curtain can have, so panels wider than the window and a rod close to the wall help.

**Does the curtain color match the photo?**

Not always. 25% of reviews for Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Blackout Curtain and 26% for Exclusive Home Oxford Sateen Room Darkening Curtain say the color looks different from the photo, so check the return policy if the exact shade matters.

## Method

HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/