You've already tried the $25 blackout curtains from Target. Or the ones from Walmart described as room-darkening. They let in light along the edges, along the top, and in some cases straight through the fabric in a haze. You bought them because the description said blackout. The description was accurate about the fabric. The installation reality was different.
The NICETOWN curtains solve the fabric problem. A buyer photographed her toddler's room at the same time of day before and after: total transformation. Another buyer described her room going pitch black, so dark she couldn't see her black Labrador. Multiple buyers with west-facing Florida windows report their rooms cooling measurably after installation.
Before you buy any size or color, read the next two sections. They will determine whether what you want is achievable with curtains alone or whether you need a different approach.
The Edge Light Problem Has Nothing to Do With This Brand
Every review of every blackout curtain ever sold includes complaints about light coming in around the edges. This is not a NICETOWN issue. It is a physics issue. Curtains hang on a rod. The rod has gaps at the wall. The panels don't extend behind the window frame. Light finds these gaps regardless of how opaque the fabric is.
Mount the rod as close to the ceiling as possible, with brackets that hold the rod very close to the wall. Extend the rod at least 8 to 12 inches beyond the window frame on each side, and hang the panels so they fully overlap the wall surface rather than just the window. For the top gap, a box valance or ceiling-mounted track eliminates the space above the rod. Buyers who do all three describe near-total darkness. Buyers who mount the rod at standard height directly above the window and let the panels just cover the glass describe light coming in on all four sides.
For buyers who need true 100% blackout (shift workers, nurseries, light-sensitive individuals), Reddit's consistent recommendation is blackout curtains plus cellular shades inside-mounted on the window. The shades seal the frame gap. The curtains cover everything else. Neither alone achieves total darkness. Both together do.
Color Determines How Much Light the Fabric Blocks
This is the most underreported variable in blackout curtain purchases and accounts for a significant portion of the disappointment reviews. The triple-weave blackout fabric in dark colors is genuinely close to 100% opaque. In light colors, the same fabric construction lets in a visible amount of light through the weave.
Multiple buyers who purchased beige, tan, or light gray panels describe them as noticeably less effective than buyers who purchased black, navy, or dark gray. One buyer specifically noted that her black panels let in no light while a friend's beige panels from the same brand showed clear light transmission. If maximum darkness is the goal, order black or a dark color. If you need a lighter color for your decor, expect performance in the 70 to 85% light-blocking range rather than 95 to 99%.
What the Buyers Who Replaced Every Curtain in Their Home Say
The strongest quality signal in 300 reviews is the repeat purchase pattern. Multiple buyers describe buying their first set, being satisfied, and then systematically replacing curtains throughout their homes with this same product. One buyer describes ordering her third set. Another bought sets for five windows in a single purchase. One buyer describes starting with her bedroom, then buying sets for the living room, guest room, and nursery.
"I have ordered this set 3 times already and I love them. I've slowly replaced most of my curtains in my house with these. Not only are they soft and sleek looking, they also keep out the majority of light making it pretty much pitch black. It is also making my house so much cooler."Verified Purchase
A buyer who described herself as someone who had "never had blackout curtains that actually work" wrote a detailed account of receiving these, finding them heavier than expected, and then testing them for sound insulation, heat containment, and light containment. Her conclusion was that all three performed to her satisfaction. She noted no light coming through the panels, only from the edges, which is the edge gap issue independent of curtain quality.
The Temperature Benefit Is Real but Limited
Multiple buyers in warm climates (Florida, Texas, Arizona) describe room temperature drops after installation. One buyer in Florida with west-facing windows described her room going from unbearable in the afternoon to comfortable. A Texas buyer who had "dealt with an oven bedroom for years" described noticing a measurable decrease in ambient temperature by keeping the curtains closed during the day.
"My room in the summer becomes an oven during afternoons. I keep the curtains closed through the day and I have noticed a noticeable decrease in ambient room temperature. It feels like it is at least 5 to 8 degrees cooler."
Verified Purchase, TexasThe honest framing from Reddit is useful here: blackout curtains block the radiant heat from sunlight hitting the window glass. Once heat has already entered the glass and is inside the room, curtains trap it rather than blocking it. The benefit is in blocking sunlight before it converts to room heat, not in insulating against ambient temperature. For extreme climates, exterior shading or reflective window film addresses the problem at the source more effectively. For typical residential situations, closing the curtains before the sun hits the window produces the cooling effect buyers describe.
The Wrinkle Reality
Every buyer who comments on the out-of-box condition describes wrinkles from packaging. This is standard for any folded fabric product. The NICETOWN curtains have a satin-adjacent finish that makes fold creases more visible than matte fabrics.
Hanging the panels in a humid bathroom while running a hot shower removes most wrinkles within 20 to 30 minutes. A handheld steamer is the most effective tool and takes about 5 minutes per panel. Some buyers report washing on a gentle cycle and tumbling dry on low heat, then hanging immediately, produces clean panels. Ironing on low heat with a pressing cloth works for stubborn creases. Multiple buyers note that wrinkles naturally relax with a week of hanging even without any treatment. Do not iron directly on the satin-finish side.
Sizing: Order Wider and Taller Than You Think
The most preventable disappointment in curtain purchases is ordering to exact window dimensions. For blackout performance, panels need to extend beyond the window on every side. As a practical rule: order panels that are 2 to 4 inches longer than the distance from your rod to the floor, and use two panels per window with each panel being as wide as the full window width rather than half of it. The overlap at the center and the extension past the window frame on each side is where darkness lives.
One buyer described a two-inch gap at the bottom after hanging 63-inch panels. Measure from the rod bracket to the floor, not the window frame to the sill. Another buyer found 42-inch width panels too narrow for her windows by 2 to 3 inches and wished she had ordered the next size up.
Quick Specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Construction | Triple-weave polyester, no rubber backing |
| Light Blocking (dark colors) | 95 to 99% through fabric |
| Light Blocking (light colors) | 70 to 85% through fabric, more light leakage |
| Panels Per Set | 2 panels per purchase |
| Hanging Style | Grommet top, fits standard 1 to 1.5 inch rods |
| Thermal Benefit | Modest temperature reduction in direct-sun rooms |
| Wrinkles on Arrival | Yes, steaming or hanging in steam removes them |
| Machine Washable | Yes, gentle cycle, low heat dry, hang immediately |
| Fade Resistance | Some buyers report fading on sun-facing side over months of direct exposure |
| Curtain Rods Included | No |
Who This Is Right For
Buy It
- You want to significantly reduce morning light in a bedroom and you'll mount the rod close to the ceiling
- Your room gets direct afternoon sun and you want to lower the temperature by blocking radiant heat
- You're buying black or a dark color: that's where the 95 to 99% blocking performance lives
- A toddler or infant naps during the day and you need the room meaningfully darker than it is now
- You want good-looking curtains at a price that lets you outfit every room without hesitation
Look Elsewhere If
- You need 100% total darkness with zero edge light. Pair these with cellular blinds, or look at tracked blackout shades
- You are a shift worker who needs a dark room in a house with lots of windows and direct sun. You need the full cellular shade plus curtain treatment
- You want light colors and near-complete blackout: the physics don't support it in light-colored panels
- You need real thermal insulation rather than blocking of solar radiant heat
The Bottom Line
The sun coming through your bedroom window at 5:30 in the morning is not a minor inconvenience. It resets your circadian clock, wakes you earlier than you want to be awake, and compounds into weeks and months of inadequate sleep. The NICETOWN curtains address this problem at a price point that makes it easy to do every room in the house, not just the bedroom.
Order a dark color. Mount the rod close to the ceiling. Extend the rod past the window frame on both sides. Steam out the wrinkles before hanging. If you need complete blackout, add cellular shades behind the curtains. Do all of that and the buyer who described her room going so dark she couldn't see her black Labrador is describing what your room will look like.