Amazon Basics Room Darkening Curtains Review (2026)
Last updated July 2026
If your bedroom is a little too bright at dawn and you do not want to spend much fixing it, the Amazon Basics Room Darkening Curtains are the pragmatic answer. At $28 they block roughly 75 to 90 percent of light, enough to noticeably darken a room, with a 9/10 value score and more than 87,000 reviews behind them. They are the best budget room-darkening pick, provided you understand they are room-darkening, not true blackout. Check price on Amazon
Overview
Light is one of the most powerful signals your body uses to regulate sleep, and even modest amounts of it, streetlights, early sunrise, a neighbor porch light, can fragment your rest and cut short your morning sleep. Curtains that cut that light are among the cheapest, highest-impact sleep upgrades available, and Amazon Basics has built one of the most popular options in the category by keeping it simple and affordable.
These are room-darkening curtains, and the distinction is important enough that it defines the whole product. Made from polyester with a grommet header for easy hanging, they block an estimated 75 to 90 percent of incoming light. That is a real, meaningful reduction, enough to take a room from bright to dim and to soften the harsh light of early morning, but it is not the 95 to 100 percent that true blackout curtains deliver. The verdict is honest about this: good, but not true blackout. Buying with that expectation set correctly is the difference between a happy purchase and a disappointed one.
At $28 (down from $42), these are priced as pure value, and the 9/10 value score reflects it. With over 87,000 reviews at a 4.3 average, they are a proven, high-volume product. Amazon Basics offers them in multiple colors and sizes, and they are machine washable, so they slot easily into most bedrooms. They are aimed at the practical buyer who wants a solid improvement in darkness without paying premium prices or over-engineering the problem.
Specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Material | Polyester |
| Light Blocking | 75-90% |
| Header | Grommet |
| Care | Machine washable |
How It Scored
| Dimension | Score |
|---|---|
| Value | 9/10 |
| Temperature Regulation | 7.5/10 |
| Comfort | 7.5/10 |
| Support | 7/10 |
| Durability | 7/10 |
| Motion Isolation | 7/10 |
Value leads decisively at 9/10, which captures the entire appeal, a real darkening effect for very little money. Comfort and temperature regulation at 7.5/10 acknowledge that beyond dimming the room, the curtains provide a modest amount of insulation and a more restful environment. The 7/10 scores for support, durability, and motion isolation are honest markers of a budget product: the construction is basic, the fabric is thinner than premium options, and it will not last or insulate like a heavyweight lined curtain. None of these are surprises for a $28 curtain; together they paint an accurate picture of a well-priced, no-frills product that does its main job well.
Light Blocking: What 75 to 90 Percent Really Means
This is the heart of the review, so it deserves a clear-eyed explanation. Blocking 75 to 90 percent of light means the room gets substantially darker, morning sun is dulled, streetlight glow is cut, and the space becomes far more sleep-friendly than with bare windows or sheer curtains. For a lot of people, especially those who are not extremely sensitive to light, that is completely sufficient for good sleep.
What it does not do is create pitch darkness. The remaining 10 to 25 percent of light shows up in two ways: a general dimness rather than total black, and thin outlines of light around the edges and top of the curtain where fabric meets wall and window frame. Grommet-top curtains in particular let some light spill over the top. If you are a light-sensitive sleeper, a shift worker sleeping during the day, or someone who genuinely needs a cave-dark room, this gap will bother you, and you should step up to true blackout curtains, ideally with a wraparound rod or side channels to kill the edge light. For everyone else, the 75 to 90 percent range is a big, affordable improvement.
Material, Insulation, and Comfort
The polyester construction is what keeps the price low, and it is a reasonable trade. Polyester is durable enough for everyday use, takes color well, and is machine washable, which makes upkeep genuinely easy, you can toss them in the wash rather than pay for dry cleaning. The flip side is that the fabric is thinner and lighter than the heavy, often multi-layered material used in premium blackout curtains, which is why both the light-blocking and durability numbers land where they do.
That thinner fabric also means less thermal insulation, reflected in the 7.5/10 temperature score. These curtains provide some buffer against heat coming through the window in summer and cold radiating in during winter, which can modestly help both your comfort and your energy bill, but they are not heavyweight thermal curtains. If cutting energy costs or blocking serious drafts is a primary goal, a dedicated insulated curtain will outperform them. As a secondary benefit alongside the darkening, though, the light insulation they offer is a welcome bonus.
Installation and Everyday Use
The grommet header is a practical, user-friendly choice. Grommets are the metal-ringed holes along the top that slide directly onto a curtain rod, so hanging them is fast and tool-free, you thread the rod through and you are done, with no hooks, rings, or pins to fuss with. The grommets also create even, uniform folds that look tidy. For renters or anyone who wants a five-minute install with no special hardware, this is exactly the right design.
Day to day, the machine-washable polyester keeps maintenance trivial, and the range of colors and sizes means you can find a match for most rooms. The one installation-related caveat ties back to light blocking: because grommet curtains hang from the rod with a small gap at the top, some light escapes there, so mounting the rod higher and wider than the window, and letting the panels overlap generously, will meaningfully reduce edge light for not much effort.
Who Should Buy It
These curtains are the right call for the practical, budget-conscious sleeper. Buy them if you want an affordable way to darken a room, if you are not highly light-sensitive and do not need total blackout, and if you want simple, good-looking curtains that are easy to hang and wash.
- Budget shoppers who want a real darkening improvement for under $30
- Sleepers who are not extremely light-sensitive
- Renters who want a quick, tool-free grommet install
- Anyone furnishing multiple windows or rooms cost-effectively
Who Should Skip It
- You need true blackout, near-total darkness for sleep
- You want premium, heavyweight materials and construction
- You need maximum thermal insulation to cut drafts or energy costs
Light-sensitive sleepers and day-sleeping shift workers should invest in true blackout curtains instead, and anyone prioritizing insulation or premium build will want a heavier lined curtain.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very affordable at $28
- Blocks most light, an estimated 75 to 90 percent
- Available in multiple colors and sizes
- Easy, tool-free grommet installation
- Machine washable for simple upkeep
Cons
- Not true blackout, some light gets through, especially at the edges
- Thinner material than premium options
- Limited thermal insulation
- Basic build quality
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between room-darkening and blackout?
Room-darkening blocks 75 to 90 percent of light, while true blackout blocks 95 to 100 percent. Room-darkening dims a space and softens bright light; blackout aims for near-total darkness. Light-sensitive sleepers and people who sleep during the day should choose true blackout.
Will these make my room dark enough to sleep in during the day?
For most people at night, yes. For daytime sleeping, such as night-shift workers, probably not, the remaining light and the glow around the edges are more noticeable in full daylight. Day sleepers should choose true blackout curtains, ideally with side channels or a wraparound rod.
How do I reduce the light leaking around the edges?
Mount the curtain rod higher and wider than the window and let the panels overlap in the middle. Because grommet-top curtains leave a small gap at the top, raising the rod and adding width captures more light at the sides and top, which is the cheapest way to get closer to full darkness with these curtains.
Do they help with temperature or noise?
They offer modest thermal insulation, providing some buffer against summer heat and winter cold, which can slightly help comfort and energy use. They are not heavy enough to block meaningful noise, so treat any sound dampening as negligible and choose a dedicated solution if quiet is your goal.
Bottom Line
The Amazon Basics Room Darkening Curtains are exactly what they claim to be: an inexpensive, effective way to make a bedroom meaningfully darker, backed by a 9/10 value score, 87,000-plus reviews, and dead-simple grommet installation. For the majority of sleepers who are not hyper-sensitive to light, blocking 75 to 90 percent is plenty, and at $28 the value is hard to beat. The one rule for happiness is to buy them for what they are, room-darkening, not blackout, and if you need a truly cave-dark room, spend up for genuine blackout curtains. For everyone else, this is a smart, budget-friendly sleep upgrade. Check price on Amazon