Best Blackout Shades for Bedrooms: Cordless Roller, No-Drill Cellular, Temporary Paper and Velcro Covers

The short answer

Maker specs compared

From each maker’s product page, measuring guide or FAQ, checked October 9, 2026.

Why the window matters for sleep

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute advises keeping the bedroom “quiet, cool, and dark,” and for daytime sleep it suggests removing light distractions, using light-blocking curtains as its example. Shades do the same job at the glass. Redi Shade’s own definitions show why the label matters: it describes light-filtering shades as gently filtering sunlight, room-darkening or light-blocking shades as blocking a majority of sunlight, and blackout shades as blocking up to 99% of exterior light. If you’re deciding between darkening levels, our blackout vs room-darkening comparison covers the trade-off.

The picks

CHICOLOGY Cordless Roller Shade (Byssus): best permanent blackout shade

CHICOLOGY sells this ready-made roller shade in white Byssus fabric with a thermal backing, and it calls the shade blackout, with full privacy. It says the shade blocks sun glare and heat. The cordless Snap-N-Glide mechanism adjusts the shade without dangling cords, and CHICOLOGY says the center pull cord can be removed if you don’t need it.

The big advantage is sizing. CHICOLOGY offers every whole-inch width from 21 to 72 inches, all 72 inches tall, and it builds in a half-inch deduction for inside mounting, so you order your exact window opening. An inside top mount needs at least 1 3/4 inches of frame depth, a flush inside mount needs 2 1/4 inches, and the rolled-up shade takes 2 3/8 inches of height. The box includes the shade, an installation guide and hardware. No valance is included. The link below is the 34 by 72 inch size.

Check the CHICOLOGY Cordless Roller Shade on Amazon

Redi Shade Easy Lift Cellular Blackout: best no-drill shade that raises and lowers

The Easy Lift is a honeycomb cellular shade that installs without a drill, screws or brackets. You trim it at home using the measuring scale and trimming guide Redi Shade includes. The fabric is a 9/16-inch blackout honeycomb, which Redi Shade says blocks harsh sunlight and UV and helps keep rooms cooler in summer. The lift is cordless.

Each width trims down to fit a range: the 30-inch size fits 19 to 30 inches, the 36-inch size fits 19 to 36 inches, the 48-inch size fits 31 to 48 inches, and the 60-inch size fits 43 to 60 inches, all 64 inches long. An inside mount needs at least 1 1/4 inches of window depth and sits flush at 1 1/2 inches. Amazon’s listings for this shade don’t show the size in the title, so the link below is a search; pick the width that matches your window.

Search Amazon for Redi Shade Easy Lift Cordless Blackout Fabric Shade

Redi Shade Original Paper Blackout: best temporary trim-and-stick fix

Redi Shade’s Original shades are pleated paper. You measure your window’s width, trim the shade to that width, peel off the liner and stick it in place, inside or outside the frame, with no drill, screws or brackets. Redi Shade says the black blackout shade blocks 99% of light. There are no cords; included clips hold the shade up when you raise it.

Redi Shade says the paper is made in the USA, is recyclable and won’t yellow or crack from sun exposure. You can overlap two or more shades to cover a larger window. The maker lists 36 by 72 inch and 48 by 72 inch sizes; the link below is a 6-pack of the 36 by 72 inch black shade.

Check the Redi Shade Original Blackout Paper Shade on Amazon

Blackout EZ Window Cover: best for sealing the edges

Blackout EZ takes a different approach from a shade. It’s a panel of blackout fabric that you cut to your window and fasten to the frame with hook-and-loop tape, which the maker says seals around the frame without the light leaks you get at the edges of curtains, liners, shades and blinds. Blackout EZ says all its colors block 100% of light.

The fabric has printed numbered cutting lines, so you only need scissors; no screws, rods or measuring tape. The tape is adhesive-backed, and Blackout EZ says a special coating helps it stick in extreme heat and cold. It works on vinyl, wood and metal frames and on casement, sash and sliding windows, and it attaches under your existing window treatments. You press it on at night and peel a corner to take it off, and it wipes clean with a damp cloth. The small size covers windows up to 36 inches wide and 48 inches tall and includes the fabric, 5/8-inch hook-and-loop tape and instructions.

Check the Blackout EZ Window Cover on Amazon

How to choose blackout shades

Measure for the mount you’ll use. An inside mount sits within the window frame and needs enough depth: CHICOLOGY’s roller needs 1 3/4 inches for an inside top mount, and Redi Shade’s Easy Lift needs 1 1/4 inches. CHICOLOGY says to give it your exact window opening for an inside mount because it takes the deduction at the factory; taking your own deduction as well leaves the shade too narrow. If the frame is too shallow or uneven, CHICOLOGY recommends an outside mount, which for most styles needs at least 2 inches of flat surface above the window for the brackets.

Decide whether you can drill. Only the CHICOLOGY roller uses brackets and screws here. Both Redi Shade options install without tools, and Blackout EZ uses adhesive-backed tape on the frame.

Check the darkness claim, not just the word “blackout.” Redi Shade defines blackout as blocking up to 99% of exterior light. Blackout EZ claims 100% because its tape seals the frame edges. CHICOLOGY makes inside-mount shades half an inch narrower than the opening, and Blackout EZ points to light leaking around the edges of shades and blinds, so for daytime sleep, pair a shade with curtains or choose a sealed cover.

Think about daily use. The roller and Easy Lift raise and lower without cords. The Original paper shade is held up with clips. Blackout EZ comes off by peeling a corner, which suits a window you darken only for sleep.

Shades pair well with curtains: see our best blackout curtains list for panels, liners and measuring for full coverage. For hotel rooms and travel, a sleep mask darkens your eyes instead of the window.

FAQ

Do blackout shades block 100% of light?

Makers say different things. Redi Shade says its blackout shades block up to 99% of exterior light, CHICOLOGY says its Byssus roller shade provides full privacy, and Blackout EZ says its covers block 100% of light because the hook-and-loop tape seals around the window frame.

Can I put up blackout shades without drilling?

Yes. Redi Shade’s Easy Lift and Original shades install without a drill, screws or brackets, and Blackout EZ attaches to the window frame with adhesive-backed hook-and-loop tape and only needs scissors. CHICOLOGY’s roller shade comes with mounting hardware.

Should I buy blackout shades or blackout curtains?

It depends on the window and the light you’re fighting. Shades sit in or over the frame, and the no-drill options here suit renters. Curtains can extend past the frame on a rod. Our blackout curtains list covers measuring and stopping light leaks at the edges.

Sources

• CHICOLOGY Roller Shades, Blackout, Thermal Backing, Byssus
• Redi Shade Easy Lift Fabric Cellular Blackout Shade, White
• Redi Shade Original Paper Blackout Shades, Black
• Blackout EZ Window Covers
• Blackout EZ standard sizes
• Blackout EZ Small (36 x 48 in)
• Blackout EZ FAQs
• NHLBI: healthy sleep habits