Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

These really are excellent black out shades, assuming you do two things: 1) cut them super super tight. They should be tight enough to make physical contact with the entire edge of the window. Yes, this means that they are harder to raise and lower, since you have to kind of pull and drag it against the tight fit. But the tight fit is what makes them truly blackout. 2) attach them so the first pleat angles in, not out. When you glue them to the top, you can choose to angle it so the pleat falls out or in. If it angles out, there will be a larger gap between the shade and the window, and this can let light in. If it angles in, toward the windows, the entire sheet lies closer to the glass, so it is darker. We did have them fall a few times so we bought the additional double-sided mounting tape, and it hasn't fallen since.