Sun Zero Easton Blackout Curtain Review: The Budget Standard
Last updated: 2026-09-15 · By NicheHive Editorial
This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, NicheHive earns from qualifying purchases. See our full disclosure.
The Sun Zero Easton is the most-rated budget blackout curtain on Amazon, with over 48,000 ratings. At typically under $15 per panel, it blocks up to 90% of light and adds a lab-tested 25% noise reduction. Full review with fit and performance notes.
Sun Zero built an entire brand around one insight: most people shopping for blackout curtains want them to work, not to be a design statement.
The Easton is the clearest expression of that idea, a plain grommet-top panel that has quietly become the most-rated blackout curtain in its category, with more than 48,000 ratings on Amazon.
At typically under $15 per panel, it blocks up to 90% of light in its darkest colorways, well short of the 98%+ rates from premium laminated panels but a meaningful darkening for most bedrooms.
It also does something a lot of budget blackout curtains skip: a specific, lab-tested noise reduction figure (25%) and an equivalent energy-loss reduction claim, rather than vague "thermal" marketing language.
What You Are Buying
The Easton is a 40 by 63 inch single panel with a grommet top, sold in a wide range of solid colors from black and charcoal through pastels aimed at nurseries and kids' rooms. It is Sun Zero's entry-level line, positioned below the brand's Nordic and Kendrick panels, which use a heavier fabric and block closer to 99% of light.
The fabric is a tightly woven polyester rather than a laminated Thermaback-style backing. This is the main reason for the gap between the Easton's 90% blocking and the 98%+ rates from Eclipse's Palisade or Darrell lines.
Performance
Light blocking in a dark colorway: In a charcoal or black panel, the room dims substantially, with a faint gray glow remaining rather than the near-total dark achieved by laminated panels. This is a real difference at midday but is not noticeable at all for evening or early-morning light.
Light blocking in a light colorway: Pastel and light-toned Easton panels block noticeably less, closer to 80% to 85%. For a nursery or kids' room where a lighter color is wanted for the room's decor, expect a visible strip of light along the fabric weave even with the panel fully closed.
Noise reduction: The 25% figure holds up as a real, if moderate, effect. Street noise and voices are noticeably muffled with the panel closed versus open, though this is not a substitute for dedicated soundproofing.
Heat and energy loss: A room with an Easton panel closed during peak afternoon sun runs measurably cooler than with the window bare, consistent with the brand's stated 25% energy-loss reduction.
What It Does Well
The price-to-performance ratio is the whole story here. At under $15 per panel, buying two for full window coverage still costs less than many single premium panels, while delivering genuine, testable noise and heat benefits alongside the light blocking.
The color range is unusually wide for a budget line, covering both neutral tones for a main bedroom and softer pastels for a nursery.
What Falls Short
90% is not 99%. For a shift worker or anyone needing a genuinely dark room at midday, the Easton alone in a single layer will not fully replicate the darkness of a laminated Thermaback panel. Doubling up panels closes most of the gap.
40-inch width requires planning. A single panel does not cover most standard windows on its own. Budget for two panels per window from the start rather than treating a single panel purchase as complete.
Who Should Buy It
The Sun Zero Easton is right if: the budget is the primary constraint, the room gets moderate rather than intense direct sun, and a slightly-less-than-perfect blackout is an acceptable tradeoff for the price.
Consider alternatives if: the room faces intense direct sun, or if genuinely complete darkness during daytime hours is a hard requirement, in which case the Eclipse Palisade or Darrell's Thermaback backing is worth the extra cost.
See Also
Frequently Asked Questions
Our editorial team researches, tests, and writes every review independently. We never accept payment for placement.