ChrisDowa Blackout Roller Shades Pull Down, Cordless Window Blinds for Home

The ChrisDowa is a cordless roller shade made from blackout fabric with a white backing. At 32 x 72 inches it costs about $51, and prices change with size. It averages 4.2 stars from around 1,000 reviews, a much smaller sample than the big curtain listings.

How it works

It's spring-loaded. Pull the bottom down to any height and it stays there. Tug the bottom bar gently and it rolls back up. There are no cords at all, which is the main reason people with small kids or pets choose it. ChrisDowa says each shade goes through 5,000 up-and-down cycles in testing.

You'll need a drill. The kit has metal brackets and screws.

Sizing is where people go wrong

Two details in the listing matter more than anything else here.

First, the fabric is 0.6 inches narrower than the size you order. Mount it inside the window frame and you'll see a thin strip of light down each side. ChrisDowa says so itself. An inside mount also needs a frame at least 2 inches deep.

Second, if you want it dark, ChrisDowa recommends mounting it outside the frame instead. Make the shade 4 to 6 inches wider than the frame and at least 2 inches longer than the window. The overlap covers the edges.

Our guide to light blocking blinds for the bedroom goes into inside versus outside mounts and why side gaps are the usual complaint with roller shades.

Who it's for

• Homes with young children or pets, where cords are a safety concern
• Bedrooms where curtains don't fit, such as a window above a bed or right next to a closet
• Anyone who wants to put curtains over it as well (our blackout blinds for shift workers guide explains the shade-plus-curtain setup)

Who should skip it

Renters who can't drill. The Amazon Basics portable blackout shade sticks to the glass with suction cups and costs less than half as much.

Also skip it if you'd rather not fiddle with measuring. A curtain rod is more forgiving: hang it wide and you're done. The NICETOWN thermal insulated curtains come in plenty of standard sizes. See best blackout curtains for how the two approaches compare.

To clean it, wipe with a damp cloth. ChrisDowa says a low iron is fine if the fabric creases.