The best blackout blinds for a UK bedroom are the ones that cover the window and its bright edges. Blackout fabric can stop light through the cloth while a badly fitted blind still leaves glowing strips down both sides. For a permanent bedroom setup, start with the 120 × 170 cm trimmable roller blind below if its finished fabric width will cover your opening; for a rental or awkward frame, a cut-to-fit sheet may cover the edges better.
These four options solve different fitting problems. Measure the window and decide whether you can drill before picking a product. If you need the nearest thing to complete darkness for daytime sleep, a well-fitted cassette with side channels or an overlapping blind plus curtains can outperform any bare roller—none of the four products below is a sealed cassette system.
Our four top picks
Trimmable black blackout roller blind, 120 × 170 cm
Best fixed bedroom blind
A familiar pull-down blind for a window where brackets can be fitted.
MaximoLife Ultimate cut-to-fit blackout sheet, 240 × 140 cm material
Best flexible no-drill fit
A large sheet with suction and hook-and-loop fixing options.
Bemece cut-to-fit blackout sheet, 200 × 145 cm material
Best simple renter option
A lightweight stick-on sheet for a window frame you can prepare and measure.
Tommee Tippee Sleeptight portable blind, large
Best for travel and temporary use
An adjustable suction-cup blind for windows up to 130 × 198 cm.
In This Article
- Compare the four options
- The four blackout blinds in detail
- How to measure for a darker room
- Which fitting works in your room?
- Child safety, care and common mistakes
- How we chose and what these blinds cannot do
- The bottom line
- Frequently Asked Questions
Compare the four options
| Product | Fitting | Stated size | Main compromise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimmable black roller | Bracket-mounted, chain-operated | 120 × 170 cm | Fabric is narrower than the fitting; side gaps remain possible |
| MaximoLife Ultimate | Suction cups or hook-and-loop | 240 × 140 cm sheet | Less tidy than a roller; mounting surface matters |
| Bemece cut-to-fit | Adhesive hook-and-loop on frame | 200 × 145 cm sheet | Repeated removal may be less convenient |
| Tommee Tippee Sleeptight large | Suction cups on glass | Up to 130 × 198 cm | Temporary fit; cups need regular checking |
The stated dimensions are for these specific variants. The roller’s overall fitting width may not equal its fabric width; two sheets can be cut, while the travel blind adjusts with fastenings. Check your actual opening and mounting surface, not just the number in a product title.
The four blackout blinds in detail
Trimmable black roller — best fixed bedroom blind
This black polyester roller is specified at 120 cm wide by 170 cm drop, with a trimmable tube and fabric. It is the neatest everyday option here if you can mount brackets securely and leave enough overlap outside the recess. Its adjustable chain comes with a child-safety clip; fit that device exactly as instructed.
Before buying: The fabric can be narrower than the complete bracket-to-bracket width. Check the finished cloth width before assuming a 120 cm blind will cover a 120 cm opening. A standard roller is not a side-channel system.
MaximoLife Ultimate — best flexible no-drill fit
The 240 × 140 cm sheet can be cut to shape, with a printed cutting grid. It comes with suction cups and hook-and-loop fixings, giving you a choice between glass and frame mounting. Its uncut material may cover an irregular opening where a ready-made roller would leave side gaps; check both measured sides before planning the cut.
Before buying: A cut-to-fit sheet will not roll up as neatly as a permanent blind. Measure first and test the intended fixing surface; the manufacturer’s heat and insulation claims should not be treated as a measured saving for your room.
Bemece cut-to-fit sheet — best simple renter option
This 200 × 145 cm black sheet is intended to be trimmed and attached to the window frame with hook-and-loop and adhesive fixings. It can be a practical low-commitment way to cover a bedroom window that has no blind brackets, particularly when the sheet can overlap the opening.
Before buying: The maker advises fixing to the frame rather than directly to glass. Test an inconspicuous patch if paint or a rental deposit is a concern; removable adhesive is not a guarantee that every surface will be unmarked.
Tommee Tippee Sleeptight large — best for travel
The large Sleeptight uses suction cups around its edge and adjustable fastenings for windows up to 130 × 198 cm. It folds into a travel bag and can be removed between stays. The maker’s product guidance supports its portable use; the exact window shape and seal still determine how dark a room gets.
Before buying: This is temporary window covering, not a fixed nursery blind. Keep the blind, detached cups and bag out of a child’s reach; follow the supplied safety instructions and inspect the cups before use.
How to measure for a darker room
Measure the opening before choosing the blind
Measure the recess width at the top, middle and bottom, then the drop at several points. Window openings are not always square. If you want an inside-recess roller, follow its own deduction rules and check the bracket width separately from the fabric width. A handle projecting into the recess may stop the blind hanging close to the glass.
Outside-recess overlap controls edge light
For an outside-recess roller, Blinds 2go recommends at least 50 mm overlap on each side and 70 mm above the opening to reduce light leakage. Treat those as a useful starting point, then allow for your own brackets, sill and wall space. Buying a roller exactly as wide as the glass is usually the wrong measurement for a dark bedroom.
Cut-to-fit sheets offer more freedom around unusual shapes, but do not cut flush to the visible glass. Leave enough material to cover the bright border and enough sound mounting surface for the fixings. A sheet that blocks light across its fabric can still leak around a loose corner.
Which fitting works in your room?
Permanent bedroom or shift-work room
If drilling is permitted, a black roller mounted outside the recess is a tidy everyday choice. For daytime sleep, consider adding full-length curtains with wall returns or asking a specialist about a cassette and side channels. Those systems address light at the edge rather than merely changing fabric. A standard roller plus curtains can be a sensible intermediate step; see our guide to choosing curtains for sleep if your current pair leaves bright strips. Our bedroom colour guide covers the rest of a room without pretending décor can replace light control.
Rented bedroom or awkward frame
Choose a cut-to-fit sheet if brackets are prohibited or the frame is an unusual shape. MaximoLife gives two fixing methods; Bemece is the more basic hook-and-loop approach. Check whether the frame finish accepts the adhesive, keep the fixing away from moving window parts and do not assume no-drill means no marks. If the window opens daily, consider how often you would need to peel the sheet back; a roller you can simply raise may be less troublesome where brackets are allowed.
Travel, nursery and guest room
The Tommee Tippee blind is designed to be put up and taken down, so it suits temporary stays better than a long-term bedroom fitting. In a child’s room, secure every removable part and keep it well clear of the cot or bed. For a guest room, a conventional roller may be easier to live with. Our guest-bedroom guide covers bedding and comfort once the window is sorted.
Child safety, care and common mistakes
Treat cords and detachable parts as hazards
GOV.UK warns that looped blind cords can endanger young children. Fit a supplied tensioner or cleat correctly, keep cords out of reach and move cots, beds and climbable furniture away from the window. Do not let a child handle a loose suction cup, fixing tab or travel bag. Cordless products remove a looped-chain hazard but still need secure fitting and regular checks. Our children’s bedding guide addresses other parts of a safer sleep space.
Keep the covering attached and clean
Dust a roller blind gently and follow its care label before using water on a coated surface. For fabric sheets, clean the window or frame before attaching fixings, then check them periodically—particularly in heat or condensation. Tommee Tippee says its travel blind is machine washable, but remove and refit parts according to its instructions. A blind that slips during the night may leave more light than a modest roller that stays put.
Do not confuse blackout fabric with a sealed window
- Side strips: add overlap, curtains or properly specified side channels.
- Bottom glow: check the drop and sill before ordering.
- Wrong width: compare fabric coverage with bracket or frame measurements.
- Nursery hazards: fit restraint devices and keep detachable pieces away from children.
A blind can reduce unwanted light, but it will not solve every sleep problem. The NHS sleep guidance also points to a comfortable, dark, quiet bedroom and a consistent routine. If bedding temperature is the bigger issue, our seasonal bedding guide tackles that separately.
How we chose and what these blinds cannot do
We compared fitting method, exact stated size, adjustability and the practical source of edge light. We have not installed these four blinds or measured how dark they make a particular bedroom. Customer ratings helped screen the variants, but mounting, window shape and curtains will change the result more than a small difference in star rating.
No product here guarantees complete darkness in every room. The roller has no sealed edges, and removable sheets rely on a continuous fit. If bright side gaps are unacceptable, get measurements for a specialist side-channel system instead of expecting a bare blind to behave like one. This guide also does not assume that a “thermal” label proves a particular energy saving.
The bottom line
For an ordinary bedroom where brackets are allowed, start with the 120 × 170 cm trimmable black roller—but only if its fabric will cover the opening with useful overlap. Choose MaximoLife for a large cut-to-fit sheet with two mounting methods, or Bemece for a simpler frame-mounted no-drill cover. The Tommee Tippee Sleeptight makes most sense for travel. If your goal is daytime-sleep darkness rather than merely blocking direct sun, budget for side-gap control as well as blackout cloth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do blackout blinds make a room completely dark? Not automatically. Blackout fabric blocks light through the material, but light can still enter around the edges. Outside-recess overlap, curtains or a cassette with side channels can reduce those gaps.
Should a roller blind fit inside or outside the recess? Inside-recess fitting looks neat but usually leaves some side light. Outside-recess fitting can cover more of the opening if you allow enough overlap and check the bracket and fabric widths.
How much overlap should a blackout roller blind have? Blinds 2go advises at least 50 mm on each side and 70 mm above the recess to reduce light leakage. Check the particular blind and the available wall space before ordering.
Which blackout blind is best for a rented room? A cut-to-fit no-drill sheet can avoid bracket holes, but test the intended frame surface and do not assume an adhesive will leave every finish untouched.
Are portable blackout blinds suitable for a nursery? A portable blind can darken a room temporarily, but it must be fitted securely and kept, along with suction cups and storage bags, away from a child. Follow the maker’s safety instructions.
Are chain-operated blackout blinds safe around children? Looped chains require the supplied safety device fitted as directed. Keep cords out of reach and move beds, cots and climbable furniture away from the window.