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- When chosen properly, window blinds and shades increase your home's privacy, reduce the glare of the sunshine, and add character, too.
- Blinds are often surprisingly expensive, costing hundreds or thousands of dollars for an entire house, but careful shopping can reduce the expense without sacrificing efficacy or style.
- The $4 are our top pick because they open and close with minimal effort and the company has a sterling customer service record.
Ironically, as I write this article, I am using a large green piece of construction paper I grabbed from my son's playroom to cover one of my office windows through which the sun is shining. I've already purchased a fine window blind to remedy the whole blinding glare situation, I just haven't found the time to install the thing yet. Which is, admittedly, ridiculous, because installing a single blind will take me less than 10 minutes. Sigh.
Anyway, assuming you have those 10 or so minutes to spare and a window in need of some dressing, I have put in the time to find you some great options. My wife and I having selected blinds for dozens of windows in recent years, the subject is fresh on my mind, as is the sting of the cost. Because window shades can be quite expensive. But they're also no place to go cheap, because you will see them daily and, in the case of many blinds, such as those in your bedroom or any on windows facing the streets or a neighbor, you will likely use them several times a day.
Budget will no doubt be one of the largest factors concerning which blinds you choose, but form and function together should be more heavily weighted in the decision. First, consider how much light you want the blinds to let through. Light filtering blinds can cut the sun's harsh glare while still allowing in plenty of light and are great for kitchens or living rooms, but you'll want blackout blinds for your bedroom.
Also, don't forget about the windows in a bathroom, hall, or any space adjacent to your bedroom. It's amazing how much light reaches us in bed through the bathroom door because we went with a light filtering shade in there.
Next, think about the type of blinds and shades you want. There are cellular blinds, rolling blinds, Venetian blinds, solar blinds, and on the list goes. Make sure to consider the safety benefits of cordless blinds if you have kids or pets versus the lower cost of most corded options, consider the appearance of the blinds from both the inside and outside, and about the aesthetics of the room in which they'll be installed.
Then go measure the windows very ... very carefully. In fact, measure twice.
Here are the best blinds and shades you can buy:
- Best window shade overall: $4
- Best solar window shade: $4
- Best motorized window shade: $4
- Best blackout window shade: $4
- Best low-cost window shade: $4
Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.
$4
Find all the best offers at our $4.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the $4 team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.