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Rankings · Cellular Shades

Best Cellular Shades

Honeycomb shades judged on cell size, cordless lift, and the light gap — plus the $/window that actually holds at 35×48.

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How this ranking reads a cellular shade

Each line is read on cell size, single versus double cell, opacity (light-filtering, room-darkening, or blackout), the lifts offered, the minimum inside-mount depth, whether the maker certifies with AERC, and the seller's remake and warranty terms. Only two manufacturers, Hunter Douglas and Springs Window Fashions, certify cellular shades with AERC, so a house brand's absence from that database means it is not certified, not that it performs poorly.

Insulation, honestly

The certified measure of a window attachment's insulation is U-factor, and no standards body publishes an R-value for a cellular shade, so treat any R-value claim as marketing. Among AERC-certified cellular products, opacity moves U-factor more than cell count does: room-darkening fabrics test around 0.24 and light-filtering around 0.28, while single- and double-cell medians sit within a few hundredths of each other, all on the same BW-B baseline. Buy the opacity the room needs; buy a double cell for stiffness and look, not for a heating bill.

Blackout is a fabric, darkness is a mount

A blackout cellular is opaque through the cells and leaks at the edges of an inside mount and at the headrail. An outside mount with overlap, or side channels where the line offers them, is what makes a bedroom dark; the fabric alone does not.

Common questions

Are double cell shades warmer than single cell shades?
Not by a useful margin in the certified data: AERC single- and double-cell medians differ by a few hundredths of a U-factor point, less than the gap between light-filtering and room-darkening fabric. Choose double cell for stiffness and appearance and choose opacity for warmth.
Do cellular shades block light?
Light-filtering cells glow; room-darkening and blackout cells are opaque through the fabric but leak at the sides and top of an inside mount. For real darkness, mount outside the frame with overlap or use a line with side channels.
Which cellular shade is best for a bedroom?
A blackout or room-darkening cellular on an outside mount with a cordless or motorized lift. Add a lined curtain if the window faces a streetlight or an early sunrise.

Cellular Shades guides

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SelectBlinds — Window Shades

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