Blackout nursery blinds Magic Blackout Blind

Tear off the right amount of the Magic Blackout Blind

The company which appeared on Dragons' Den with its Magic Whiteboard sheets has also produced the Magic Blackout Blinds for those whose curtains don’t cut out enough light.

The Magic Blackout Blind comes in a roll of 10 perforated sheets which stick to a window with static.

It has several possible uses – for a child’s bedroom during bright summer mornings or for night-shift workers wanting to block out daylight while they sleep, for example. You could also use it on a boat or in a caravan.

Each roll costs around £35 and consists of eight metres of lightweight black plastic. It’s perforated into tear-off sheets measuring 60x80cm, but they can easily be cut to size.

Fitting the Magic Blackout Blind

We tried the Magic Blackout Blind in a baby’s bedroom and four sheets were needed to completely cover all the glass.

Fitting the Magic Blackout Blind is easy

It was very easy to fit, though we found it quite easy to accidentally rip the sheets when you’re tearing them off at the perforations.

Once you’ve torn off a sheet you simply place it on the glass and the static charge holds it in place. The Magic Blackout Blind successfully blocked out all early morning summer sunlight and made the room significantly darker, though unfortunately it didn’t improve the baby’s sleeping habits – he still woke at 5am regardless!

Travelling with the Magic Blackout Blind

Our test family also took it on a family holiday for use as a temporary blackout blind in the baby’s room in their holiday cottage.

As the sheets are lightweight and easy to fold, our family found them particularly convenient to transport. But if you leave a window slightly ajar to let in some fresh air and cool the room, the sheets can become dislodged by the breeze.

Magic Blackout Blind lifespan

Magic Blackout Blinds aren’t a permanent solution, either. The manufacturers state that typically the sheets will only last for 6-8 weeks. Their exact lifespan will depend on how often you take them up and down, but the sheets will naturally crease over time due to exposure to heat from sunlight.

If you remove the Magic Blackout Blinds from the window during the daytime, the manufacturer recommends that you place the sheets on a wall or wardrobe door to help keep them keep their static charge. You can also recharge them by placing them near a TV or rubbing them with a fibre cloth.

The blinds are available from Ryman stationers and direct from www.magicblackoutblind.co.uk.

UPDATE 15/11/10: The Magic Blackout Blind will soon be available online from Tesco and Mothercare, according to the Magic Whiteboard company.

Pros A simple, portable and effective solution if you temporarily need to block out sunlight from a room

Cons Only last a couple of months, and a little pricey at £35 for 10