Graber Solar Shade with UltraLite Cordless Lift

Window shades don't just make a home more beautiful and functional; they also have a huge impact on its energy efficiency. During hot summer months, about three-quarters of the sunlight that hits uncovered windows enters the home as heat, according to the U.S. Energy Department. Graber's Solar Shades are specially designed to reduce solar heat gain, while minimizing glare in the home. For added sustainability points, the shades are made from 100 percent recycled plastic.

LAB RESULTS: While our experts love the energy savings of the solar shades, consumer testers were taken with their quality and performance. "Among the highest-quality shades I've ever owned," one raved, praising the vast selection of colors and opacity ratings as well as the smooth operation of the cordless lift system (which offers added safety for homes with kids or pets, as it eliminates the risk of having anything get tangled in the cord). The shades will also save energy and maintenance time, as in our tests they proved exceptionally easy to clean with either a damp cloth or the brush head on a vacuum.