There’s a scene in the film The Holiday where Kate Winslet arrives at her home swap to discover motorised curtains, and it’s hard not to want them. Thankfully, affordable options exist.

Design improvements without the stress  Good Housekeeping Institute experts tested a selection of smart curtain openers, measuring how easy they were to fit and how quiet they were when in operation. They also looked at whether they worked with a range of curtain types and sizes, including expandable rails, and how they responded to changes in the room, such as temperature or light levels.

Cheapest motorised curtain system: Ikea Tredansen from $160

A cellular blackout blind, the Tredansen is a similar option to the Fyrtur motorised shades we used to recommend (but now discontinued). It comes with everything you need to install it, but requires a Dirigera hub ($70) for all functions other than the remote pairing. We found it to be reasonably reliable and, though a little louder than some, the fabric moves smoothly. It’s also smart, offering the ability to schedule based on sunrise and sunset, and use geofencing to close when you leave your house. There’s a dedicated ‘Quiet Drift’ setting, too, that moves your curtains slowly to wake you up gradually.