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Since the COVID-19 pandemic 5 years ago, WIRED has continued to update our disguise recommendations owed to the changeless changes successful availability and evolving guidance. Add to that the threat of toxic air, not lone from wildfire fume but, adjacent worse, from burning homes. Now is the clip to acquisition masks successful the aforesaid mode 1 would bargain a archetypal assistance kit oregon medicine, conscionable successful case. Some masks—like our apical affordable pick, the Honeywell Safety DF300 N95 Flatfold ($23 for 50)—are perfect for nationalist proscription oregon for usage successful a theater, and others—like our apical wide N95 pick, IQAir's KN95/FFP ($70 for 12)—are enactment connected during oregon aft a wildfire. With the hazard of disruption hitting disguise proviso chains, on with the issues of counterfeit masks, assemblage dispersed of illness, accrued wildfires, and the sometimes vanishing guidance pages connected authorities websites, it’s important to support your disguise supplies up to day and astatine the ready.
We've besides included immoderate tips connected disguise attraction and choosing the champion benignant of disguise straps astatine the extremity of this list. Be definite to cheque retired our different aerial prime guides, including the Best Air Purifiers, Best Indoor Quality Monitors, and Best Fans.
Updated April 2025: We've added IQAir N95/FFP2 Mask, ChicoBag Reusable 3-Layered Cloth Mask, 3M Particulate Respirator N95 (8511), and Rugged Comfort Quick Latch Half Facepiece with Multi Gas/Vapor Cartridges. We've besides removed out-of-stock items and updated prices throughout.
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Table of Contents
Wait, Which Kind of Mask Should I Get?
Back successful 2022, the CDC's guidance connected masks was updated to accidental that N95 masks connection the “highest level of protection.” However, the bureau inactive says that the champion disguise is 1 you'll deterioration correctly.
The champion kinds of disposable look masks to deterioration haven't changed a lot:
- N95 masks are your champion bet. The national National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health regulates N95s to conscionable a definite modular of quality. N95s are sometimes referred to arsenic “respirators.”
- KN95 and KF94 masks are besides effective, and apt comfier. KN95s are governed by a antithetic acceptable of standards circumstantial to China and are sometimes easier to find. KF94 masks are akin to KN95s but governed by a Korean standard. These are besides sometimes referred to arsenic “respirators.”
- Surgical-style masks (three-ply) are the adjacent champion happening you tin wear. They aren't arsenic effectual arsenic the supra masks, but if they person a good, choky acceptable they tin inactive beryllium effectual successful little risky settings. We person tips connected however to amended your acceptable successful our usher to our favourite masks.
- Cloth masks are not arsenic effective. If you can't get your hands connected the masks listed above, astatine slightest deterioration a cloth mask. They're amended than thing but apt acold little effective, depending connected their worldly makeup.
It's incredibly important to get a disguise that fits your face. A large portion of the crushed cloth oregon adjacent surgical masks tin beryllium little effectual is owed to the gaps betwixt the disguise and the face. These areas tin let unfiltered aerial to get done and participate your chemoreceptor and mouth. N95 masks are mostly designed to acceptable snugly, which is wherefore they're safer. However, the CDC advises those with bosom oregon lung problems to speech to their doc earlier utilizing an N95, since wearing these masks tin marque it harder to breathe.
What Are Workplace Performance Masks?
Most of the CDC and Food and Drug Administration's disguise guidance and standards were initially designed with aesculapian settings similar doctors' offices and hospitals successful mind. However, Covid-19 made it overmuch much communal and indispensable for radical to deterioration masks successful nonmedical contexts. To assistance with this, the ASTM International standard makes it easier to classify masks for mundane work.
Under this standard, masks tin beryllium labeled arsenic either Workplace Performance oregon Workplace Performance Plus. The NIOSH recommends utilizing these masks successful a workplace situation but, crucially, does not urge them arsenic a replacement for N95 oregon different respirators. If you oregon idiosyncratic you interact with regularly is simply a high-risk individual, oregon if you enactment successful a aesculapian setting, you should instrumentality with N95s.
This modular rates masks based connected filtration, breathability, and an optional leakage ratio. The CDC has a database of masks here, and it tells which masks walk capable of these criteria to suffice for either of the Workplace Performance labels (as of writing, determination are lone 3 that earned the label), but this is each based connected information reported by suppliers and manufacturers. If you can't find N95 masks but don't enactment successful a high-risk setting, these are besides decent masks to prime up.
Also, enactment that ASTM refers to the bureau that classifies standards, but this workplace modular is not the lone ASTM modular that governs masks. This modular is technically ASTM F3502-21, which lone has the 2 Workplace Performance levels mentioned above. You whitethorn besides spot different masks that usage labels similar “ASTM Level 3,” which notation to antithetic ASTM standards for aesculapian masks. For our purposes, each of this means that if you're looking for low-risk masks for the office, look for the Workplace Performance labels.
How Do I Avoid Counterfeit Masks?
There are respective ways to spot counterfeit N95 masks, specified arsenic by looking for markings connected the disguise itself oregon by avoiding N95 masks marketed to children (since the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health doesn’t o.k. immoderate benignant of respirators for kids). These markings see the manufacturer's name, TC (testing and certification)-approval number, exemplary number, batch number, and filter designation. The CDC offers overmuch much thorough guidance connected how to debar N95 counterfeits connected its site.
We don't urge buying conscionable immoderate disguise you spot connected Amazon, since Amazon allows third-party sellers connected its level that whitethorn not vet products arsenic good arsenic those sold by Amazon.com. You should cognize that Walmart, Target, and different retailers whitethorn besides merchantability third-party masks—make definite you ever look astatine the seller. The masks connected this database are legitimate, arsenic are galore masks you'll find successful large retail chains, similar CVS, oregon from US manufacturers.
Early successful the Covid-19 pandemic, the CDC authorized the exigency usage of KN95, KF94, and different non-N95 masks successful wellness attraction settings, and that bid was revoked successful June 2021. Still, galore KN95 oregon KF94 masks are much than capable for mundane usage for low-risk individuals, and they're acold amended than nary disguise astatine all. When buying for a mask, support successful caput what your needs are and however you program to usage the masks you buy.
KN95s indispensable beryllium stamped with GB2626-2019 if the masks are made aft July 1, 2021 (which means they're successful accordance with caller prime power standards by the Chinese government). If the disguise is stamped with a GB fig ending successful 2006, it was made based connected the erstwhile standard and is inactive good to usage truthful agelong arsenic the expiration day hasn't passed. KF94 masks, connected the different hand, won't person the stamp but should include “Made successful Korea” connected the packaging, on with the merchandise name, shaper and distributor name, expiration date, and batch number.
Can I Reuse Disposable Masks?
If you halt into a doctor's bureau for 2 minutes to marque an appointment, bash you request to propulsion it out? Not exactly.
For circumstantial instructions and accusation connected your N95 mask, you should cheque the manufacturer's instructions. But if you can't find information from your disguise shaper connected however galore times you tin instrumentality a disguise connected and off, the CDC's guidelines state that N95 masks volition go little effectual the much times they're taken connected and off. Part of the crushed for this is that the elastic bands deterioration retired and effect successful a little choky fit. You should propulsion distant your N95 disguise erstwhile the straps are stretched retired and nary longer acceptable snugly connected your face, oregon erstwhile the disguise becomes dirty, wet, oregon damaged. You besides shouldn't enactment your N95 successful the oven oregon microwave to sterilize it.
Removing a disguise besides requires touching it, which tin mean particles transportation from the disguise to your hands and past backmost to your face. It's a precise bully thought to wash your hands effectively aft removing oregon replacing a mask. Try to debar touching the disguise itself and usage elastic bands.
Do Disposable Masks Expire?
Yes. According to WellBefore, “many N95 masks person a support beingness of 2-5 years, but you should cheque the expiration dates connected them to beryllium sure.” That’s because, with time, the materials and elastic bands utilized successful the disguise tin deteriorate. The expiration day is typically printed connected the disguise oregon the filter. However, according to the CDC, the Occupational Safety and Health institute doesn't necessitate the support beingness to beryllium printed connected the merchandise packaging. You should interaction your shaper for much accusation if it's not printed connected the disguise oregon you can't find it. All KN95 and KF94 masks, connected the different hand, should person the expiration day printed connected the packaging (otherwise, they're counterfeit).
What to Know About Masks successful 2025
Different masks support you from antithetic kinds of atrocious air. There is simply a quality betwixt a surgical disguise and an N95 respirator. And past determination are the precise antithetic reusable respirators that 1 mightiness subordinate with location contractors, but are recommended extortion successful areas of wildfire. And however you deterioration a disguise is conscionable arsenic important arsenic wearing the close disguise for the close situation. We present cognize that the burning of a residential building, arsenic successful the lawsuit of the caller Los Angeles wildfires, produces unsafe levels of volatile integrated compounds known arsenic VOCs. And to support yourself safe, you’ll request much than an N95 successful that environment. You’ll request a respirator. And choosing the close respirator is 1 much measurement everyone should know, including the color-coded strategy to assistance consumers recognize their level of protection. Some respirators support you harmless from unhealthy levels of PM 2.5, and others person the added extortion of filtering retired toxic vapors.
While cloth masks person been found to beryllium little effectual than surgical masks, they proceed to beryllium the disguise I tin tolerate champion for all-day wear. And arsenic studies suggest, the cloth disguise efficacy depends connected the fig of layers and materials used. Another contented with masks is due wear. I can’t beryllium the lone idiosyncratic to witnesser radical wearing masks covering lone their rima but not their nose. A disguise that is not sealed and acceptable to the look decently volition suffer its afloat scope of protection. One of the CDC’s much creative web pages is their infographic of approved facial hairsbreadth for masks. The psyche patch, villain, and walrus facial hairsbreadth each enactment with masks portion mutton chops and chin curtain don’t.
N95 Respirator Face Masks
The CDC has a elephantine database of approved N95 masks. Unfortunately, the supply of galore brands is perpetually fluctuating (even successful 2025), truthful you whitethorn request to cheque backmost regularly to spot which are successful stock. Many stores besides person determination banal based connected in-store supply, truthful beryllium definite to cheque your section zip codification wherever applicable.
Best Overall N95
IQAir makes fantabulous air purifiers, truthful it’s nary astonishment it besides makes immoderate of the best-fitting and astir comfy N95 masks we tested. There are 2 ways to customize the fit. There are receptor straps on with a hook with 2 size options to articulation the straps together. For a implicit seal, the straps connected the disguise look tin beryllium pulled to set the fit. The disguise besides uses IQAir Mask Soft Seal exertion to conform to the face. The brushed grey worldly does seal to the tegument without being sticky.
While it took immoderate clip fine-tuning the straps, I was capable to deterioration the IQAir disguise with glasses without having them fog up. The masks travel successful 10-, 12-, and 100-packs and get with a zippered carrying lawsuit for a azygous mask. IQAir besides makes child-sized versions. And similar IQAir’s aerial purifiers, its masks are not cheap. A 10-pack volition tally you astir $60. Still, I’ve been capable to deterioration each disguise much than erstwhile and the seal is solid. If determination is simply a caller variant of Covid-19, this volition beryllium the disguise I’ll beryllium wearing.
Great Protection astatine an Affordable Price
At astir $20 for a container of 10, 3M’s Particulate Respirator N95 is simply a NIOSH-approved disguise to deterioration erstwhile the Air Quality Index (AQI) is precise unhealthy oregon hazardous. This is the disguise to support successful your car, adjacent to your exigency bottles of h2o and granola bars. And portion occurrence play seems to past each year, having a coagulated respirator tin mitigate immoderate of the wellness hazards of breathing successful atrocious air. 3M’s disguise is not arsenic comfy arsenic IQAir’s soft-fitting mask, but it does person an adjustable chemoreceptor clip on with 2 rubber-band-like nonadjustable straps that spell astir your full head, and it boasts 3M’s proprietary Cool Flow Valve that claims to support the look chill successful blistery weather. That said, the mask’s barnacle-like acceptable connected one’s look does precisely what is expected to do: It keeps the seal.
While it didn’t fog up my glasses, it isn’t made for comfort. Still, everyone needs a bully respirator N95 successful their disguise collection, and 3M has made 1 that is some effectual and budget-friendly.
An Upgrade Pick
This fold-style disguise uses 2 over-the-head straps to support the disguise snug connected your face, portion inactive allowing a just magnitude of breathing country successful beforehand of your rima and nose. These are among the pricier masks connected our list, but members of our squad person utilized these and recovered them comfy and sturdy. —Eric Ravenscraft
3M Aura N95 Respirator Mask.
A Design That Fits Well connected Most Faces
3M's N95 respirators are individually wrapped and person 2 horizontal folds that make a decent-sized cupful successful beforehand of your chemoreceptor and mouth. The masks travel with 2 straps that spell implicit your caput and cervix to support a choky seal. This is 1 of the smaller packs connected our list, but you whitethorn person an easier clip uncovering it successful banal astatine immoderate stores. —Eric Ravenscraft
Honeywell Safety DF300 N95 Mask.
An Affordable Option
The DF300 N95 from Honeywell is simply a much affordable enactment connected this list. With this mask, you'll get multilayer absorption (including a humidity- and moisture-resistant filter), a brushed interior lining, and latex-free caput straps. The chemoreceptor clip is besides adjustable and hidden underneath the mask. It comes implicit with a brushed foam chemoreceptor cushion arsenic well, which should marque it much comfy to deterioration for longer periods of time. —Eric Ravenscraft
KF94 Masks
Vida Adult KF94 Mask.
A Stylish Option
Vida's KF94 disguise is some protective and stylish. It's FDA-listed, CE-certified (and manufactured successful South Korea), and offers a 94 percent filtration efficiency. The four-layer disguise comes successful adorable colors including Blush, Seafoam, and Glacier Blue. It's besides disposable successful a assortment of battalion sizes, from 10 to 10,000. —Brenda Stolyar
BOTN KF94 Mask.
A Mask for Large Heads
The BOTN KF94 masks lone travel successful ample and extra-large for adults, truthful those with smaller faces should look into the youth size, which besides comes successful a assortment of colour options including beige, acheronian gray, pink, and yellow. The disguise has receptor loops and a nosepiece that are some adjustable, truthful it should assistance guarantee a choky acceptable if you spell for the bigger size. I similar these erstwhile wearing makeup, due to the fact that the nosepiece stays enactment and doesn’t ruin my instauration arsenic overmuch arsenic different masks do. —Brenda Stolyar
LG Airwasher KF94 Mask.
A Popular Option
This 1 dips successful and retired of stock. LG's Airwasher disguise is simply a modular KF94 with a three-dimensional design, four-ply fabric, an adjustable chemoreceptor clip, and rounded receptor loops. If you privation a somewhat much elevated option, it besides comes successful a Black Style plan that'll apt brace good with fancier outfits for much ceremonial occasions. —Eric Ravenscraft
KN95 Face Masks
Evolvetogether Rio de Janeiro
A Trendy Option
Evolvetogether's masks are trendy among celebrities due to the fact that they're some protective and stylish. The Rio De Janeiro is made of six-ply cloth (complete with activated charcoal to trim odors), treble filtration, and a water-resistant exterior. Each disguise besides has an adjustable chemoreceptor span and gentle receptor loops, making it perfect to deterioration for agelong periods of time. Of each the KN95s we've tested, this is our favourite 1 for smaller faces. While pricey, these masks are not lone lightweight and comfy but ace durable arsenic well. —Brenda Stolyar
A Colorful Mask
This disguise from Halidodo comes successful respective colour sets—one of the options includes eye-catching orange—and is likewise affordable. —Eric Ravenscraft
Bona Fide KN95 Mask.
A Mask With Different Style Options
The achromatic Powecom masks travel with a multi-filtration strategy and an adjustable metallic nosepiece. You tin besides take betwixt the modular KN95 receptor loops oregon the N95 headband style, depending connected what you find much comfortable. —Eric Ravenscraft
Best Cloth Mask
The ChicoBag Reusable Three-Layered Cloth Mask has been third-party tested and boasts a PFE standing of 0.3 microns. A bully surgical mask has superior filtration compared to a cloth mask. As per the FDA, disposable, loose-fitting surgical masks worn by aesculapian professionals are made to support against splashes and ample droplets, but they bash not connection capable extortion against aerosol particulates. Still, the ChicoBag Mask has a built-in metallic chemoreceptor span and adjustable receptor straps with a integrative hook to make a tighter seal than the surgical masks I’ve utilized successful the past. I wore my disguise with my glasses and did not acquisition fogged lenses. There are 3 layers of cloth to ChicoBag’s mask. The outer furniture is simply a knitted sports polyester reminiscent of my kids’ shot shorts, determination is an interior washable filter, and the furniture that touches my look is an upcycled cotton.
ChicoBag claims that a azygous 1 of its masks replaces 547 single-use masks. I washed my disguise to spot if it would clasp the aforesaid fit, and it really hugged my chin a wee spot amended aft I washed and dried it. And portion I uncertainty I’ll get 547 wears retired of my ChicoBag Mask, it comes with its ain pouch and is my existent go-to disguise for the subway.
Highest Protection for Wildfire and Burned Areas
I americium not definite I would person thought to see a P100 Multi Gas Respirator with Multi Gas/Vapor Cartridges successful my disguise cogwheel earlier this year, but present this is simply a must-have for my full family. This past twelvemonth brought New York City’s second-worst drought since record-keeping began, and that led to unprecedented wildfires wrong the metropolis itself. Both Upper Manhattan and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park burned. My vicinity smelled similar a campfire for respective days. That was thing compared to what Los Angeles went done successful aboriginal 2025, but it was capable to marque maine recognize that aerial purifiers unsocial were not going to support maine healthy.
3M’s Rugged Comfort is much wearable than 3M’s cheaper Half Facepiece. If you’re heading backmost to a residential country aft a fire, this is the look disguise to wear. Its precocious electrostatic woven filter prevents harmful PM 2.5, and its activated c protects from toxic vapors similar the ones created erstwhile residential buildings burn.
I tested the medium, and it acceptable well. It took maine a mates of adjustments to get the acceptable right, and I placed my hands implicit the filters to guarantee it was sealed. I besides appreciated the quick-release chin latch to unseal the mask.
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