Updated February 2023: We added the Evolvetogether Rio de Janeiro KN95 mask, fixed pricing, and checked links.
Does Omicron Change Mask Requirements?When Should I Wear A Mask?Wait, Which Kind of Mask Should I Get?What Are Workplace Performance Masks?Get Free Masks From the GovernmentN95 Respirator MasksKF94 MasksKN95 MasksChildren’s MasksHow Do I Avoid Counterfeit Masks?Can I Reuse Disposable Masks?
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. Omicron is a highly transmissible variant, and that’s why health experts suggest N95 or KN95 masks. It has led to concerns that cloth or even surgical masks aren’t effective at blocking the transmission of the virus. Research is still ongoing, but we know that cloth and surgical masks are better than nothing, and N95s are your best bet. According to a report from spring 2021, if an infected and noninfected person were both wearing cloth masks, it would take around 27 minutes for an infectious dose of Covid-19 to reach the noninfected person. If both were wearing surgical masks, that time would rise to about an hour. If both were wearing non-fitted N95s, it would take 25 hours to receive an infectious dose. This was before the Delta or Omicron variants, but it should offer an idea of the masks’ relative effectiveness levels. Those who have symptoms, tested positive, or were exposed to someone with Covid-19, should wear a mask. Otherwise, you can use the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels tool to check whether a mask is necessary for your state and county based on the latest data. The tool analyzes hospital admissions, hospital beds being used, and Covid-19 cases in your area to determine whether Covid-19 levels are low, medium, or high. If the community level is low, wearing a mask isn’t advised. If it’s at a medium, high-risk individuals should ask their healthcare provider whether they need to wear a mask. Meanwhile, those living in an area where the community level is high are encouraged to wear a mask indoors. Regardless of the level, it’s important to make sure you’re up to date with Covid-19 vaccines and get tested if you have symptoms. There’s been some confusion about which masks are effective. Some health experts have advised against using cloth masks. Back in January 2022, the Centers for Disease Control’s guidance on masks was updated to say that N95 masks offer the “highest level of protection.” However, the agency still recommends that the best mask is one you’ll wear correctly and consistently. The best kinds of disposable face masks to wear haven’t changed a lot: It’s incredibly important to get a mask that fits your face. A big part of the reason cloth or even surgical masks can be less effective is due to the gaps between the mask and the face. These areas can allow unfiltered air to get through and enter your nose and mouth. N95 masks are generally designed to fit snugly, which is why they’re safer. Most of the CDC and Food and Drug Administration’s mask guidance and standards were initially designed with medical settings like doctors’ offices and hospitals in mind. However, the pandemic has made it much more common and necessary for people to wear masks in nonmedical contexts. To help with this, the ASTM International standard makes it easier to classify masks for everyday work. Under this standard, masks can be labeled as either Workplace Performance or Workplace Performance Plus. The NIOSH recommends using these masks in a workplace environment but, crucially, does not recommend them as a replacement for N95 or other respirators. If you or someone you interact with regularly is a high-risk individual, or if you work in a medical setting, you should stick with N95s. This new standard rates masks based on filtration, breathability, and an optional leakage ratio. The CDC has a list of masks here, and it tells which masks pass enough of these criteria to qualify for either of the Workplace Performance labels (as of writing, there are only two that earned the label), but this is all based on data reported by suppliers and manufacturers. If you can’t find N95 masks but don’t work in a high-risk setting, these are also decent masks to pick up. Also, note that ASTM refers to the agency that classifies standards, but this workplace standard is not the only ASTM standard that governs masks. This standard is technically ASTM F3502-21, which only has the two Workplace Performance levels mentioned above. You may also see other masks that use labels like “ASTM Level 3,” which refer to different ASTM standards for medical masks. For our purposes, all of this means that if you’re looking for low-risk masks for the office, look for the Workplace Performance labels. Thanks to a White House initiative, around 400 million N95 masks were distributed to pharmacies and community centers across the country last year—with up to three masks available per adult. Many of the distribution locations were the places where you may have gotten your vaccine. You can check your local vaccine centers, community health centers, or any major pharmacy chain, to see if they still have any in stock. The masks are N95s. Notably, surgical N95 masks are held back for healthcare workers. Read our guide on where to find a free N95 mask here. You can also check which pharmacies have free masks in stock based on your zip code using the CDC’s Find Free Masks tool. It’s worth noting that it doesn’t reflect the current inventory, so we recommend calling ahead. If you need a large number of N95s on the cheap, this pack from Kimberly-Clark is one of your best bets. While these are NIOSH-approved N95 respirators, they’re not intended for medical use. If that’s not an issue for you, then the horizontal-fold pouch and bendable nosepiece should provide a solid seal on your face, while still costing less than a dollar per mask. This fold-style mask uses two over-the-head straps to keep the mask snug on your face, while still allowing a fair amount of breathing room in front of your mouth and nose. These are among the pricier masks on our list, but members of our team have used these and found them comfortable and sturdy. This model is one of the CDC’s many approved N95 masks (and it’s frequently out of stock). It uses two separate straps to keep the mask tight around your face. Members of our team have used these masks and found that they seal nicely around the face but still stay far enough away from the nose and mouth to let you breathe and talk comfortably. That distance also helps keep the masks dry. Sadly, they do not fold. Titan Protect’s masks are another pricey option, but you do get a lot more per box than the ones listed above. The NIOSH-certified mask has an adjustable aluminum nosepiece (which can help keep eyeglasses from fogging), an upper and lower head strap for a secure seal, and a flat-fold design that’s meant to fit most faces. It’s worth noting this set comes in medium and large, so those with smaller faces will want to consider another mask. 3M’s N95 respirators are individually wrapped and have two horizontal folds that create a decent-sized cup in front of your nose and mouth. The masks come with two straps that go over your head and neck to keep a tight seal. This is one of the smaller packs on our list, but you may have an easier time finding it in stock at some stores. The DF300 N95 from Honeywell is a more affordable option on this list. With this mask, you’ll get multilayer absorption (including a humidity- and moisture-resistant filter), a soft inner lining, and latex-free head straps. The nose clip is also adjustable and hidden underneath the mask. It comes complete with a soft foam nose cushion as well, which should make it more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. Vida’s KF94 mask is both protective and stylish. It’s FDA-listed, CE-certified (and manufactured in South Korea), and offers a 94 percent filtration efficiency. The four-layer mask comes in adorable pastel colors including light green, light pink, and light blue. It’s also available in a variety of pack sizes from 10 all the way up to 1,000. The BOTN KF94 masks only come in large and extra-large for adults, so those with smaller faces should look into the youth size. The mask does come with earloops and a nosepiece that are both adjustable, so it should help ensure a tight fit if you go for the bigger size. It also comes in a variety of color options including beige, dark grey, pink, and yellow. There’s usually a coupon you can clip on the page to snag ’em for $19. LG’s Airwasher mask is a standard KF94 with a three-dimensional design, four-ply fabric, an adjustable nose clip, and rounded ear loops. If you want a slightly more elevated option, it also comes in a Black Style design that’ll likely pair well with fancier outfits for more formal occasions. As we mentioned above, KN95 face masks aren’t ideal for higher-risk individuals or medical settings, but if you need better filtration than a cloth mask for everyday, low-risk use, these are a decent way to go. On top of being less expensive per mask, they also come in a variety of colors, which should make it easier to coordinate an outfit or just mix it up once in a while. These KN95 masks come in black and are individually wrapped. They’re pretty cheap compared to the N95 masks listed above, at less than a dollar per mask. Evolvetogether’s masks are trendy among celebrities because they’re both protective and stylish. The Rio De Janeiro is made of 6-ply fabric (complete with activated charcoal to reduce odors), double filtration, and a water-resistant exterior. Each mask also has an adjustable nose bridge and gentle ear loops, making it ideal to wear for long periods of time. Of all the KN95s we’ve tested, this is our favorite one for smaller faces. While pricey, these masks are not only lightweight and comfortable but super durable as well. Another pack of multicolored KN95 masks, this set from Halidodo comes in a slightly different array of colors—most notably including an eye-catching orange mask—and is similarly affordable. We’ve tested this mask and found that, while comfortable and super durable, the size is best for those with smaller faces. The White Powecom masks come with a multi-filtration system and an adjustable metal nosepiece. You can also choose between the standard KN95 ear loops or the N95 headband style, depending on what you find more comfortable. It comes in a fairly wide range of color options as well, from white and gray to bright pink and deep red. Once kids are over the age of 2, you can consider putting a face mask on them. We recommend anything they’ll actually wear. We have a suggestion below, and our Best Face Masks for Kids guide has more. Kids’ masks are a bit more difficult, since health agencies don’t regulate them in quite the same way, but this pack is one of our favorites. It’s reusable and can be used for children 3 to 12 years old. It comes in blue, white, and pink. It has been independently tested by several international product-testing and quality-assurance companies, and it is the mask that WIRED editor Adrienne So’s kids use for school. US manufacturer Armbrust also makes a kids’ mask, though they’re probably best for kids age 7 and up, as we noted in our Best Kids’ Face Masks guide. Project N95 isn’t a specific mask but rather a nonprofit devoted to connecting personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies with the people and healthcare organizations that need them. If you’re not having luck finding masks in your usual spots, you can browse the organization’s marketplace to find more masks and respirators as well as testing kits and other protective gear. There are a number of ways to spot counterfeit N95 masks, such as by looking for markings on the mask itself or by avoiding N95 masks marketed to children (since the NIOSH doesn’t approve any type of respirators for kids). The CDC offers much more thorough guidance on how to avoid N95 counterfeits on its site. If you walk into a coffee shop for two minutes on your way to work with a brand-new N95 on, do you need to throw it out and use a new one when you arrive? Not exactly. According to the CDC’s guidelines, N95 masks will lose their effectiveness over a number of hours, but they will also become less effective the more times they’re taken on and off. Part of the reason for this is that the elastic bands wear out and result in a less tight fit. The CDC recommends that if you can’t find data from your mask manufacturer on how many times you can take a mask on and off, don’t remove and replace a mask more than five times. However, this advice is given in the context of hospital settings. If you’re not at high risk and don’t work in a medical setting, you may be able to get away with reusing masks over longer periods of time. One of the inventors credited with creating the synthetic fabric in N95 respirators uses a rotating system of seven masks, using a new one each day and hanging it in an isolated space for the rest of the week before using it again. Removing a mask also requires touching it, which can mean particles transfer from the mask to your hands and then back to your face. It’s a very good idea to wash your hands effectively after removing or replacing a mask. Try to avoid touching the mask itself and use elastic bands.
