Fewer people wear face masks than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they’re still great personal protective equipment to keep at home.
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they → wear → home
They can help prevent illness and protect the people around you, especially if you’re experiencing cold or flu symptoms.
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you → help → symptoms
There are many face masks to choose from, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, properly fitting respirators offer the most protection.
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respirators → be → protection
Experts say N95 respirators are the gold standard of face masks, but some people find them uncomfortable.
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them → say → masks
High-quality KN95 masks, which offer similar protection, can be a more comfortable alternative.
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which → offer → protection
After speaking with experts for tips on buying KN95 masks, I found a handful of options that meet their criteria.
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that → speak → criteria
Plus, I bought and tried all of the face masks below to ensure their packaging, features and fit align with what experts say to expect.
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experts → buy → what
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The best KN95 masks
Best overall
These Hotodeal masks were included on the FDA's EUA list.
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masks → want → list
They come in a packs of 20, 40, 60 and 120, and are built with an adjustable nose bridge and stretchy ear loops.
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They → come → bridge
The masks come in colors like white, black and grey.
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masks → come → white
Powecom’s KN95 masks were featured on the FDA’s EUA list.
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masks → feature → list
They are available in black and white, as well as multiple colors, all of which come in a pack of 10.
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all → come → 10
You can also purchase individually packaged KN95s.
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You → purchase → KN95s
The masks have an adjustable nose piece and their ear loops are latex-free, according to the brand.
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loops → have → brand
Best to buy in bulk
WellBefore offers KN95 masks in multiple colors and lets you choose between standard ear loops and head straps.
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you → buy → loops
The masks have an adjustable nose bridge, and you can purchase as few as 10 masks, which come individually wrapped.
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which → have → masks
Note: The price listed above reflects the cost of 10 KN95 masks with standard ear loops.
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price → note → loops
You must purchase a minimum of 10 masks per order.
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You → purchase → order
How I picked the best KN95 masks
Here are the factors I kept in mind to create our list:
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I → pick → list
Experts told me that KN95 masks must filter out at least 95% of particulates.
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masks → tell → particulates
For all of the masks I recommend, I obtained associated lab tests regarding filtration.
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I → recommend → filtration
I got documentation from the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory or had brands send me documentation directly.
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brands → get → documentation
- Construction: The KN95 masks you buy should have ear loops and at least five layers of material.
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you → buy → material
All of the masks above are designed with these features, as well as an adjustable nose bridge.
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All → design → bridge
Brand transparency is key when buying any type of face mask, especially for KN95 masks, which the U.S. does not regulate the way it does for N95 masks.
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it → buy → masks
There are, however, ways for brands and manufacturers to increase their trustworthiness, like FDA registration or inclusion in the FDA’s now-defunct emergency use authorization (EUA), which it passed in 2020 to help medical workers choose KN95 masks when there was a shortage of N95 masks.
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workers → be → masks
All of the masks I recommend come from manufacturers registered with the FDA — while this has nothing to do with regulating mask quality, it increases accountability for the brand selling it, experts told me.
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experts → recommend → me
Some of the masks I recommend also appeared on the FDA’s EUA — I note which ones.
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I → recommend → EUA
How to shop for KN95 masks
It’s difficult, if not impossible, to be sure that the KN95 mask you’re buying is real just by looking at it, says Dr. Jeremy Friese, a former Mayo Clinic physician and founder and CEO of Humata Health.
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Friese → shop → Health
To help guide your shopping, the CDC offers a list of tips to help you spot masks that may not meet the necessary standards.
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that → guide → standards
Experts I interviewed recommend reviewing your masks before wearing them with the following in mind:
- When you take a KN95 mask out of its packaging, it should not be damaged in any way.
- Packaging should never include false claims or logos from the FDA.
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Packaging → interview → FDA
The FDA does not permit their logo to appear on packaging of any sort.
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FDA → permit → sort
- KN95 masks shouldn’t cost more than $3 a piece, according to the CDC.
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masks → cost → CDC
You should also review lab testing documents that clearly illustrate how well a mask acts as a filter before you use it, says Anne Miller, executive director of Project N95, a nonprofit that helps people source personal protective equipment and medical supplies.
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people → review → equipment
Some brands publish these documents online, while others may send you them if you ask.
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you → publish → them
Another factor to consider while shopping for KN95 masks is FDA registration.
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factor → consider → masks
To register with the FDA, manufacturers pay a fee and submit certain criteria about their business.
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manufacturers → register → business
Though this is better to have than not, FDA registration has no bearing on the quality of the face mask itself, and it does not denote FDA approval of the mask or its manufacturer.
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it → have → mask
Miller also says the list of KN95 models the FDA specifically approved in its 2020 emergency use authorization is one of the best resources to use when sourcing the respirators, even after the FDA stopped updating the list in 2021.
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FDA → say → 2021
(Most people use “mask” and “respirator” interchangeably, but when the CDC and medical professionals say “respirator,” they specifically mean specialized, fitted face coverings like N95s, KN95s and KF94s.)
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they → use → N95s
…and 46 more, not listed.
The Aporia
