Mask up! The best face masks for use against COVID-19 [Updated]

Finding masks that meet CDC and WHO guidelines is tough. We did the work for you.

Corey Gaskin - Dec 18, 2021 1:45 pm UTC

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With a new surge in COVID-19 cases looming and many people gearing up to travel for the holiday season, we've refreshed our face mask buying guide with updated recommendations and guidance.

Covid-19 Coverage

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This past March, we updated this face mask buying guide with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including new science on the increased effectiveness of double-masking. Vaccinations had just started rolling out, and we were on the verge of what many hoped would be a "return to normal," only for the public to be swiftly reminded that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues to circulate, mutate, and claim lives.

The omicron variant is the latest variant of concern, following late-summer and early-winter surges in US COVID cases spurred by the highly contagious delta variant. Early studies of omicron indicate that it’s even more transmissible—and potentially more likely to cause breakthrough infections in vaccinated people. The Biden administration has released new plans to combat rising infections and the emergent omicron variant. Naturally, proper masking is key.

Heading into the holidays with all of this in mind—and with generally improved conditions in the global supply of personal protective equipment (PPE)—we thought now would be a good time for a booster on mask knowledge. Our newly updated mask guide includes information on how to double-mask effectively, how to reuse KN95 and N95 masks safely, how to maximize a surgical mask's effectiveness, how to choose and clean great cloth masks, and more. Below are our latest picks based on product availability and long-term testing.

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Table of Contents

• The TL;DR version
• Our picks for N95, KN95, surgical, and ASTM-certified masks
• Our top pick for an all-around cloth face mask
• Great masks for double masking, use with replaceable filters, and glasses wearers
• A great mask for runners and exercisers
• Great masks for people hard of hearing
• Great masks for kids
• Great accessories for a better mask fit
• A quick word on the new NIOSH criteria for (nonmedical) workplace masks
• A note on the science of face masks
• Shouldn’t this list just be N95s and equivalents?
• How to double mask effectively
• How to choose a mask
• How to practice good mask hygiene
• How to wash a face mask
• How to reuse disposable masks responsibly

The TL;DR version

• Our favorite N95 mask: The supply shortage on medical masks has lessened, making nonmedical N95 masks sensible and highly effective options for the general public, particularly people at high risk of illness. Of the various models we've tested, we like Fangtian's N95 face masks. They fit like a glove, they're legitimately made and certified, and they're available at reasonable prices.
• A good KN95 mask: Alternatively, Arun's KN95 masks have been tested to the same filtration standard of N95s and offer easier use for lower-risk situations. There's a ton of KN95s on the market that can vary in areas other than filtration, so we picked one with a strong nose wire and more form-fitting construction.
• Another worthy option: The new American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard for filtration and breathability in nonmedical masks led us to a great KN95 alternative in 3M's Advanced Filtering Face Mask. It has a high filtration efficacy, and it's a better choice for smaller faces than our KN95 pick.
• Our favorite cloth mask: Kenneth Cole's Woven Face Mask remains our top pick for an everyday cloth mask. It has all the properties of a good cloth mask, according to CDC and WHO guidelines. With multilayer construction (including a middle filter layer), a nose wire, and adjustable ear loops, it checks all the boxes and achieves a decent fit. It is machine-washable in hot water.
• Alternative cloth masks we like: If you don't mind swapping out a replaceable filter, the Outdoor Research Face Mask Kit offers the best fit of all the masks we've tested, with a longer, sturdier nose wire and a shape that wraps around the chin and cheeks to close up air gaps. It requires disposable filters if you wear it alone, but the snug fit also makes it our top pick for double-masking. Kitsbow's Reusable Face Mask with HEPA Type Filter, meanwhile, is a good alternative with many of the same strengths and two more size options. It uses head straps instead of ear loops, though, which can be cumbersome in situations where you want to remove your mask from time to time.
• A great mask for working out: If you're interested in a mask you can wear while exercising, the UA Sportsmask by Under Armour has all the layers you need while still being breathable, comfortable, and moisture-wicking. It won't get in the way, relatively speaking, while you're breathing heavily.
• More accessible options for kids and those hard of hearing: We've also found some homemade masks from Etsy that integrate proper layering and come with kid-friendly designs or clear windows for lip-reading.
• Useful mask accessories: Whether you're using disposable medical masks or a cloth option, cord locks or a mask-fitting brace can aid your fit and the filtration efficacy of your mask.

Our picks for N95, KN95, surgical, and ASTM-certified masks

With the crisis-level global mask shortage back from the brink, nonsurgical N95 masks are no longer emergency-approved for medical use by the Food and Drug Administration. As former CDC Director Tom Frieden told The Washington Post, it was never entirely clear if buying N95 masks from retailers took away supply from health care professionals, although he cautioned that it might. At this point, we can be more confident that it won't: medical institutions are seeing replenished stock of surgical N95 masks, which they're instructed to use.

Nonsurgical N95s are available for the public to purchase and provide those at high risk of developing severe illness with the highest level of protection possible. KN95s tested to the same filtration standard are the next best thing, but they lack the same fit standards, incorporating ear loops rather than tighter-fitting head straps, for example. Our ASTM-certified picks (which similarly use ear loops) also achieved greater than 95 percent filtration in certified testing, and right now, they're generally easier to purchase than KN95s. One of our picks by 3M can be picked up at your local Target, for instance.