Protect Yourself — Which Disposable Mask is Best for you?

I do three jobs to make a living including real estate photography, substitute teaching and laboring in a warehouse. I’ve been wearing masks almost everyday since late March, and have spent at least a few hundred dollars trying every style from a homemade, single-layer mask to commercial-made KN95 multi-layer masks.

In the beginning, style and fun were front and center to me. I have several novel face coverings that represent my interests including travel, animals and wine, to name a few. However, right now with Covid-19 infections surging, protection is more important than ever.

Recently, I’ve switched to disposable masks made with melt-blown, non-woven material. Fabric masks are woven which creates gaps between the thread resulting in a 25% to 38% filtration rate. Here are qualities to consider when choosing a mask:

Breathability: Can you take deep breath without the mask clinging to your face? Can you wear it several hours without gasping for air?

Fit: Does it keep falling off your nose when you talk? Do your glasses fog up wearing it? Does it comfortably cover your chin and nose without gapping on the sides?

Protection: How well does it filter out small particles? Is the seal around the mask tight or loose?

Price: How many masks are there per package? What is the cost per mask?

Cheapest — Surgical Mask

Protection is better than cloth masks, but not as good as the others mentioned below. Most surgical masks have three layers of material with a 45% to 55% filtration rate.

Pros: Light-weight, high breathability, very inexpensive — 20 to 50 cents a piece.

Cons: Loose fit, ear straps break easily, glasses fog up and mask slips around a lot.

Though they are not my go-to face covering, I like to have some surgical masks in the car just in case I forgot to bring one of the others, or someone with me needs a mask.

Better Protection — KN95 Mask

Most KN95 Chinese manufacturers claim their masks have five layers of material; however some only have three, including the one pictured here. KN95s filter out, on average, 24% to 87% of…