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  1. Mar 2, 2021 · Here we recommend legitimate N95, KN95, and surgical masks you can buy from trusted retailers now. For reusable options, consider the picks in our guide to the best cloth masks for adults....

    • Overview
    • How we picked the best KN95 face masks
    • The best KN95 face masks
    • How to buy KN95 masks
    • Meet our experts
    • Why trust NBC Select?

    You may find yourself reaching for a face mask if COVID cases are currently spiking in your area. But which type offers the most protection? According to the CDC, properly fitted respirators do, including KN95 masks and N95 masks. (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.)

    In their guide to masks and respirators, the CDC further prioritizes respirators above masks — with emphasis on a proper fit — and specifies that they’re better than cloth products. Here, a cheat sheet of the different levels of protection offered by different masks and respirators:

    1.Highest level of protection: Well-fitting respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH), including N95s

    2.Less protection than NIOSH-approved respirators: Well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s

    3.Less protection than non-NIOSH respirators and surgical masks: Layered, finely woven products

    4.Least protection (but still better than not wearing a mask at all): Loosely woven cloth products

    While shopping for KN95 masks, experts recommend keeping the following in mind:

    •Filtration level: KN95 masks must filter out at least 95% of particulates, experts tell us. For all of the masks we recommend, we obtained associated lab tests regarding filtration. We got documentation from the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory or had brands send us documentation directly.

    •Construction: The KN95 masks you buy should have ear loops and be comprised of at least five layers.

    •Brand transparency: Brand transparency is key when buying any type of face mask, but it's especially relevant for KN95 masks, which aren’t regulated the way N95 masks are. Despite not being regulated, there are 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.

    Each of the following masks have features that align with expert guidance and our research: Five or more layers, 95% filtration (or above) and ear loops. We bought and tried on all of the face masks we recommend to ensure their packaging, features and fit align with what experts tell us to expect.

    Additionally, all of the masks we 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 tell us. Some of the masks we recommend also appeared on the FDA’s EUA — we note which ones.

    While the CDC doesn’t provide specific regulations to follow when choosing a KN95 mask, they do offer a list tips to help you spot masks that may not meet the necessary standards.

    It’s difficult, sometimes impossible, to be sure you’re buying a real KN95 mask just by looking at it, says Dr. Jeremy Friese, a former Mayo Clinic physician and the former president of the payer market at Olive, an Ohio-based company that integrates artificial intelligence into health care.

    Experts we interviewed recommend you review your masks after receiving them and before wearing them with the following in mind:

    •A KN95 mask should not be damaged in any way

    •Packaging should never include false claims or logos from the FDA. The FDA does not permit their logo to appear on packaging of any sort

    KN95 masks shouldn’t cost more than $3 apiece, according to the CDC

    At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

    •Dr. Nina Shapiro is a pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist at Westside Head and Neck in California. She is the author of “HYPE: A Doctor’s Guide To Medical Myths, Exaggerated Claims and Bad Advice,” as well as a children’s book, “The Ultimate Kids’ Guide To Being Super Healthy.” Shapiro was also the director of pediatric otolaryngology and a professor of head and neck surgery at David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles for 25 years.

    •Dr. Jeremy Friese is a former Mayo Clinic physician. He is also the former president of the payer market at Olive, an Ohio-based company that integrates artificial intelligence into health care.

    •Anne Miller is the executive director of Project N95, a nonprofit that helps people source personal protective equipment and medical supplies.

    Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at NBC Select who has covered face masks since 2020. She's written about disposable masks, KN95 masks, N95 masks and KN95 masks for kids, in addition to at-home Covid tests and vaccine card holders. For this article, Malin spoke to three experts about how to shop for KN95 masks and tried every mask she recommended in the article.

    CORRECTION (Aug. 26, 2021, 5:45 p.m.): A previous version of this article incorrectly included some face mask manufacturers on the FDA’s EUA list. Manufacturers for masks from Evolvetogether, Hope Health and Well Before are not on the list, but are only registered with the FDA. We’ve kept them on the list because they meet guidance from medical experts.

    UPDATE (Aug. 26, 2021, 5:45 p.m.): A previous version of this article included the VIDA KN95 face mask. We’ve removed it from the list because the brand is shipping M95 face masks for some orders of KN95 face masks given "global shortages," according to its site.

    Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

    • Associate Updates Editor
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  2. Jan 28, 2022 · Knowing which mask to pick and making sure it’s not a fake requires the sleuthing skills of a forensic investigator. Our guide can help.

  3. Jan 15, 2022 · Masks and Covid-19: Your top questions about N95s and KN95s, answered | CNN. The CDC updated its mask guidelines. What to know about ‘the highest level of protection’. By Kristen Rogers ...

    • 5 min
  4. Jan 15, 2022 · If you don't feel like waiting to score a free N95 mask from the federal government, here's what to know about how to buy a good one — and avoid the fakes. Plus, tips on how to fit them and...

  5. Jan 14, 2022 · By Erika Edwards. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday updated its guidance on masks for the general public, now saying that people "may choose" to wear N95 and KN95...

  6. Sep 3, 2023 · Sep 3, 2023 10:00 AM. 14 Good N95, KF94, and KN95 Face Masks to Buy Right Now. Here are the best disposable coverings we’ve tested and researched—and where you can find them.

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