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Best Work Gloves
UPDATED January 2020
Work gloves protect your hands and keep you safe in any situation. Our shopping guide includes information that will help you find the best work gloves.
BEST WORK
GLOVES 2019
Custom Leathercraft 125M Handyman Flex Grip Work Gloves
BOTTOM LINE
Custom Leathercraft used leather as well as Lycra and spandex to make these gloves move with you and give your hands more protection. The gloves feature straps that keep them from sliding off your hands.
PROS
Available in both standard sizes and extended sizes, these gloves will fit all types of hands. The combination of materials use will keep you from snagging on objects and give you more flexibility.
CONS
You may need to go up a size to get the dexterity and mobility that you need. Some customers wished the gloves were a little more durable too.
Mechanix Wear M-Pact Coyote Tactile Gloves
BOTTOM LINE
Thanks to thermoplastic rubber and other types of padding, these gloves will protect your hands from all types of injuries. Many shoppers like that they can clean the gloves in their washing machines also.
PROS
With guards on the finger and knuckle areas made from thermoplastic rubber, these gloves will keep your hands safe from impacts. This pair also has multiple layers of padding to reduce other types of injuries.
CONS
The stitching on some pairs broke down after a few months of wear and use. You may notice the padding on the palm coming loose too.
Carhartt Leather Work Gloves
BOTTOM LINE
Made from 100% real leather with a polyester lining, these Carhartt gloves will feel comfortable while protecting your hands. The leather gets an added boost from the use of reinforcements on the fingers and palms.
PROS
Reinforced patches on the palm and fingertips of these gloves help the leather in those areas last longer. The gloves also have a safety cuff that makes pulling them on and off much easier.
CONS
A small number of reviews claimed that the fingers on the gloves break down within a few months. Some reviewers also complained about the stitching, which they thought would last longer.
Ironclad General Utility Work Gloves
BOTTOM LINE
These gloves use both terrycloth and nylon materials that stretch as you move with some leather reinforcements. You can grip anything you need without your hands sliding and still enjoy complete movement.
PROS
IronClad added reinforced leather areas to the parts of the gloves that you put the most pressure on as you work. This is one of the few pairs we found that are machine washable too.
CONS
Depending on what you work with, these gloves may not last as long as you hoped. Some reviewers complained that the leather made their hands feel dry and look dirty.
5.11 Tac A2 Gloves
BOTTOM LINE
Though these gloves run a little small, they dry quickly when exposed to water and won’t shrink. Shoppers like the closures located on each wrist and the Tactile Touch fingers too.
PROS
The fingertips on these gloves use Tactile Touch, which allows you to use touchscreen devices and move your fingers freely. You can get these gloves wet too without worrying about them shrinking.
CONS
As the fit on these is a little tight, you may need a larger size than you think. The dye may transfer on your hands also.
Shopping Guide for the Best Work Gloves
It takes just one slip of your hand to watch a blade or any other tool slice right through a finger or your palm. That is why you should wear the best work gloves whenever you need to do some work. These gloves come in a few different styles and use different materials. The top pairs of work gloves for 2018 will keep your hands safe and give you all the mobility that you need. Mobility is so important because if you can’t move your hands and fingers easily, you might hurt yourself. Our list of the best work gloves for 2018 includes pairs suitable for anyone who works with their hands.
We didn’t want to just provide you with a few pairs and tell you that you should buy one of those. Our readers all have different needs as well as different sizes of hands. The chart at the top of this shopping guide to work gloves will go over the basics of each pair. You’ll find better descriptions and reviews of those gloves too. By the time you finish reading over this shopping guide, you will know the top features of gloves and how much you should spend on a new pair.
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Selection Criteria
Depending on where you work, your employer may provide you with some protective gear, including goggles or a mask for your face and a pair of gloves. Most of the gloves that you get for free aren’t very durable though and may not get last through an average work week. When you purchase your own gloves, you can choose a pair that both fits your hands and protects you against certain dangers.
Our experts looked at dozens of pairs of gloves to find the best around. They consulted with experts online to find out what shoppers should look for in gloves and which materials are the best. After getting those opinions, they made sure that each pair was available on Amazon and then looked at customer reviews. We specifically checked the average star rating and eliminated gloves with a lower rating and those with a large number of negative reviews.
All the gloves we found and included on our list of the best of the best are those that fit comfortably and offer some protection. You can use these gloves when working on the job and when doing work around your home. Let our shopping guide help you find the perfect work gloves for your needs.
Priced at right around $10, these gloves from Custom Leathercraft give you the best bang for your buck and also rank as our choice for the best of the best. The pair comes in multiple sizes, including standard small and medium options as well as extended sizes such as extra large and double extra large. Made from a type of synthetic leather, these gloves won’t shrink when they get wet and then dry the way that real leather gloves will. That synthetic leather will not harden the way real leather can either.
Suitable for wearing in any conditions, this pair has insulation inside that gives you full freedom of movement and keeps your hands and fingers from feeling cold. You’ll also notice a strap around the wrist of each glove that lets you secure it in place on your hand and keep it from slipping off. In addition to synthetic leather, these gloves feature side panels that use a combination of Lycra and spandex, which allows you to move each hand more freely. You’ll also like the hidden stitching on the exterior of the gloves. This stitching prevents the gloves from snagging on nails and any other items that you encounter.
Benefits of Work Gloves
- Prevent injuries: The biggest benefit or reason why you should wear work gloves is that they can prevent injuries. Both the padding and other layers of materials inside will keep rough or sharp objects from stabbing and slicing through your skin.
- Weather protection: A good pair of work gloves will also protect your hands against any weather conditions. You’ll stay warm when working in the snow and ice and stay cool when the temperature rises.
- Improved grip: When you work outside with tree branches and other large items, you need to keep a good grip on those objects. If you use your bare hands, you may find that your hands sweat and that you lose your grip. Work gloves help you improve your grip.
- Resist impacts: Work gloves can also resist impacts and keep your hands safe when objects fall on you. The best gloves for those who work in areas where this can happen are those that have reinforced areas on both the front and back.
- Stay safe: Most men wear work gloves simply because they want to stay safe. Anyone who works with their hands can benefit from a pair of these gloves. You’ll find designs that protect you against any chemicals that you work with and pairs designed for outdoor use too.
Who Should Wear Work Gloves?
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Types of Work Gloves
You may want to consider a number of features when buying a pair of work gloves, including the material used and how the gloves fit. Before we get into some of those features though, we wanted to make sure that you understand all your options. Work gloves can include cheap and thin pairs made from cotton and more durable gloves with a leather exterior. You’ll find some pros and cons associated with all the top materials. Though we recommend looking at materials, we also recommend looking at the different types of work gloves. Some types are better for certain workers than others.
Ranch Gloves
Ranch gloves are just one type of work gloves that might work well for you. Designed for men who spend a lot of time outside and those who work around animals, these gloves keep your hands both cool and dry. These gloves are thick but have a lightweight design that gives you complete freedom of movement. You can wear a pair when hauling heavy equipment and when working around thick ropes. Ranch gloves are often weather-resistant too because ranchers often work in the rain and wind.
Restaurant Gloves
You’ll also find gloves designed for men and women who work in restaurants and kitchens. A cut glove is one of the more common types. Though some older models use metal that acts as chain mail, newer designs use a thick type of rubber or a similar material that acts like a metal. Manufacturers often sell a single glove rather than a pair because you wear just one as you cut. If the blade touches the glove, it glances off the material without cutting your hand. Other types of restaurant gloves are slip-proof and heatproof too.
Manual Labor Gloves
If you have a job that requires you use your hands on a daily basis and that you work around a number of different items and materials, you might look for a pair of gloves designed for manual laborers. These gloves are often heavier and do not do a very good job of letting your hands and skin breathe. The thick exterior offers the highest level of protection though. You can safely work around heavy equipment, cars and other large objects. Gloves for manual laborers are also suitable for doing yard work at home. The gloves will protect your hands from weeds and any other possible dangers.
Industrial Gloves
A small number of work gloves made today also serve as industrial gloves. Designed specifically for those who work in laboratories and similar settings, these gloves often have a chemical-resistant exterior that stops any chemicals you work with from burning through the exterior and reaching your skin. Some pairs also have an anti-microbial or an anti-bacterial layer of material on the surface that will keep germs and bacteria from moving through the gloves. You may want a pair that resists impacts or vibrations too, depending on the machines that you work with and around every day.
Tactile Work Gloves
Two of the top pairs of work gloves that we found actually function as tactile gloves. Soldiers in all branches of the military use these gloves in the field. Tactile gloves are usually lighter in weight than other types of gloves and allow you to move more freely. You can bend and stretch your hands in any direction without the gloves slowing you down. Tactile gloves are also popular with those who need more freedom when they work. You’ll find some pairs that have fingertips with special padding that lets you use a phone or a touchscreen too.
Soldiers in all branches of the military use and wear tactile gloves on a daily basis to protect their hands. Thanks to Mechanix Wear, you can now wear your own pair on the job and at home. The M-Pact Coyote features an impact guard right between your thumb and pointer finger that absorbs impacts. You’ll also find thermoplastic rubber guards on each finger for added protection. Mechanix Wear chose a TrekDry material for the gloves, which fits closely against your skin while still giving you complete movement. That material helps keep your hands cool and stops sweat from building up on your skin.
Many shoppers like the hook closure located around the wrist too. You can open this closure to easily slip your hand inside and then secure the closure to keep your hand from sliding out. There is a nylon pull loop on the bottom of each glove that you can use for pulling the glove down on your hand or for hanging it for storage. We like the multiple layers of padding found on these gloves too. That padding does a good job of resisting shocks and impacts. It also helps dissipate energy as you work and will prevent most common hand injuries.
Best Work Glove Materials
Canvas
If you need a simple pair of work gloves that you can wear when landscaping or doing some basic work around your home, you can get by with a pair made of canvas. Canvas gloves are quite thin and do not offer nearly as much protection as other materials do. You may find designs that include more padding around the fingers and/or across the palm. Canvas gloves keep your hands from directly rubbing against objects as you work. While they can keep blisters from forming and reduce rubbing, canvas gloves aren’t suitable for most jobs.
Cotton
HVAC and cleaning professionals and contractors typically wear cotton gloves when handling minor jobs. Cotton is just as thin as canvas, though you can purchase a pair of gloves with a thick lining inside. Just like canvas materials, cotton does a good job of keeping blisters from forming on your skin and keeps things from rubbing against your skin. You can wear a pair to do some yard work or when you put new insulation in your home. Cotton gloves will not protect your hands against injuries caused by heavier objects and may not have as much grip as you need.
Real Leather
When you purchase your first pair of work gloves, you might feel tempted to spend more money on a pair made from 100% real leather. Most manufacturers that make leather gloves today actually combine the leather with other materials. They know that leather on its own is not strong enough to withstand daily use. Leather gloves can protect you against electrical shocks though. Some guys prefer leather because it allows their skin to breathe and because it offers a lot of protection. You may want to look at gloves that feature another type of material but use real leather on the palms.
Synthetic Leather
A good alternative to real leather is synthetic leather. This new material looks so much like the real thing that most people won’t notice it’s not real leather. The synthetic material has a number of benefits over real leather. It can hold up to daily wear and tear and is safe to use around water. Real leather can harden when exposed to moisture and develop cracks that cause the leather to flake off over time. Synthetic leather dries quickly and will not crack or break. You can pick from different colors when choosing these gloves.
Rubber
While some of the best work gloves for 2018 feature rubber padding and reinforcements, we didn’t include any full rubber gloves on our list. Rubber gloves are generally best for those who care more about protection from water than about protection from other elements. The gloves usually only come in a few select sizes but will expand to fit tightly on your hands. Wearing a pair of rubber gloves can feel like wearing an extra layer of skin. We only recommend rubber for those who want to use chemicals such as weedkillers when working outside. The rubber can easily snag and tear.
Other Less Popular Glove Materials
What Size Gloves Do You Need?
The most common sizes that glove manufacturers use today are small, medium and large. Many companies now make gloves in extra large and double extra large sizes too. These sizes fit men who have longer than average fingers and those who have wider wrists. You want a pair of gloves that will fit perfectly. The gloves should go on easily and come off just as quickly. If the gloves are too large, they will keep slipping and sliding as you work. Gloves that are too small can interfere with your movements and even break when you move your fingers. As you try on gloves, you’ll want to look at a few things, including:
- Whether you can easily wiggle your fingers and twist your wrists
- If your fingertips reach all the way down to the ends of the gloves
- How comfortable you feel
- If you feel too hot or too cold after wearing the gloves for a few minutes
- Whether any closures on the gloves will close completely around your wrists
We also recommend checking out the chart below to find out what to do to determine your glove size. Manufacturers typically create their own sizing charts, which you can view when you follow our Amazon links.
The chances are good that you know the name Carhartt and that you have a few pieces of safety or work gear from the company in your closet already. Carhartt is the manufacturer of what we think are the best leather work gloves. These gloves look a little larger than those you used in the past because of the safety cuff on the bottom. This cuff has an oversized design that allows you to more easily pull on the gloves. That cuff also ensures that you can pull the gloves off quickly in an emergency situation.
Made from real leather, the gloves have a polyester shell that feels as soft and supple as that leather does. Each knuckle has a protective feature made from cowhide that keeps your knuckles from bruising and bleeding after an impact. You’ll find similar protective features on both the palms and the fingertips. Carhartt wants you to feel as comfortable as possible while also giving you loads of protection. We like the pull-on closure on each glove too, which makes it easier to slide the gloves on when your hands are wet. You can choose from both standard and extended sizes to get a pair that fits your hands.
When Should You Replace Your Work Gloves?
While some workers replace their gloves every three to six months, there is no set rule that says you must replace your gloves. It really depends on the type that you wear and what you put those gloves through. You may find that it depends on how much you spend too. Spending just a little more on a good pair will give you gloves that you can wear for a year or more. We recommend that you replace your gloves if any of the following is true.
- The rubber and other materials that gives you more grip begin flaking off
- You can feel any temperature changes through your gloves
- The gloves look worn out or have a number of cracks and holes
- You experience cramps and discomfort when wearing and using the gloves
- The cuffs and other spots on the gloves develop frayed edges
The best time to replace your old gloves is when you find that they no longer meet your needs. You might notice holes that allow water and air to get inside the gloves. We also recommend replacing any gloves that cause rub spots or blisters on your skin. Those blisters can worsen as you keep wearing the gloves.
Dangers of Disposable Gloves
Medical professionals often wear disposable gloves when working in laboratories and moving between patients. While these gloves do keep your hands safe from blood and other bodily fluids, there are some possible dangers of wearing them too, including:
- You may fall between two sizes and have a hard time finding gloves that fit you properly
- Disposable gloves can easily snag on metal or plastic and rip or tear
- The gloves are often hard to get on and off
What Protection Do You Need?
One of the top questions you should ask yourself is how much protection you really need. As you look at the different types of work gloves, you’ll see that some offer more protection than others and that some work in different ways.
If you are a contractor and work with electrical systems, you need insulated gloves that will keep shocks from moving through your body. When you grab a live wire, the glove will actually absorb that energy to keep you safe.
Landscapers and anyone who works outside will often prefer longer gloves or gloves with a wider cuff. They also want gloves that are lightweight and allow them more movement.
You may prefer gloves that come with rubber pads and other areas that help you get a better grip too. If you are a mechanic or work with heavy machinery that puts out a lot of oils and other fluids, you want gloves that let you grip those wet surfaces without your hands sliding across.
We recommend that you think about all the different types of protection that you need before you buy any pair of work gloves. You need to make sure that those gloves will keep you safe in all your daily encounters.
Why is Seam Placement So Important?
The seams on a pair of gloves may run across the palms or across the backs. Those with seams on the palms are generally easier to wear and more comfortable. Gloves with back seams often fit better. You’ll also find gloves with inseams that are more durable. Those seams can rub uncomfortably against your skin though.
Despite being one of the more affordable pairs of work gloves we found, this pair from Ironclad includes a number of features that will help you on the job. You’ll almost instantly notice reinforced areas on the palms and gloves that use synthetic leather. Not only will this material dry without shrinking, but it has some texture that lets you get a better grip on any object. Those areas will move as you bend and flex your hands too. Similar areas located on some of the fingertips allow you to keep the gloves on while using a device with a touchscreen. Each knuckle has a thin layer of rubber padding that protects your knuckles against scrapes and bumps without adding any extra weight to the gloves. The inside of each glove features padding designed by Ironclad that flexes in the same way your hands naturally do. When wearing these gloves, you might feel like you have nothing on your hands at all. The base of each glove features a wrist enclosure that ensures the gloves fit tightly on your hands and that they won’t slide off. You can use a small hole on each enclosure to hang the gloves from your belt too.
The best nylon gloves are this pair from 5.11, which are tactile gloves similar to those used by the military. This pair has a number of nice features, including wrist closures and Tactile Touch fingertips. The wrist closures use both Velcro and neoprene, which allows you to get the tight and secure fit that you need. You may find that you buy a pair that is just a little too large for your hands. This closure allows you to get a tighter fit. You’ll also like the Tactile Touch fingertips that allow you to use your phone and other touchscreen devices with ease. You can press individual buttons and swipe across the screen without fumbling around.
You won’t worry about overheating when wearing these gloves either because of the stretch panel located on the back of each one. This panel stretches to give you more movement but also allows more air to reach inside the gloves. Located on each palm is a panel made from a synthetic leather material. This panel flexes to help you get a grip on objects and sticks to that object for added security. The gloves also have books on the bottom of each wrist for hanging and storing.
Work Gloves and Freedom of Movement
The most important thing to consider when choosing work gloves is how much movement you will get when wearing a pair. Dexterity is a term that refers to how well you can move certain body parts. When you buy new gloves, you want to make sure that you can freely move your fingers and your wrists and that you don’t have any issues moving your hands. As long as you pick a pair that fits your hands properly, you shouldn’t have any problems. We recommend looking at gloves that have one or more specific features that will increase your overall dexterity.
- Rubber pads: You may want to look at gloves that have rubber pads located on each fingertip and on the palm. Some gloves have rubber pads on just the thumb and two closest fingers because manufacturers know that those are the fingers you use most often. The pads will not get in the way of your movements and may give you some extra grip.
- Touchscreen pads: Similar to rubber pads, touchscreen pads are small features added to the fingertips that allow you to access your phone and use other electronic devices at work. You can move your fingers across the screen and tap that screen too.
Expert Tip
You might consider fingerless gloves rather than traditional gloves too. Designed for those who need to use their fingers as they work, the gloves lack any fabric or material around the tip of each finger. You’ll also find gloves with fingertips that you can fold over or push down when using your fingers. Those areas move back into place to completely cover your fingers.
Water-Resistant vs. Waterproof
Many of the top work gloves available are either water-resistant or waterproof. Even if you spend most of your day inside and don’t picture yourself doing any outdoor work, you still need a pair that is water-resistant. You can encounter moisture when working inside, including oils or lubricants that come off heavy machinery and soda and other drinks that employees spill. Gloves that are water-resistant will actually resist damage caused by any of those liquids. This type will do a good job of keeping your hands dry too.
Waterproof gloves are better for those who spend a lot of time outside. If you work in the snow or the rain, you need a pair of waterproof gloves. They will keep that liquid from getting inside the gloves and making your hands feel wet or cold. Waterproof gloves are also great for landscapers because they often work with soil and dirt that feels wet to the touch.
If you need gloves that you can wear both inside and outside, you might look for a pair with a water-resistant coating added to the palm or a cuff around the wrist made from a different material. That cuff will stop water from seeping inside the glove, while the palm coating lets you grab items that are wet or moist.
Glove Construction and What to Look for
A basic work glove consists of many different parts, including the cuff that wraps around your wrist and the padding on the palm, which sits right against your own palm. It’s important that you look at the construction of the glove to get an idea of how long it will last. Some of the construction features you should consider include:
- Stitching: The best gloves will feature even stitching along each seam. You may want to look for gloves with a double layer of stitching because those pairs will often last longer.
- Number of pieces: It’s important that you look at the number of pieces used in the construction of a glove too. Some manufacturers piece together materials leftover from other products, while other companies cut the outline of the gloves from new pieces of materials. Gloves made from pieced together materials will fall apart quickly.
- Glue or adhesive: You should also check the gloves for any glues or adhesives used. Some companies use cheap glue to attach padding and tips to the palms and fingers to cut down on costs. The best gloves will have durable stitches that secure any exterior parts to the gloves because stitches last longer than glue does.
Types of Glove Cuffs
- Safety cuff: A popular type of cuff used on leather work gloves is a safety cuff. Instead of completely wrapping around your wrist, the cuff has an open back. If you need to remove the gloves in a hurry, you can slide your hands out faster.
- Slip cuff: If you need gloves that you can slip into faster, you might look for a pair with a slip cuff. A slip cuff typically consists of two pieces of fabric. When attached to the glove, those pieces cover most of your wrist but leave behind an open flap.
- Knit cuff: Many of the work gloves designed for outdoor use feature a knit cuff. No matter what material(s) that the manufacturer uses on the glove itself, the company will add a cuff made from a knitted material. The cuff is typically tighter than the glove is and will expand to fit your wrist. It does a good job of keeping debris from falling inside the glove.
- Hook closure: Many of the gloves on our list have a hook closure instead of a standard cuff. This closure uses Velcro with some type of buckle. You can adjust the amount of material that moves through that buckle to make the gloves fit looser or tighter.
What is a Gauntlet Cuff?
While gauntlet cuffs work well with leather gloves, this cuff type doesn’t work well on other types of gloves. It is much longer and can extend up your arm up to four inches. Manufacturers use this cuff on gloves as a way to protect more of your arms.
Work Gloves with Liners
A small number of work gloves come with a liner. You can choose a pair that comes with a removable liner or a pair with a permanently attached liner. Removable liners are a popular choice because you can take the liner out to clean the gloves.
Some gloves come with a cut-resistant liner. Unlike cut gloves that do little more than protect your hand from sharp blades, work gloves with a cut-resistant liner will protect you from cuts and offer the protection that you need when working with certain materials and objects. These liners may use metal or a more lightweight material that performs as well as metal does.
You can also purchase a pair of gloves with a winter liner. Also called a cold weather liner, this type of lining does a good job of keeping your hands warm when working in cold temperatures. This liner might use a synthetic material or a natural material such as leather. We recommend looking for a cold weather liner that is water-resistant too.
While there are some impact-resistant gloves, you can also get an impact-resistant liner that fits inside your gloves. This type of liner is more lightweight but ensures that impacts do not injure you.
Did You Know?
More than half of all reported workplace injuries involve damage to the hands of workers. You can reduce your risk of injury with a good pair of work gloves. If you work in darker conditions and around other people, you might opt for a Hi-Viz pair that features brighter colors.
Safety vs. Work Gloves
While work gloves are suitable for most workers and provide some level of safety, safety gloves are not suitable for all types of workers. Safety gloves are generally thinner and more lightweight than most work gloves. You’ll often wear a pair when working in a hospital or a medical facility. Rubber gloves are just one example of this type. Designed for wearing just one time, you can work with a certain group of liquids and then throw away the gloves before moving to a new group. Healthcare facilities require that workers wear safety gloves to prevent the spread of germs and bodily fluids too.
In addition to one-time use gloves, you’ll find pairs that you can wear multiple times such as butyl rubber gloves and neoprene gloves. These materials are quite durable and allow you to work long hours without needles or other sharp objects poking into your skin.
We did not include any of these gloves on our list because they do not offer as much protection as work gloves do. With a good pair of work gloves, you can handle different liquids and then do some work outside before heading back inside. The gloves will stand up to most of the things you encounter every day.
What to Avoid When Buying Work Gloves
- Wrong cuffs: You should avoid purchasing gloves with the wrong type of cuffs. You may prefer a pair with a looser fit because you face emergency situations daily. If you work around large machines and equipment, you’ll prefer a pair with tighter cuffs.
- Poor fit: Depending on what you do, you may wear work gloves several hours out of the day and multiple days a week. Buying a pair with a poor fit can result in hand cramps and leave you with bruises and blisters. It’s important that you buy gloves that fit comfortably.
- Cheap gloves: No matter how much you want to save money, you should spend as much as you can on new work gloves. If you cheap out and don’t spend enough, those gloves might fall apart the first time you do any work. A good pair of work gloves will last for at least a few months.
- No padding: We highly recommend work gloves that have at least one layer of padding inside. Extra padding does more than just increase your comfort. That layer can keep the gloves from rubbing uncomfortably against your hands and let you work for hours or more without experiencing any pain or discomfort.
Signs of Cheap Work Gloves
- Thin layers of material used on the exterior
- Rough patches on the lining or interior
- Stitches that come loose when you put on the gloves
- No protection against common hazards
The Bottom Line – What to Look for in Work Gloves
- Fit: Work gloves that fit properly will extend down from the base of your wrist to each finger. You shouldn’t feel like the gloves press against your fingertips or feel as if the cuff cuts off circulation to your hand.
- Material: While leather is one of the more popular materials, many shoppers today actual prefer synthetic leather because it looks the same but is more durable. We do not recommend cotton or jersey gloves unless you do a small amount of work and don’t need much protection. Some of the best products use one material to construct the gloves and a second material on the fingertips and other reinforced areas.
- Type: Make sure you know what type of gloves you need too. The right type will vary based on your job or what you do and the materials you work around.
- Comfort: The most important factor to consider when buying work gloves is the comfort provided. The gloves should feel so lightweight that you forget you pulled them on but still offer loads of protection.
What to Look for in Customer Reviews
- Positive vs. negative reviews: Instead of only looking at the positive or negative reviews, you should look at the overall percentage of lower and higher reviews. If you see a large number of positive reviews with only a small handful of negative reviews, you’ll know that it is a good quality product.
- Durability: Always look at reviews that mention the durability or construction of the gloves. Shoppers are quite vocal about what they loved or hated about work gloves. Those reviews will help you see if certain pairs of gloves will hold up better to your activities and work week.
- Overall service: You may want to look for reviews that mention the manufacturer by name too. Many customers turn to Amazon and other sites to write about issues they had with certain companies. You can quickly find out if the company ignored those shoppers or if they responded quickly to phone calls and emails.
- Average ratings: Many shoppers disregard products with a large number of average or three-star ratings. Those reviews can provide you with a lot of information though, including how those gloves compare to others in the same price range and whether customers would purchase the same pair again.
Best Ways to Care for Your Gloves
If you have work gloves made from cotton or any knit material, you can toss them right in your washer. You’ll want to use warm water on a low cycle to ensure that the seams don’t split. We recommend laying the gloves out on a flat surface to dry overnight. When you use a dryer, you risk the cotton shrinking, which will keep the gloves from fitting your hands.
You should never put leather gloves in a washing machine or even soak the gloves in warm or cool water. The best way to clean those gloves is with a leather conditioner or a saddle soap. These substances remove stains and keep the leather soft and supple. Once you apply the soap or conditioner, you can let the gloves dry overnight.
Certain types of gloves, including those designed for restaurant workers and chemical-resistant gloves, will come clean with a little soap and water. You can actually rinse the gloves under running water before applying some soap to the surface. Once you remove that soap, you can hang the gloves on a drying rack or place them on a flat surface to dry. We recommend storing most gloves in a dry spot without any access to sharp temperature changes or direct sunlight.
WARNING
Even if you buy gloves that you can clean in a washing machine, do not put them in the dryer. The high heat put out by that appliance can cause the gloves to split and crack or make them shrink.
Tips for Wearing and Using Work Gloves
- Choose the right cuff length: Basic work gloves that have a closure cuff are suitable for most jobs. If you plan on working around weeds and other hazardous objects, you might look for gloves with longer cuffs. You can tuck your shirt sleeves into the cuffs for added protection.
- Remove contaminated gloves: Anytime that you work with chemicals and other hazardous materials, you should keep an eye out for any spills or accidents. As soon as that material touches your gloves, move to a safe spot and carefully remove the gloves. If you leave those chemicals on your gloves, you risk it leaking onto your skin.
- Take gloves off correctly: Depending on what you work with, you may want to take your gloves off in a different way. You’ll carefully turn the cuffs down and push the gloves off your hand. This turns the gloves inside out and keeps any hazardous chemicals or other substances from touching you.
- Adjust the closure: When wearing gloves with any type of closure, you’ll want to put one glove on and then adjust that piece. You will typically pull a strap through a buckle and then press down on the Velcro. You want the closure to fit tightly but not so tightly that it restricts your movements.
Expert Tip
If you work around heavy machinery and equipment, look for gloves with a smaller cuff that has a Velcro closure. Gloves with larger cuffs can snag on those machines and pull your arm inside.
How Much Do Work Gloves Cost?
While you can save money on many different types of work and safety gear, you shouldn’t scrimp when it comes to work gloves. The right gloves will keep you safe as you handle slippery items and as you work in and around your home.
Some of the cheapest gloves that we found retail for less than $20. Disposable gloves and those that use a cotton or jersey material often sell for well under $10. You can even get a box with multiple pairs of disposable gloves for this price.
Most of the gloves that we found sell for $30 or less. We recommend looking at customer reviews and finding the average rating for any pair that interests you. Many people will want to spend up to $50 on a new pair of gloves. You can choose from a wide range of materials and styles when you have a $50 budget.
The most expensive work gloves retail for up to $100 and often use Kevlar. Kevlar is the same material used in the bulletproof vests that law enforcement professionals wear. It does a good job of protecting you against both heat and flames. Unless you work around fires and high temperatures, you probably don’t need a pair of Kevlar gloves.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Coated work gloves use some type of knit or jersey material as a base with a coating applied to the surface. This coating is quite flexible and allows you to move your fingers freely. It also prevents damage caused by chemicals and solvents eating through the gloves. Some coatings work well as protecting your fingers from cuts too. Manufacturers may use the term dipped instead of coated.
A: Though you may not realize it, you can deduct the cost of any clothing or gear that you buy and use for your job. You need to keep records of those items and itemize your deductions when you file. If you have other deductions that you take to get a bigger tax refund, adding the cost of work gloves and other gear can significantly help.
A: If you work in a cold climate and feel your hands shaking, you can use a pair of heated gloves to keep your hands warmer. You can also save money and buy hand warmers that you put inside your gloves too. These warmers come in small packages that heat up when you open the packet and expose it to the air. You can get several hours of warmth from the warmer and throw it away when you’re done.
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