Can anyone recommend a RELIABLE source for N95 masks? There are many scam sites

[Atticus]

selling useless scam masks.

FYI, REAL N95 have 2 head straps, not ear straps, should be clearly marked "N95" and NIOSH approved.

[getagrip_already]

1. You should be ok at a pharmacy.... if you can find them in stock....

Real N95 masks are still being prioritized to health care workers, first responders, etc.

I just use the KN95 masks with a cloth mask over them. No they aren't niosh approved, but they are much better than the surgical masks.

[Texaswitchy]

6. Yeah.

That is what I have.

Eight layers total

[librechik]

10. +1

[Ocelot II]

2. Got a package of real ones with the head straps and NIOSH markings on Amazon.

That was about 3 weeks ago. When I just checked I saw that particular brand was no longer available and prices for others had gone up. But they still seem to be available.

[SCantiGOP]

3. My daughter is a nurse

and says the only difference in an N95 and a K95 is that the latter is manufactured in Korea, but to the same standards.
Either is good as long as they are not counterfeit.

[SidDithers]

5. +1...

Unless you're in a hospital setting, where there's going to be proper fit-testing, the KN95 will be just as effective, and probably easier to find.

Sid

[wanderer54]

17. KF94 masks come from Korea

KF94 masks come from korea

[48656c6c6f20]

4. I buy here

The company is listed on CDC for legit mask manufacturer.

Expensive but they seem legit and good quality made in USA.

https://www.demetech.us/

[bamagal62]

7. Go check Staples.

They usually carry KN95s or N95s (depends on the day). I find the ones they sell are quite comfortable and have the NIOSH label. So, I’m
Assuming they’re legit. They will not let you buy them online. In store only.

[GulfCoast66]

9. Beat me to it. They had them regularly since last summer.

I guess people don’t think to look at office supply stores.

[underpants]

8. 50 for $110

https://v501.britlink.com/P1522/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=64660&Alias=TodaysOfficeSolution&ItemID=4019650&IMID=366093&AID=-1



$858 for 440
https://vibonline.org/documents/VIB%20COVID-19%20Price%20Listing.pdf

[vanlassie]

11. Amazon. Mine are made by Kimberly Clark and are

exact ones I was fit tested in when I worked for the Health Dept.

[Bev54]

12. Here is some information from our Canadian marketplace

that tested several masks for efficiency. Hope it helps.

[Politicub]

13. Here's an article from the NYT about it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/technology/personaltech/buy-real-n95-mask.html?smid=url-share

It goes into overcoming the counterfeit problem, and has links to some suppliers. There's an organization (Project N95) that has some information about validating masks: https://www.projectn95.org/about

Also, the CDC has lists of approved N95 manufacturers: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/n95list1.html

The gist of the article is to visit manufacturer sites, and see if they have links to order small quantities of masks online. It also has some information about validating mask manufacturers. But like you said, there are so many scam and counterfeits that it's hard to be sure of what you're getting from Amazon and other online sources.

I haven't ordered from any of the sources mentioned. Instead, I wear fabric masks that I made myself over N95 masks from Home Depot that I had from an old painting project. Most of the time, though, I just wear one of the fabric masks. Over the past couple of weeks I wore covered N95s for buying groceries and taking my mother to a doctor appointment.

[tanyev]

14. Demetech. Made in the USA.

https://shop.demetech.us/

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

29. Thx! I just ordered some, a small order to check them out

[tanyev]

34. I've gotten 4 boxes so far. Very happy with them.

[sir pball]

15. Amazon

Granted I haven't looked in a week or so, but brand names - 3M, Honeywell, Kimberly-Clark, etc - products have been easily available for under $1/pc since spring:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YHD4XBR/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NVDFB3R/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008MCUZZS/

[CrispyQ]

16. I bought from Amazon & checked against this CDC list.

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/n95list1.html

The behind the head straps hold better & tighter, IMO. Also, more comfortable for long term wear. The masks I bought fit snuggly around the cheeks & chin.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

18. We had good service from Bona Fide Masks out of Mount Vernon, NY

Bona Fide Masks
741 S. Fulton Ave.
Mount Vernon, NY 10550
Call us at 914-664-7500

Bona Fide Masks Corp., is a part of the Ball Chain Mfg. Co., Inc. family of companies.

Link: https://bonafidemasks.com/

I have an adequate supply of 3M N95s left over from my field service years but my son wanted some black KN95s for his use and they are a good product. I got a few white ones for me to throw on real quick for short visits.

Good luck!

KY.........

[Maru Kitteh]

19. I got some NIOSH Honeywell N95's from Amazon.

They have some very nice and reasonable Kimberly-Clarke respirators as well last I saw.

[ornotna]

20. Buy them directly from 3M

As long as you buy a case of them.


https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/c/ppe/respiratory-protection/disposable/i/safety/personal-safety/

[Atticus]

21. THANKS for all the sources. nt

[IcyPeas]

22. ALSO, check with your airline if you are traveling. some are requiring N95 and banning fabric mask

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/airlines-banning-fabric-face-mask-coverings

This week, Finnair became the latest carrier to ban fabric face masks onboard, accepting only surgical masks, valve-free FFP2 or FFP3 respirator masks, and N95 masks, the company tweeted.

Finnair isn't alone in banning cloth face masks. Air France and Lufthansa have each mandated medical masks be worn, prohibiting fabric masks and those with exhaust valves.

LATAM Airlines has also banned fabric and reusable face masks on domestic flights within Chile, allowing only surgical masks with three layers, KN95, and N95 masks. The carrier also requires doubling up on face masks for passengers connecting in Lima, even if they remain on board the aircraft.

Delta Air Lines prohibits bandanas, scarves, masks with exhaust valves, and any masks with slits, punctures, or holes. Similarly, United Airlines bans bandanas and specifies a face shield alone is not considered adequate protection.

Southwest prohibits bandanas, scarves, ski masks, balaclavas, and single layer masks; American Airlines bans balaclavas, bandanas, exhaust valves, scarves, and gaiters; JetBlue doesn't allow masks connected to tubing or battery-operated filters; and Hawaiian Airlines won't accept scarves, ski masks, balaclavas, and bandanas.

[SoonerPride]

23. I bought mine from Amazon. They're real. And relatively cheap.

[denbot]

24. This is the one we use;

https://envomask.com/

[ornotna]

25. Found this from Honeywell

https://ppe.honeywell.com/collections/respiratory/products/honeywell-dc365-surgical-disposable-respirator

Seems reasonably priced too.

[LanternWaste]

26. you might have good luck trolling the supply companies in your medical district

If you live in an urban area with a fair-sized medical district you might have good luck trolling the nearby medical supply companies. Many of these will have small, office-sized storefronts as well.

I go to a warehouse that sells, services and cleans medical scrubs and uniforms. Oddly enough (or not, I dunno), they sell masks as well as face guards and such. I picked up some N95s and FFP2s-- decent price, no fuss except driving there.

[LuckyCharms]

27. Envo mask with the "holo" headgear.

They supply a plug for the exhale vent, that can also be used in conjunction with a plastic shield that covers the entire set up.

There is a gel cushion around the mask hardware that makes a tight seal.

I'm assuming that they started supplying the plug for the exhale vent when Covid made itself known. Same thing with the shield.

https://envomask.com/

https://store.envomask.com/envomask-n95-respirator-kit-p4.aspx

These are not traditional masks, so please do some research on the site before purchasing.

I just purchased some yesterday to try them out. I checked out the NIOSH number. It looks good.

IMPORTANT EDIT: If you want to verify the NIOSH number and you are looking it up by manufacturer, look up "Sleepnet" instead of envomask. Sleepnet is the company who makes the N95 filters for the facegear. See the picture of the mask filter on the above links.

[Hekate]

28. Costco. I just got a box of 20 N95 NIOSH from them, plenty on the shelves

Whoever is in charge is thinking ahead, I think.

[Hotler]

30. Home Depot has them. You can get them shipped also. nt

[iemanja]

31. I got some on Amazon

that claim to be N95 and NIOSH approved. They do have head straps, but the mask is so thick I can't stand to wear it. I think it's the straps that bother me most. I prefer the KN95s that I have.

Truthfully, you never know what you are getting from Amazon. Buying them from a pharmacy or a medical supply store would probably be better.

[LisaL]

33. If you can't breathe through it it's likely real.

I find good N95s hard to breathe through. I wear those for short trips.
Anything for longer duration I have to wear KN95s.

[Elwood P Dowd]

35. I have some 3M N95s, and they are definitely hard to breathe through

compared to others.

[iemanja]

32. The CDC has a list of legit N95 masks

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/respirators/testing/NonNIOSHresults.html

[Kaleva]

36. Most any hardware store

The national and large regional stores do offer on line shopping.