The 3M Aura is a great place to start, since it’s a high quality N95 respirator that fits a wide range of people. I’ve also heard good things about the 3M VFlex, especially for people with big faces and/or people who are sensitive to breathing resistance (since the VFlex has one of the lowest pressure drops out of any N95). They also happen to be one of the cheapest N95s out there, which I think is related to the duckbill construction (versus the trifold of the Aura) I personally had trouble getting a good seal in a standard size VFlex (there’s also a small), but fit is very individual, and unfortunately there isn’t yet a comprehensive database that can help you find a mask based on your face shape.
If you can find a mask bloc local to you, you may be able to get samples of individual masks to try them so you don’t have to buy a whole box just to try one out. Some retailers will also sell individual masks, with Wellbefore coming to mind; in addition to 3M Auras they’ve got their own great KN95s with both earloop and head strap configurations, and they even have a sample pack. Head straps tend to give a better fit (and are IMO much more comfortable, especially when wearing for long periods), but in situations where you can’t wear head straps (e.g. getting a haircut) it’s nice to have an earloop option.
Aaron Collins (a.k.a. The Mask Nerd) did a great overview of a bunch of different masks which covers fit and quantitative breathability, including all three of the masks I mentioned above.
Finally, if you’re looking to take the plunge and go with a reusable option, Lola Germs has a guide on elastomerics[1] (although with elastomerics in particular, be careful of knockoffs!).
It’s hard to give a specific number, since it’ll depend heavily on the type of mask, the environment(s) it’s used in, and what someone is willing to risk. It basically comes down to how contaminated the mask gets (degrading filtration performance) and how the fit deteriorates over time due to failure of various materials (stiffness of nose wire, rebound/attachment of foam seal, elasticity of straps). So when reusing, keep these factors in mind and monitor the condition of the mask carefully, replacing when necessary. Speaking from experience, it’s pretty obvious when the straps on the Aura start to wear out and can no longer provide enough tension to get a good seal. If you really push the envelope, you can even end up snapping a strap, although from what I’ve seen you’d have to use them well past the point where the straps are obviously loose. I haven’t tried it myself, but some people say the somewhat pricier 9210 (fabric straps) is better than the standard 9205 (rubber-like straps) in this regard.
From what I know you can use them 5-7 times each (40 hours total is a number I recall), provided you rotate between 4 masks to give them time to dry out between uses. The straps are typically the first thing to go in my experience.
If they get wet or dirty though they’re done and have to be tossed immediately.
So, fit varies a lot by person based on face shape and size, and fit is the most important thing. Fluid flow (air is a fluid) takes the path of least resistance, so if there’s a leak, air will be coming in through the leak. 3M Auras don’t fit me well at all, they’re too big for my face. But I have liked the Laianzhi KN100 from PPEO.com ( I really should see if / how much the tariffs have impacted cost since I’m running low but I’m almost afraid to look) for disposable masks. I reuse them on a rotating basis unless they get filthy so I can make one stretch for a good long time. I think there’s also a KN95 version of this that is good and I might even switch to trying that style out with my next order because KN100 is technically overkill, and the cost of going with that overkill is that the higher breathing resistance seems to lead to sinus congestion, so with extended wear I have to periodically pop outside to take the mask down and blow my nose.
I’ve also liked the reusable washable elastomeric GVS Ellipse with P100 filters because it’s so much cheaper than disposables, and I get a very good seal with it based on qualitative testing. There’s a version with an exhalation valve which I don’t have, but I might get if I end up having to do long shifts where I can’t go outside to take the mask off and drain the water that builds up. This one also has a high breathing resistance.
I had wanted to like the 3M VFlex as it has a lower breathing resistance, but it was so big I couldn’t get it to fit well unless I applied mask tape to it. I decided to try it out as an outside mask in crowded spaces since it was light enough to not get so hot. But then when I’d walk away to take it down and drink some water, between the tension from the mask tape and the design of the mask, it would rip along a seam. After 2 or 3 instances of this I gave up and donated mine to a local mask bloc because they weren’t working for my use case.
AernaLingus’ advice is good and I’ll add just one more thing: testing proper fit. If you have a good seal and the mask is at all flexible, breathing in should suck the mask into your face while breathing out should push the mask away but not so much that it loses seal. Breathing in and out quickly makes this more obvious. If I do this with a mask that is not fit well there is no sucking in / resistance because air is coming in through the leaks. This is how I settle on masks for myself aside from checking for NIOSH / equivalent ratings.
Which respirators do you like?
The 3M Aura is a great place to start, since it’s a high quality N95 respirator that fits a wide range of people. I’ve also heard good things about the 3M VFlex, especially for people with big faces and/or people who are sensitive to breathing resistance (since the VFlex has one of the lowest pressure drops out of any N95). They also happen to be one of the cheapest N95s out there, which I think is related to the duckbill construction (versus the trifold of the Aura) I personally had trouble getting a good seal in a standard size VFlex (there’s also a small), but fit is very individual, and unfortunately there isn’t yet a comprehensive database that can help you find a mask based on your face shape.
If you can find a mask bloc local to you, you may be able to get samples of individual masks to try them so you don’t have to buy a whole box just to try one out. Some retailers will also sell individual masks, with Wellbefore coming to mind; in addition to 3M Auras they’ve got their own great KN95s with both earloop and head strap configurations, and they even have a sample pack. Head straps tend to give a better fit (and are IMO much more comfortable, especially when wearing for long periods), but in situations where you can’t wear head straps (e.g. getting a haircut) it’s nice to have an earloop option.
Aaron Collins (a.k.a. The Mask Nerd) did a great overview of a bunch of different masks which covers fit and quantitative breathability, including all three of the masks I mentioned above.
Finally, if you’re looking to take the plunge and go with a reusable option, Lola Germs has a guide on elastomerics[1] (although with elastomerics in particular, be careful of knockoffs!).
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1urC9zg-xxX5bLHSpyEytGp96Q2AOounUM-DQGRmRzHA ↩︎
How long can one wear the 3M Aura? Is there a good rule of thumb? At $2/pop I’d have to be reusing it for a decent amount of time I would think.
Here’s a reddit post which looks at some study data on this topic:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Masks4All/comments/1hnxfh3/debunking_the_myth_that_n95s_are_super_protective/
It’s hard to give a specific number, since it’ll depend heavily on the type of mask, the environment(s) it’s used in, and what someone is willing to risk. It basically comes down to how contaminated the mask gets (degrading filtration performance) and how the fit deteriorates over time due to failure of various materials (stiffness of nose wire, rebound/attachment of foam seal, elasticity of straps). So when reusing, keep these factors in mind and monitor the condition of the mask carefully, replacing when necessary. Speaking from experience, it’s pretty obvious when the straps on the Aura start to wear out and can no longer provide enough tension to get a good seal. If you really push the envelope, you can even end up snapping a strap, although from what I’ve seen you’d have to use them well past the point where the straps are obviously loose. I haven’t tried it myself, but some people say the somewhat pricier 9210 (fabric straps) is better than the standard 9205 (rubber-like straps) in this regard.
A Reddit link was detected in your comment. Here are links to the same location on alternative frontends that protect your privacy.
From what I know you can use them 5-7 times each (40 hours total is a number I recall), provided you rotate between 4 masks to give them time to dry out between uses. The straps are typically the first thing to go in my experience.
If they get wet or dirty though they’re done and have to be tossed immediately.
I found YouTube links in your comment. Here are links to the same videos on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
Link 1:
Link 2:
So, fit varies a lot by person based on face shape and size, and fit is the most important thing. Fluid flow (air is a fluid) takes the path of least resistance, so if there’s a leak, air will be coming in through the leak. 3M Auras don’t fit me well at all, they’re too big for my face. But I have liked the Laianzhi KN100 from PPEO.com ( I really should see if / how much the tariffs have impacted cost since I’m running low but I’m almost afraid to look) for disposable masks. I reuse them on a rotating basis unless they get filthy so I can make one stretch for a good long time. I think there’s also a KN95 version of this that is good and I might even switch to trying that style out with my next order because KN100 is technically overkill, and the cost of going with that overkill is that the higher breathing resistance seems to lead to sinus congestion, so with extended wear I have to periodically pop outside to take the mask down and blow my nose.
I’ve also liked the reusable washable elastomeric GVS Ellipse with P100 filters because it’s so much cheaper than disposables, and I get a very good seal with it based on qualitative testing. There’s a version with an exhalation valve which I don’t have, but I might get if I end up having to do long shifts where I can’t go outside to take the mask off and drain the water that builds up. This one also has a high breathing resistance.
I had wanted to like the 3M VFlex as it has a lower breathing resistance, but it was so big I couldn’t get it to fit well unless I applied mask tape to it. I decided to try it out as an outside mask in crowded spaces since it was light enough to not get so hot. But then when I’d walk away to take it down and drink some water, between the tension from the mask tape and the design of the mask, it would rip along a seam. After 2 or 3 instances of this I gave up and donated mine to a local mask bloc because they weren’t working for my use case.
AernaLingus’ advice is good and I’ll add just one more thing: testing proper fit. If you have a good seal and the mask is at all flexible, breathing in should suck the mask into your face while breathing out should push the mask away but not so much that it loses seal. Breathing in and out quickly makes this more obvious. If I do this with a mask that is not fit well there is no sucking in / resistance because air is coming in through the leaks. This is how I settle on masks for myself aside from checking for NIOSH / equivalent ratings.