Breath a little easier with these Niosh N95 masks

There are plenty of reasons to wear a face mask when you are out around town these days. Car exhaust is gross, and people sneezing all over the place is a health hazard. Now you are appropriately creeped out, we have a great selection of face masks that are certified to protect you against 95 percent, or more, of the nasties that float in the air. We’ve breathed deep into these masks to find the best ones for you.

Best Overall:

3M 8511 Respirator, N95, (10-Pack)

3M is my go-to respirators to keep in my emergency kit. The respirator filters 95 percent of pollutants — only oily contaminants can get through — and the position of the filter allows your breath to escape without making your face overheat. These are what you want to keep handy in emergencies.

For the little ones:

Pbudi N95 Masks (24 pack)

A lot of the adult masks don’t fit particularly well on young children. These masks are specifically designed to keep the little human’s air nice and clean around them. Just make sure you fit the nose guard snugly around their face to create a good seal.

Maximum protection:

TSW N99 mask

These slim profile masks aren’t simply N95 compliant; they are N99. That means they block up to 99 percent of all pollutants and, because of the comfortable strap, can be worn for long periods comfortably. They even come with washable filters.

Buy in Bulk:

Benehal N95 masks (20 pack)

The Benehal face masks are another set of excellent masks to keep for emergencies. You can use them daily, of course, but they are best kept in your emergency pack for when disaster hits.

Fasionable protection:

Live Right Project patterned mask

If you need to wear a mask, why not wear a nice looking one? This mask for the Live Right Project has a lovely pattern on the front and the strength of N95 filters to keep you safe from pollutants. The mask is easily adjustable to fit your face well and to keep the seal tight.

Protect those lungs!

I wish we didn’t live in a world where we had to wear respirators to keep our lungs clean, but here we are. I’m practical enough to know that we do need them and that 3M is the very best at filter masks. The 3M 8511 Respirator (10 pack) is perfect for keeping around the house for days where you need to be safe. From spray painting your car to walking the streets of LA, these masks will filter out just about anything in the air seeking to harm you.

If you want something a little more fashionable, then the Live Right Project mask might be right for you. It’s designed to be worn for much more extended periods and adds a fashionable look to a weird situation.