Face Masks Not Made In China
Most face masks are made in China. It is very difficult to find ones that are made by a reputable manufacturer in the US or another country which abides by manufacturing standards. We are going to only cover N95 masks and surgical masks.
N95 is a mask that passed a specific US NIOSH certification. It protects others from you as well as you from others. Masks with a similar sounding KN95 cerification are certified by the equivalent Chinese regulations. The actual parameters for certification is very similar, however we cannot trust that China tested these manufactures' masks according to thier standards. Therefore, we do NOT recommend KN95. Only get N95 masks made outside of China.
Surgical masks are designed to mostly protect others from you. They are much worse at protecting you from others than N95 masks. The reason is that they easily let air into your nose and mouth from the sides. For covid protection they are much less effective than N95. Also, surgical masks are designed to be one-time use. So you use them for a day and then throw them away. They are cheap and are certainly much better than any cloth masks. The masks come with 3 certifications ASTM Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. The higher the level, the better the protection. The vast majority of surgical masks are made in China. We selected the few Level 3 masks that are not made in China for you.
N95 Masks
3M 8210 N95 Respirator
The most standard and most trusted N95 mask is made by 3M. It is designed as a rigid cup with a nose clip that you adjust to your nose. It provides a lot of space for you to breathe so you do not feel suffocated. The mask is made in the US.
3M 9205 Respirator
The cup style of mask is great, but it is hard to transport in your pocket or if you are traveling. 3M also makes one that is fold-flat. It folds into 3 parts horizontally. So, it is very small and can be tucked into your pocket. It is a nice mask although it is a bit less comfortable to wear. This mask is made in the US, just like the other 3m one.
Pandemic Solutions MedicPro N95 Mask
Pandmedic Solutions is another trusted American company making N95 masks. Their N95 masks are called MedicPro. They are not quite as foldable as the 3M one, but they fold vertically. They are very comfortable to wear because they have a large space in front of your nose and mouth.
Surgical Masks
Mavina
Mavina makes a standard surgical mask with the normal thin elastic ear loops. They have the Level 3 cerification.
PuraVita Earloop Mask
PURAVITA makes a level 3 mask with wide and soft elastic ear loops. This is for people who may need to wear these masks for a long time and have sensitive ears that chafe with the normal ear loops.
DemeTECH level 4 tie mask
DemeTech makes level 3 masks that have ties instead of ear loops. You essentially tie the two straps in the back of your head. It takes a bit of time to do, but many people find these much more comfortable than the ear loop ones. Also, some people have very small faces, so the ear loops are somewhat loose. These work very well for those people.