The importance of a reliable pair of work gloves cannot be overstated, regardless of whether you are tending to your garden or your job necessitates it. These types of gloves can significantly mitigate the potential for hand injuries.
The best work gloves will depend on the task. However, a few features to consider include the material, comfort is key, size and fitting, padding, and lastly, the amount of grip they offer.
There are more features to consider, which is why we created this handy guide. Read on to find out what they are and get to know our top favorite work gloves that are sure to offer you the best protection as well.
What Are Work Gloves?
They are personal protective equipment worn during work projects that protect and cover the hands from the wrist to the fingers. They are meant to prevent the user’s hands and fingers from unnecessary wounds such as cuts, skin punctures, heat, blisters, splinters, and chemical burns.
We’ve discussed below the best work gloves that are sure to offer the ultimate protection.
Best Work Gloves
1. NoCry Cut Resistant Gloves
Calling out to the culinary experts… this pair of work gloves is definitely for you. Whether you’re cutting meat or using the potato slicer, you can use them to protect your hands.
The work gloves offer a snug fit, providing ultimate control without the fear of them slipping or moving from your hands.
They are made of the highest resistant level of cut-resistant material and are designed to be 4x stronger than leather. In addition, the material is 100% food safe with no concerns about contamination or small parts that can fall into and ruin your dishes.
What’s also great about these gloves is that they are designed to be ambidextrous, which perfectly fits both hands.
PROS- Can be washed in the washing machine
- Offer a great and firm grip
- Feature an ambidextrous design
- Comfortable and have a snug fit
- Offer basic protection
- Breathable gloves
- Not ideal for handling hot items/objects
2. Mechanix Wear M-Pact Tactical Gloves
This pair of work gloves are designed for the military and special forces operating in desert and mountainous environments. The tactical work glove comes in brown, black, and gray, which helps maintain the effectiveness of the user’s combat uniform and conceal the wearer in the operating environment.
The work gloves have breathable material on the back and durable suede on the palm. In addition, the gloves offer full coverage protection as they feature thermoplastic Rubber that protects the back of your hand from impact and abrasion injuries in the field.
The gloves have D3O palm padding that absorbs impact through your palm and reduces hand fatigue in the field. The wrist features a hook and loop closure for a secure fit.
Additionally, the pair of gloves have breathable TrekDry that conforms to the back of your hand to help keep you cool and comfortable in the field. The synthetic leather on the palm is 0.8mm, striking a perfect blend of dexterity and durability. There’s also an impact guard on the first knuckle that allows for easy trigger guard entry.
PROS- Durable and long-lasting
- Offer superb hard protection
- Comfortable and give the full function of fingers when you get the right size
- Issues of authenticity. Ensure to pay attention to the shape of the knuckle guard, the structure of the palm padding, and the quality of the stitching
- The gloves also run large
- Not waterproof
- Not touchscreen compatible
3. Ironclad General Utility Work Gloves
These ironclad gloves are ideal if seeking an all-purpose pair. They are designed to be useful for various tasks.
The pair of gloves feature thermoplastic rubber knuckle protection that provides impact and abrasion protection across the knuckles. They are made of nylon and synthetic leather for extra durability and a terry cloth sweat wipe on the back of the thumb for wiping sweat.
Lastly, the pair of gloves have an adjustable hook and loop closure that hugs your hands and prevents debris from getting in.
PROS- Machine washable
- Feature a terry cloth sweat wipe
- Comfortable and offer a perfect fit
- Great for all-purpose work
- Touch screen coating wears off quickly
4. G & F Products 100% Waterproof Winter Gloves
When working in cold temperatures, these are the best work gloves that can help keep the chill-out.
These G& F winter work gloves are designed to keep you warm. They are made with 100% Acrylic Terry and 100% nylon, keeping your hands warm in cold weather. The lining also wicks away moisture.
The winter work gloves are also 100% waterproof and windproof. It also has Double coating technology and HPT first coating, and microfoam second coating.
PROS- Comfortable and fit well
- Keep your hands dry
- Protect your hands from sharp objects and edges
- Waterproof and offer a firm grip
- Best suited for light-duty work
5. OZERO Flex Grip Leather Work Gloves
The Ozero leather work gloves are made from 100% Genuine grain cowhide, making them flexible and shrink resistant.
They are designed to protect your hands during tough projects like landscaping, electricals, woodwork, and metalwork.
The leather work gloves feature a reinforced palm patch that offers a firm grip and wear resistance. The elastic wrist design will keep dirt and debris out of the inside of the glove. Additionally, all the seams are double stitched for extra durability and are set away from the palm to reduce rubbing and skin irritation.
The gloves don’t have inner lining as the material is naturally non-irritant, breathable, sweat-absorbent, and comfortable on your hands. In addition, the cuffs feature a strip of elastic to maintain a snug but comfortable fit, with no slipping or sliding.
PROS- Made of high-quality thick material
- Durable and extremely hardy
- Comfortable fit over time
- It can be a bit tight at first
Features To Consider When Choosing Best Work Gloves
a) Type of Material
i) Leather Work Gloves
Leather work gloves are best suited for heavy-duty jobs such as cutting lumber, tackling electrical repairs or installations, metalworking, handling hot or cold items. They are the best work gloves as they provide fantastic insulation against extreme temperatures, absorb minor electrical shocks, protect against abrasions and cuts, resist punctures and keep paint, chemicals, and oil off your skin. The gloves are usually made of cowhide, though some are made from pig and sheepskin.
ii) Leather Palm Gloves
These work gloves have natural or synthetic leather across the palm and fingers but heavy fabric around the back of the hand. The gloves have more flexibility in that they allow your hands to move around easier than all leather gloves. However, they still offer good protection from blisters, extreme temperatures, and abrasions during less demanding tasks like simple construction jobs, doing yard work, and using power tools.
iii) Canvas
This pair of gloves are made of a blend of heat cotton and polyester or heavy cotton. They are the best work gloves as they let you easily flex and bend your fingers and palms while protecting you from blisters, minor abrasions, and hot or cold surfaces.
The work gloves are best suited for yard work, simple carpentry repairs, raking leaves, and mixing and pouring concrete. Many canvas work gloves feature small rubbery dots across the palms for extra grip.
iv) Knit
Knitwork gloves are generally made from cotton or a cotton & polyester blend. They are very stretchy and comfortable. They are the best work gloves for paint jobs, doing light yard work, or carrying out simple household repairs. They aid in preventing blisters or minor scrapes but don’t offer the extensive protection of leather or canvas gloves.
v) Latex and Nitrile (Disposable Gloves)
Latex and nitrile gloves are very lightweight and allow easy movement of the fingers and palms. Nitrile is suitable for those with latex allergies. Both materials offer a slightly tacky grip that makes it easier to hold onto wet or smooth surfaces. However, neither is best suited to offering protection against blisters or scrapes. Hence, they are best suited to messy but easy.
Latex and its synthetic version, nitrile (suitable for those with latex allergies), are very lightweight and allow easy movement of fingers and palms. They are best suited for light-duty tasks that require a lot of fine motor skills and don’t pose any serious threat to your hands. The work gloves don’t offer a lot of protection against blisters and scrapes. However, they can be for medical and labs, food handling, manufacturing, and handling small parts.
b) Type of Gloves
i) Light Duty Gloves
Light duty work gloves are lightweight and made from a relatively thin and flexible material. As a result, they are the best work gloves for tasks that require good dexterity. Generally, if you need to keep your fingers as close to glove-free performance as performance, they are the ideal choice. Their thin construction makes it easier to naturally grip, move and flex and they’re also a great choice for more detail-oriented work settings.
ii) Heavy Duty Gloves
These are the best work gloves when you need extra protection, are working in an environment that’s more hardy and rugged, or generally require more warmth. A good pair of heavy-duty gloves tend to be thick, sturdy, and built for very heavy-duty situations. They are usually made from tough material and feature extra-tough details like reinforced stitching and grip pads that are strategically located. These work gloves are ideal for situations where you’re concerned about potential injuries or where you’ll be working with items that could rip or create problems with lightweight gloves.
c) Protection
Generally, work gloves are designed to offer basic protection allowing you to do your job without fear of getting cuts, burns, scrapes, injuries, etc., while also providing adequate dexterity.
Different gloves offer different levels of protection. For example, High cut resistance gloves are more resistant to sharp objects, while heat protection gloves are more tailored for jobs such as welding.
Work gloves made of synthetic leather tend to be considered stronger and more durable than natural leather, with some varieties of synthetic leather being up to four times stronger. If your work involves touchscreen devices, touchscreen-friendly gloves would be ideal. These work gloves have a conductive thread that helps you use the devices without removing the gloves, making life a little easier.
Lastly, abrasion resistance is a factor to consider. A glove’s resistance to abrasion is dependent on the number of cycles required to abrade through a sample glove. This is tested using sandpaper under constant pressure. The protection factor is specified on a 1-4 scale, depending on how many revolutions it takes to cause a hole in the work gloves. The higher the number, the stronger the pair of work gloves.
d) Dexterity and Fitting
Dexterity refers to the ability to maneuver one’s fingers and grip surfaces when wearing gloves. When searching for the best work gloves, it’s essential to consider this feature. This is crucial, especially when working with tasks requiring precision and fine motor skills, such as working in a medical lab, picking up nails, or planting delicate flowers. If dealing with such tasks while wearing thick work gloves, you’d end up taking them off frequently. You’re better off with work gloves made of thinner materials.
It’s also important to ensure to find the best work gloves that are a perfect fit. Improper or uncomfortable means excess bulk and more fabric to deal with. At the same time, you don’t want pair of gloves that are a tight fit as you can end up with restricted and cramped movements.
e) Grip & Padding
The best work gloves should not hinder your ability to grip objects. However, all gloves have their specified tasks. For instance, heavy-duty leather gloves might not be ideal for gardening.
Padding is essential in that it makes it easier to perform certain tasks. For instance, the palms of leather gloves feature additional padding, making it easier to perform specific tasks like using a chainsaw, extended hammering, etc. In addition, the padding absorbs the shock/vibration of the hands involved in the work. This, in turn, protects your hand or wrist from any injuries that include carpal tunnel syndrome.
g) Breathability and Warmth
The best work gloves can keep you safe and comfortable. You can wear them in cold or hot weather, thus protecting your hands.
A good pair of work gloves should have breathable fabric to use in warm weather, as the fabric will absorb the moisture and sweat from the hands, keeping them dry and comfortable to do work. Cold weather gloves are required to have insulation to retain the body heat allowing you to work well.
h) Stitching
Ideally, when choosing the best work gloves, you want to pay attention to the stitching. It should be strong and durable, or else it will be a weak point for the gloves, causing them to fall apart easily. Ensure to check if it can easily extend the length of every finger. You also want to check the stitching across the palm. The best gloves are those with hidden and double stitching as they are considered more durable, regardless of the material.
i) Cuffs
Leather work gloves that are lighter tend to offer an open cuff with a little bit of elastic that runs around the plan base. This offers protection from dirt, moisture, grime, and stains, allowing you to easily remove the gloves.
Canvas/Fabric gloves tend to have a rubbery fitted or knit cuff that keeps away the dirt and moisture.