3 ms·

It's been a year now, why can't I buy a N95 mask?

nikolay 6y ago
You can - on eBay! But prepare to pay $5+/piece (over $10 and even $20 for 3M ones). Meanwhile, supposedly, price gouging was supposed to be persecuted. There are lots of KN95 fakes, by the way. There are tons of KF94 authentic ones on Amazon.
- snypher 6y ago
  >KF94 Can we please have a global standard on masks already?
  - nikolay 6y ago
    Yeah, I know.
- jkim1258 6y ago
  Frankly, I've had too many issues with fake products on Amazon to trust masks being sold there
  - nikolay 6y ago
    There are counterfeit N95s on Amazon, too. I think the Korean ones from [0] are the most legit. They sell them on Amazon, too, and they have nice packaging, which is hard to counterfeit as it's too much work and requires quality details. They also have non-certified ones, which seems pretty good, too. They fit well, and don't touch your lips, i.e. the mask doesn't get wet unlike the surgical ones. My favorite is Gerson 2130 N95 I managed to buy on eBay last February for $2/pcs. They are cupped, they don't touch your mouth, and leave space, and have larger filter area and are easier to breathe without vents. They don't leak air either. I use them for at least 16 hours a mask without deterioration - expect the rubber bands, which are the worst part. My other favorite is Moldex 4800 N95 [1], but I buy them at nearly $10/pcs, and they are rare. They last the longest, fit perfectly without much need for adjusting via metal bands, can be taken off and simply hang on your neck, and their lace is adjustable plus they look very cool. In other words, we do have great technology here in America - probably the best respirators on the planet. I'm not sure why 1 year later we still can't produce enough and I see all medical stuff outside of COVID-19 units wearing plain surgical mask! BTW, I did manage to buy FFP3 on eBay recently for less than N95s (most people don't search form them, I guess) - they are almost the equivalent of N99, i.e. they offer even greater protection than N95. So, try that, too. [0]: https://soomlab-korea.com/ https://soomlab-korea.com/ [1]: https://www.moldex.com/product/4800-n95-airwave-pleated-easy-breathing-nuisance-organic-vapor-ozone-respirator/ https://www.moldex.com/product/4800-n95-airwave-pleated-easy...
cameldrv 6y ago
You can. Grainger is selling a good selection now, and they are a very old and respected distributor. I trust their supply chain, and you can get N95s from them for 2-4 dollars each depending on exactly what model and brand you want.

You can - on eBay! But prepare to pay $5+/piece (over $10 and even $20 for 3M ones). Meanwhile, supposedly, price gouging was supposed to be persecuted. There are lots of KN95 fakes, by the way. There are tons of KF94 authentic ones on Amazon.

snypher 6y ago
>KF94 Can we please have a global standard on masks already?
- nikolay 6y ago
  Yeah, I know.
jkim1258 6y ago
Frankly, I've had too many issues with fake products on Amazon to trust masks being sold there
- nikolay 6y ago
  There are counterfeit N95s on Amazon, too. I think the Korean ones from [0] are the most legit. They sell them on Amazon, too, and they have nice packaging, which is hard to counterfeit as it's too much work and requires quality details. They also have non-certified ones, which seems pretty good, too. They fit well, and don't touch your lips, i.e. the mask doesn't get wet unlike the surgical ones. My favorite is Gerson 2130 N95 I managed to buy on eBay last February for $2/pcs. They are cupped, they don't touch your mouth, and leave space, and have larger filter area and are easier to breathe without vents. They don't leak air either. I use them for at least 16 hours a mask without deterioration - expect the rubber bands, which are the worst part. My other favorite is Moldex 4800 N95 [1], but I buy them at nearly $10/pcs, and they are rare. They last the longest, fit perfectly without much need for adjusting via metal bands, can be taken off and simply hang on your neck, and their lace is adjustable plus they look very cool. In other words, we do have great technology here in America - probably the best respirators on the planet. I'm not sure why 1 year later we still can't produce enough and I see all medical stuff outside of COVID-19 units wearing plain surgical mask! BTW, I did manage to buy FFP3 on eBay recently for less than N95s (most people don't search form them, I guess) - they are almost the equivalent of N99, i.e. they offer even greater protection than N95. So, try that, too. [0]: https://soomlab-korea.com/ https://soomlab-korea.com/ [1]: https://www.moldex.com/product/4800-n95-airwave-pleated-easy-breathing-nuisance-organic-vapor-ozone-respirator/ https://www.moldex.com/product/4800-n95-airwave-pleated-easy...

cameldrv 6y ago

You can. Grainger is selling a good selection now, and they are a very old and respected distributor. I trust their supply chain, and you can get N95s from them for 2-4 dollars each depending on exactly what model and brand you want.