Customer Reviews

3M 8000 Particle Respirator N95, 30-Pack

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Aside from recent challenges expressed by others in obtaining N95 respirators, I ordered a 30 pack from Deerso at $13.98/box and received them promptly. I should hope that anyone reading these reviews realizes that the bulk of the negative feedback is not product related, but just people caught up in the swine flu hysteria.

As stated, this is a good mask for a great price. Anyone familiar with the various types of respirators on the market will realize that a N95 is a far better mask than those marketed as "dust masks" you find at the hardware store. Those sell for $2-$5 for a two pack, these provide better protection and at $13-$15 for a box of 30, is a much better bargain.

The mask is perfect for anyone with alergies and/or asthma, which pretty much describes me. They are firm to the touch, as opposed to the soft cloth green surgical N95's (which cost more), and have dual elastic straps that hold tight throughout a long day. They are perfect for the garden, cleaning around the house & yard, changing the cat litter, doing anything with flour, and especially dusting & vacuming. Compared to softer masks, this mask actually breathes better and I don't sweat under it as much.

Like all masks, the metal nose clip is very helpful and, perhaps this is just my imagination, seems to hold better. Meaning it doesn't give way as easily as other brands I have tried, where you have to keep pinching it every so often to close the gap over your nose. This is a big issue to anyone like myself who wears glasses and they keep fogging up if your mask doesn't fit well.

As for my two cents on whether or not this is a good "flu mask," N95 means the mask will prevent 95% of particles from getting through. The only way to be really, really sure is to get a N100 mask and have it be a full fask mask as germs can just as easily get into you via your eyes and ears. Is anyone seriously going to wear one of those all the time?

For me, a N95 mask is better than a regular mask and falls into the category of "good enough" (for me).

Overall, this was a great buy.

These face masks are high quality and are comfortable to wear. I use them when scooping my cat's litter boxes so I do not inhale the litter dust that escapes into the air.

We are living in China, use the masks for occassional dust storms blowing through the city. Also, carry them on hand while bicycling for dust problems while travelling through small towns. Works great!

I have tried these respirators for dusty activities like mowing, dusting/vacuuming, cleaning a litter box, and cleaning bird cages. They are a very poor fit for my smaller face, leaving a large open gap under my chin through which all the contaminated air flows. In order for a respirator to work, the seal around the edges must be tight enough that air flows *through* the filter material and not around the edges.

The mask is also painful after only a few seconds of wear. The metal noseband is stiff and not padded, and no matter what I do, I can't bend it enough to seal around the bridge of my nose. The shape of the mask is so flat that it presses down painfully on the tip of my nose. The edges of the mask are sharp. The top edge of the mask cuts into my eyelids and interferes with glasses, sunglasses, or safety goggles. The elastic strap is much too tight and painful, and my head is about average for a woman.

For everyday dusty household and yard chores or for an emergency kit, it is important to have a respirator that will fit comfortably and work effectively, or you'll end up not using it.

I read recently that the California Department of Public Health recalled their entire emergency stockpile of 3M 8000 masks (about 60% of the state's total stockpile) in early 2010 because the masks did not fit the health care workers who would need them in an emergency. I understand that no mask is truly one-size-fits-all, but this mask didn't fit anybody properly and therefore didn't filter the air properly when they did the fit-testing. Choose a different model of NIOSH-approved N-95 respirator.

I live in Ensenada, Baja California, México. I got these for my family and every body is very comfortable wearing them. The only thing is to remember to wash your hands before putting and taking them off. I can recomend this product for its 3M quality and price.

Works fine with dusting, sanding and doing routine work where lots of dust is involved.
Worked great while cleaning the vacuum clearer bags. Would recommend to anyone who wants dust free breathing.

3M makes quite a few of these N95 masks packages. This package is inexpensive but the edge of the mask is sharp. It means when you wear one for more than a few minutes, it cuts into your face. I would not buy this package again.

3M 8000 N95 Particulate Disposable Respirator - the "N95" means that if the mask is properly fitted, it will filter out particles down to .3 microns 95 percent of the time. That's great for particulate matter but not sufficient against flu bugs - yet quite helpful.

The types of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses measure between .1 to .2 microns. That means that while this mask will probably stop most of the flu viruses from getting through, it is not dense enough to stop them all. That is why the product description mentions dust and particulate matter but makes no claim or mention of viruses.

Masks with a high enough efficiency rating to stop viruses are incredibly uncomfortable. I've never worn one but consider that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises health-care workers working with SARS patients to wear the N95 mask - same rating as this one. Even the CDC does not expect people to function at work wearing masks with super high efficiency ratings. Therefore I'm not getting a superior rated mask because they are immediately uncomfortable and I might not be able to function wearing one. Health-care workers will be wearing masks rated N95.

The N95 masks are also valued because viruses often travel on bigger molecules such as molecules that contain mucus. N95 will stop all of those.

I'm satisfied with the 3M N95 masks and the box of 30 is a good emergency supply.

Quoted from a Safety News "Flash-Report"

Cal-OSHA Reporter's Jan. 4 flash report about the recall of 3M 8000 respirators made reference to the "8000 series." That term has triggered a deluge of questions to Cal/OSHA about whether other 3M respirators are affected by the recall, which was ordered when health-care employers reported an unacceptably high failure rate during fit tests.
For instance, Craig Brown, senior industrial hygienist for the VHA Center for Engineering & Occupational Safety and Health in Pittsburgh, Pa., notes that there are several sub-series of the 3M 8000 N95 respirators with different face molds, such as 8210, 8211, 8511, 8612, 8670 and more.
The only respirators that have been recalled are the 8000s, says DOSH Senior Safety Engineer Deborah Gold. "Other N95 respirators are not affected by the alert," she says.

Maybe OK for dirt or dust particles but if your considering this mask for protection against virus or illnesses, think again...

The product is comfortable to wear, and easy to breathe through. I am not sure how they hold up against swine flu , cause by the time we got it .. the swine flu virus was in recess.