Credit:
Reviewed / Jonathan Chan
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
Credit:
Reviewed / Jonathan Chan
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
Learn more about our product testing
These top our list because they balance dexterity and protection. We're pleased with how they held up, but it's the flexibility that put them over the top. Read More
When it comes to frigid conditions, these gloves blew everything out of the ice water. They also protected hands well, resisting sharp objects and rope constrictions. Read More
Stanley is a storied company that makes pretty good work gloves. These sport the same design as the Carhartts that took top spot, but with much rougher, and less flexible, cow hide. Read More
While these are very light and flexible, they offer only mild protection against sharp objects and reverberation. However, for light handyman tasks, they work like a charm. Read More
Their Gunn Cut design gives them a classy look, and we like how supple the leather is. However, the sleek design means the only extra padding is a thin strip of leather on the palm. Read More
It's time to get to work. There are nails that need hammering, boards that need sawing, and snow that needs shoveling. You don't need praise or incentives to knuckle down, but you would like a little protection. You know that if you actually work your hands to the bone, you won't be able to come back tomorrow and get even more done.
Not to worry, we put some of the best-selling work gloves through their paces in our testing labs to see which ones will save your digits. We judged each set of gloves based on protection they provided, dexterity, and ease of use.
After being cut with knives, choked with rope, and drowned in ice water, we think the Carhartt A518 (available at Amazon) will do the best job for most people. These heavy-duty safety gloves had the padding in all the right places and will let you work in comfort.
You should research work gloves like any other tool in your kit.
I'm Jon Chan, and I am the Senior Product Technician here at Reviewed. Throughout the day, I install, move, and test large appliances like washers and fridges, so a good pair of work gloves are essential to my day-to-day. When it came time to test work gloves, I wanted to balance durability and dexterity because if you can't work in work gloves, that kind of defeats the point.
Our testing focused on three major categories: protection, dexterity, and ease of use.
Part of the testing includes constricting a length of rope around each glove.
The ideal glove should provide protection against the elements, sharp objects, impact shock, and constriction. To simulate cold and damp weather, we used a bucket of ice water. We measured conditions inside the glove, both at room temperature and submerged into the bucket, using remote thermocouples.
After the gloves dried off, we considered the break-in period over and moved onto the sharp objects test. We very carefully gripped a blade made of 154CM steel and poked at the fingertips. There are niche gloves that are made to protect against cuts, however, we feel that all gloves should provide some defense against sharp objects. The shock and constriction tests involved hitting stuff with a hammer and wrapping a rope around our hands and pulling.
A good work glove should protect you from accidental contact with sharp objects.
Finally, we did dexterity tests. For quantitative numbers, we pitted our ability to twirl a pen in our fingers ungloved versus gloved. The more revolutions we could complete, the better. We also judged how difficult it was to do normal tasks like turning a screw, adjusting dials, and writing.
You've only got one set of hands and you should protect them. We're not going to tell you what to do, but it's worth mentioning that, in 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 143,000 hand-related injuries were reported in the workplace—a statistic that doesn't cover hand injuries that happened at work but weren't reported or any of the work that folks like you and I do to keep their homes, vehicles, and backyards working as they should. This reported 143,000 injuries meant that, in 2015, hand injuries came in second place to the reported number of incidents of back injuries (191,450) sustained by Americans while they were on the job.
Everyone knows to lift with their knees to protect their backs. Your hands should be shown the same respect.
• Cuts: The best cut-resistant gloves are made from Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, UHMW). Lightweight and flexible, these types of gloves do not typically protect from shock or puncture.
• Bruising and blistering: Look for quality leather to prevent bruising and blistering. A quality pair of work gloves will have an extra layer sewn over the knuckles and over the palm.
• Water and chemicals: In this situation, latex and nitrile gloves will work the best. You want a nonreactive barrier that's also disposable.
• Extreme temperatures: The gloves that protect against extreme hot and cold tend to be very thick. The added bulk provides more insulation.
Decent insulation in cold temperatures
Pads protect the palms, wrist, and fingertips
Rough cowhide material
Reduce dexterity
Breathable
Allows for a large range of motion and dexterity
Offered only mild protection against sharp objects
Felt broken in right out of the box
Sleek design
Only extra padding is a thin strip on the palm
Long, elastic cuffs keep dirt out
Breathable polyester backing
Large, loose, and bulky fingers
Not sturdy enough for heavy-duty garden work
Thorn-proof against bushes and flowers
Don't stand up to thorns on tree branches or cacti
Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
Shoot us an email
