Best Welding Glasses For 2021
Top 5 Picks for Best Welding Glasses For 2021
| Award | Product Image | Product Title | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Best Overall |
|
Sellstrom Welding Helmet, Flip Front Adaptor, Lift Front Retainer, Durable Nylon, Unisex, Black, S273200 | $27.29 |
|
| #2 Runner-Up |
|
Servore Auto Shade Darkening Welding Goggle Arcshield 2 The world's first Auto-Darkening Protect Mask (Arcshield Mask) | $160.90 |
|
| #3 Alternative |
|
KleenGuard - 18629 V90 Shield Clear Anti Fog Lens Protection Goggle with Blue Frame | $20.99 |
|
| #4 Alternative |
|
Holulo Auto Darkening Welding Goggles with Clear Inner Lenses Welding Helmet Solar Welder Eyes Glasses Flip Up Lens Eye Protection (Dark Green) | $27.99 |
|
When it comes to welding, the glasses you use will make a big difference. They can also prevent you from going blind. (That’s not even being dramatic!)
There are a few factors you will want to consider when choosing a pair of welding glasses.
Some factors include comfort level, durability, lens shade, and build. You will also want to consider if you need a full helmet or just goggles for your projects.
Since there are so many options out there, we decided to write a guide. This list will include the best welding glasses for 2021.
By the end of this article, you will have a clear idea of what pair you need.
Let’s get started.
Best Welding Glasses For 2021
#1: BEST OVERALL: Sellstrom S27300 Welding Helmet Flip Front Adaptor
The Sellstrom Welding Helmet Flip Front Adapter glasses will be a durable yet lightweight addition to any welding helmet. The main feature of the glasses is the flip-front style.
The product comes with everything you need to install the glasses to your helmet, including screws, filter gasket, a cover plate, and back spring.
One of the best welding glasses, this product features a polycarbonate cover plate. The strong nylon material will also expand its lifespan; the product will last for years.
BENEFITS
- Durable design
- Glasses come with a passive filter plate
- Easy to lift handle
- Made from strong nylon
DRAWBACKS
- It does not have a cutting template
- Requires installation
- It does not come with an auto-darkening lens
EXTRA FEATURES
- Made in the USA
- Two easy lift handles
- Constructed by a reliable company experienced with safety equipment
Buying Advice
This product is one of the best welding glasses for 2021. It is a sturdy and well-built addition to your welding helmet. The flip-front glasses will be easy and convenient when working on long projects.
Even though the package comes with everything you need for installation, installing the glasses on your helmet can be a pain.
The glasses do not come with a cutting template, so you will just have to use your judgment when cutting into your helmet.
Furthermore, you will also need to install the lens separately. Some lenses may not fit, so if you already have a lens, look at the product’s size.
If you already have a quality helmet but want sturdy, flip-front glasses, this product will be for you. Just make sure that you are okay with doing a good amount of installation on your own.
#2: RUNNER-UP: Servore Auto Shade Darkening Welding Goggle
The Servore Auto Shade Darkening Welding Goggle is one of the best welding goggles you will find on the market.
Manufacturers designed the lens to pick up bright colors. The goggles’ wide view will also enhance your welding experience and help you feel more comfortable in the workspace.
This arcshield mask with an RF sensor is a great size; it is not too big or bulky but will still protect you. You can also wear respirators, eyeglasses, and hard-hats with this mask.
Finally, you will be able to move around in dark environments with the welders safety glasses. It has a detachable flash holder located on the shield light to prevent dangerous trips or falls.
BENEFITS
- Comfortable
- Prevents fogging
- Automatically turns off
- Provides enough light in low-light settings
- Works well for tight spaces
DRAWBACKS
- Has no head-protection
- Could run out of battery while working
- Requires a CR2450 3V lithium battery
Extra features
- RF sensor
- Has five adjustable settings (cutting mode, welding mode, photo mode, RF mode, and delay adjustment)
Buying Advice
There are a few reasons why you might want to snatch this mask up. It is one of the best safety glasses for welders.
You will have a panoramic and clear view wearing these glasses, making it easy to do your work. The colors will be brighter, and you will never experience any fogging.
Servore designed this product with safety in mind, so you won’t have to worry about any sort of injury while wearing the mask.
Furthermore, the mask has a close fit and is not bulky at all. If you work in tight spaces, this will be one of the best masks for you.
One of the best features of the electronic goggles is that it has five adjustable settings, including cutting mode, welding mode, photo mode, RF mode, and delay adjustment.
#3: ALTERNATIVE: Jackson Safety 18629 V90 Shield Clear Anti Fog Lens
The Jackson Safety V90 Shield Clear Anti-Fog Lens provides optimal face shielding to protect you from any flying debris.
You also will not experience any sort of fogging while working. The product has the monogoggle XTR attached to the face mask.
Furthermore, the mask is polycarbonate and has a good amount of ventilation. These glasses are also UV light-resistant.
BENEFITS
- Will not fog up
- Polycarbonate face shield
- Has the monogoggle XTR model
- The glasses are detachable from the shield
- The face shield will protect from debris
- UV light resistant
DRAWBACKS
- Cannot use this product alone for welding
- Need to wear separate welding glasses with the mask
- It does not protect the forehead and top of the head
EXTRA FEATURES
- The face shield is curved and will conform to your face shape
- Comfortable
- Lightweight
- Provides a tight seal around the eyes
Buying Advice
If you already have a solid pair of welding goggles and simply need a quality facemask to wear over them, this product will be for you.
The reason these will not work alone for welding is that they will not protect against infrared light.
Infrared light can heat your eye to dangerous levels and cause a number of damaging effects, including cataracts.
The mask is constructed from PVC, one of the strongest plastics out there.
Since the mask covers most of your face, you won’t have to worry about flying debris coming at you. It also curves nicely to your face, which provides even more protection compared to a straight mask.
You can also detach the face shield from the goggles it comes with, so you can always just use the shield with your welding glasses. Finally, this mask provides optimal ventilation.
#4: ALTERNATIVE: Holulo Auto Darkening Welding Goggles
The Holulo Auto Darkening Welding Goggles has a convenient flip lens and will be the best safety glasses for welding.
This product will last for years; manufacturers use high-quality ABS (thermoplastic polymer) and PP (polypropylene) for the product.
These goggles will protect your eyes from ultraviolet light and infrared radiation. They have a 99% resistance to UV-AB light and meet the highest safety standards.
You will find that the Holulo Auto Darkening Goggles mimic vintage welding glasses because of their light-weight and tight fit.
This product is definitely one of the best welding glasses for 2021 because of its comfort, durability, safety standards, and sturdy fit.
BENEFITS
- Flip-up lens
- Automatic dimming lens
- Protects against UV-AB
- Constructed from ABS and PP material
- Comfortable to wear (imported soft rubber)
- Fits over glasses
DRAWBACKS
- It does not have full-face protection
- It cannot use for continuous welding
- Only adjusts to shade 3 or 11 (not anywhere in-between)
EXTRA FEATURES
- High sensitivity probes
- Anti-glare lens protects from infrared radiation
- Good for steel welding, gas welding, and cutting
- It uses a liquid crystal filter
Buying Advice
If you are looking for dark welding glasses and plan only to do steel welding, gas welding, and cutting, these will be a great choice.
Since the glasses do not come with a full-face shield, they will not be suitable for continuous welding.
The product uses imported soft rubber, so it will be great for wearing during long days of welding. The flip-up lens is also convenient.
Furthermore, these goggles will be a good choice if you prefer an automatic dimming lens. They do not come with a dimming control, so you will be relying on the goggles to do the work for you.
These goggles will protect you from ultraviolet light and infrared radiation with its anti-glare lens and double filter.
Overall, this product will be the best for non-continuous welding because of its comfort, safety, and light-weight.
#5: ALTERNATIVE: KKmoon Automatic Professional Eye Protection PC Glasses
The KKmoon Automatic Professional Eye Protection PC Glasses will protect your eyes from block welding slag and flying debris.
Furthermore, the automatic dimming lens will prevent permanent damage to your eyes from ultraviolet and infrared light.
These welding glasses shades are one of a kind; they are solar-powered, so you won’t have to worry about buying batteries. The charge will also last a long time.
Finally, the glasses are adjustable. If they do not fit right, you can always adjust the length.
BENEFITS
- Automatic dimming lens (0.1-millisecond dimming)
- Prevents eye injuries from slag and debris
- It does not require batteries
- Eco-friendly
DRAWBACKS
- You will have to charge the glasses
- It does not offer full-face protection
EXTRA FEATURES
- The arms are adjustable
- Soft rubber nose piece
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
Buying Advice
If you want to be eco-friendly, these dark welding glasses will be for you. Since they are solar-powered, you won’t need any batteries.
However, something to keep in mind is that you will have to charge them. If they are ever out of battery, you can not simply switch the batteries and use them right away.
The KKmoon is one of the best welding glasses for 2021 for non-continuous welding. Since they don’t have full-face protection, you can only use the product for certain welding projects.
The automatic dimmer is convenient since the lens responds in 0.1 milliseconds to changing light conditions.
Finally, durability will not be a concern. Manufacturers use PP and ABS materials to construct these high-quality glasses.
Welding Glasses FAQ
What Type of Glasses Are Used in the Welding Work?
It may not come as a surprise that welders wear glasses called ‘welding glasses.’
Manufacturers specifically design these glasses to protect the wearer from ultraviolet light, infrared light, heat, and flying debris.
Most welding glasses will either have a shade three or five lens. However, you will need different kinds of glasses for different types of welding.
For instance, some lenses will need to be darker than a shade five.
Let’s look at the different shades and what type of welding experts recommended them for.
- Shade 2: Torch brazing
- Shade 3-4: Torch brazing and oxygen cutting
- Shade 5-6: Gas welding, oxygen cutting, and plasma arc welding
- Shade 8-10: Plasma arc cutting, gas tungsten arc welding, gas welding, and shielded
- Shade 11, 12, and 14: Carbon arc welding, plasma arc cutting, plasma arc welding, air carbon arc cutting, gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux-cored arc welding, and shielded metal arc welding.
On top of the various shades that welding glasses have, there are several different helmet styles.
Many welders will wear full-face helmets to prevent face burns and debris from hitting their faces.
Arc welding, plasma arc cutting, air carbon arc cutting, and gouging require full-face protection on top of suitable eye protection.
Many helmets will have pre-installed welding lenses so you get the best of both worlds.
Let’s take a look at the various kinds of helmet eye protection for welding.
Passive welding helmets
This kind of helmet is the most basic on the market. It protects from heat, flying debris, and ultraviolet light rays.
Many welders love these helmets because of the affordable price. However, you have to adjust the lens manually.
Solar-powered helmets
This helmet runs on solar power. Even though the helmet uses an internal battery to power up, it utilizes solar power to keep it running during use.
This option is the most eco-friendly because of its power source and how it turns off every time the welder is not using it.
However, these helmets are not ready to use at the drop of a hat (or, in this case, helmet). You will need to remember to charge it beforehand.
Auto-darkening helmets
Auto-darkening lens helmets are one of the most expensive on the market because of their main feature.
While welding, the lens automatically adjusts according to the amount of light that the welding arc projects.
This lens greatly increases productivity since welders do not have to adjust it manually.
Battery-powered helmets
These kinds of helmets use lithium batteries that you can recharge or replace to maintain power.
Some welders prefer battery-powered helmets since they are always ready to use if you have a stash of new batteries.
Variable-shade welding helmets
The lenses on these helmets can adapt to many different light conditions.
Welders that work on many different projects prefer these kinds of helmets since they prevent welding defects from occurring (which saves time).
Fixed-shade helmets
Most fixed-shade helmets will come with a shade 10 lens. Novice welders or welders who work on only one type of project will use this kind of helmet.
How Bad Is It To Look at Welding?
Before we get into this, it is worth noting that the effect and intensity of radiation depend on how close you stand to the welder’s arc.
The general rule of thumb is to wear protective equipment when you are closer than ten meters to the arc. However, accidents happen.
If you accidentally glimpse a welding arc for a second or two, you may experience a few uncomfortable symptoms.
- Sore eyes (mild to severe pain)
- Extreme sensitivity to light
- Reddening of the eyes
- Eye watering
- An itchy sensation at the back of your eye
- Short-term blindness
It is rare to have any symptoms right after you see a welding arc. You will usually experience symptoms a few hours after exposure.
If you look at welding for even a split second, it is possible to get arc eye (Photokeratitis). In most cases, the damage is not permanent, and your eyes will recover in a few days or in up to a week.
However, if you wear safety glasses, it may be a different story. Most safety glasses will protect against UV rays, which will prevent arc eye.
Even so, you can still experience arc eye from indirect light, so you will need to make sure the safety glasses fit nice and snug.
Overall, if you glimpse a welding arc one time, you will most likely be fine.
On the other hand, the more you expose your eyes to UV and IR damage, the more likely you will experience long-term damage.
What Shade Lens Is Used for Arc Welding?
Arc welding uses electricity to generate heat. The heat that the electric currents generate then allows the welder to melt and join the metal.
There are a few different types of arc welding. Normally, you will need a darker shade for this kind of welding that typically falls in the 10-14 range.
It is worth noting that you will need to consider the arc current before choosing a shade. The arc current will affect the shade you will need to use to stay safe.
Check the list below to see what shade you need for each kind of arc welding.
- Shielded metal arc welding: 10-14
- Gas metal arc welding: 11, 12 or 14
- Gas tungsten arc welding: 10, 12 or 14
- Air carbon arc cutting: 12 or 14
- Plasma arc cutting: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12 or 14.
- Plasma arc welding: 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14.
As you can see, even one kind of arc welding will have a few different shade ranges.
Generally speaking, the higher the arc current is in amperes, the darker the shade you will need to get (higher numbers).
The lower the arc current is, the lighter the shade can be (low shade numbers).
Does Welding Ruin Your Eyes?
If you are interested in getting into welding or if you are a beginner, this question is good to ask.
The short answer is that welding will not ruin your eyes if you follow the proper safety precautions.
There are a few things in the welding environment that could hurt your eyes. First of all, the welding arc and molten metal emits ultraviolet and infrared light and radiation.
Both of these are very harmful to your eyes.
Secondly, the grinding, chipping, and brushing process can cause small pieces of debris to fly. These can pose an extreme hazard as well, and many eye injuries that happen while welding is because of debris.
Even if you are not welding, you can still experience an eye injury. Indirect ultraviolet and infrared rays from other welders in the shop can burn your eyes as well.
Photokeratitis is what happens when you burn your eyes. This injury can feel very uncomfortable since it is equivalent to a sunburn on your eyes.
While the short-term effects (temporary blindness or discomfort and pain) often go away quickly, long-term effects include the yellowing of the eye, which will inevitably cause vision problems.
To prevent short and long-term effects of UV and IR damage, make sure to wear adequate personal protective gear.
Gear can include welding glasses, gloves, protective jacket, closed-toe shoes, and long pants.
When buying equipment, always make sure it is ANSI (The American National Standards Institute) certified/approved.
Conclusion
The best welding glasses for 2021 is the Sellstrom S27300 Welding Helmet. The flip front adapter makes it very convenient.
When you are looking for welding glasses, you will need to make sure they protect against UV and IR light.
Secondly, you will need to know what shade you need for the kind of welding you are doing. For example, most arc welding shades will be in the range of 10-14.
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