The category people equip last and need first. We compare respirators by filter class, hearing protection by attenuation, face shields against safety glasses, and the work-holding aids — push sticks, featherboards — that keep hands away from a blade.
The only filtration efficiency on either half of this shelf, with the laboratory named — and no filter class.
Filter class
Not published by the maker. · No N95, R95, P100 or FFP designation appears
Filtration efficiency
99.941 per cent average, published, with particulate caught down to 0.1 micron · Stated tested at Nelson Laboratories, USA — the only efficiency figure and the only laboratory on either half of this shelf
Filter type
Active carbon, included, stated interchangeable and reusable along with the exhaust valves
Stated limit
Non-toxic dust, fumes, common airborne irritants and other non-oil-based particles · Stated for non-oil-based paint only
Straps
An adjustable upper strap with internal silicone grip lines, stated to prevent slipping
Sizes
The title says 2 sizes and names Large; a feature says it comes in 3 sizes
Body
Elastic material, adjustable, stated to fit most head types
Part number
850025430944
Amazon reference
B0DZJ3QGBT
EAN
0850025430944
Publishes an efficiency figure to three decimal places and names the laboratory
States what it is not for — oil-based particles — which a class letter also implies
No filter class, which is what the shelf compares respirators on
Best for: Sanding and shop clean-up, by somebody who will read the efficiency figure and not the word carbon
The only respirator on this shelf to publish a certification mark — and it is a mark, not a class.
Filter class
Not published by the maker. · No FFP, N95 or P100 designation appears
Certification
CE certified, stated for both the mask and the goggles — the only certification mark on either half of this shelf · CE is a conformity marking, not a filter class
Filtration efficiency
Not published by the maker.
Filters
A dual filter structure, stated to support comfortable airflow, with components replaceable when needed · No medium and no rating given
Eye protection
Anti-fog safety goggles included
Fit
Adjustable head straps and a soft sealing surface, stated for different face shapes · Size M, from the title
Stated uses
Woodworking, sanding, spray painting, grinding, renovation, construction and maintenance
Part number
Not published by the maker.
Amazon reference
B0GQVV4PF8
EAN
0199874781433
Publishes a certification mark, which no other respirator on this shelf does
A dual filter lowers breathing resistance, which is why a mask gets worn
CE is a conformity marking, not a filter class — no FFP number appears
Best for: Dust work in a size M face, by somebody who will establish the filter rating separately
A named impact standard, two coatings and a lifetime warranty — on glasses whose comparison figures name nothing to compare with.
Standard
ANSI Z87 certified, stated — one of three standards named on the American half of this shelf
Lens
Polycarbonate, wraparound, stated to protect from direct and peripheral threats
Coatings
Anti-fog and scratch resistant · Stated 5 times more fog resistant and 2 times more scratch resistant than most clear protective glasses — no product and no test is named
UV
100 per cent UV radiation blocked, stated
Fit
Extendable arms, an adjustable soft nose pad and non-slip rubber grips
Warranty
A lifetime warranty, stated, with replacement or refund — the only lifetime warranty on either half of this shelf
Part number
EyeArmor+
Amazon reference
B07GB8Y11G
EAN
4744452013893
Names an impact standard, which the published over-glasses on this shelf do not
Both coatings, which together decide whether glasses are worn
“5x” and “2x” name no product and no test to compare against
Best for: A pair that gets worn, because it does not fog and does not scratch — on a face without prescription glasses
The only work-holding set on either half of this shelf to publish the mitre slot it fits.
Contents
Four: a featherboard, a magnetic push stick, a straight-handle push block and an angled-handle push block
Featherboard fixing
Expanding bars into standard 3/4 in mitre slots — the only slot size published on either half of this shelf · Also stated usable on router tables, shaper tables and router fences
Push stick
Magnetic, stated ergonomic, for guiding narrow stock on a table saw
Push blocks
Two, with soft washable rubber foam pads and non-slip soles, stated for feeding through jointers and routers · One straight handle, one angled
Stated machines
Table saws, jointers and band saws
Part number
11553
Amazon reference
B07QDP6HRN
EAN
0817918022174
Publishes the mitre slot size, which is what decides whether a featherboard fits
Two push blocks with different handles, for a jointer and for a router table
No dimensions on the featherboard or the blocks
Best for: A table saw with a 3/4 inch mitre slot, and a jointer that needs both hands kept above the cutterhead
The only guard on either half of this shelf — and the only part here that collects dust where the dust is made.
Function
Surrounds the blade to contain dust and improve above-table safety and visibility
Lateral guards
Independent, stated to minimize blade exposure and to allow cuts as narrow as 3/4 in — 19 mm
Anti-kickback
Integrated pawls, stated to help prevent kickback
Extraction port
Not published as a size. Above-table collection is the stated purpose
Fitment
Stated engineered for use with SawStop table saws · No saw model is named
Unrelated bullet
The fourth published feature describes precision-ground carbide teeth engineered for use with SawStop table saws, delivering clean accurate cuts on hardwood, softwood and sheet goods — a saw blade's feature on a guard assembly's page
Part number
TSG-DC
Amazon reference
B005VDA3TO
EAN
0733175380577
Collects dust above the table, where a cabinet port cannot reach
Independent lateral guards, so a narrow rip does not mean removing the guard
The fourth published feature is about carbide saw teeth, not about a guard
Best for: A SawStop table saw where the guard currently comes off for every narrow rip
A thicknesser goes past a hundred decibels, and twenty decibels of attenuation is not enough. The stated attenuation is subtracted from the machine's noise: it is a sum, not an impression.
A mask that leaks at the chin filters nothing, whatever its class. Masks with a stated soft skirt and twin straps are the only ones that seal over a beard.
Hearing protection that is worn is infinitely better than high-performance protection left on the wall. Comfort decides actual use.
Sanding and cutting
Fine dust is the workshop's long-term risk. FFP2 as a minimum, FFP3 for exotic timbers and glued panels.
Turning and machines that throw
A full face shield, not glasses: a piece that comes off a lathe arrives at face height.
What each advantage costs, on safety gear
Protection against comfort
A highly filtering mask breathes less well and gets taken off more often. The best equipment is the one you keep on for the whole session.
Disposable against cartridge
Disposables cost little and are replaced often; cartridge half-masks filter better, adjust to the face and require upkeep.
Earmuffs against plugs
Earmuffs go on and off quickly; plugs often attenuate more and are forgotten once in place. The choice depends on how often you are interrupted.
Before buying safety gear
What mask against wood dust?
FFP2 as a minimum for ordinary use, FFP3 for exotic timbers, glued panels and long sanding sessions. An ordinary builder's dust mask does not filter the fines.
Are glasses enough?
For most machines, yes. For the wood lathe and angle grinders, no: you need a shield that protects the whole face.
What attenuation for which machine?
Workshop machines go well beyond the harm threshold. 25 dB of attenuation is enough in most cases; comfort counts for more than the advertised decibels.
Should you wear gloves at a woodworking machine?
Never near a rotating machine: a snagged glove drags the hand in. They are for handling and hand sanding, not in front of a saw.
Can a disposable mask be reused?
A working day at most, less if it becomes hard to breathe through. A saturated mask still filters and tires you, which pushes you to take it off.
Does extraction replace the mask?
It hugely reduces exposure without removing it, especially at clean-up time. The two are complementary.
What should I wear for varnishing?
A half-mask with organic cartridges, not a dust mask. Solvent vapors pass through an FFP3 unfiltered.
Does a cartridge respirator last for years?
The half-mask does; the cartridges do not. They saturate in use and age even in their pouch, and the printed expiry date is the only reliable guide.
What to remember about safety gear
The best equipment is the one you actually wear: favor comfort over advertised performance. FFP2 as a minimum against wood dust, a face shield at the lathe, and never gloves near a machine that turns.
A quick look at safety gear
Safety gear, side by side
There is no table here, and the reason is in the listings. The figure published most often across these 13 products is coating, given by 2 of them — short of the four in five a column needs to compare rather than to display gaps. Each product page says what its own maker published.
