
When you’re tackling any DIY project, big or small, having the right tools and equipment is instrumental to getting things done. But all too often we forget about protecting our hands from cuts, abrasions and even dangerous chemicals! That’s why it’s so important for builders, tradesmen, and home hobbyists alike to invest in a good pair of work gloves — ones that will provide you with optimal protection while still allowing your hands freedom of movement.
In this post we’ll be looking at the best work gloves for different types of work, breaking down everything you need to know before buying in our handy buyer’s guide. Keep reading to find out which type of glove is most suitable for both your craftsmanship skill level as well as protect your hands with utmost safety!
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Best General Purpose Work Gloves ![]() |
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Best Work Gloves for Painting ![]() |
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Best Leather Gloves for Work ![]() |
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Best Work Gloves for Woodworking ![]() |
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Best Heat Resistant Work Gloves ![]() |
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Introduction to Work Gloves
If you work with power tools, do jobs that could prove harmful to your hands, or simply want to keep your hands clean while doing those DIY projects, you’re gonna need a “handy” pair of work gloves that’ll keep your hands safe and comfortable. A good pair of work gloves will protect your hands from the dangers of manual labor such as burns, sharp edges, crushing, electrical shocks and spilt chemicals.
Work gloves are characterized as reinforced gloves that are made with different materials depending on the hazard that it’s meant to protect the user from. Wearing gloves are an essential part of any PPE kit (personal, protective, equipment) and there are different kinds of work gloves for labor intensive jobs such as mechanics, gardeners, welders, painters and other industries. Work gloves are meant to be the last line of protection against workplace hazards and also help workers do their jobs more comfortably.
Work gloves come in different sizes, can be made with different materials and some are better at a specific job than others. Let’s go over the best work gloves and what they’re all about.
Best Work Gloves Reviewed
Best General Purpose Work Gloves:
Ironclad GUG-04-L
Key Specs & Features:
- Material: Synthetic leather, Nylon, Thermoplastic rubber
- Size Range: XS – XXL
- Form fitting
- Tactical gloves
- Adjustable velcro safety cuff
- Padded palm
- Abrasion resistant
- Elastic cuffs
- Machine washable
- Reinforced palms and knuckle protection
- Sweat wipe feature
- 1 year warranty

Overview:
These Ironclad general purpose work gloves offer users enhanced comfort and safety for labor intensive jobs.
The Ironclad GUG-04-L work gloves are made with a blend of synthetic leather, nylon and thermoplastic rubber that are woven together to form gloves that are durable, flexible, comfortable and machine washable. Ironclad designed these work gloves with some key features that are meant to

enhance safety and convenience. These include a padded palm grip meant to protect users against abrasions and sharp edges, a thermoplastic knuckle guard, an easy to pull cuff to help users get the gloves on or off faster and a sweat wipe located at the back of the thumb meant to absorb sweat off of the user’s brow.
Overall, Ironclad offers a great pair of work gloves that can be used by electricians, mechanics, construction workers, general contractors or even DIY enthusiasts for a wide range of tasks.
Check out the latest price on Ironclad GUG-04-L work gloves.
Best Work Gloves for Painting:
Venom VEN4195RH
Key Specs & Features:
- Material: Nitrile rubber
- Size Range: M-L
- No. of Gloves in Box: 100 pieces
- Chemical resistant
- Latex free
- Powder free
- Ambidextrous design
- Fully textured
- Disposable
- Flexible
- Form fitting

Overview:
Whether you’re painting or handling chemicals you’d rather not get on your hands, these gloves from Venom offer great protection against most chemicals and have features that make them more convenient for every user.

These disposable gloves from Venom are made with nitrile rubber and provide sufficient protection against some acids, cleaning solutions such as bleach, paints and paint thinners. The box comes with a total of 100 ambidextrous gloves and each one is fully textured to give users a better grip no matter which side the glove is worn. There are both medium and large sized gloves in the box.
To find out which size is best for you, there is a guide on the back of the box that you can use to measure the size of your hand. The gloves are also completely latex and powder free so you don’t have to worry about allergic reactions.
These gloves are ideally used for handling paint, oils or cleaning solutions. You can wear these gloves for painting or cleaning projects and even for car maintenance tasks like changing oil. Overall these gloves are a great choice for those looking for a reliable and convenient glove set that offers protection against all sorts of chemicals or paints.
Check out the latest price on Venom VEN4195RH glove set.
Best Leather Gloves for Work:
Wells Lamont 1132
Key Specs & Features:
- Material: Leather
- Size Range: S – XXL
- Reinforced leather palms
- Adjustable hook lock
- Ergonomic thumb
- Gunn cut pattern
- Puncture & abrasion resistant
- Durable & flexible
- General purpose work gloves
- Cowhide grain

Overview:
These general purpose leather work gloves from Wells Lamont are a great choice for those looking for that classic look of genuine leather but still want a comfortable and durable pair of gloves that’ll withstand the test of time.

The Wells Lamont 1132 leather gloves are made with cowhide and provide great abrasion and puncture resistance along with being comfortable to wear on a daily basis. This pair of leather gloves has features that are meant to improve flexibility and comfort such as an ergonomic keystone thumb and a Gunn cut pattern that follows the natural shape of the user’s hand. These gloves also feature a reinforced palm area which makes use of an additional layer of cowhide leather that helps users get a better grip and lengthens the lifespan of the gloves significantly. These gloves
also have an easy to use, adjustable wrist lock that uses a ball and tape mechanism. This makes the gloves easy to tighten or loosen even when you’re already wearing one.
Overall, the Wells Lamont 1132 leather gloves are great at general purpose tasks that need some hand protection. These gloves are ideally used for construction or contractor work, using power tools, landscaping, plumbing, welding, DIY home projects and even driving. Wells Lamont is well known for their stubborn quality and that reputation truly shows with this pair of gloves.
Check out the latest price on Wells Lamont 1132 leather gloves.
Best Work Gloves for Woodworking:
G&F 3100L-DZ-Parent
Key Specs & Features:
- Material: Latex, Cotton
- Size Range: S – XL
- Form fitting
- Reusable
- Double coated latex
- Textured palm and fingers
- Sweat absorbent
- Breathable material
- Comfortable
- Flexible
- Improved dexterity
- Bulk order available

Overview:
These general purpose breathable gloves from G&F Products are a great pick for users that need comfortable gloves for long work sessions that provide enough protection for handling materials such as wood or fiberglass.
The G&F 3100L-DZ-Parent work gloves are made with close knit cotton and double dipped latex. This mix of materials gives these gloves some unique features that help get the job done.

These gloves feature a textured palm that gives users a better grip on power tools or on workpieces and also provide ample protection from sharp materials like handling sheet metal. These gloves are made with cotton which is great at absorbing sweat and is breathable, making it comfortable to wear even during long work sessions. The gloves are also reusable and can be ordered in bulk.
The G&F 3100 work gloves are ideally used for manual labor such as landscaping, woodworking, construction, handling power tools, operating machinery or DIY projects around the house.
Check out the latest price on G&F 3100L-DZ-Parent gloves.
Best Heat Resistant Work Gloves:
RAPICCA Welding Gloves
Key Specs & Features:
- Material: Leather, Kevlar, Aluminum, Cotton
- Heat Rating: 932℉
- Size: 16 inches
- Flame retardant kevlar gloves
- Reinforced palm, fingers and backhand
- Puncture and cut resistant gloves
- Extreme durability
- Fully insulated
- Comfortable inner lining
- Sweat absorbent
- 3 month warranty

All these materials combine to make a pair of gloves that are highly durable and resistant to extreme temperatures that can be used for jobs such as welding and forging along with other high temperature tasks like outdoor grills or oven baking.
Overview:
These welding gloves from Rapicca are some of the best on the market that offer users extreme heat resistance while being comfortable and durable enough for even the harshest work environments.
These Rapicca welding gloves are made with several layers of material. The outermost layer consists of cowhide leather reinforced with a double layer of kevlar padding. The second layer is made with a flame retardant cotton that also helps keep out the heat. Directly below the flame retardant cotton is a layer of air isolated aluminum foil that helps keep out hot air. The last layer is made with insulated cotton that provides comfort to users.

These welding gloves are rated to withstand temperatures as high as 932℉ (500℃) and have been thoroughly tested by Rapicca. Rapicca is so confident in their pair of gloves that they even include a 3 month warranty to give users a guarantee.
Check out the latest price for the Rapicca welding gloves.
Honorable Mentions
Here are some work gloves that didn’t quite make our list but we felt deserved a shoutout.
![]() Mechanix Wear MFF-05-010 | Key Specs & Features: • Material: Synthetic Leather, Cotton, Rubber • Size Range: S – XXL • TrekDry breathable material • Padded work gloves • Knuckle protector • Abrasion resistant • Reinforced index and thumb • Palm padding • Touchscreen capable • Form fitting |
![]() Ozero Leather Welding Gloves | Key Specs & Features: • Material: Leather, Aluminum, Cotton • Heat Rating: 932℉ • Size: 14 inches • Flame retardant durable materials • Reinforced wing thumb • Gunn cut pattern • Cowhide leather • Comfortable inner lining • Double insulated • Kevlar stitching |
![]() FWPP GL008003 Latex Work Gloves | Key Specs & Features: • Material: Nylon, Latex • Size Range: M – XL • Slip resistant • Abrasion resistant gloves • Textured palm and fingers • Highly visible color • Bulk order available |
Buyers Guide: Work Gloves
There’s a lot to be taken into consideration when shopping for a pair of work gloves. You would need to consider the material it’s made out of, what the gloves will be used for, how much they cost and even the reputation of the brand you’re buying it from. To help you with your search, here are some of the most important factors you should take note of before buying a pair.
Material
Leather
Leather gloves have been used for many years throughout human history. Leather to this day is one of the most commonly used materials to make gloves. Leather is such a great material because it is durable, can be used for a wide array of tasks, does not get punctured easily, is relatively cheap, heat resistant, comfortable and ages really well especially if taken care of. The most common animal leather used to make work gloves is cowhide and goat hide. Depending on the manufacturer, thicker leather gloves can be made for welding or for handling hot materials but most leather gloves are for general purposes such as gardening, plumbing, construction or contractor work and even DIY projects.
Synthetic Leather
Synthetic leather is a newer and cheaper alternative to leather that has some traits of leather but lacks most of the durability. Most manufacturers who use synthetic leather to make gloves have to combine other materials to make the gloves as sturdy and last as long.
Nitrile & Latex
Nitrile work gloves are made with Nitrile Butadiene Rubber or NBR for short and are an alternative to latex gloves. Nitrile gloves are commonly used for handling hazardous materials that could be harmful to your skin. This includes paints, cleaning solutions, agricultural or industrial chemicals and even some acids. While nitrile is not as flexible as latex, nitrile is more durable and resistant to chemicals and offers more safety than your typical latex work glove.
Latex gloves are similar in purpose to nitrile gloves and are used for basic shielding against chemicals or biohazards. These are commonly used in hospitals, clinics and other places that require a level of hygiene. Latex can also be used as a coating for cotton or nylon gloves. Latex coated cotton gloves are great for light to medium manual labor tasks and have abrasion resistant properties. These latex coated gloves are commonly textured to offer users a better grip on power tools or workpieces. Latex coated gloves are also commonly used for woodworking because it effectively keeps splinters out and doesn’t leave any residue on the wood when handling it.
Cotton & Nylon
Cotton and nylon are materials that are commonly used as a basis for work gloves. Cotton and nylon can be combined with different materials to make the glove more comfortable or as an additional layer of protection. For example, welding gloves make use of cotton as an inner layer that keeps the user’s hand cool and comfortable while the outer leather layer takes the brunt of the heat. Another good example is latex coated cotton gloves which are literally just cotton gloves that have their palm and finger area coated in layers of latex. Cotton and nylon as a material are breathable, lightweight, cheap, easy to manufacture and easy to source.
Types of Work Gloves
General Purpose Work Gloves
General purpose work gloves are meant to be a jack of all trades. General purpose work gloves are meant to be durable, reusable, comfortable enough for long sessions, offer a better grip on machinery or tools that might be coated in grease or oil and most importantly, offer adequate protection against abrasions or cuts. These can be used for general manual labor tasks such as landscaping or construction work and can be made with different materials. General purpose work gloves can be made with leather, latex or rubber coated cotton gloves and there are even some manufacturers that combine different materials together to make their gloves more versatile or offer more protection.
Heat Resistant Gloves
Heat resistant gloves are designed to protect the user from the intense heat of tasks such as welding or forging. These gloves are typically made with several layers of flame resistant or retardant material. On most heat resistant gloves such as welding gloves, the outermost layer would be the thickest and consist of leather and kevlar paddings. The next layer would be a flame retardant cloth which would cover a layer of aluminum foil which is great at reflecting heat. The innermost layer is usually a layer of cotton which keeps the user’s hand cool and comfortable during use. Heat resistant gloves are also used for non-work related activities such as grilling, campfires and cooking with an oven.
Chemical & Liquid Resistant Gloves
Chemical resistant work gloves are used to protect against hazardous chemicals and other substances that could cause harm to your skin. These gloves are typically made out of nitrile and latex because of their chemical resistant properties. These gloves can be used for painting, cleaning purposes, handling oils and even lab purposes. Chemical resistant work gloves are also typically disposal and are meant to only be used once.
Important Factors to Consider
Size
The size of the gloves is an important factor to consider because not all gloves are a “one size fits all”. Manufacturers design their gloves to follow certain standard glove sizes depending on whether the user would be a male or female and also take into consideration the likely age of the user. Most work gloves range in size from extra small XS to double XL. This may differ depending on the brand so it’s important to know how big your hands are and what size category you fall under before buying a pair of gloves.
Here’s a quick guide to help you determine the size of your hand.

Grip
The grip of a glove would make it easier to hold onto whatever it is your work on or with. Some gloves are made with materials that naturally offer better grip such as latex. Some manufacturers take the liberty of adding paddings or reinforcements which not only give users a better grip but also act as an extra layer of protection. For example, manufacturers commonly add leather paddings to key parts of the glove such as the palm or finger area. Even latex gloves can be textured to increase grip.

Comfort
For those long work sessions, you’re going to want a pair of gloves that you can comfortably wear for hours on end. There are a couple of factors that’ll determine how comfortable a pair of gloves might be. The type of material used to make the glove has a big impact on how comfortable it’ll be. You’re probably going to want a pair of gloves that has a breathable inner lining so your hand doesn’t heat up too much. Another important factor would be the size of the glove. You would want to buy a pair of gloves that fits just right and doesn’t hug your hand too tightly.
Intended Use
Before you buy a pair of work gloves, it’s important to note what you’re going to be using these gloves for in the first place. If you plan to do some general manual labor tasks then perhaps a pair of leather gloves would do you well. If you plan to do some welding or metal forging, then welding gloves are the way to go. If painting is the job for the day then maybe a pair of latex or nitrile gloves would be the one for you. Finding out what the gloves would be for will greatly help you make the decision on which one you need. The last thing you’d want to do is use the wrong gloves for the wrong task.
FAQs
Q: Are leather gloves washable?
A: Most leather gloves are meant to be washable or at least easy to clean. Manufacturers also mention whether their leather gloves are machine washable or not so keep an eye out for any tags that have that info. In case your leather gloves are washable, here are some tips.
- Use a toothbrush with some cold, soapy, salted water and gently scrub off any dirt, grease or grime that might’ve stuck to the gloves.
- Before throwing it into the washing machine, use your hands to rub off any dirt and gently squeeze the fingers individually.
- Try as much as possible to avoid wrinkling the leather. Instead of putting them into the dryer, air dry the gloves instead by hanging them.
Q: How much are work gloves?
A: Depending on the material, size and brand, work gloves can range in price from $10 to $30. Some brands also sell their gloves in bulk and can set you back a bit more. This is usually the case with disposable gloves.
Q: Are work gloves worth it?
A: Not only are they worth it in most situations, they’re also a requirement by construction companies and other businesses. A good pair of work gloves can potentially save a finger or two. We recommend you always have a pair of work gloves when working on power tools, when operating machinery, when handling sharp tools or chemicals.
Conclusion
And there we have it, the best work gloves available online and the basics of work glove anatomy. We hope that this article has taught you a thing or two about work gloves and that you leave here with a better understanding on which one is best for you. Thank you dear reader!