When it comes to welding, protecting our hands is the most important aspect of safety. Without a good quality pair of gloves, anything could happen to injure us. The process of welding is extremely dangerous and can come with many health hazards. Flying sparks, red hot metal shrapnel, and radiated heat are among the many things our hands can encounter.
It goes without saying any welder will benefit immensely from a sturdy and reliable pair of welding gloves. Between the welding helmet and a pair of safety glasses, a good pair of welding gloves is probably the most important piece of equipment a welder can buy.
More features: extra-long, oil-resistant, cold-proof, four-layer design, insulated
RAPICCA Welding Gloves are the best welding gloves for general-purpose welding. Aesthetically they’re quite pleased with the blue and the complimentary gold on the points of extra reinforcement.
This product gets our Editor’s Choice as it’s a solid choice all around, and here’s why it’s been given such a glowing accolade. The outer layer is made with a sturdy double layer of kevlar padding, followed by a layer of air-isolated aluminum foil and flame-resistant cotton cloth, and finally, an interior layer of soft sweat-absorbing cotton. They’re perfect for high-temperature work as they can withstand temperatures of up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit. The extra length of the gloves provides ample protection for your forearms from sparks and shrapnel.
Compared with the Revco GM1611 Welding Gloves, they’re a far superior pair. The RAPICCA is extremely heat resistant, with thoroughly reinforced stress areas in the wrist, palm, and fingers from double-layered heat resistant kevlar.
A great glove for beginners, and with the safety out of the way, you can check these beginner welders out.
More features: reusable, fire-resistant
Our premium pick is the DEWALT DXMF02051MD, and it’s truly not hard to see why. These gloves are made from high-quality buffalo leather in the USA. Reinforced Kevlar threading, extended gauntlet-style cuff, and fire-resistant cotton padding in the fingers and knuckles that protect the wearer from impact damage. The reinforced buffalo leather palm provides superior abrasion and cut protection.
The DEWALT gloves are the best gauntlet welding gloves. The buffalo leather is equally protective and fire-resistant as cowhide leather. Reinforced, fire-resistant Kevlar stitching throughout the glove provides extra protection from heat and open flames. The design is made specifically to protect the wearer from all potential welding hazards, including open flames, sparks, spall, and slag.
When comparing Lincoln Electric Traditional Welding Gloves with the DEWALT, it’s easy to see how they stack up to one another. Where the Lincoln gloves are superior in terms of heat resistance, the DEWALT will fare better directly in the open flame. With the added impact protection from the additional padding in the fingers and knuckles, the DEWALT is a much safer pick when dealing with heavy-duty work.
More features: durable, breathable, flexible, easy to clean
The DEKO Welding Gloves are some of the best gloves for their cost we could find. Half the price of more luxury brands, but with all the toughness and performance. They’re highly durable, flexible, and work well in extreme environments and less dangerous work such as moving coal in a burning wood stove.
Regarding the performance and durability of the DEKO Welding Gloves, they are excellent and high quality without the excessive price tag. Premium leather with sturdy kevlar stitching provides ample heat and flame protection. Unlike heavier gloves used in stick welding, these are thinner. More flexible with breathable material, giving you more wiggle room to work with your fingers.
The DEKO Welding Gloves can be compared to another pair of gloves on this list: the REVCO GM1611 Welding Gloves. Both are made with quality leather, have a protective and comfortable cotton lining, and are both highly flexible and breathable. Where the REVCO may have greater flexibility and control, it just can’t beat the price for the quality of the DEKO.
More features: cut-resistant, oil-resistant, reusable, reinforced
WZQH Welding Gloves are the best welding for MIG welding we’ve found. With multiple protective layers, these gloves give ample protection from flame and heat, abrasions, and impact damage. The extra padding inside offers a comfortable fit, with breathable and highly absorbent cotton lining to wick away sweat and moisture.
The WZQH Welding Gloves are the perfect workhorse fit for a workhorse welder. Sturdy cowhide leather with flame-resistant Kevlar threading. The outer layer is genuine cowhide leather, followed by a layer of laminating air-isolated aluminum foil, and finally a 100% inner cotton layer which adds extra protection from flame and heat. The cotton layer is absorbent, breathable, and capable of withstanding temperatures up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit.
The WZQH can be compared to the RAPICCA Welding Gloves. The two are both 16 inches long and built to withstand up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the WZQH stands apart from the RAPICCA in a few ways. The biggest one being the WZQH will be more appropriate for general use work gloves, not just welding. This includes heavy gardening, sewing or woodwork, and even dangerous animal handling, given the superior cut and puncture resistance in these gloves.
More features: reusable, flame resistant, industrial durability, made for professionals, superior comfort
It’s not hard to see why the Lincoln Welding gloves made our list for best welding gloves. An appropriate price tag, convenient “one size fits most” style fit, industrial-grade quality, and durability with superior comfort and useability. Also, not only do they feel good and perform well, they look pretty cool too. These gloves are durable and high quality, used by many welding professionals in daily use.
These gloves sport multiple protective layers, beginning with a high-quality leather exterior threaded with reinforced Kevlar stitching and reinforced stress points on the fingers and palm with more premium-grade leather. Finally, an interior cotton layer that provides comfort and enhanced heat protection. The straight-thumb design of the gloves and the stitching increase fingertip sensitivity, meaning you get a safer environment.
The Lincoln Traditional Welding Gloves are pretty similar to the BEETRO Welding Gloves. They’re both made with comfort and heat resistance in mind. While the BEETRO may have more “features,” the Lincoln Welding Gloves still stand out with their excellent heat-resistant quality and industrial-grade durability.
With the Lincoln gloves out of the way, check out these roll cages for another Lincoln for the collection.
More features: reinforced palm and thumb design, breathable
The Revco GM1611 Welding Gloves are the best stick welding gloves we tested. The reason why is not hard to see. These gloves are made with multiple different types of material, from cotton to split leather, with superior reinforced Kevlar threading. The durability is high with the cowhide padding, and because of the materials and layers used, it has high heat and puncture resistance.
Aesthetically, the Revco welding gloves are pretty nice. A dual-color white/gold makes these stand out well and clearly show where extra padding and care are given. The inside is a soft, breathable, heat-resistant cotton that protects against moisture and sweat buildup. The main body of the gloves is made of split leather, with the reinforcements in the palm and fingers being grain cowhide leather. The Kevlar stitching through the glove provides ample protection from flame, sparks, and slag while increasing the overall durability of the gloves.
When comparing the Revco GM1611 to the YESWELDER Gloves, the difference is clear. While Revco’s gloves may be on the shorter side, the extra thought and care put into the flexibility and functionality of the fingers are apparent. With a reinforced palm and fingers, and a seamless forefinger, the Revco GM1611 Welding Gloves easily hold their own. With the best MIG gloves, you’ll need a good MIG welder as well. We suggest checking these out.
More features: reinforced, straight thumb, strong seams
For TIG welding, we’ve found that the Tillman 1338 outranks them all. Aesthetically they’re just gorgeous, with a pearl grain top of goatskin, reinforced glide patches to protect the sides, and Kevlar threading.
The Tillman 1338 offers comfortable and strong protection during TIG welding. The goatskin is light and thin, giving more flexibility to the fingers and more breathing room for the hands as a whole. The glide patches on the sides of the gloves provide some extra comfort and protect the gloves while dragging a welding gun. The thumb is straight and reinforced, which gives the handsome extra stress-point protection and strength. Finally, the Kevlar threading helps give these gloves ample flame and heat protection.
Between the Tillman 1338 and the DEKO Welding gloves, the DEKO definitely beats the Tillman on price and availability. However, the Tillman 1338 has a few tricks up its sleeve to stand out in the crowd. The top grain goatskin leather gives these gloves a vastly superior feel and texture while also significantly increasing the movability and flexible finger movements – and enhanced strength in key stress points with extra padding and reinforcements. When your safety is all figured out, next, you’ll need your gear. Try these out.
More features: palm reinforcement, durable, multi-function, CE approved
When it comes to sticking welding, we’ve found the YESWELDER Welding Gloves stand in a class on their own. They’re made from extremely durable cowhide leather, Kevlar threading, and reinforcements in key stress areas. These gloves can handle temperatures of up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit. These bad boys don’t just do the job, and they do it in style. The black and white monochromatic design is sleek and fashionable.
These gloves are made with high-quality cowhide leather, which provides abrasion protection, are puncture-resistant, and are flame-retardant. The interior cotton lining is soft and comfortable and provides an extra much-needed layer of heat resistance. The cowhide leather is extremely durable and long-lasting, with a wide thumb for an extra little bit of durability and control. Also, not only is this glove perfect for stick welding, but it’s also highly flexible in terms of use. It can be used for welding, the grill or barbeque, woodcutting, gardening, and so much more.
Between the RAPICCA and the YESWELDER, the RAPICCA is the clear winner overall. But don’t discount the YESWELDER. It still has its uses and plenty of potential as a multi-function glove. Not only is it built for welding, but they’re also useful in the garden, woodcutting projects, and other activities that require heat protection.
More features: durable, elastic wrist, all-purpose application, edge-cover design
Whenever the temperature drops, a welder isn’t going to quit welding. That’s why we’re recommending the BEETRO Welding Gloves for all winter-time welding needs. The interior cotton lining is thick, providing not only incredible heat protection but moisture absorption and warmth as well. The cowhide leather is durable and flexible but comes with the added benefit of bonus puncture and abrasion resistance.
With a comfortable and flame-resistant cotton interior layer, covered by a high-quality cowhide outer layer that’s all stitched together with flame-resistant Kevlar threading, these gloves are the perfect winter-time companion to the usual protective gear. The elastic wrist-band helps protect the interior of the glove, keeping out debris, while the easy slip-on design helps keep the glove in place during use. The overall quality of these gloves is high, with excellent flexibility, and offers an all-purpose use.
When you compare the BEETRO Welding Gloves with a similar pair, such as the WQZH Welding Gloves, the BEETRO comes out the clear winner. Despite being a bit smaller at 14 inches, the durability and craftsmanship is next level. BEETRO offers an elastic wrist as well, which protects the interior of the glove – and your hands – from dust and debris far better than an open cuff.
More features: designed for kids, not water-resistant
When it comes to teaching the little ones about welding, the last thing anyone wants is to risk their safety with inadequate protective gear. We have found that, for youth gloves, the Blue Demon Little Demons Kids Welding Gloves come in the top tier. They’re gorgeous silvery-gray gloves made of goatskin leather, cotton interior, and Kevlar threading. All this together creates a safe haven for the kid’s hands while they’re learning the trade.
The Blue Demon Little Demons Kids Welding Gloves are made from lightweight, high-quality goatskin leather with a durable cowhide cuff. This offers a great deal of heat and flame protection, and with the cuff being an extremely durable cowhide, the wrists will be protected from cuts and punctures. Greater strength and durability are added with the Kevlar stitching, which also provides ample heat and flame resistance. The soft cotton interior is not only comfortable but durable and heat resistant.
While there aren’t other youth/child-sized welding gloves on this list, the Little Demon’s Welding Gloves can easily be compared to ones such as the Tillman 1338. They’re both goatskins hide, for starters. However, the Blue Demon Welding Gloves are the clear winner when it comes to fit smaller hands.
Welding is fun and rewarding, but it’s incredibly dangerous, and good-quality safety gear is of the utmost importance. The last thing anyone wants is to get a burn because the stitching was weak or the material ripped unexpectedly. The durability and longevity of the gloves need to be the first point of consideration.
Without tough gloves, you’ll run the risk of an almost-guaranteed severe burn or injury.
The next thing that’s important to look out for in your gloves is insulation. A thick, well-insulated pair of welding gloves shows good craftsmanship and high quality. Last but certainly not least, the glove’s fit. While this isn’t quite as dire as ensuring your glove is strong and properly insulated, finding a glove with the right fit is equally important. Without a well-fitting glove, you’ll be uncomfortable at best and unsafe at worst.
Regarding the fit of the gloves, one thing to keep in mind is the thumb type. There are a few different types that perform differently, have different feels, and vary in how much of the forearm it will cover – from just the wrists all the way to the elbows.
In general, the characteristics of high quality and safe welding gloves are many. It will need to have the correct thickness to protect the skin from severe burns or cuts. The resistances should cover the board, including water, fire, puncture, heat, tear, and shock-resistant. And ideally, the glove should be an appropriate fit and comfortable.
When considering which type of glove to buy, there’s so much to keep in mind. It may not all have the same dire urgency, but they’re all important in their own way. Now we’ll go over these points individually to give you the clearest idea of what makes up all the qualities of a superior welding glove.
While the style of your welding glove may not seem very important if at all, it actually does make quite a bit of difference in the quality and usability of the glove you’ve chosen.
If you’re after a slim look and a lightweight feel, picking a thick and bulky cowhide glove with multiple interior layers isn’t really going to work out.
Along with the exterior style, the interior needs to be taken into account as well. It can’t be neglected – who wants to wear an uncomfortable, ill-fitting glove? We sure don’t! The interior needs to be a soft and absorbent lining made of 100% cotton fiber. This will protect you from developing rashes and blisters but also keeps you from getting burnt or even feeling the heat at all with the right gloves.
What style of the cuff should be chosen? It’s up to a preference for the most part, but in general, a longer cuff or sleeve will be a bit safer. It’ll protect your forearms as well as your hands. Speaking of the fit – it’s best to avoid any gloves that are too bulky or stiff. This can make welding awkward and even dangerous if it restricts movement in the fingers badly enough. With a looser – but still somewhat snug – fit on the hands, it will give you a greater range of motion leading to fewer potential injuries.
If you prefer to – or have to – work with your fingers a lot and need more dexterity, there are certain designs in gloves that you’ll need to stay away from. Gloves with thick, heavy seams in the fingers will make them stiff and unwieldy. A seamless finger will allow for so much greater fingertip sensitivity – a trait that is extremely helpful when working with small pieces or parts. Or, in general, really, having greater finger movement and flexibility will never harm you here.
Speaking of seams, another thing to keep in mind is what type of threading do you prefer. There are leather or fabric hems: polyester or Kevlar threading. Though, when it comes to colors and such in the design, this is where things become much more subjective. You’ll never find yourself in a situation where you have a blue glove but need a white one. The color and overall aesthetics of the gloves are – for the most part – up to you.
Leather welding gloves, like DEWALT DXMF02051MD, will be the easiest to find, being the most commonly used material for welding gloves. This is because leather is a highly versatile and durable material with the added benefit of greater flexibility and incredible resistance to heat. The two types of leather you’ll see in welding gloves are split and top grain leather. In general, split leather isn’t as expensive as top grain or hide leather, though it is far more flexible.
The source of the leather matters too. Cowhide is by far the most commonly used type of leather, being among the most durable with a boast of flame resistance up to 900+ degrees Fahrenheit.
The heat and flame resistance is the second most important part of the welding glove to keep in mind. Depending on the type of welding being done, the type and material of the glove will change. If the temperature is somewhat lower, less than 400 degrees Fahrenheit, a goatskin or pigskin glove that’s slimmer and more dexterous may be chosen over a thick and stiff cowhide glove.
The exterior is best off as cowhide if the temperatures are increasing over 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
The interior of the gloves has a lot of options, too, though the most commonly seen among them is cotton due to its natural flame-resistant properties. Foam linings are lightweight and help the glove stay in place. DuPont Kevlar, Jersey, and wool are also available. Our suggestion for this is the Lincoln Electric Traditional Welding Gloves.
UV protection might not be the first thing many think of when they think of welding gloves, but they do offer quite a bit. Most listings will provide the exact rating, like RAPICCA Welding Gloves, which can vary depending on the type of glove and material used.
The sizing of the glove is important to consider. If the glove is ill-fitting, you’re putting yourself in a situation where an injury may occur. Keep in mind the length needed. The longer it is, the more protection your arms will have. Some gloves only stop at the wrist. If a lot of splatters are expected, a cuff will be needed.
Finding the perfect welding glove is hard but not impossible. We’ve searched high and low, tested many products, and have come out with this list of the best welding gloves available. The editor’s choice of RAPICCA Welding Gloves was overall our favorite, being of extremely high quality with extremely high flame resistance and many protections for your hands. We also really enjoyed testing our Premium Pick DEWALT DXMF02051MD and more accessible yet well-made DEKO Welding Gloves.
