Welding glasses help protect your eyes from welder’s eye, which is inflammation of the eye caused by looking at your welding arc. They also protect your eyes from the sparks and heat associated with welding and are therefore a necessary part of your toolbox.
Having reviewed the best welding glasses in the market, we chose options with optimal shading as that determines just how much protection your eyes get. We also looked into the material construction to ensure they last long after purchase. This is in addition to looking at the types of welding they are ideal for, among other features. As such, we were able to curate the list of recommended purchases below as they’ll give you the most value for your money.
Other features: temple style adjustable, UV protection 99.9%
Starting the list are the Bolle Safety Welding Safety Glasses. They feature Polycarbonate lenses encased in a Thermoplastic Elastomers frame. These lenses also have a scratch-resistant coating which allows them to stay usable for a long time after purchase. They offer 99.9% UV protection and a 5.0 shade level. As such, you should still be able to see your weld as you work. Lastly, they have an adjustable temple design which makes them comfortable to wear and use for a large portion of the population.
Considering the shade level, these safety glasses are ideal for gas welders. They’re also ideal for anyone who wants welding glasses that will last a long time and through consistent use, thanks to the scratch-resistant design of the lenses. The last differentiator is they provide 99.9% UV protection.
Other features: two premium sensors; 1/1/1/2 optical clarity
Next are the YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles with a shade level of up to 13. As such, you can easily use them for TIG, MIG, and MMA welding. Since they offer true color viewing and optical clarity, you’ll have a much better view of your workpiece as you’re welding. These glasses are designed to fit under a welder mask without an adapter. Also, they come equipped with knobs on the side, so you can adjust the shade depending on the type of job you’re tackling.
Some of the key differentiators for these welding glasses include the fact that you can adjust the shade level at will and that they fit into most welding masks without an adapter. This makes them versatile enough for most types of welding, grinding, and cutting.
Other features: 99.9% UV-AB protection, meets ANSI Z87.1 safety standards
Another pair of welding glasses limited to gas welding and plasma cutting is the Forney 55320 Goggles. Like the Bolle Safety Welding Safety Glasses, they offer level 5 shading. Also, the frames are made entirely of plastic, while the lenses are made of glass. Another similarity to the editor’s choice is the 99.9% UV-AB protection, which allows them to conform to ANSI Z87.1 safety standards. They come with an adjustable strap that allows a perfect fit for most users.
These welding goggles are designed to fit people who wear glasses. Additionally, the lenses lift without you having to remove the goggles. As such, if you constantly need to inspect your handiwork as you’re welding, these are the glasses for you.
Other features: meet ANSI Z87.1 standards, scratch resistant coating
Next are the Hobart 770726 Safety Glasses, which will cost you slightly less than $15. The lenses in these glasses are made from shatterproof polycarbonate reinforced with scratch-resistant coating. As such, their durability is top-notch. As for the frame, it’s made of Thermoplastic Polyurethane. Like other shade 5 lenses, these glasses will work for both gas welding and plasma cutting but not much else.
If you’re looking for glasses that you can use for plasma cutting or gas welding, the Hobart 770726 Safety goggles are an ideal pick. They offer just enough shading to do the job, and the lenses are more than durable enough to last you a long time. They’re also excellent if you’re looking for affordable goggles to protect you from UV light.
Other features: 1/1/1/2 optical clarity, solar-powered, auto-dimming filter, wear-resistant
The QHRM Welding Glasses have impressive capabilities in terms of the shade level. As such, it can be used for gas welding, electric welding, steel welding, and various cutting methods. Also, just like the Bolle Safety Welding Safety Glasses, it comes fitted with a polycarbonate lens. As for the frame, it’s made of rubber, making it more comfortable for long periods of wear. It’s designed with an auto-dimming feature that activates when your welding equipment generates the arc.
These glasses are ideal if you’re looking for goggles that work for most types of welding. Also, a key differentiator for these goggles is the auto-dimming filter that makes them easy to use. Another unique differentiator is they’re solar powered.
Other features: True color viewing, 2 premium sensors
Like the YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles, these YESWELDER Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Goggles can also be used for MMA, TIG, and MIG welding thanks to the shade level. Furthermore, they can also be used for plasma cutting. They come fitted with two top-of-the-line sensors that allow true color viewing. Also, they’re designed for use in areas where traditional welding helmets are not allowed.
The YESWELDER Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Goggles are excellent if you want glasses that can handle multiple welding applications. They’re also a perfect pick if you have no other choice but to use a hard hat rather than a welding helmet.
Other features: comes with microfiber bag and zippered case, extra UV ray protection
With the Insight Goods, Safety Welding Glasses, buyers get a wraparound frame that protects their eyes from all sides. Also, you get extra dark lenses with level 6 shading. As such, these goggles are a little more capable than the Bolle Safety Welding Safety Glasses and can be used for gas welding and oxygen cutting. Furthermore, the purchase comes with accessories such as a zippered case and a microfiber bag. That said, you’ll have to pay more for these welding goggles than most of the other alternatives listed.
If you want gas welding goggles or glasses that you can use for oxygen cutting, the Insight Goods Safety Welding Glasses are an excellent choice. Additionally, they’re great if you want better UV protection than what is provided by level 5 shaded goggles.
Other features: non-slip, UV 400, military-grade, ANSI/ISEA & MCEPS compliant
The Edge SW11-IR5 Dakura Wrap-Around Safety Glasses combine great aesthetics and functionality, and for most people, it won’t be a problem wearing them every day. They have polycarbonate lenses like a lot of the other welding goggles listed, in addition to a nylon frame. Also, they incorporate tapered lens technology, which reduces both eye fatigue and visual distortion during use. Lastly, they can block out 99.9% of UV light, and the shade level makes them usable in plasma cutting and gas welding.
The key differentiators for this pair of welding goggles are that it blocks out 99.9% of UV light and offers long-lasting comfort throughout extended wear. Additionally, the tapered lens technology reduces visual distortion and prevents eye fatigue.
Here’s the summary of how to pick the best welding safety glasses from the options you come across.
First, check the size and fit Trusted Source How are Safety Glasses Supposed to Fit? - PK Safety Supply Simply wearing any old pair of safety eyewear isn’t enough to protect your eyes. Sure, it decreases the possibility of an injury, however, if your eyewear fits poorly or incorrectly, your putting yourself at a higher risk pksafety.com of the glasses, so you only buy welding goggles that fit you. As you may have realized, the shape and size of your head are different from that of most of the people around you. This may even be influenced by your gender. In fact, according to Research Gate, a male’s head is on average 1.33cm bigger than that of a female.
Consequently, you don’t expect a pair of welding glasses to fit both parties. This is why it’s essential to get welding glasses that fit your face shape and size.
Also, not all welding glasses are made the same with regard to the style and design. There are four distinct design styles for welding goggles to choose from. First are the classic-style welding goggles, and these typically have separate eyecups for your eyes to look through.
Another option is the mask-style welding glasses. There’s no eyecup partitioning, and both eyes sit behind one big lens or screen. One example of mask-style welding glasses is the Forney 55320 pair of welding goggles.
The third variation is the full-size welding helmets or masks. Just as implied by the names, these goggles come attached to welding helmets or masks. While there aren’t any examples of such goggles on the list above, options like the YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles are designed to work with welding helmets without needing an adapter.
Lastly, there are safety glasses-style welding goggles. They feature a similar shape to regular safety glasses, only that they’re shaded to protect you from the harsh UV light produced while welding.
You also need to check the lens and frame materials. After all, these determine how easy or challenging it is to damage your welding goggles. Of course, the best welding goggles are designed with high-quality materials and are much harder to damage.
A common material used to make the lenses for welding glasses is polycarbonate. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary Trusted Source Polycarbonate Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster The meaning of POLYCARBONATE is any of various tough transparent thermoplastics characterized by high impact strength and high softening temperature. www.merriam-webster.com , polycarbonates are tough transparent thermoplastics with high impact strength. As such, they are ideal for the construction of welding goggles. That said, there are other materials to choose from with varied benefits.
This also applies to the construction of the frame as well. If the frame and lens aren’t made from high-quality materials, it will negatively affect attributes such as impact resistance and durability. Consequently, you’re going to have goggles that sustain damage or scratch easily, which means they won’t be useful for very long.
The shade level determines the kind of welding that you can tackle with your glasses and still keep your eyes protected. After all, each welding technique you encounter produces a different amount of light. In fact, the shade level rating is given to indicate just how dark the lenses are, and the scale runs from 2 through to 14.
With projects that require brazing or soldering, you don’t need a high shade level as they don’t produce much light. As such, shade level 3 or 4 should work just fine, which is where welding goggles like the Hobart 770726 Safety Glasses with a 5.0 shade level come in.
Arcs produced during stick welding are a bit brighter but not by much. Consequently, they can work with any welding goggles with a shade level between 8 and 12. Since MIG and TIG welding produce even brighter arcs, a shade level between 8 and 13 is ideal.
Some welding processes like carbon arc welding require an even higher shade level. As such, you’ll have to look at your intended projects as well as the welding equipment you own before you can make a decision.
Auto-darkening could also be a unique, useful feature. Welding goggles with auto-darkening start off with clear lenses but respond to the activation of the arc by darkening to protect your eyes. However, this feature is not available in all welding glasses, and you have to decide beforehand whether you want it or not.
Some welding glasses like the YESWELDER Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Goggles also require power to function which is where the power supply comes in. If they rely on batteries, you’ll need to worry about constantly buying replacement batteries. The batteries could also be rechargeable. In the case of the YESWELDER solar powered welding goggles, you may not have to worry about recharging or buying new batteries since the device is solar-powered.
Given the heat and subsequent perspiration involved in welding, fogging up is a huge problem that impairs visibility in welding goggles. As such, some of the best welding goggles incorporate anti-fog features in their design. However, this feature may not always be available, and you have to decide whether it’s important enough for you to spend some extra money on it.
You also don’t want welding goggles that are too big and heavy, which is why you may have to check the dimensions and weight beforehand. That said, the extra size and weight could also be a byproduct of a few additional features, so you might have to weigh the positives and negatives before deciding if the extra weight is worth it.
Lastly, check the price. The prices for welding goggles vary widely, even on the list above. As such, you have to decide how much money you’re willing to part with and then look into how much value that will get you. The general trend is that more expensive welding glasses tend to have better features and functionality. That said, it’s also possible to get what you want functionality-wise without spending too much.
The Bolle Safety Welding Safety Glasses, YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles, and Forney 55320 Goggles remain our top picks from the list of best welding goggles given above. The Bolle Safety Welding Safety Glasses feature excellent construction, 99.9% UV light protection, and overall offer excellent value for your money and hence are our editor’s choice.
Despite the expensive pricing, the YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles are a top contender for the best welding glasses. The shade level allows them to be helpful when dealing with most welding processes. Also, users can adjust the shade level depending on the job at hand.
As for the Forney 55320 Goggles, they cater well to welders who wear glasses. Additionally, the lenses can be lifted out of the way so you can quickly check your welding progress as you go along.
