Though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says respirators — among them N95 and KN95 face masks — offer more protection than cloth masks, it does not specify which type of face covering is the best option for kids. The CDC says respirators like KN95s are designed to be used by adults, but some brands offer smaller models that may fit children. These masks, however, have not been tested for broad use in kids. So should children wear them?
We spoke to medical experts about how to decide whether your child should wear KN95 masks and how to find the best options if you're shopping for them. We also compiled KN95 face masks to consider buying right now based on CDC guidelines and expert guidance.
SKIP AHEAD Should kids wear KN95 masks? | How to buy kids KN95 masks
Our top picks
- Best KN95 mask for kids ages 3 and up: Green Supply Kids KN95 Masks
- Best KN95 mask for kids ages 4 and up: Powecom Children’s-Sized KN95 Mask
- Best KN95 mask for kids ages 12 and up: Evolvetogether KN95 Masks
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How we picked the best KN95 masks for kids
When shopping for kids KN95 masks, experts recommend keeping the following in mind:
Filtration level: All KN95 masks must filter out at least 95% of particulates, experts say. For each of the masks listed below, we confirmed filtration efficacy with the brands directly.
Fit: A face mask only protects the wearer and those around them if it fits properly. The mask should completely cover the wearer's mouth and nose, and it must fit tightly against the face to prevent gaps around the sides of the mask, nose and chin.
Quality of brand and manufacturer: Before buying a KN95 mask, experts recommend vetting the brand and manufacturer to make sure they're legitimate. To do so, check that the manufacturer is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — while this has nothing to do with regulating mask quality, it increases accountability for the brand selling it, experts say. You can also see if the manufacturer was formerly featured on the FDA’s list of KN95 masks approved under the now-revoked Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
Design: KN95 masks should have ear loops and be composed of multiple layers, according to experts.
The best KN95 masks for kids
To recommend KN95 masks for kids, we independently confirmed expert-guided qualifications with the brands listed below, like filtration efficacy. We also vetted manufacturers to make sure they’re registered with the FDA or were formerly featured on the FDA’s list of KN95 masks approved under the now-revoked EUA (or, sometimes, both).
Powecom Children’s-Sized KN95 Mask
Multi-layer design | Filters 95% (or more) of particulate | Includes ear loops | Manufacturer formerly featured on FDA’s EUA list
Powecom’s kids KN95 masks are about 15% smaller than its standard KN95 model to fit children’s faces, according to the brand. They’re designed for kids ages 4 and up and have an adjustable nose piece. You can purchase packs ranging from 10 to 10,00 masks.
Evolvetogether KN95 Masks
Six-layer design | Filters 95% (or more) of particulate | Includes ear loops | FDA-registered manufacturer
Designed for those age 12 and older, Evolvetogether’s KN95 masks are available in packs of five and come individually wrapped in biodegradable pouches. The KN95 masks have an adjustable nose bridge and come in colors like Aspen (burgundy), Rio de Janeiro (black) and Santorini (navy). Evolvetogether also offers KN95 masks appropriate for kids ages 3 to 8.
WellBefore KN95 Kids Masks
Five-layer design | Filters 95% (or more) of particulate | Includes adjustable ear loops | FDA-registered manufacturer
WellBefore’s kids KN95 masks come in three sizes, depending on the age of your child: regular, small and extra small. You can purchase a minimum of 10 masks, which come individually wrapped.
Green Supply Kids KN95 Masks
Five-layer design | Filters 95% (or more) of particulate | Includes ear loops | FDA-registered manufacturer
Available in packs of 10, these kids KN95 masks are designed to fit smaller faces, specifically children ages 3 and up. They’re available in colors like turquoise, baby pink and dark blue. Masks have an adjustable nose bridge and come individually wrapped.
Related
Should kids wear KN95 masks?
KN95 masks are the Chinese equivalent of N95 masks in the U.S. and are manufactured to offer 95% protection from particulate matter. After seeing a surge in interest for adult-size KN95 masks during the pandemic, some manufacturers are now making options in sizes, colors and patterns for kids, says Dr. Nina Shapiro, a pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist at Westside Head and Neck in California. But should they wear them?
There is no reason for kids to avoid KN95 masks, says Dr. Adam Ratner, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health’s Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital. But he also does not think kids necessarily need to wear them. Overall, the deciding factor policing the best type of mask for kids comes down to fit, Ratner says.
“If it’s a little kid, they shouldn't be using an adult-size mask that’s hanging off their face,” he says — since KN95 began proliferating, many brands have designed and released smaller KN95 face masks, specifically to help avoid fit issues for kids. “If the mask doesn't fit, you’re at higher risk of kids not wearing it or wearing it incorrectly.”
How to buy kids KN95 masks
Because it’s hard (and as experts tell us, sometimes impossible) to spot a counterfeit KN95 mask just by looking at it, shopping for them is a multi-step process to confirm you’re getting the real thing. Experts recommend vetting the manufacturer, confirming filtration efficacy beyond just taking a brand’s word for it by requesting to review testing documentation. You should also inspect the physical mask and its packaging upon arrival, taking note of red flags along the way, experts say. And especially when it comes to kids KN95 masks, making sure the face covering fits properly is essential.
While deciding whether or not you want to buy a KN95 mask for your child, there is a drawback you should be aware of, says Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital: Young kids are mouth breathers, which can lead to masks getting wet, especially if worn for an extended period of time. Since a wet mask is not an efficient mask, Nachman recommends parents send kids to school with multiple masks in a Ziploc bag so they can swap them out at lunch, for example, or, if they wear a reusable mask, wash them when they get home. If kids wear KN95 masks to school, which are disposable, they may go through multiple in one day, Nachman says.
Here are some factors to consider while shopping for a kids KN95 mask.
Fit
Fit is crucial when it comes to kids KN95 masks. “There's a lot of size and shape variability in children's faces, and if a mask is too big — where it hits right below the eyes or has gaps at the cheeks or chin — it defeats the purpose protection-wise. It also makes it less likely that the child will keep it on,” she says.
Unlike many cloth reusable masks, which are often designed with built-in adjustable ear loops and are sometimes available in multiple sizes, KN95 masks are usually one size fits all, Nachman says. Because of this, it’s hard to guarantee whether KN95 masks will fit kids, even if they’re designed to be smaller than KN95 masks made for adults. She says it may be helpful to purchase a few different versions to try at home before going out in public. To improve a mask’s fit, the CDC suggests using a mask fitter or brace to prevent gaps around the edges. You can also add cord locks to the ear loops on KN95 masks to make them adjustable.
Quality of brand and manufacturer
Since KN95 masks are manufactured according to a Chinese standard, they’re not regulated by a governing body in the U.S. Thus, it’s hard to distinguish between a real and counterfeit KN95 mask, and you can’t tell by simply looking at them.
“There is no official list of approved child-sized KN95s,” says Anne Miller, executive director of Project N95, a nonprofit that helps people source personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies. Sourcing them is tricky.
“We suggest sourcing from manufacturers with demonstrated quality in other mask categories,” Miller says. To do so, you can follow the same guidance experts gave us about adult KN95 face masks: Confirm manufacturers using the FDA’s list of EUA-authorized KN95 models or the FDA’s Establishment Registration & Device Listing database.
Performance and design
Miller recommends reviewing testing documentation provided by the brand or manufacturer to confirm that a kids KN95 model offers 95% protection from particulate matter. If such testing documentation is not available online, you can request to review it. Masks should be multilayered, too — adult KN95 masks often have five layers, but kids masks sometimes have fewer layers due to the smaller size of the mask. And while it’s hard to tell if a KN95 mask is a counterfeit just by looking at it, it should not be physically damaged in any way upon arrival.
Meet our experts
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Dr. Nina Shapiro is a pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist at Westside Head and Neck in California. She is the author of “HYPE: A Doctor’s Guide To Medical Myths, Exaggerated Claims and Bad Advice,” as well as a children’s book, “The Ultimate Kids’ Guide To Being Super Healthy.” Shapiro was also the director of pediatric otolaryngology and a professor of head and neck surgery at David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles for 25 years.
Dr. Adam Ratner is the chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health’s Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital. He is also a professor of pediatrics and microbiology.
Dr. Sharon Nachman is the chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
Anne Miller is the executive director of Project N95, a nonprofit that helps people source personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies.
Why trust Select?
Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor who has covered face masks for Select since 2020. She's written about disposable masks, KN95 masks, N95 masks and KN95 masks for kids, in addition to at-home Covid tests and vaccine card holders. For this article, Malin spoke to four experts about how to shop for kids KN95 masks and researched various options on the market.
UPDATE (Aug. 27, 3:21 p.m.): A previous version of this article included the VIDA KN95 face mask. We’ve removed it from the list because the brand is shipping M95 face masks for some orders of KN95 face masks given "global shortages," according to its site.
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