Major Safety Glasses Brands Ranked Worst To Best

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Safety glasses are ubiquitous in conversations about protective gear, whether they're about the must-have safety equipment for home mechanics or what that little guy with glasses is doing on Milwaukee Fastbacks and tape measures. And rightfully so: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) reports that every day, about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain eye injuries serious enough to require medical attention. Most of those injuries can be avoided, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, simply by wearing the right safety equipment. In most cases, a normal pair of glasses isn't enough; you need safety glasses, and you need them to meet the ANSI Z87.1 standards.

The title of this article might read "worst to best," but those major brands are all quite decent. That's because safety glasses, generally speaking, meet the same baseline for protection. The reason is simple: In the USA, they are regulated by the ANSI Z87.1 standards. The same goes for other countries, even if the standards vary slightly. That means that safety glasses all share the core protective features required by at least one of those organizations, and often multiple ones. While some models and brands might be more comfortable, offer anti-fog coatings, or include prescription lenses, ANSI Z87.1 ensures a minimum level of impact protection for all. That means they're all up to the job when it comes to basic eye safety.

Being a large brand with a recognizable name, CAT makes all kinds of handy tools and accessories, from Caterpillars to regular hand tools. However, it might surprise you to learn that this historic brand makes numerous kinds of safety glasses. One of the most popular models is the Caterpillar Tread Safety Glasses, boasting the iconic black and yellow CAT color scheme, optional mirror lenses, and little else. It's a simple pair of safety glasses, not really trying to do anything special, but that makes the price of $13.47 feel a little steep. After all, if they're going to successfully take a beating for your eyes, they aren't going to last forever.

The other two popular models of safety glasses made by the brand aren't very different. One has slanted lenses that reach closer to the ear and might offer marginally better protection, while another, the Caterpillar Planer, has a boxy look that some might prefer. All of those, as well as several other safety glasses models by CAT, come with adjustable frame components, extendable sides, and meet the ANSI Z87.1-2020 safety standards, as well as some standards from other regions. The brand doesn't seem to offer safety goggles or face shields among its main product lines. Its only peculiar model is the CAT Photoplan Photochromic, a pair of safety glasses designed to darken in reaction to UV light. According to a handful of Amazon reviews, this feature reportedly doesn't work as expected for some users.

Ergodyne makes a lot of different models of safety glasses with names like Vordr, Vali, Dellenger — names that wouldn't be out of place on the label of an Ikea gadget. And they're just as affordable as the Swedish furniture retailer. The simplest models of safety glasses from Ergodyne, the Vordr Clear Lenses, come in at $18.68 for a pack of 12, and they're still compliant with ANSI Z87.1-2020 regulations. Far from being regular glasses made of resistant plastic, the Vordr wraps around the whole eye area and comes with an adjustable nose piece for increased comfort. Other safety glasses from the brand include the over-the-glass Osmin Protective Eyewear, an alternative to costly prescription safety glasses which some users find comfortable, while others claim they're not large enough for their glasses.

Ergodyne offers some other models of safety glasses, including half-frame, frameless, and full-frame glasses, as well as a hard face shield and a couple of safety goggles. Those include a standard pair of goggles and the Loki Safety Spoggles. A portmanteau of "spectacles" and "goggles", the Loki is nothing more than a pair of safety glasses that the brand claims can be "converted" into goggles by equipping it with the included foam gasket and a head strap. The product has quite a few positive reviews and seems to be solidly built, even if, as some reviews point out, it is a little expensive for what it is.

Klein Tools is such a big name among toolmakers, making specialized hand tools for home mechanics and many affordable tools you can find on Amazon, while being popular with professionals. It's no surprise that Klein Tools makes different kinds of protective eyewear as well. Some of the company's most popular glasses are also the cheapest: the Klein Tools 60171 Safety Glasses are sold at $18 for a pack of two and claim to be scratch-resistant, anti-fog, and ANSI Z87.1+ compliant. The nose piece is made of soft rubber for comfort and increased grip, while the lenses wrap around the eyes for more protection.

For the same price, you could get a single pair of full-frame glasses, while just a little more money (about $20) gets you the 60538 Gasket Safety Glasses. The version with dark tinted lenses is just $15.99. Either pair of glasses comes with a removable foam gasket and a head strap to ensure the glasses seal the area surrounding the eyes completely. If you need something bigger, Klein Tools makes the 60479 Safety Goggles, which come with a much bigger, thicker head strap and adjustable vents: Open them to prevent the inside from fogging up, close them to keep dust out. The goggles are available with tinted gray lenses as well as clear ones. Klein Tools even sells replacement parts for them, both the light and dark lenses.

Honeywell is a big company that makes everything from tools to smart thermostats, including protective gear. Uvex is the company's eyewear brand, offering a wide variety of high-rated protective glasses and goggles. Unlike some other safety gear brands, many of Honeywell's options are cheap. While it's often a good idea to invest more than the bare minimum in this kind of equipment, the best safety glasses are the ones you actually use. They get scratched easily. You're much more likely to have a pair of extra goggles like the V-Maxx Safety Goggle Direct Vent lying around when they're just $10.68 each.

Regular glasses, like the Honeywell Uvex by A703 Series Safety Eyewear or the larger, boxy Uvex Ultra-Spec 2000, are even cheaper than the goggles, and they still meet the ANSI Z87.1 standard. However, Honeywell Uvex doesn't just make cheap safety glasses; it offers premium choices as well. It makes dozens of different models, after all. Uvex's Stealth OTG are the brand's more expensive safety goggles, and admittedly, they look more solid than the alternative. It's hard to say what makes the Hypershock Safety Glasses worth $48.88 at first glance, since they seem on par with much cheaper models in terms of basic protection, but they do include extras like polarized lenses and a sportier design — and they sure look slick. Finally, we should highlight that Honeywell Uvex is one of the few brands on this list to offer a wide choice of face shields.

If you're among the 64% of Americans who wear glasses or contact lenses — according to Warby Parker, a popular eyewear retailer — you've probably had a bad experience trying to fit them under safety spectacles. If not, you might have felt something similar trying to wear a VR headset with glasses. Your options are limited: Wear contact lenses or buy larger safety glasses and hope they fit. However, if you normally wear prescription glasses and want to keep doing so while working, you might want to take a look at RX Safety's store. The company promises that all its prescription glasses are built to the ANSI standards of Z87.1 or Z87+ High Impact, and they aren't too expensive either — at least by prescription standards.

There is a lot to choose from with RX Safety, but one of the most popular options seems to be the RX-15011, which includes side shields for increased protection and adjustable nose pads. Cheaper options include the $20.00 RX-70F, which still comes with side shields and meets the ANSI Z87.1 safety standards. As you'd expect, RX Safety sells gasket safety glasses as well, like the RX-901, which includes a head strap as well as a foam gasket. There are even some goggles, and they look super weird. Two of them, including the somewhat popular RX-PDX, hide the prescription glasses inside the safety goggles. Another, the more expensive RX-RK2, has a more basic design with just one pair of lenses.

Jackson Safety is a big brand that makes safety glasses, face masks, helmets, and more. If it goes on your head and prevents injuries, Jackson probably makes it. Perhaps the most noteworthy eyewear from the brand is the one that blurs the line between protective glasses and wider face protection — gear like the Jackson Safety GPL500, a pair of safety goggles with removable face shield. The goggles come with a strap and indirect vents for an anti-fog effect, and they're large enough to be usable with prescription glasses. The face shield is removable and can be flipped out of the way. And the goggles also meet the requirements of the ANSI Z87.1+ high impact standard.

Jackson Safety offers quite a few traditional safety glasses, including some more affordable models. At $21.86 for a pack of three, the Jackson Safety SG Safety Glasses seem to be the cheapest choice, but that doesn't mean they sacrifice safety or comfort. According to some reviewers, those glasses don't scratch easily and are a great fit, thanks to their long, curved arms. The SG model is available in a few different styles, with clear or smoked lenses. Lastly, while they're not the most practical, we should highlight Jackson's "Retro Safety Goggles." They may look vintage, but they're brand new and marketed as welding eye protection. While the design is eye-catching, some users question how much protection they actually provide.

Kleenguard isn't a household name, but the company's Nemesis Safety Glasses seem to be very popular. They have a lot of great reviews, over 5,000 on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5. They meet the ANSI Z87.1 safety standard, and come with a headband and a soft nose piece. And they're relatively cheap, too. They are also among the few safety glasses that users actively suggest to others. The company makes a lot of other models as well, but if you're looking for some simple safety glasses in a few varieties (smoked, clear, and mirror lenses), the Nemesis seems to be the way to go.

For a more formal look, the same brand makes the V30 Maverick Safety Glasses, a full-frame model of safety with side shields, available with clear and smoked lenses. Kleenguard sells a few over-the-glasses safety goggles and glasses, too, but those seem to only be available in large bulk orders. The V80 Monogoggle XTR OTG Goggle Protection, for example, comes in packs of six, and each pack is sold for $66.46. That rounds up to about $11 per pair, which isn't too expensive, but unless you're splitting them with someone else, they still cost $66.46 per order. The same is true for the technically cheaper V80 Monogoggle VPC Safety Goggles, which are just $4 each but are sold in cases of 36 for about $140.

NoCry might not be the most well-known brand on this list, but it wins the prize for the best name for a safety equipment manufacturer. It's also more popular than you might imagine, enough to be named as an example of must-have safety equipment for DIY projects on SlashGear. As its store page on Amazon points out, the brand's products have been featured in various publications, from specialized websites like Knife Depot to Business Insider and The New York Times. NoCry is also notable for its unique product lineup, which includes the likes of the Hybrid Safety Glasses/Goggles. Those are exactly what they sound like: goggles that you can attach spectacle arms to for a more relaxed fit.

That said, the brand's most popular safety glasses, the aptly named NoCry Clear Safety Glasses, are just that. They meet the ANSI Z87.1 standard and come with plenty of user reviews and professional coverage. Users are positively ecstatic about those glasses, reaching over 50,000 Amazon reviews while maintaining an average rating of 4.5 stars, and being praised for their comfort and their anti-fog capabilities. Those glasses are not as basic as they might originally look. They are a lot more adjustable than your average safety glasses, with arms that can be made longer or shorter and an adjustable nose pad. NoCry has plenty of other models we could highlight — like those that fit over glasses or the lightweight goggles line — but if we did, we'd be here all day.

Lots of brands offer their customers a wide choice of safety glasses, but none is as wide as Milwaukee's. While safety equipment isn't exactly the brand's specialty — Milwaukee doesn't have a specialty; it makes everything from power tool combo kits to a line of modular toolboxes called Packout – there is a staggering amount of choice on offer, and most glasses come with great reviews. Starting with the simple and affordable Anti-Fog Safety Glasses, passing through the (much more expensive) gasket variant Performance model, and reaching the Dual Coat Lens Vented Goggles and the BOLT Face Shield, we see only a fraction of the brand's eye and face safety gear, all adhering to ANSI Z87.1 standards.

Milwaukee's simplest line of safety glasses follows a simple pattern. The cheap glasses we saw before are supposed to be anti-fog and scratch-resistant, while the Performance model adds a gasket and impact protection. Supposedly, there should be some cheaper, non-fog-resistant glasses and a gasket-less Performance, but they don't seem to be readily available for purchase. All those are, however, available with both clear and smoked lenses. Performance is the only exception, as this model comes with mirrored lenses and transition lenses as well. Milwaukee's goggles, on the other hand, can be low-profile, have a thick gasket, or be thick and non-vented. All can be clear or tinted gray.

3M makes a lot of different products, but eye protection is one of the areas in which the company is most popular and prolific, especially on Amazon. Some of these, like the 3M Safety Glasses Virtua CCS, have a staggering 24,000 reviews, are quite affordable, and meet the ANSI Z87.1 2015 impact rating standard. They even come with a gasket and support for a headband or corded earplugs. And they're quite stylish, too; perhaps a little too modern and slanted for some, but definitely more striking than most. They're available in a few variations, starting with clear and gray lenses plus a few color options.

But 3M didn't get on top of this list by making one good model of safety glasses. The brand offers a lot of choice in protective eyewear, including reading safety glasses with different strengths, like the Nuvo Readers. While they won't be enough for everyone who needs prescription glasses, they're a nice option to have. The brand makes one model of goggles that is extremely well-liked by its users: the 3M GoggleGear 500 Series, which amassed over 3,000 reviews, almost all of which are positive. Finally, for businesses providing safety equipment to their employees, and for those who run through glasses like cheap shoes, 3M sells bulk models that are extremely cheap but still decent. The cheapest is the Virtua, priced at $4.32 per pair, or $2.35 each when bought in a pack of 20.

We selected those brands based on their user reviews, the variety of their models, how trusted the company is in general, and professional coverage by this and other publications. We valued companies with a wide range of safety glasses more highly than those with a limited variety. However, while companies with one model for every occasion were ranked positively, those with many overlapping models were not. Companies that make other kinds of face safety gear were ranked above the few that only make glasses.