From my experience and knowledge, YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles are the best welding goggles right now.
I am a certified welder with many years of welding experience. And over the years, I’ve used many welding goggles. So I will be sharing everything I know with you.
As a welder, you need to protect your eyes while welding at all times. Because lack of protection can cause:
- Vision damage;
- Burns;
- Shock;
- Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays, etc.
Even so, selecting the proper goggles can be problematic. So let this article serve as your ultimate guide.
Continue reading to know the best welding goggles for you.
Our Overall Best
YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles
- Perfect choice for TIG, MIG, Arc, and MMA plasma applications with grinding features.
- It has an accurate color view – 1/1/1/2 optical clarity.
- No adapter is necessary for using this Welding Goggle with a hard hat.
Best for Protective Design
Miller Electric Welding Goggles
- It offers face shield and head cover protection from UV/IR rays and splashes.
- It has a lightweight, close-fitting design that eliminates neck strain.
- Perfect with hard hats.
Best for Budget
LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO KH976 Brazing Goggles
- Offer an IR5 lens for eye protection.
- The frame is compact and lightweight, ideal for long days of work.
- Perfect for protection while brazing.
Our Best Welding Goggles
1. YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles (Overall Best Welding Goggles)
2. Miller Electric Welding Goggles (Best for Protective Design)
3. Bolle Safety Shade 5.0 Welding Safety Glasses (Best for Plasma Cutter Glasses)
4. Titus Cup Type C Frame Industrial Quality Welding Goggles (Best for Comfort)
5. Hobart 770726 Shade 5, Mirrored Lens Safety Glasses (Best for Lightweight)
6. LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO KH976 Brazing Goggles (Best for Budget)
7. Miller Electric Shade 5.0 Welding Safety Glasses (Best for Scratch-Resistant)
8. Servore Auto Shade Darkening Welding Goggle (Best for TIG Welding)
9. QHRM Optical Clarity Welding Glasses (Best for True Color View)
The Top 9 Best Welding Goggles
Safety welding glasses/goggles are essential to prevent eye injuries in the metal industry.
Below are the nine best welding goggles for all welders.
1. YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles
Brand
YESWELDER
Reliability
On the side of this welding goggles pair, a side control panel enables the wearer to adjust the sensitivity and shade rating to suit a particular task.
Certification
They meet all ANSI and ISEA standards.
Usage
MMA. MIG. MAG. CO2. TIG. Plasma Cutting. Arc. Auto. Automotive. Construction. Manufacturing. Metal Production. Fabrication. Military Maintenance.
Material
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
Size and fitting
9.53 x 8.35 x 4.37 inches
YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles fit close to the wearer’s face. It protects against dust, trash, and other debris.
The design gives you a sound ventilation system and air circulation.
These welding goggles are also lightweight and comfortable to wear for long periods.
The lens and frame materials are appropriate for welding processes such as brazing.
These goggles also have a shade rating of five, making them ideal for the average metalwork you may come across around the house.
These attributes make the design simple and compact.
Yet, they don’t offer any feature that protects anything besides the eyes.
2. Miller Electric Welding Goggles
Brand
Miller Electric
Reliability
The control panel on the left side of the goggles allows you to adjust its lens magnification features and shade settings.
Certification
It meets ANSI, CSA, CE, and AS NZ standards.
Usage
For gas welding & cutting, MIG, TIG, and stick.
Material
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
Size and Fitting
12 x 4 x 9 inches
The Miller Electric Welding Goggles come with a flexible silicone skirt suitable for various facial shapes and sizes.
These goggles’ protective skirts are constructed from flame-retardant materials. This keeps you shielded from both radiation and flying debris.
The soft material is simple to wear under standard protective gear like the traditional protective helmets.
These goggles are very light to wear, even for long periods.
The straps that make up the goggles can hold on firmly to the wearer’s face. This makes them very comfortable to wear.
Yet, the Miller Electric Welding Goggles are pretty expensive.
3. Bolle Safety Shade 5.0 Welding Safety Glasses
Brand
Bollé Safety
Reliability
The lenses have a scratch-resistant covering, and the Polycarbonate/TPE material frame makes them durable.
Certification
They meet all ANSI Z87. 1-2010 and CSA-Z94. 3-2007 standards.
Usage
MIG, TIG, plasma cutting, and metal torch brazing.
Material
Frame: Thermoplastic Elastomer
Lens: Polycarbonate
Size and Fitting
6.4 x 2.8 x 2.5 inches
The green lenses are great for working in a wide range of environments. This spares you the trouble of changing into another pair when the light is dimmer.
The flexible and breathable headband wrapping frame design provides enough protection, security, and comfort for your eyes.
Still, it is not the best option with carbon arc welds.
4. Titus Cup Type C Frame Industrial Quality Welding Goggles
Brand
TITUS
Reliability
The easy shade swap and the lenses can be combined to increase the protection level.
Certification
It exceeds the ANSI Z87.1 safety standards.
Usage
MIG, TIG, and Stick.
Material
Frame: Polyvinyl Chloride
Lens: Polycarbonate
Size and Fitting
7.24 x 4.8 x 2.95 inches
The Titus Cup Type C Frame Industrial Quality Welding Goggles allow you to alter the shade of your glasses without auto-darkening.
It has side vent pull-outs for air circulation.
The goggles come with an adjustable nose bridge and head strap for a custom fit.
It has various optional lens shades, such as 5, 8, 9, 11, or 14. This makes them ideal for almost all welding applications.
Yet, its weak spots can let through small amounts of light.
5. Hobart 770726 Shade 5, Mirrored Lens Safety Glasses
Brand
Hobart Welding Products
Reliability
They come with shade five lenses that are very reliable.
Certification
They meet all ANSI Z87.1 standards.
Usage
MIG, TIG, plasma cutting, and metal torch brazing.
Material
Frame: Thermoplastic Polyurethane
Lens: Polycarbonate
Size and Fitting
9.96 x 2.76 x 2.2 inches
These Hobart mirror lenses make this pair unique. Such allows less light to pass through, making it ideal for unfavorable welding conditions.
The shatterproof polycarbonate mirror lenses offer durability for long-lasting wear.
Furthermore, they have a scratch-resistant coating to preserve clarity.
The form-fitting structure and the soft foam liners make wearing these welding glasses less burdensome.
They also provide you with complete protection from dust and debris.
6. LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO KH976 Brazing Goggles
Brand
Lincoln Electric
Reliability
These welding goggles offer an IR5 lens protection system.
Certification
They meet all ANSI and ISEA standards.
Usage
Brazing
Material
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
Size and Fitting
15 x 3 x 1.5 inches
These Lincoln Electric Brazing Goggles protect against dust, dirt, and debris by rendering a snug fit around the wearer’s face.
The design provides you with a sound ventilation system and air circulation throughout the inside of the goggles.
These welding goggles are also lightweight and comfortable to wear for an extended period due to their simple and compact design.
The lens and frame materials suit them for welding processes such as brazing.
Still, they don’t offer any feature that protects anything besides the eyes.
7. Miller Electric Shade 5.0 Welding Safety Glasses
Brand
Miller Electric
Reliability
Polarized lens. Wraparound x-ray detectable. Frame design.
Certification
They meet the ANSI Z87.1 standards.
Usage
Arc-welding
Material
Polycarbonate
Size and Fitting
6 x 1 x 1 inches
Miller Electric is always the choice when you want high-performance gear for arc welding projects.
I like this design’s wraparound structure, foam lines, black frame, and lenses.
The polycarbonate lenses of the glasses provide good shielding.
Similarly, the photochromic lenses caption an ArcArmor Ultraviolet preserving element of 99%.
That means you can wear the pair for outdoor work without issues.
Even photophobic people can use the glasses even if they do not weld.
In all, these goggles are stylish yet comfortable for long-hour work.
Yet, they are not very suitable for MIG and TIG welding.
8. Servore Auto Shade Darkening Welding Goggle
Brand
Servore
Reliability
You can adjust this shade between five choices, from #5 to #13.
Certification
They meet all ANSI and ISEA standards.
Usage
Tig-welding
Material
Plastic
Size and Fitting
7.5 x 3.5 x 3 inches
This Servore Auto Shade Darkening Welding Goggle is the first auto-shade goggle safety glass. It comes compact for your face contour.
This goggle uses an ergonomic plastic frame with a shock-resistant and heat-resistant nature.
It also improves air permeability and keeps close fit by including an air vent system and a silicon skirt.
Still, some users have reported this pair to be too tight.
9. QHRM Optical Clarity Welding Glasses
Brand
QHRM
Reliability
It has an auto-dimming filter.
Certification
They meet the ANSI Z87.1 standards.
Usage
MIG, TIG, plasma cutting, and metal torch brazing.
Material
Frame: Rubber
Lens: Polycarbonate
Size and Fitting
9.84 x 1.97 x 1.97 inches
The QHRM Optical Clarity Welding Goggles are excellent for use.
The glass lenses have a premium polycarbonate construction. They boast of impressive impact resistance and sun glare blocking system. This makes the pair sufficient for work in unfavorable conditions.
These goggles have a dimming system that makes your life easier.
As your arc touches the weld pool, splashing bright flash, the glass lenses will adjust their colors to protect your eyes.
Then they instantly brighten the shades when you pull the welding arc.
Also, its temples are breathable and have small holes to help improve comfort when wearing safety gear like helmets and hard hats.
There are also bonus items included in this package. These items allow you to use the pair conveniently. These items are:
- Work gloves;
- An extra band;
- Extra protection lenses; and
- A case.
Buyer’s Guide – What to Look for When Buying Welding Goggles?
I have listed different sets of welding goggles and showcased their specs.
I also highlighted whatever unique elements they may have had.
But for someone unfamiliar with specific terms, it may all seem like gibberish.
Thus, I have made a short list of elements you should look for when buying a pair of welding goggles.
Certification
The essential factor in selecting the best welding goggles is attaining the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for industrial impact resistance.
Such applies to polycarbonate lenses – with a standard of Z87.1.-1989.
Lens Material
The lens material of a pair of welding goggles determines its usefulness to you.
Such can be:
- Polycarbonate;
- Optical glass;
- Acrylic; or
- Trivex.
Polycarbonate lenses are lightweight and protect against UV rays. But they do not provide a clear view like other materials.
Optical glasses can protect against scratches and provide a clear view. But they are heavy and don’t handle any physical impact well.
Trivex is very light and has superb visibility, but it is costly.
Sizing, Fitting, and Weight
The best welding goggles should also feel comfortable when you put them on.
They should fit your face perfectly and be as lightweight as possible.
They will be on for a long time. So if goggles don’t feel good to wear, you may want to take them off.
Reliability
The best welding goggles are those that protect your eyes when they are hit with:
- Debris;
- Sparks;
- Splashes, etc.
You also need to confirm that you select the best welding goggles for the appropriate level of lens shade.
Mostly, you will find this in a range between shades 5 and 14.
Auto-Darkening
Auto-darkening is a shade rating that adapts to the amount of radiation you are looking at in a moment.
This feature allows you to use a single pair of protective welding goggles in a broader range of welding activities. So you don’t limit yourself to simple goggles with a standard shade rating.
Ventilation
Welding is hot work, and breathing difficulties can sometimes result from poor ventilation.
Sweat and moisture can also make your goggles and lenses fog up if they don’t have proper ventilation.
This isn’t something you’d want to happen.
Thus, the best welding goggles are those with the best ventilation possible.
Types of Welding Goggles/Glasses
You can see from the items listed above that welding goggles come in different forms.
There are four main categories of welding goggles. And they are:
Welding mask
In addition to protecting you against flying sparks and debris, welding masks provide enhanced protection.
But they’re heavier and not so comfortable to wear.
Still, the added protection makes them ideal in certain situations.
Safety glasses-style goggles
Safety glasses are lighter and easier to take off than typical safety goggles.
Although they look like regular glasses, they protect from radiation.
Goggles with different eyecups
These are the most popular welding goggles you can buy.
These goggles are:
- Light;
- Breathable;
- Provide decent coverage; and
- Incredibly affordable.
You can easily swap out the lenses without switching to a new set of goggles.
Care and Maintenance
They could get damaged if you don’t properly care for your welding goggles.
To prevent any damage to your lens, buy lens cleaning products or DIY kits such as:
- Water spray;
- Microfiber cleaning cloth; and
- Tissue.
And do follow the proper procedures.
Please keep it in a case after cleaning.
Most welding goggles come with free cases or bags for storage.
Our Verdict
As a welder, you must be confident and smart when choosing the best welding goggles for your specific needs. Do not be misled by fancy designs or fake reviews.
Meanwhile, the YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Goggles is the overall best welding goggles.
You can buy it on Amazon now.
FAQ
Is It Necessary to Wear Welding Glasses/Goggles If You are Already Wearing a Welding Helmet?
Yes, it is necessary to do so.
You need welding glasses/goggles to prevent infrared light from hurting your vision. This can happen with just a welding helmet.
How Dark Should Your Welding Glasses/Goggles be?
This mainly depends on the type of welding you are conducting.
A gear with shade number 5 is okay for metal grinding and plasma cutting.
But for MIG and TIG welding, you will need goggles with shade numbers 10 to 13.
The higher the amperage of your welding arc, the darker your shade should be.
Can You Put On Prescription Glasses While Welding?
Yes, you can do so.
Use your prescription glasses if your vision needs correction and you can’t wear standard welding glasses.
Still, do consider welding goggles that can fit over your prescription specs. But with enough space for comfort.
How Much Do Welding Glasses/Goggles Cost?
This depends on your budget, needs, and preference.
The cheapest welding goggles are about $5 to $10. But they don’t last long.
The best welding goggles don’t come cheap. But they do last long and offer auto-darkening.
