Looking for a face shield? What to know and where to buy them

Amanda Tarlton, Reviewed.com
·2 min read
Where to buy face shields right now
Where to buy face shields right now

— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.

Face shields are the newest trend to emerge in the protective product arena. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to urge people to wear cloth face masks in public to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). However, some people remain understandably concerned about being exposed to the virus. Whether they're looking for more protection or for a more comfortable face covering, there's been a rise in popularity of face shields (searches for "face shields" have peaked at their highest point, according to Google Trends).

Yet, the CDC cautions that face shields should not be worn in place of a cloth mask. There have only been a few studies done on the effectiveness of face shields—like one conducted in 2014 which found that plastic shields reduced the number of droplets inhaled by 96 percent—and the CDC warns that it remains unknown if shields offer adequate protection against the spray of respiratory droplets.

We're testing products for you: Get our product reviews and recs right in your inbox. Sign up here

Why are so many people opting to wear face shields then? While the CDC doesn't recommend shields, the agency does say that "people may choose to use a face shield when sustained close contact with other people is expected." And wearing a face shield is better than wearing nothing at all.

"I wear my face shield because it feels safer than simply wearing a mask over my mouth," Claire Parker from Richmond, Va., who bought a plastic shield from Amazon, explains. "I still feel like it offers more protection and it's much easier to breathe with a shield than a mask."

Here at Reviewed, we've spent the past couple of months tracking all of the top places to buy cloth face masks and even tested the most popular masks to find which ones are the best. Now, we're using our expertise to find where you can buy a face shield online right now, from Amazon to Walmart. But please remember: a face shield should not replace a face mask.

Amazon

Walmart

Bloomingdale's

Vistaprint

Office Depot

Staples

Honest PPE Supply

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

This article originally appeared on Reviewed.com: Where to buy face shields online—and what to know before you get one