The 10 Best Cut Proof Gloves
Updated by · How we research
No glove is truly cut proof, so we compared ten by ANSI cut level, grip and food safety. The Dex Fit Cru553 balances protection and feel best. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
No glove is truly cut proof. The toughest knit only slows a sliding blade, and the "level 5" printed on many kitchen gloves comes from an older European scale, not the US A1 to A9 rating that safety managers use. It's for tradespeople, home cooks and anyone else who handles glass, sheet metal or knives for a living or a hobby.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The biggest surprise here is how loosely the word "level" gets used. The NoCry CutGuard, a fixture of the old list, is sold as level 5, but that's the older European scale, and NoCry's own chart puts it at A2 on the US scale. It stays, framed as a light kitchen glove. Most readers should start with the Dex Fit Cru553, which pairs a mid-range A5 rating with a thin, grippy, washable build that works at a bench or a cutting board.
We rebuilt the list around the ANSI/ISEA 105 cut levels, reading each maker's rating chart, the rating pages HexArmor and Mercer publish, and the federal recall database. The HexArmor Helix 2076, Klein Tools 60588, Schwer SlicePro PR1501, Schwer ProGuard PR3326, Schwer PR1706 and Ironclad Command Impact 360 are new. The Mercer Millennia and Superior Glove Endura 378 stay.
The Superior Glove Dexterity, the Anself steel mesh glove and the BlueFire Pro dropped out after their listings disappeared or turned into other things, and the HexArmor Blademaster Ultimate and HexArmor 9011 are close to gone. The Endura 385CS is a chainsaw glove, a different kind of gear, so it left too. Where a cut level rests only on a maker's word, the text says so.
Earlier notes
December 4, 2020, by Christopher Thomas:
First of all, we need to note one important thing. When looking for a good pair of cut gloves, you'll probably see marketing images that demonstrate just how effective the gloves are by directly gripping the blade of a knife with one hand. We cannot stress enough that this is not a safe way to rate, test, or use these gloves. Few cut gloves, especially those meant for culinary use, will keep your hands safe if intentionally pushed to their limits.
With that out of the way, the Mercer Millenia is one of the best choices for most cooks. It's thin but still highly protective, and if you want something even safer, there's an A7 model that will do an even better job of thwarting a razor-sharp chef's knife. Alternatively, the NoCry 1M has a little bit more elasticity, but it doesn't come in as many sizes. Keep in mind that both of these are sold as a single unit, and you generally only wear one on your non-dominant hand, as they can make it hard to use a knife. The BlueFire Pro are also interesting for cooking, and although they aren't ideal for use in a professional kitchen, they're simply great for a barbecue at home. The Anself Stainless Steel rounds out the kitchen-focused models, and one of these is actually legally required in many states when using an electric slicer.
Outside of culinary use, there's a huge variety of interesting choices. The Endura 385CS are designed to dampen vibrations and even withstand a hit from a chainsaw. The HexArmor Blademaster Ultimate and HexArmor 9011 are both made from premium specialty materials meant to withstand long-term use and hold up to dangerous tools. Meanwhile, the Superior Glove Dexterity offer some of the most resilient armor on the market.
Those are the heavy-duty options, but there are certainly some in the middle. Notably, the Endura 378 don't have and rigid armor, so they don't hurt your dexterity too much, but still offer plenty of protection. The Dex Fit Cru533 are even more pliable, although they don't offer nearly as much protection to the back of the hand as they do the palm, where they're lined with Kevlar.
July 5, 2019, by Christopher Thomas:
Make no mistake, few gloves are completely impervious to cuts. You can certainly still stab yourself while wearing a cut-resistant glove -- I would know, I've done it -- but if you do, the results will be far less disastrous than if you weren't wearing personal protective equipment. With that said, you'll find a wide range of gloves designed for various purposes.
If you're working with food, you want either the NoCry or Anself. The NoCry is immensely popular and one of the most tried-and-true of the countless inexpensive options for culinary use. It's lightweight and breathable and doesn't get in the way of advanced knife technique. The Anself is, of course, quite bulky (it's made of steel, after all), but it will hold up even to high-speed meat slicers, and especially in many corporate culinary jobs, it's an absolute requirement. The BlueFire are interesting because they also serve as high-dexterity oven mitts, and they're great for keeping your wrists and forearms free from painful burns. None of these culinary gloves should be used for industrial or power tool work, however; they're meant to prevent cuts from kitchen knives, not saws or metal stamping machines.
If you do need something for protection from machinery, the Endura 378s are the simplest, and thanks to their high-quality materials, are also quite comfortable. They're not intended for high-precision work, though. Endura also makes a set of gloves that are remarkably effective for keeping safe while using the notoriously dangerous chainsaw. The SalviMar Dy-Max help you retain more flexibility, as they're made from advanced Dyneema fibers, which are considerably stronger than steel even though they're much lighter. The Dexterity by Superior Glove offer more all-around protection than almost anything else, as they'll keep you from banging up your knuckles in many situations. And the HexArmor options use the brand's patented SuperFabric, which boasts puncture protection superior to almost anything else on the market.
Special Honors
Ansell Ansell, an industrial glove maker based in Australia, sells its HyFlex knit gloves mostly through safety distributors rather than retail shelves. The line spans many ANSI cut levels, coatings and sizes, so it's worth a look for a workplace buying by the case. ansell.com
Reading The Cut Rating: A1 Through A9
Every rating here tests a slicing edge under load, not a point, a saw tooth or a spinning blade.
In the US, cut levels come from ANSI/ISEA 105, the hand protection standard from the International Safety Equipment Association. A lab drags a straight blade across the material under rising weight, using the ASTM F2992 method, and records how many grams it takes to cut through. The result lands on a nine-step scale: A1 starts at 200 grams, A5 means 2,200 to 2,999 grams, and A9 means 6,000 grams or more. The 2024 edition groups A1 to A3 as light, A4 to A6 as medium and A7 to A9 as heavy (Wikipedia).
Europe's EN 388 uses two cut tests. The newer one, from 2016, gives a letter from A to F. The older coup test, a spinning circular blade, gives a number from 1 to 5, and that number is the "level 5" stamped on many cheap kitchen gloves. It is not ANSI A5. NoCry, for example, sells its best-known glove as level 5 on the old scale, while its own chart lists ANSI A2 and EN 388 B.
As a rough guide, A1 to A3 suits paper, cardboard and light handling. A4 to A6 covers kitchen knives, glass and sheet metal. A7 to A9 is for heavy blades, metal stamping and sharp scrap. Every rating here tests a slicing edge under load, not a point, a saw tooth or a spinning blade.
Knit, Coated, Leather Or Steel Mesh
Most of these gloves start as a knit of high-performance polyethylene (HPPE, sold under names like Dyneema and Spectra), often blended with steel wire, glass fiber or aramid. Steel and glass add cut resistance without much bulk, but glass fiber can itch on sensitive skin, which is why some makers advertise yarn without it. Gauge describes how fine the knit is: 13-gauge gloves are thin and nimble, while 10-gauge gloves are thicker and warmer.
Uncoated knits suit food prep, since nothing can flake into food; look for a food-contact statement from the maker, as Mercer gives for its Millennia glove. A nitrile or polyurethane dip on the palm adds grip for oily parts, wet tools and glass, at the cost of feel. Touchscreen fingertips are now common on work knits.
Stainless steel ring mesh is the traditional choice in meat plants and oyster bars because a slicing edge can't get through the rings, though a hard stab with a sharp tip can. Leather gloves with a cut-resistant liner add heat and spark protection for welding and utility work. Impact gloves add rubber guards on the back of the hand for mechanics, riggers and demolition crews.
Fit, Care And The Jobs No Glove Covers
A cut glove has to fit snugly. Loose fingertips fold over and can get caught or sliced, so measure your palm and follow the maker's size chart. In the kitchen, wear the glove on the hand that holds the food, not the knife hand, and keep your fingertips curled under in a claw grip.
Most knits go in the washing machine. Mercer, for example, says to wash its gloves below 180 degrees Fahrenheit and dry them below 160. Replace a glove when the coating wears through at the fingertips, or when the knit is cut, frayed or stretched out.
Some hazards sit outside every rating. Never wear a knit glove near drills, lathes, saw blades or other rotating machinery, because the fabric can catch and pull the hand in. Chainsaw work calls for EN 381 chainsaw gloves and chaps. Puncture scores use a blunt probe, so they don't cover needles or thorns, and steel mesh conducts electricity. At work, US employers must assess hand hazards and supply suitable gloves under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.138.
How we researched this
We compared about 20 cut-resistant gloves, read the makers' rating charts and spec pages for the 10 finalists, checked each cut claim against the ANSI/ISEA 105 and EN 388 scales, and searched the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database for every brand. We found no independent lab test of these gloves, so each cut level is the one its maker publishes, and the text notes where only the seller states it.
Frequently asked questions
Are any gloves truly cut proof?
No. Makers including NoCry and Mercer say so themselves. A rated glove slows a sliding blade, but enough force, a point or a serrated or powered blade can still get through.
What are cut-resistant gloves made of?
Most are knits of high-performance polyethylene (HPPE) blended with steel wire, glass fiber, aramid or nylon. Butcher gloves use stainless steel ring mesh, and some work gloves put a cut-resistant liner under leather.
Which powered machines require cut-resistant gloves?
None of the cut ratings cover powered blades. Gloves can catch in drills, lathes and saws and pull the hand in, so follow the machine's guarding rules instead. Chainsaws need EN 381 chainsaw gloves.
Can I use cut-resistant gloves for cooking?
Yes, for slicing, grating and shucking. Pick one the maker says uses food-contact materials, wear it on the hand holding the food, and wash it after each use.
Do cut-resistant gloves stop thorns or needles?
Usually not. Cut ratings test a blade edge, and puncture scores use a blunt probe. For thorny yard work, thick leather gardening gloves do better.
Is "level 5" the same as ANSI A5?
No. Level 5 comes from the older European coup test, which tops out at 5. On the US scale, many level 5 kitchen gloves rate only A2 or A3.
