Repairing a truck, be it rebuilding an engine or something as simple as swapping a tire, is tasking to the hands. Doing it barehanded can result in bruises, cuts, or greasy stains that are hard to wash off.
Putting on the right type of hand protection will keep your hands safe. Reports have shown that wearing gloves reduces the risk of hand injury by up to 60 percent.
The best disposable mechanics gloves will not only protect you from bruises but also keep chemicals like power steering fluid, transmission fluid, battery acid, or radiator coolant off your skin.
Disposable gloves for mechanics are thinner and cheaper since they are designed for single use. They are perfect for you if you are just a repair enthusiast or a mainstream truck owner who occasionally has to do an oil change, bleed brakes, or refill your radiator coolant.
Why Nitrile Disposable Gloves?
Nitrile is the most popular disposable gloves material that can withstand the light to heavy abuse a mechanic can subject his or her hands to. Nitrile is a synthetic material that though similar to rubber latex is up to three times more puncture resistant.
8 millimeters thick gloves can give you strong barrier protection while retaining high degrees of dexterity. This coupled with the glove’s ability to protect you from corrosive or caustic chemicals has earned it a sport in the OSHA personal protective equipment standards recommendations list.
Pro Tip: Disposable gloves aren’t as resilient as reusable mechanic gloves. They will hold their own if you use them responsibly but will still tear and rip under severe punishment. The good thing is all brands in this roundup sell affordable packs of 100 gloves
Here is a roundup of the top disposable nitrile mechanic gloves that give you great value for the money.
Top Nitrile Disposable Gloves for Mechanics
| Name | Layers | Thickness | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion Grip Disposable Nitrile Gloves (Recommended) | 1 | 8 mils | |
| SAS Safety 66518 Raven 6 Mil Nitrile Gloves | 1 | 6 mils | |
| AMMEX Black Nitrile 5 Mil Industrial Disposable Gloves | 1 | 5 mils | |
| Grease Monkey Disposable Nitrile All-Purpose Gloves | 1 | - | |
| Venom Steel Nitrile 2 Layer Gloves | 2 | 6 mils | |
| Midnight Mitts Nitrile Gloves (Longer Sleeves) | 1 | 5 mils |
Lion Grip Disposable Nitrile Gloves (Highest Thickness Rating)
With an 8 mil thickness rating, the Lion Grip disposable nitrile gloves are the thickest on the list. They will give you a quite resilient working surface and will hold their own in regular mechanic, auto hobbyist or manual labor use.
You can use them to perform any repairs on your truck and expect them to hold their own against the dirt and abrasion as long as you don’t push them too hard.
Pros
- Extra thick nitrile
- Very firm grip thanks to the textured finish
- Available in a wide range of sizes
Cons
- They seem a bit thinner (like a mil thinner) than the advertised 8 mil
SAS Safety 66518 Raven 6 Mil Nitrile Gloves
These latex-free nitrile gloves will come in handy regardless of whether you are tinkering with your truck’s engine or repainting the fenders. Build with 6 mil nitrile, it is highly resistant to punctures and tears but doesn’t rob your fingers of the dexterity and flexibility needed to do precision adjustments.
The gloves feature a beaded cuff for easier wearing while the textured grip section makes it easy to hold onto tools as you work. A single pack contains 100 gloves that you can use in other tasks like painting, plumbing or fixing things around the house.
Pros
- High strength 6 mil nitrile
- A textured grip for better control of tools
- Latex-free
- Powder-free
Cons
- The sizes run small and you might have to buy one size bigger for a comfortable fit
AMMEX Black Nitrile 5 Mil Industrial Disposable Gloves
The black Ammex industrial gloves are up to 5 mils thick at the palm (6 mils on the fingers) and have textured fingertips and palms for better grip even when working on wet surfaces. The nitrite offers the characteristic elasticity without robbing you of the protection from abrasive surfaces that might puncture you and expose your hands to corrosive fluids like battery acid (you can do away with battery acid spillages by buying a leak-proof battery).
Since it is a latex-free design, they are a great choice for people who are latex allergic. The black color will hide the dirt and grime for longer meaning you can keep working for longer before disposing of them. A single box contains 100 gloves.
Pros
- Strong enough to protect you from abrasion, corrosion, and mild punctures
- Textured palm and fingertips to improve grip
- Powder-free and latex-free
Cons
- Get a size bigger or they will be a tight fit
Grease Monkey Disposable Nitrile All-Purpose Gloves
This is another bestselling pack of 100 nitrile disposable gloves that you should consider if you are looking for mechanic gloves. The gloves fit snugly and don’t slip around when you are using them and will protect you from chemicals and grime meaning that you don’t have to spend minutes scrubbing down after working on your truck.
The textured treatment gives you a strong grip on your appliances making it easy to use tools or anything you are working on.
Pros
- High strength latex-free gloves
- Water and liquid proof
- Durable enough for a full day of use
- Grips well
Cons
- Not as thick as I would like
Venom Steel Nitrile 2 Layer Gloves
The Venom Steel nitrile gloves use a different approach to protect you from punctures and corrosive chemicals. The glove features a 2 layer design. It uses a black and white color for the two layers making it easier to find out when your gloves have ripped.
The two layers give you an impressive 6 mil thickness that is more than enough to protect your hands from scrapes, mild punctures, blisters or corrosive chemicals without compromising your grip on the tools you will be working with.
Pros
- 2 layers for extra protection
- 6 mil thick nitrile
- Latex and powder-free
Cons
- They will still tear if you expose them to small sharp edges
Midnight Mitts Nitrile Gloves
The Midnight Mitts by Framma bring a different twist to the story – long sleeves. Up to now, all the gloves featured on our list ended just above the wrist. These are 12-inch long meaning they will extend well beyond the wrist depending on your arm’s length.
The industrial nitrile is exam grade and is 5 mils thick. They also have a roughened surface on the palm and fingertips for improved gripping power. The win here, however, is the extended wrist coverage which means you don’t have to take off watches or bracelets even when working your trucks fluids or if you are washing it.
Pros
- Extra-long to protect beyond the wrist area
- 5 mil exam grade nitrile
- 100% latex-free
- Easy to wear and remove
Cons
- Only available in 3 general sizes (small, medium and large)
How Do You Dispose Of Used Nitrile Gloves?
Since you can run through a pack of 100 gloves really fast, it is your responsibility to ensure that they’re properly disposed of without littering. Don’t leave them lying on the ground or mix them with normal decomposable trash.
If you cannot find a specific nitrile recycling program, dump them together with other rubber recyclable bin and put them in a clearly marked bag for easy identification.
Do Nitrile Gloves Decompose
Normal nitrile will take decades or even millennia to breakdown when dumped in a landfill or left lying on the ground. That is why you can’t just leave your gloves lying on the off-roading trail or dump them with other biodegradable waste.
How to Safely Remove Disposable Gloves
In most cases, disposable gloves will be wet and dirty after using them. The best way to remove them without dirtying your hands is by following this procedure
- Peel on one glove downwards away from the wrist
- Ensure that you are turning the glove inside out
- Pull it away until its removed from your hand in an inside out fashion
- Slide your bare fingers under the other glove and slide it out too taking care not to touch the soiled outside of the other glove
Nitrile Vs Latex Gloves: Which are Better?
Nitrile has a better puncture resistance rating than any other disposable waterproof glove material. They are better than latex or vinyl making them more appropriate for the abuse even the smallest mechanics jobs would subject them to.
Bottom Line
Getting the best disposable mechanics gloves is mandatory for any truck enthusiast or driver. They will come in handy when making fast repairs or fixes on the road or when you have to do something meaningful on your car in your own garage. You can also use the gloves for other tasks like cleaning, washing, or working around the house – after all, you get 100 pairs in a single pack.