Adeste FFP2 Masks Review: For Viruses, Dust and Your Grab Bag

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A box of FFP2 masks is one of the cheapest, most useful things you can keep in an emergency kit, and one of the first things to vanish from the shelves when everyone suddenly wants them. Adeste FFP2 masks are the ones I’ve kept in mine.

I wore Adeste FFP2 masks through Covid, and I still use them for woodworking, where fine dust gets everywhere. They fit well and are comfortable enough to wear for long stretches. Each Adeste FFP2 mask comes in its own sealed pouch, which makes them easy to store and easy to split between the places you might need one.

What You Get with Adeste FFP2 Masks

The pack is 50 white Adeste FFP2 masks from Polonord Adeste, each one individually sealed. According to the listing they are:

• UKCA 0086 certified by BSI, the British Standards Institution, and the certificate can be checked using the QR code on the box
• Tested to EN 149:2001+A1:2009, FFP2 NR D
• Five layers with a double filter
• A Category III personal protective device
• Made on dedicated lines in a clean room, with breathability and filtering checked in Polonord Adeste’s own laboratory in Bologna
• Fitted with wider, hypoallergenic ear bands, designed not to irritate the ears

What Does FFP2 NR D Mean?

The code on the mask tells you exactly what it is. FFP2 is the European and UK standard for a filtering face piece: an FFP2 mask must filter at least 94% of airborne particles. It sits between FFP1 (the lowest) and FFP3 (the highest). NR means non-reusable, so each mask is designed for a single shift or day of use. D means the mask has passed the dolomite dust test, a clogging test that checks it keeps letting you breathe comfortably in dusty conditions.

That last letter matters more than people think. A mask that clogs quickly becomes hard work to breathe through, and you take it off. Adeste FFP2 masks carry the D rating, which fits with how comfortable I’ve found them during longer jobs in the workshop.

Fit and Comfort: My Experience

I’ve worn Adeste FFP2 masks for hours at a time, first through Covid and since then for woodworking. They fit well, and they’re comfortable. That sounds like a small thing until you’ve worn a badly fitting mask for an afternoon. A mask that sits right and doesn’t dig in is a mask you actually keep on.

For woodworking, these FFP2 dust masks keep fine sawdust out of your nose and mouth, which is exactly what you want when sanding or cutting. For illness, an FFP2 mask protects the wearer, which is the key difference from a thin surgical mask.

FFP2 Masks vs Surgical Masks vs KN95

• Surgical masks are mainly designed to stop droplets going outward from the wearer. They don’t seal to the face and aren’t rated to filter the air you breathe in.
• FFP2 masks filter at least 94% of airborne particles you breathe in, and are tested and certified to EN 149.
• KN95 is the Chinese standard, with a similar filtration level. The advantage of FFP2 face masks such as Adeste’s is UK and European certification you can check, here via BSI and the QR code on the box.

How I Store Them

Because every Adeste FFP2 mask is individually sealed, storage is simple. I keep the box in a lidded storage box with the rest of my supplies, one mask in the car, and one in my grab bag. The sealed pouch keeps each one clean until it’s needed, and you only open what you use.

A pack of 50 goes a long way when it’s split like that: a few in every grab bag and car, plenty at home for a household during an outbreak, and a steady supply for DIY. Check the date printed on the box when you buy, and rotate older stock into DIY use.

Who Adeste FFP2 Masks Are For

• Households building an emergency or pandemic kit
• Anyone who wants a few sealed FFP2 masks in the car and the grab bag
• DIYers and woodworkers who need protection from fine dust
• Anyone looking after someone vulnerable, during a winter illness wave or an outbreak

Adeste FFP2 Masks: Our Verdict

Adeste FFP2 masks do exactly what a stored mask needs to do: they’re properly certified, individually sealed, and comfortable enough that you’ll keep them on. I’ve relied on them through Covid and in the workshop, and a box in the cupboard, plus one in the car and one in the grab bag, is about the simplest piece of preparedness you can buy.

What the Rest of the Team Think

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• Adeste FFP2 masks are UKCA 0086 certified by BSI, checkable via the QR code on the box
• FFP2 NR D: at least 94% filtration and a passed dust-clogging test
• Each Adeste FFP2 mask is individually sealed, so it’s easy to store and share out
• Comfortable, well-fitting, with wider hypoallergenic ear bands
• Works as an FFP2 dust mask for DIY as well as for illness

Cons

• Adeste FFP2 masks are single use (NR), so you’ll get through them in a long outbreak
• Ear loops rather than head straps, which some people prefer for a tighter seal
• Only one colour and size in the 50-pack

Frequently Asked Questions