Best Mechanic Gloves (Review & Buying Guide) in 2023

Our top pick for the best mechanic gloves goes to Custom Leathercraft (CLC). The Handyman Flex Grip Work Gloves provide protection, but are also compatible with touchscreen technology, so as you watch each part of the YouTube video for the repair you don’t have to take your gloves on and off.

The gloves have a Spandex back, which allows for flexibility while an elastic cuff and synthetic palm material keep your hands snug beneath the glove’s protective layering. CLC concealed the inner stitching on these gloves to ensure that sharp edges won’t snag the threads to unwind them. For semi-regular hobbyist use, these look like they’d hold up well.

On the downside, using several different materials is nice for what it accomplishes (namely, touchscreen compatibility) but is going to cause a failure point long term. I’ve had stitching like this blow out and leave a bit of leather flapping in the wind. At that point, cut it off and keep going! The only other downside would be using these when it gets really hot out, since they’re not as breathable as other options.

For the vast majority of the messier jobs I undertake in the garage, I like using gloves like the Finish Line Mechanic Grip gloves. I haven’t used these gloves, but they’re a great representation of gloves that follow the same basic pattern: take a strong fabric glove, and dip it in a coating so it mixes the chemical resistance of a latex or nitrile glove, with more durability, and less sweat. Though you certainly can get sweaty in a pair of coated gloves, the fabric does breathe well, so you won’t be pouring out a handful of sweat when you reach overhead.

These Finish Line gloves have a textured palm to help you keep ahold of the tools or part you’re grabbing. That being said, with a cost below $5/pair in most cases, these aren’t designed to last months and months. That’s why I chose the three-pack. Keep these in the toolbox and slip on before getting started. They go on and off easily, and when the elastic wears out or they tear, chuck ‘em and put on the next set. For many garage mechanics, this will protect you from the greasy stuff.

Though, be mindful of them slipping off and banging your knuckles, as these offer basically no impact protection. Additionally, being coated fabric, these don’t offer much cut protection, so be cautious when working with sharp sheet metal.

Mechanix Wear is one of the most well-known names in the glove world, and chances are you’re either tried some of their gloves or have seen them before. The Original Covert Tactical gloves are a fantastic middle-of-the-road option. They don’t look like motorcycle gloves with all the impact-resistant plastic on the fingers. They’re lightweight and they have a nice wrist strap to keep them firmly in place. For the jobs that aren’t goopy, these are a good choice.

The downsides are the other side of the coin to the upsides: while not chunky, they don’t offer much padding or plastic to cushion your fingers if (when?) your wrench slips. Additionally, that breathable material will soak up oil and coolant, which has ruined a few similarly constructed gloves for me. If you keep these caveats in mind as you consider the kind of work you’re likely to encounter, it’ll help you figure out if these are the gloves for you.

The Ironclad General Utility Work Gloves GUG are soft, comfortable, and durable and are designed for high-performance tasks. They feature thermoplastic rubber knuckle protection, which protects against impacts and abrasion, and a hook and loop closure so you can adjust the fit around your wrists.

One of the best things about these gloves is that they stand up to abuse. They have a leather-like material on the fingers and palms, which is tacky enough for grabbing and holding objects. The terry cloth area on the thumb is designed to wipe sweat off your face, and they’re breathable and machine washable. They provide finger agility over heavier gloves and are snug but not restrictive.

However, it’s hard to operate a cell phone using these gloves and pick up tiny items with your fingertips. They are also not waterproof.

Wearing disposable gloves is a quick and easy way to keep your hands clean, though it doesn’t offer a whole lot of protection from cuts, nicks, or impacts. Since working on cars can include some nasty chemicals from time to time, I chose the Thickster Latex gloves from SAS Safety. I used these for years to spray industrial coatings, and they are durable. These are a shocking 14 mils thick. For reference, most latex exam gloves are 3-4 mils, and the “thick” ones are usually 8 mils thick. These resist tearing, and unless you snag them on something sharp, they do tend to stay intact for a lot of projects.

The downside with these, and with all disposable gloves, is that you get sweaty really quickly. Here’s a tip from my painting days: get a cheap cotton glove that fits snugly and buy a size up in the latex gloves and wear them over the cotton gloves. The latex is easy to slip on and off the cotton, which soaks up the sweat. I’ve even reused my latex gloves that haven’t torn for several projects, since they tolerate being pulled on and off much easier with the cotton underlayer. Throw away when they get holes, or when you snag the finger on a hose clamp.