It is obligatory and safe to wear tattoo gloves, especially nitrile tattoo gloves. Look at our excellent selection and reviews shown below.
Certain elements complete the equipment for a tattoo artist. And one of them is essential, the pair of gloves!
It is unsanitary and unsafe to tattoo without gloves, so they are a must-have for any artist. It is hygienic to use them, and also obligatory of course. Still, the gloves go on your hands, and maybe not every material or type will suit you, so we understand your worries when it comes to choosing the best tattoo gloves for the greatest value.
Best overall
Runner Up
Nitrile Gloves pick
We tried to find a few gloves brands and we reviewed all of their features in the content below. Have a look at our reviews and you will instantly choose easier and faster too!
Here you can see which tattoo gloves were our ultimate choices. All of them are excellent, all of them offer what they should – safety and practicality. Now it’s time to see all of their descriptions in more detail and help you choose.
Why Do You Need Tattoo Gloves?
Tattoo gloves are a must in a tattoo shop or the environment of tattooing. They are crucially important for safety and hygiene, and they serve as a shield of protection between the customer and the artist. Tattooing is an intimate process that involves body fluids like blood and lymph, and in case of accidents like injuries or needle straying, the glove would protect both the artist and customer from unwanted (possible perhaps) infection.
The tattoo gloves are protective gloves for anyone working with delicate matters/things. This means the gloves are obligatory for tattoo artists, doctors, people working with chemicals, or chemists in laboratories, cosmeticians, and similar.
Read also: Best Rotary Tattoo Machines
The Best Tattoo Gloves in 2022
1. Lurrose Disposable Black Latex Gloves
Best Overall
Lurrose Disposable Black Latex Gloves
These tattoo gloves are your perfect choice if you are skeptical of most things around the tattoo shop, and you don’t want to risk any punctures (of course!). With these, you will rest assured that you and the client are both safe.
We start with our best overall pick, the Lurrose brand. These gloves look stunning, and they are made powder-free. This is especially good and important because the powdery feeling can be an annoyance for most artists. They are of course available in medium, large, and x-large sizes. The material used for them is butyronitrile. They are very comfortable and resistant to chemical contact with the skin, but most importantly, resistant to punctures.
Package dimensions are 9.7 x 3.7 x 0.2 inches, and it contains 100 pieces.
Pros
- Gorgeous black look
- No powder
- 3 sizes
- Comfortable
- Resistant to punctures and chemicals
Cons
- The XL size is smaller than an XL uniform size
2. Chef’s Star Disposable Latex Gloves
Runner Up
Chef’s Star Disposable Latex Gloves
You can pick these tattoo gloves if you like a simple whitish look and material that does not feel extremely thick to the point of fingers being almost ‘semi-numbed’. They are comfortable and feel light, yet they are safe and not tearing as easy as you think.
As the runner up second place, we chose the Chef’s Star brand, with another offer of 100 pieces per box/order. The sizes available are small, medium, and extra-large, and they are made of quality latex material. The orientation usage is ambidextrous of course, and they also are powder-free. These gloves do not rip or tear easily, nor do they abrase, especially with the help of the beaded cuff.
Package dimensions are 8 x 2 x 4 inches, with a total weight of 1.36 pounds.
Pros
- 3 sizes
- Latex material
- Ambidextrous
- No powder
- No rip/tear easily
- Beaded cuff
Cons
- Some orders arrive with clear instead of white-matte color gloves
- They feel a bit ‘thin’
3. MedPride Nitrile Gloves
Nitrile Gloves pick
You can pick these tattoo gloves if you like a simple whitish look and material that does not feel extremely thick to the point of fingers being almost ‘semi-numbed’. They are comfortable and feel light, yet they are safe and not tearing as easy as you think.
For third place, we have a special mention of Nitrile Gloves pick, and MedPride brand was our choice here. These tattoo gloves come 100 pieces per box and are made of durable nitrile material. The color is a nice dimmed blue-violet, and they are also ambidextrous and fit for both left and right-hand usage. What makes them perfect is that this material is a substitute for latex (that may irritate some users). They are durable, stretchy, and resistant to punctures. The finish is smooth, and the cuff beaded.
Package dimensions are 7 x 5 x 3 inches, with a total weight of 12 ounces.
Pros
- Nitrile material
- Nice color
- Ambidextrous
- Stretchy
- Durable
- Puncture-resistant
- Beaded cuff
Cons
- They feel light and not very thick
- The nitrile scent is specific for some
4. Eco Quality Nitrile Gloves
If you like black tattoo gloves and nitrile, and to know that the manufacturer offers good customer support along with the warranty – this is for you! You’ll say goodbye to latex or rubber allergies with these nitrile gloves.
Again we continue with nitrile gloves, but this time from the brand Eco Quality. These gloves are black and do not have any rubber or latex in them. Also, they are comfortable because they lack powder and do not leave a dusty residue on their hands. Again, their material is nitrile, so you’ll be safe from latex sensitivity or allergies. These gloves are very strong, stretchy, resistant to punctures or damages, and even to chemicals as well. The manufacturer warrants them for a whole year.
Package dimensions are 9.76 x 5 x 2.68 inches, with a total weight of 11.64 pounds.
Pros
- Nitrile material
- No rubber, no latex
- No powder
- Elastic and durable
- Resistant to damages
- 1-year warranty
Cons
- Ensure proper packaging with a seller before shipping to avoid order that’s unsealed
5. Video PUP Black Gloves
Choose these nitrile gloves if you are allergic to latex and rubber, but you want something simple without too many special features. These tattoo gloves are simple, nice matte-black, and with a good thickness, size to fit you well and comfortable.
As the last here on this list, but not the least, of course, is the Video PUP brand with their black gloves available in small, medium, and large sizes. Their material is nitrile (proven best against allergies to common materials like latex or rubber). They are fit for both hands (ambidextrous), and in the box, you’ll receive 100 pieces. The thickness is 5ml, as labeled, and for a palm of width 3.5-3.9 inches.
Package dimensions are 9.65 x 5.28 x 2.52, with a total weight of 1.22 pounds.
Pros
- 3 common sizes
- Nitrile
- Ambidextrous
- Good thickness and width
Cons
- It is not clearly stated whether they have powder (commonly used in some gloves)
How we picked and tested the gloves for tattoo artists
To summarize the best features of our examples above, and help you choose the best for your money, look for these features (as a checklist):
- More sizes available
- Powderless
- Comfort
- Thickness
- Resistance to damages/punctures
- Ambidextrous
- Beaded cuffs/securing
- (Preferably) Nitrile, in case of latex/rubber allergy
Tattoo Gloves Buyer’s Guide
Do I have to use tattoo gloves while tattooing?
Yes! Gloves of this kind (nitrile or latex) are all meant for one use only, and nothing more. If you even think about rubbing them with alcohol to reuse them or wash them in some way, DO NOT! They are not meant to be cleaned. The price of such gloves and their availability makes them easily accessible to us to just as easily throw them away.
Does the thickness of tattoo gloves matter?
It is always better to have thicker gloves, as a general rule. You will be careful when you work with needles/tattooing, of course, but in case of accidents (needles poking your hand skin, etc.), a thicker glove would be a better barrier, with less chance of skin injuries.
If the tattoo gloves are intact after the session can I reuse them?
Same as the answer in the start, above – NO! Whether you tattoo for just 5 minutes, no accidents, or for hours, also neatly without injuries, the gloves go in the trash can after each use.
Does the material of the tattoo gloves have to be nitrile?
As stated, preferably yes, if you can, always go for nitrile tattoo gloves. They are made of a better material compared to latex, so fewer chances of damages to them, or injuries to your skin. Also, they have no powder, making the process cleaner and more comfortable for you. Plus, they do not cause allergies (as it’s common with latex for example).
Conclusion
By now it should be a lot easier to choose the best tattoo gloves. You could go for the best overall Lurrose, resistant to damages, and powderless. Or perhaps the runner up Chef’s Star with beaded cuffs. And maybe even the nitrile gloves pick, MedPride, durable, resistant to punctures, and quite stretchy.
Every pair of tattoo gloves mentioned today is amazing, and a much-needed addition to your tattoo equipment. Remember, be safe, and think of your client’s safety too!
Read also: Best Coil Tattoo Machines & Top Antibacterial Soaps for Tattoos
