I asked my coworkers to share the best fabric face masks they've personally bought and used — here are our top 8 face masks you can buy online

My husband and I are licensed scuba divers so we receive email newsletters from PADI and pre-ordered their face masks as soon as the announcement came out. It took almost a month to arrive, though the shipping times might be shorter now that the pre-order period is over.

It comes as a single mask and $20 is expensive as far as face masks are concerned, but they're washable and each one comes with five reusable carbon filters so you'd be able to use it for a long time. It doesn't have a wire in the bridge of the nose for a custom fit but the sturdy elastic straps around the ears combined with the soft, stretchy fabric should make for a tight-enough fit around most adult faces.

The mask has two layers so you can place a carbon filter inside, and the exterior layer is made with recycled ocean plastic and has fun prints of marine life — ours have prints of whale sharks and Great Whites. Plus, it's lightweight enough for wearing in hot weather. — Jada Wong, senior editor

I've really loved these Vida Protective Masks. I bought them after including them in an article about face masks made by retailers because they seemed to be the best marriage of affordability, quantity, and effectiveness thanks to multiple layers of fabric, adjustable ear straps, and features such as a high silhouette and a wire bridge along the nose. They also have pockets for filters — which come included in your purchase.

I ordered in the heyday of mask-buying in April, and I received them a month later (unprompted, the company offered me the option of a shipping refund or to donate a mask to a charity as an apology). During the wait, I bought a few from Etsy, but the Vida ones are definitely superior; they cover more surface area, sit more securely on my face, and create a better seal all over. —Mara Leighton, senior reporter

I've tried a few different cloth face masks, and I agree with Mara's comments above: Vida's masks are comfortable, fit my face more securely than others, and come in a nice range of simple colors and good fabrics. —Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

I suppose I'm not surprised to see that quite a few of my coworkers are also fans of this mask — we are, after all, a group of product reviewers obsessed with finding the best versions of everything. My partner and I are both big fans of these Vida masks for their lightweight fabric, filter options, and the adjustability features mentioned above. — Sally Kaplan, senior editor

These are great masks for anyone with a small head like me. They don't have any fancy features — no filters, wired nose bridge, or adjustable straps for the ears. But their simplicity makes them great for the moments when we have to go outside to water our plants and may run into a neighbor or two on the elevator. These aren't the ones we wear when we go out and about for a long walk in the park because they're a bit heavier and the ears start to pull after a while, but they're perfectly fine for a quick errand outside. Plus, 10% of sales will be donated to the ACLU when you buy a set, so that's a solid perk. The striped pack I bought is now sold out, but they're available in solid colors. — Sally Kaplan, senior editor

I ordered two of these spandex and cotton masks from Etsy early on in the pandemic and have been wearing them ever since! They came quickly and after three months of wear, I've been impressed by how well they've retained their shape and size. They are so soft and breathable — like your favorite cotton T-shirt. My husband did find them a bit too warm, but I've worn them for many summer hikes and errand runs in sweaty New York City and feel comfortable. They wash easily, too. — Emily Cohn, deputy editor in chief

Vistaprint's face masks are a close second to Vida's in my book. If you want a face mask with a fun print, Vistaprint has a lot of great options to choose from, including solid colors, geometric patterns, florals, and more. The company makes masks for both kids and adults, and they have adjustable nose wires that create a tight, yet comfortable, seal on my face.

Unlike many other masks I looked into while searching for cloth face masks, these ones have a special design that fits securely over my chin to create an even better seal. There's space for a filter insert, too, though you do have to pay extra for them. The stretchy ear loops are easy to adjust for a more secure fit. Although a bit pricey, the masks are of higher quality than some others I've tried. Additionally, Vistaprint has pledged to donate 10% of sales to help small businesses whose operations have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. —Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

Casetify's masks are the softest ones I've worn. The cotton fabric feels like a super soft, frequently washed T-shirt. Unfortunately, the mask was a bit big and loose on my smaller face, but it fit my boyfriend's face much better. It doesn't have a nose wire and the ear loops don't have a built-in adjuster for tightening, but you can tie a knot at the end to make them fit better. There is a filter pocket and each mask comes with two free filters. Perhaps best of all, for every mask sold, Casetify is donating an FDA-approved surgical mask to Direct Relief, a non-profit organization that is distributing masks to medical professionals around the globe. —Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

Alright, so this isn't an N95, or even a medical mask — it's really designed for fly fishing on tropical sun-scorched sand flats — but have you taken a look at most people wearing masks out and about? They are often poorly fitting at best and dangling beneath noses if not down around necks or hung from ears like ornaments.

I've taken to the sun buff, though. I don't have a particular brand, though I do own a couple from "Buff," and they seem to do the trick. The biggest benefits are a good, tight seal around the nose (they're highly elastic and form-fitting), and a lot less fogging up of lenses.

While it's probably true that they don't offer quite the same protection, I feel confident wearing these outside while keeping my distance from others. They're also infinitely more comfortable, and, yes, UPF-treated, so rather than roast your hermetically sealed gob in your own hot breath while panting your way around in the summer doldrums, you're keeping the sun's harmful rays at bay. — Owen Burke, senior reporter

A friend's mom gifted me one of these face masks, and I had no idea it was such a hot item right now!

I like that it has two layers of fabric but still feels lightweight, and the elastic loops don't bother my sensitive ears. The one big drawback is that there isn't a wire across the nose to keep the mask from riding up, which does tend to happen. It also took about a month to arrive.

As far as face masks go, though, this is the cutest option I've seen (an easy motivator for keeping it on), and I get compliments whenever I go out. Lilly Pulitzer also says it's donated more than 67,000 masks to healthcare workers so far, which is a nice bonus.

They're unfortunately sold out at the moment, but I'm hopeful they'll make more soon. —Ashley Phillips, style and beauty editor