While disposable gloves are often used in a medical or industrial setting, they also have many uses around the home and workplace that don't involve touching a patient in an exam room or a specimen in a lab. In order to make sure you choose the right glove for the right tasks,you should consider the following factors.

• Durability 

• Resistance to tearing 

• Temperature resistance

• Chemical resistance

• Usability 

Disposable gloves are usually rated for some combination of industrial, medical, or food usage.Be sure to select the right gloves based on your use case, and read the specifications carefully.

In our roundup, we included three types of disposable gloves: latex, nitrile, and vinyl. Latex gloves are made out of rubber. The primary reason you might choose an alternative to latex is that some people suffer from latex allergies. Nitrile gloves are made out of a synthetic rubber, making it an ideal alternative when latex allergies are of concern. The synthetic rubber makes the gloves more durable, making it a top pick for medical use. Vinyl gloves are a popular choice for the food industry and situations where high levels of durability and protection are less of a priority. While they may be less durable, they are also a less expensive option.

In addition, some gloves come advertised as "powdered." These gloves have cornstarch powdered in the interior of the glove, making it easier to put on and take off. It will also help with moisture build-up and to help keep up flexibility for prolonged use. However, most gloves are powder-free since powdered gloves can increase the chances of contracting a bacterial infection if it comes in contact of an open wound.

Disposable gloves also come in a variety of thicknesses; the trade-off is that thicker gloves usually mean better temperature or chemical protection, but there can be a corresponding loss in dexterity and flexibility that might be needed for undertaking small-scale or delicate tasks.