Nitrile Gloves Buying Guide — Weight, AQL, and Chemical Resistance

Buying nitrile gloves looks simple - pick a size, pick a color, order a box. But there are five numbers that separate a medical-grade glove from a cheap industrial one: weight (g), thickness (mm), AQL, tensile strength, and chemical resistance rating. Get these wrong and you either overpay, under-protect, or deal with constant blowouts.

Here is the straight comparison from a glove manufacturer.
The Short Answer
4.0g, AQL 1.5, blue, powder-free: standard medical exam glove
5.0g, AQL 1.5, blue, powder-free: heavy-duty for dental and industrial
4.0g, AQL 4.0, black: cheap industrial grade - not for medical use
Always ask for the AQL and the gram weight.

The Key Specs
When you compare quotes, ask suppliers for these five numbers:

A 4.0g glove weighs about 4 grams. A 5.0g glove is 25% heavier. The extra material adds puncture resistance. In a dental setting, where clinicians handle sharp instruments, 5.0g is worth the premium.
Don't confuse weight with thickness. Weight is total per glove. Thickness is measured at the fingertip. A well-made 4.0g glove can have 0.11mm fingertip thickness. A cheap 5.0g glove might be 0.13mm at the palm but thin at the fingertip.

AQL: The Most Important Number
AQL stands for Acceptable Quality Level. It measures the pinhole defect rate.

AQL 1.5 means that in a statistically sampled batch, no more than 1.5% of gloves may have pinholes. AQL 4.0 allows up to 4% - nearly one in 25 gloves is defective.
If you're buying for a hospital, insist on AQL 1.5. AQL 4.0 gloves sold as "medical grade" on Amazon are not compliant. Ask for the test report.

ASTM D6319 and ISO 11193

These are the two standards that govern nitrile exam gloves:
ASTM D6319 - Standard Specification for Nitrile Rubber Examination Gloves (US)
ISO 11193-1 - Single-use medical examination gloves - Part 1: Specifications for rubber (international)
When you request a quote, ask whether the gloves meet these standards. The test report should be from an accredited lab (SGS, Intertek, Nelson Labs).

Powdered vs Powder-Free
Powdered gloves use cornstarch as a donning agent. They were banned in many ORs because:
Cornstarch can cause peritoneal adhesions in surgery
It can trigger airway irritation
It contaminates sterile fields
Powder-free gloves use a polymer coating on the inside to make them slide on. They cost slightly more but are the standard in modern healthcare.
Buy powder-free. The cost difference is negligible.

Chemical Resistance (EN 374)
Nitrile resists:
Acids (dilute)
Oils and greases
Petroleum products
Many household chemicals
Nitrile does NOT resist:
Ketones (acetone)
Strong oxidizing acids
Aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene)
For chemical splash protection, look for EN 374 Type B or Type C ratings. Our standard exam gloves are not chemical-resistant gloves - they are for exam and light splash.

FAQ
Q: What is AQL 1.5? A: Acceptable Quality Level 1.5 means no more than 1.5% of gloves in a batch may have pinholes. This is the medical-grade standard.
Q: Are nitrile gloves better than latex? A: For most medical uses, yes. Nitrile contains no latex protein, so it's safe for latex-allergic staff and patients. Latex has better elasticity but carries allergy risk.
Q: What is the difference between exam gloves and surgical gloves? A: Exam gloves are non-sterile, ambidextrous, and used for patient exams. Surgical gloves are sterile, hand-specific, and used in the OR.
Q: Can nitrile gloves be reused? A: No. They are single-use disposable items.
Q: What is the shelf life? A: Three years from manufacture when stored in original packaging at room temperature.