3M Half Mask Comparison Video

3M Half Mask Comparison Video Transcript

Hi, this is Rick Pedley, and welcome to PK Safety Supply.

Today we're going to talk about half mask respirators. Our most popular come from 3M. I have two models here: I have the 6000 series and the 7500 series. Now, both of these happen to be medium in size, though they are both available in small, medium and large.

I just want to highlight the differences between these. Now the 6000 we sell quite a few more of. These run somewhere in the $10 range, whereas the 7500 is a little over $20. So, quite a bit of a difference in price, but the protection between the two is really the same -- they accept the same cartridges, they fit more or less the same way. The only exception are the base materials.

Both of these have plastic center sections that's going to hold the exhalation valve. Both of them then have a rubbery material that's going to contact your face. In the case of the 6000, it's going be what's called an elastomeric rubber material -- I don't know exactly what's in it, but it's fairly soft and fits just fine. The 7500, though, has silicone and silicone is definitely a step up. It's softer, it's inert, so it's not going to cause any allergic reactions, and they last quite a bit longer than the material on the 6000. The elastomeric material on the 6000 starts to break down after a while. The silicone -- really -- I don't know when it breaks down.

Either one, we're going to be putting on a cartridge. Now, they use the same ones. For instance, on this half mask, I'll take the 6001 Organic Vapor Cartridge and put it on. Same thing on the other side. Take this, it just lines up and turn it. Now the mask is complete and ready to go, this particular one setup and ready for organic vapors.

The 7500 is the same basic idea. I'll take here the 60926, the combination cartridge or P100. Put it on, turn it, it clicks and it's good to go!

Same basic idea. They're going to fit the same. The straps that go over the head -- this one, the 6000 does not have an adjustment at the top, but the 7500 can be adjusted a little bit for head size. Other than that, the adjustments are the same. I don't see any difference there.

The 6000 series really doesn't have the replacement parts. They want it to be inexpensive, so you pretty much use it and when it's done, you get rid of it. You can replace parts in the 7500, though we don't get a lot of orders for that, so either it lasts really well or people are not replacing the parts.

So either one of these will work just fine for you. It's really a question of what type of mask you'd like to be using. If I had the choice, the 7500 is going to be the one I'm going to pick first. But if money is an issue or you're not going to keep it for very long, let's say you're going to be doing something around your house. This is going to work just fine, and it's our most popular half mask.

I should also mention that this also applies to the 5000 series, that's this mask here. They use the same mask, but a little different color and then they put the cartridges on it. Cartridges are always on it -- you can't remove them -- that's the 5000 series. You may see it on our site, it's a paint spray model.

That's the basic idea of the 3M half mask respirators! Thank you so much for looking!

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