Sugru, a glue for the fix-it and maker set, is now cheaper, stronger and kid-friendly
It's like a cross between Play-Doh and epoxy.
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I used black Sugru to fix the worn-down tips of five wooden dowels in this antique laundry drying rack built by Art Moore Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, probably in the 1920s, but used by my family for more than 40 years.
Sugru, a moldable and rubbery glue useful for repairs and maker projects, is now cheaper, stronger and more kid-friendly.
The glue has uses for the DIY set, like adding hooks to kitchen tiles, mounting a toilet paper holder on a bathroom wall without drilling, or setting up an iPad holder on the refrigerator for reading recipes.
The malleable adhesive also can keep electronics, toys and other products out of the landfill -- and reducing waste is important with the amount of gadgets we all buy these days. I've used Sugru to fix fraying charging cables, beef up a broken zipper pull, reattach a snapped-off food processor handle and repair two clothes drying racks.
Sugru has had two versions: the original product and a child-friendly version better suited for crafts. Starting Nov. 25, the company will instead offer one newer formula that's designed to be easier on the skin, certified as safe to use on toys and no longer warning of possible allergy problems. The new formula is also twice as strong, if you let it set for 48 hours, the company said Thursday.
The company, which began as a UK startup but now is a part of German adhesive maker Tesa, also hopes to get a food-safe certification in 12 months. That could make customers feel better about kitchen projects like mug handle repairs.
Sugru comes in small packets. You can shape it like Play-Doh and stick it to metal, plastic, wood, ceramics and various other surfaces. After it's set, it stiffens some but remains flexible like firm rubber.
It's less expensive, too, with a three-pack decreasing from $10 to $8, and an eight-pack from $20 to $17. In the UK, three-pack prices dropped from £8 to £6, and eight-packs dropped from £15 to £14. You can buy it at Amazon, Walmart and Target, though the company is expanding sales channels.
Sugru moldable glue comes in black, gray, white, red, yello and blue. A new formula is stronger, cheaper and kid-friendlier.