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Got A Broken Fridge Part? These Are The Strongest Glues For A DIY Repair At Home

by Margeaux Baulch Klein
Woman opening refrigerator door, closeup
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When you need to fix a shelf, drawer, handle, or another broken plastic part in your fridge, you'll want to use the strongest, most longest-lasting glue possible. However, you can't just use any glue to repair plastic parts in a refrigerator. The best glues for plastic in a refrigerator are durable, non-runny, and cold-resistant. They should also be easy to apply and dry to white or clear to better blend in with your fridge.

When shopping for a glue to fix fridge (or freezer) plastic, the first thing to consider is where is the broken piece is located. If it's inside your appliance, the key feature to look for is that your glue touts "cold-resistant" adhesion (usually starting at around -58 degrees Fahrenheit) so you know it's not going to budge. From there, the most optimal glue for your needs can vary depending on how big of a repair job it is. For nooks, crannies, and smaller chips, a moldable glue will be user-friendly and give you the ability to shape it and make it as thin or thick as needed.

For places where you may be concerned that the glue may come into contact with food (like inside a vegetable crisper drawer or your ice maker), you'll want to seek out an epoxy that meets the FDA's requirements for for being food safe.

Finally, if you're looking to repair a plastic refrigerator handle or any part that's on the outside of your appliance, you want something that's impact-resistant to ensure it will remain secure no matter how many times the door gets opened and closed.

No matter what your needs are, you'll find that all of the best glues for fixing plastic in or on a fridge are all thicker in texture (if not gel than rubber or dough-like) to ensure they stay exactly where you put them even while they cure.

Now that you have a better idea of what type of glue to use, keep scrolling for three great options from Amazon!

We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.

1

The Overall Best Glue For Plastic In Refrigerators

This Sugru moldable glue is everything a great refrigerator plastic glue should be: durable, waterproof, and cold-resistant (from -58 degrees to 356 degrees Farenheit) with a non-runny Play-doh-like consistency that you can mold to the exact shape that you need. This glue dries to a white-colored, hard silicone rubber that can hold up to 4.4 pounds in weight once dried. It also has the added bonus of being able to be repositioned for up to 30 minutes after you stick it, allowing you to reshape as needed. Full cure starts at a minimum of 24 hours.

It's not only a great solution for fixing cracked plastic (like on your drawers), it can be used to replace missing door parts or sealing off an edge from a glass shelf. "Worked perfectly for something we weren't exactly sure how we were going to fix before coming across this product," reports one Amazon fan who used it on a broken refrigerator drawer face. Just keep in mind that though Sugru confirms their compound is "not classified as toxic," it's also not food-safe.

You'll also want to note that there is a shelf-life to consider with this pick — according to the manufacturer, unopened packages will stay fresh for 13 months from the day it was made. So you'll want to look for the "use by" date on the back of each pack. However, per a "pro tip" provided by Sugru, there is one effective way to get around this expiration date: Keep unopened single-use packs in the fridge, and "the number of months you have left to use them will triple."

Helpful review: "Used this to fix a drawer in my freezer and it worked. Even more amazing is that it continued working hold the sliding drawer into place in the freezer for four months and shows no signs of stopping. If I ever need a unique solution for fixing something I'm coming for this stuff first."

2

The Best Food-Grade Silicone Sealant

This durable Silco sealant has earned the high praise of Amazon reviewers who have collectively given it an average of 4.6 stars. What's notable about this pick is that it is made of an FDA- and USDA-approved food-safe 100% silicone rubber. This means it's the best non-toxic adhesive to use for applications where there's a higher potential of intermittent contact with food or ice. It's also cold-resistant (from -62 degrees to 350 degrees Farenheit), waterproof, and dries to a clear finish on a variety of surfaces. As a paste, this sealant is easy to apply and won't run. Just note that it takes a minimum of 24 hours for it to cure.

Helpful review: “Easy to use and sealed up the cracks in my fridge. So far has held up a couple months with no problems.”

3

The Best Glue For Repairing Plastic Refrigerator Handles

For refrigerator handles, there might not be a better choice than this Gorilla super glue gel. Not only does it seal tightly on plastic, metal, and other surfaces, it's also impact-resistant and holds well, even on vertical surfaces. The gel consistency of this glue won't run when applied and will dry clear in as little as 10 seconds. However, keep in mind that this glue is not rated as being food-safe, so it's best used only for external repairs. You also can't reposition this glue once dried, so you'll need to be certain exactly where you want it to go before applying.

Helpful review: “I didn't think it would glue together a broken fridge handle and have it hold. It was a great and affordable fix (I spent over all $50 in different super glue and plastic adhesion products). This was the only thing that held up.”