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Diameter to fit the gun, melt temperature to suit the material

The best hot glue sticks for 2026

Hot glue sticks are the refills a glue gun melts, and they differ more than a bag of clear sticks suggests. The diameter has to match the gun — mini and full-size sticks do not interchange — and the length decides how often a long job is interrupted to reload. The melt temperature grade matters: high-temperature sticks bond more strongly and suit wood and heavier materials, low-temperature sticks suit foam, fabric and delicate crafts that a hot gun would melt, and many sticks work at both settings on a dual-temperature gun. Material suitability is published on the careful listings, since hot glue bonds poorly to some smooth plastics and metals. Open time — how long the glue stays workable — decides whether parts can be positioned after the bead is laid. Clear or coloured sticks change the look, and glitter sticks are for decoration rather than strength. Count and net weight set the price, and weight compares fairly where the count does not. Hot glue burns skin, and the gun maker's guidance applies. We compare diameter, length, melt grade, material suitability, open time, colour, count and net weight.

The parts and materials worth a place on the bench

  1. Stack of milky white glue sticks

    Bosch Ultra glue sticks 7 × 150 mm, 30 pieces, 180 g

    Thirty Ultra glue sticks from Bosch, 7 mm across and 150 mm long, 180 g in all, a universal adhesive for all common 7 mm glue guns, described as milky in colour.

    Diameter
    7 mm, title and first bullet
    Length
    150 mm, title and first bullet
    Melt grade
    Absent from the listing
    Material suitability
    Powerful universal adhesive, third bullet; materials not named
    Open time
    Absent from the listing
    Colour
    Milky, fourth bullet; “Mehrfarbig” (multicoloured) in the title
    Count
    30 sticks, title
    Net weight
    180 g, first bullet
    Amazon reference
    B00SJ8RVUM (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    3165140800655
    • Weight given: 180 g
    • Long 150 mm sticks
    • Milky in the bullet, multicoloured in the title

    Best for: A 7 mm glue gun owner who wants long sticks from a tool maker.

    ≈ 6 €
    Check price on Amazon
  2. Pyramid of white glue sticks with three loose sticks in front

    Relota Hot glue sticks 7 × 100 mm, 100 pieces, clear

    One hundred clear hot glue sticks from Relota, 7 × 100 mm, in solvent-free resin with cold flexibility and ageing resistance, for 7 mm glue guns and materials from metal and glass to textiles and card, with advice to measure the gun before buying.

    Diameter
    7 mm, title and fifth bullet
    Length
    100 mm, title and fifth bullet
    Melt grade
    Absent from the listing
    Material suitability
    Metal, wood, ceramics, glass, textiles, leather, paper, card and more, fourth bullet
    Open time
    Absent from the listing — melts fast and sets soon after application, third bullet
    Colour
    White-transparent, title and second bullet
    Count
    100 sticks, title and fifth bullet
    Net weight
    Absent from the listing
    Amazon reference
    B0BXSMN2DS (same reference on 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0709688601270
    • One hundred sticks
    • Materials named
    • Short 100 mm sticks

    Best for: A crafter with a 7 mm glue gun who goes through many short sticks.

    ≈ 7 €
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  3. Small stack of translucent glue sticks

    Steinel Hot glue sticks clear 7 × 150 mm, 40 pieces, 240 g

    Forty clear hot glue sticks from Steinel, 7 × 150 mm and 240 g, solvent-free and odourless, for Steinel GlueMatic 1007, MobileGlue 1007, neo1 and neo2 glue guns and all common 7 mm guns, with glued parts releasable afterwards with a heat gun.

    Diameter
    7 mm, title and first and fourth bullets
    Length
    150 mm, title and fifth bullet
    Melt grade
    Absent from the listing as a figure — an “optimal melting point” said to keep glue out of the gun’s electronics, second bullet
    Material suitability
    Leather, wood, glass, paper, card, cork, stone, porcelain, metal, textiles and ceramics, third bullet
    Open time
    Absent from the listing — fast-drying, second bullet
    Colour
    Crystal clear, almost invisible once set, first bullet
    Count
    40 sticks, title and fifth bullet
    Net weight
    240 g, title
    Amazon reference
    B09P1M72JM (same reference on 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    4007841084615
    • Crystal clear, almost invisible joints
    • Weight given: 240 g
    • No melt temperature figure

    Best for: A Steinel 7 mm glue gun owner who wants clear joints that can be undone.

    ≈ 8 €
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  4. Stack of white glue sticks with two lying across the top

    AUXHCYL EVA hot glue sticks 7 × 100 mm, 200 pieces, clear

    Two hundred clear hot glue sticks from AUXHCYL in EVA resin, 7 × 100 mm, elastic and solvent-free, for 7 mm glue guns and materials from paper and card to wood, plastic, ceramics, glass and rubber.

    Diameter
    7 mm, title and first and third bullets
    Length
    100 mm, title and first bullet
    Melt grade
    Absent from the listing — EVA resin, first bullet
    Material suitability
    Paper, card, wood, plastic, feathers, shells, ceramics, glass and rubber, fifth bullet
    Open time
    Absent from the listing — fast-drying, fourth bullet
    Colour
    White and transparent, second bullet
    Count
    200 sticks, title and fifth bullet
    Net weight
    Absent from the listing
    Amazon reference
    B0CR5QDRZK (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0710436214925
    • The largest count of the seven: 200 sticks
    • EVA resin named
    • Short 100 mm sticks

    Best for: A classroom or craft group using many 7 mm glue guns at once.

    ≈ 10 €
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  5. Stack of translucent glue sticks seen end-on

    JelKen Hot glue sticks 11 × 200 mm, 45 pieces, clear, resin/EVA grade A+

    Forty-five clear hot glue sticks from JelKen, 11 × 200 mm, in resin and EVA graded A+, odourless, stated to bond very strongly after 30 seconds, for wood, metal, glass, plastic, floristry, fabric, leather and foam.

    Diameter
    11 mm, title and second bullet
    Length
    200 mm, title and second bullet
    Melt grade
    Absent from the listing — resin/EVA, quality grade A+, first bullet
    Material suitability
    Wood, metal, glass, plastic, floristry, fabric, leather, foam and more, fifth bullet
    Open time
    Absent from the listing — bonds very strongly after 30 seconds, third bullet
    Colour
    Transparent, title
    Count
    45 sticks, title and second bullet
    Net weight
    Absent from the listing
    Amazon reference
    B0H1CCBFD2 (same reference on 4 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    9331194125424
    • A time given: strong bond after 30 seconds
    • Long 11 × 200 mm sticks
    • No weight or melt temperature

    Best for: An 11 mm glue gun owner, such as the Pattex or SEEKONE glue guns reviewed on this site, who wants long clear sticks.

    ≈ 14 €
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  6. SHALL bag labelled 70 pack, full size, 8 × 0.43 in, 200 × 11 mm, all temp, with loose translucent sticks

    Shall Full-size EVA hot glue sticks 11 × 200 mm, 70 pieces, 2300 cPs+

    Seventy full-size clear hot glue sticks from SHALL, 11 × 200 mm, in flexible EVA with a stated viscosity of 2300 cPs+, compatible with high, low and dual-temperature glue guns, for paper, wood, foam, metal, textiles, glass and plastics.

    Diameter
    11 mm (0.43 in), title and first and third bullets
    Length
    200 mm (8 in), title and first and third bullets
    Melt grade
    For high, low and dual-temperature glue guns; flexible EVA, 2300 cPs+ stated, first and second bullets
    Material suitability
    Paper, wood, card, foam, string, metal, textile, glass and various plastics, fourth bullet
    Open time
    Absent from the listing — fast curing, second bullet
    Colour
    Clear, title
    Count
    70 sticks, title and third bullet
    Net weight
    Absent from the listing
    Amazon reference
    B0BRKN7HZC (same reference on 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0762983169722
    • For high, low and dual-temperature glue guns
    • A viscosity figure: 2300 cPs+
    • No melt temperature or open time

    Best for: An 11 mm glue gun owner who switches between hot and low-temperature settings.

    ≈ $19 / £17 / 18 €
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  7. WORKPRO W133235A bag labelled full size, 100 pack, 200 × 11 mm, with loose translucent sticks

    WORKPRO EVA hot glue sticks 11 × 200 mm, 100 pieces

    One hundred hot glue sticks from WORKPRO in EVA, 11 × 200 mm, for all common 11 mm glue guns, melting and bonding quickly, for paper, card, wood, plastic, feathers, shells, ceramics, glass and rubber.

    Diameter
    11 mm, title and first and fifth bullets
    Length
    200 mm, title and first and fifth bullets
    Melt grade
    Absent from the listing text — EVA, second bullet; the bag in the product photograph reads general purpose glue for high, dual and low temperature guns
    Material suitability
    Paper, card, wood, plastic, feathers, shells, ceramics, glass, rubber, fourth bullet
    Open time
    Absent from the listing — fast melting and bonding, third bullet
    Colour
    Absent from the listing text — the product photograph shows translucent sticks
    Count
    100 sticks, title and fifth bullet
    Net weight
    Absent from the listing
    Amazon reference
    B08B68JRQX (same reference on 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0820909766377
    • One hundred 11 × 200 mm sticks
    • EVA named
    • No colour, weight or melt temperature

    Best for: A workshop running 11 mm glue guns all day that wants long sticks in bulk.

    ≈ £16 / 21 €
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A price quoted in the text of a MakerVerdict page dates from the day that page was written; the live figure beside each product is fetched while you read and replaces it.