5 Second Fix Review: Glue Alternative?

5 Second Fix

5 Second Fix is a liquid plastic welding tool that can repair a variety of items.

Claims & Features

• Fast and strong
• Creates a permanent seal in just 5 seconds
• Only cures with UV light
• Dries clear
• Repair plastic, metal, wood, glass, and other materials
• Flexible, sandable, and paintable
• No sticky mess

Cost & Availability

Website: $19.99 + Free Shipping; can’t opt out of bonus set and carrying cases. You can find it in stores such as Fry’s or Walgreen’s for about $10. You may find it on Amazon for under $6.

5 Second Fix Commercial

The TV commercial below has been airing as of this writing.

5 Second Fix Reviews

5 Second Fix is marketed as an alternative to traditional glue or even super glue. The product works when you dispense a small amount of the material to the desired area, then expose it to a UV light for five to ten seconds.

I have pored over so many videos and comments about 5 Second Fix, and there seems to be almost no consensus whatsoever. This has led me to try and determine why reviews are so mixed, and why some consumers say it works as advertised while others claim it is without merit.

As you’ll see in the video below, I tested several different surfaces and types of contacts to see how 5 Second Fix held up. I found that sometimes it seemed to work, while other times it seemed to simply fall apart. Why is this?

For one, the type of material seems to be a determining factor about how well 5 Second Fix will work. Smooth surfaces and clean breaks do pretty well. Jagged tears, however, did not fare as well.

While it did a great job of holding a picture frame or even a Solo cup full of water, it was less impressive in keeping a plastic spoon in tact. I believe that 5 Second Fix – despite the advertising – works best when the item you’re repairing won’t be under stress.

One advantage to 5 Second Fix is that you can take your time placing the adhesive where you want, without having to rush as it instantly hardens. You can make sure that you have everything lined up perfectly before exposing it to the UV light to cure.

Only a small amount is needed to perform most jobs, which is good because there is not much in the tube to begin with. For small repair jobs like broken glasses, small crafts, and thin plastic surfaces, 5 Second Fix may be a good fit. Metal or other materials which require durability under stress do not seem well suited for this type of adhesive.

Although advertised as an alternative to glues, there is a smell reminiscent of a glue. And some users will tell you that this is more of a weld than a glue and should be treated as such. In other words, you should put the material around an area to be fixed and then cure it, as opposed to glue where you typically place it inside at the point of breakage.

You’ll see some users try to use it like glue on dark items, but the UV light can’t pass through objects, so it can’t cure properly. You’d need to put 5 Second Fix around the outside of a break and then cure it for it to adhere properly.

There is a learning curve, and not all items seem to be well-suited for 5 Second Fix. That is a potential problem because it is about 10x more expensive than dollar store super glue that has less of a learning curve to use.

Video Review

Below is my video review and demonstration of 5 Second Fix.

Similar Products

5 Second Fix is one of two As Seen on TV UV light repair sticks currently advertising, the other being Lazer Bond USA. There are a number of other UV light glue products which have been around for some time and receive relatively high marks. Consider, for example, Octopus Glue, with a 3.5 star rating at Amazon and runs about $15. Bondic is another popular brand that holds slightly better ratings than 5 Second Fix, although it’s more expensive.

Epic Conclusion

While 5 Second Fix does work in some instances, I wouldn’t say it is a direct substitute for super glue. It does the job for small household fixes, but is not superior for those items which require durability under stress. Static items, such as a picture frame, may be best suited for 5 Second Fix. There seems to be a learning curve involved as far as figuring out where 5 Second Fix is best suited, and your tube could run out of liquid before you find your answer.

Have you used 5 Second Fix? Give it a star rating and comment below.

Updated February 2017.