Best Glues and Tape Runners: 10 Picks Compared

Five tape runners drawn side by side, each laying its tape at the listed width — Five runners and their tape widths (bodies in proportion). Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Tombow PiT Air Tape RunnerTombow	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Tombow PiT Power D Tape RunnerTombow	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Tombow MONO Adhesive PermanentTombow	Japan	Thailand^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
KOKUYO Dot LinerKOKUYO	Japan	Thailand^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
Midori XS Tape GlueMidori	Japan	China^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Tombow Aqua PiT Liquid GlueTombow	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Tombow PiT Multi 2 Liquid GlueTombow	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
KOKUYO Gloo Liquid GlueKOKUYO	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
KOKUYO Gloo Glue StickKOKUYO	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Elmer's Disappearing Purple Glue StickElmer's	United States	Thailand^*	Price range: $under $5 per item

Notes on these facts

Tombow PiT Air Tape Runner: Made by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Tombow's product page lists capacities, part numbers and prices but no country of manufacture, so check the label on your copy. Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo company.
Tombow PiT Power D Tape Runner: Made by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Tombow's product page lists capacities, part numbers and prices but no country of manufacture, so check the label on your copy. Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo company.
Tombow MONO Adhesive Permanent: Made by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Tombow USA. Made in Thailand: OfficeCrave lists Thailand for the 62106 applicator, and OnTimeSupplies gives TH (Thailand) in its manufacturer data but Vietnam in its own spec table. Tombow USA's pages don't state it, and we found no origin for the 62107 refill. The related MONO Air Touch runner (62152) is listed as made in Vietnam. Source.
KOKUYO Dot Liner: Made by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.. Made in Thailand: KOKUYO Store lists Thailand for an 8.4 mm × 16 m refill pack, and Simple Paper lists Thailand for its Dot Liner glue tape. We didn't find the origin stated for the Ta-DM400-08N body itself. Source.
Midori XS Tape Glue: Made by Designphil Inc. (Tokyo). Made in China: Midori's online store lists the country of origin as MADE IN CHINA for 35518006. Source.
Tombow Aqua PiT Liquid Glue: Made by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Tombow's product page lists capacities, part numbers and prices but no country of manufacture, so check the label on your copy. Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo company.
Tombow PiT Multi 2 Liquid Glue: Made by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Tombow's product page lists capacities, part numbers and prices but no country of manufacture, so check the label on your copy. Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo company.
KOKUYO Gloo Liquid Glue: Made by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: KOKUYO's Gloo series pages list types, sizes and prices but no country of manufacture, so check the label on your copy.
KOKUYO Gloo Glue Stick: Made by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: KOKUYO's Gloo series pages list types, sizes and prices but no country of manufacture, so check the label on your copy.
Elmer's Disappearing Purple Glue Stick: Made by Elmer's Products, Inc., a Newell Brands company. Made in Thailand: Newell Brands' own product record for the 12-count E1559 gives country of origin TH (Thailand); PartsSource and On Time Supplies listed China for the same item, and we use the maker's figure. Origin varies by item: Newell's record for the 22 g giant 3-count (2171981) gives CN (China), and the 6-count E1560 record doesn't state one. Check the pack you buy. Source.
How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Four tape runners lay 8.4 mm by 16 m: Tombow PiT Air, PiT Power D and KOKUYO Dot Liner, while MONO Adhesive Permanent lays 1/3 in by 12 m.
The Midori XS Tape Glue is the smallest at 5 mm by 8 m, in a 55.5 × 25 × 13.5 mm body for 440 yen (about US$2.78).
Tombow's Power D is 1.5 times thicker, for about 20 percent more adhesion than its earlier runner, at 484 yen (about US$3.06).
The two Tombow liquid glues are 50 ml at 220 yen (about US$1.39) and 25 g at 264 yen (about US$1.67); KOKUYO's Gloo liquid is 50 ml at 220 yen.
Glue sticks run from about 160 to 500 yen (about US$1.01 to US$3.16) for KOKUYO Gloo in three sizes; Elmer's Disappearing Purple comes in 6, 7 and 22 g.

What are the best glues and tape runners?

On maker specs, the best tape runners are the Tombow PiT Air, PiT Power D and MONO Adhesive Permanent, and the best liquid glues are the Tombow Aqua PiT and KOKUYO Gloo. There is no single winner because they glue different things. Runners are clean and dry, liquid glue fills corners, and sticks suit thin paper and school work.

Best all-round tape runner: Tombow PiT Air. Why it’s here: an 8.4 mm by 16 m mesh strip with a light pull, a 2019 Good Design Award, 506 yen (about US$3.20) and a 385-yen refill.
Best for envelopes: Tombow PiT Power D. Why it’s here: power tape that Tombow says is 1.5 times thicker, for about 20 percent more adhesion, at 484 yen (about US$3.06).
Best for photos: Tombow MONO Adhesive Permanent. Why it’s here: a refillable runner with 1/3 in by 12 m of acid-free, PAT-approved tape.
Best dot-pattern runner: KOKUYO Dot Liner. Why it’s here: tiny dots of adhesive let the strip cut cleanly when you lift, in 8.4 mm by 16 m.
Best tiny runner: Midori XS Tape Glue. Why it’s here: 5 mm by 8 m in a 55.5 × 25 × 13.5 mm body, 440 yen (about US$2.78), made in China.
Best refillable liquid glue: Tombow Aqua PiT. Why it’s here: a fine tip and a wide silicone tip, 50 ml at 220 yen (about US$1.39) with a 500 ml refill at 990 yen.
Best temporary-or-permanent glue: Tombow PiT Multi 2. Why it’s here: bonds firmly wet and becomes stick-and-peel dry; 25 g at 264 yen (about US$1.67).
Best for corners: KOKUYO Gloo Liquid Glue. Why it’s here: a square sponge head reaches paper corners; 50 ml at 220 yen (about US$1.39) and a 165-yen refill.
Best glue stick for thin paper: KOKUYO Gloo Glue Stick. Why it’s here: wrinkle-free, color-fading and strong types in 10, 22 and 40 g, about 160 to 500 yen.
Best school glue stick: Elmer’s Disappearing Purple. Why it’s here: goes on purple, dries clear and comes in 6, 7 and 22 g sticks.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from the makers’ own pages, not hands-on testing. Each pick has a guide on our site that cites a maker or official-store page for its size and adhesive. Prices are Japanese prices with tax at 158 yen to the dollar, except Elmer’s and the MONO, which we band rather than price.

How do the runners compare?

They differ by tape width, length and refill price.

Pick	Tape	Body price	Band
PiT Air	8.4 mm × 16 m	506 yen	$
PiT Power D	8.4 mm × 16 m	484 yen	$
MONO Adhesive Permanent	1/3 in × 12 m	see guide	$$
KOKUYO Dot Liner	8.4 mm × 16 m	see guide	$$
Midori XS Tape Glue	5 mm × 8 m	440 yen	$

Bars drawn to scale for the tape length of five tape runners — Tape length in five runners, at 1 m = 15 px. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Which is best for photos and scrapbooks?

The MONO Adhesive Permanent. Tombow USA calls it acid-free and PAT-approved for photos. The Dot Liner and PiT runners are also good for paper, but check their photo claims in each guide.

Which is best for envelopes?

The PiT Power D. Tombow made it for envelopes, with a thicker tape for firmer adhesion.

Which liquid glue should you buy?

The Aqua PiT for general use, the PiT Multi 2 if you want a peelable option. The Gloo liquid has the square sponge head for corners. All three are 220 to 264 yen.

What other Tombow glues have their own guides?

Eight more Tombow PiT and ippo! glues, each from Tombow’s own page. For a strong stick, see the PiT Hi-Power and its scented S Aroma. For blue-to-clear glue, see the slim Kieiro PiT Hosomi, the Neon Yellow and the child-friendly ippo! glue stick. The ippo! liquid glue has a fine and a broad nozzle. For tape, the PiT Tape M comes in 8.4 and 12 mm, and the PiT Air Fishing Net Recycle is a PiT Air with a recycled-net case.

Where are these made?

Makers rarely state a country. Midori lists China for the XS Tape Glue and retailers mostly list Thailand for the MONO; check each guide for the sources.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best tape runner?

On maker specs, the Tombow PiT Air for most work; its 8.4 mm by 16 m refill costs 385 yen (about US$2.44) and the body 506 yen (about US$3.20).

Which tape runner is best for photos?

The Tombow MONO Adhesive Permanent, which Tombow USA calls acid-free and PAT-approved for photos.

Which is the smallest tape runner?

The Midori XS Tape Glue at 55.5 × 25 × 13.5 mm, with 5 mm by 8 m of tape.

Which liquid glue peels off after drying?

The Tombow PiT Multi 2, which Tombow says becomes a stick-and-peel temporary glue if you let it dry before pressing the pieces together.

Which glue stick suits thin paper?

The KOKUYO Gloo wrinkle-free stick, one of three types, in 10, 22 and 40 g sizes.

Which glue stick shows where you glued?

Elmer's Disappearing Purple goes on purple and dries clear; KOKUYO's color-fading Gloo stick does something similar.

Which of these are refillable?

The PiT Air, PiT Power D, MONO Adhesive Permanent, Dot Liner and Aqua PiT, plus KOKUYO's Gloo liquid glue, which swaps its bottle.

Sources (10)

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