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What is a Refrigerator Magnet?

By Kate Monteith
Updated May 17, 2024
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A refrigerator magnet is a small magnetic device used to hold various household papers against a kitchen appliance. Refrigerator magnets will stick to a dishwasher, file cabinet, or almost any smooth metal surface. Also called kitchen magnets, they can be used to hold shopping lists, coupons, photos, children’s art projects, or important reminders. Even a message of love can be secured to the fridge with a handy, decorative magnet.

It’s pretty routine for most folks to visit the kitchen several times a day, making the door of a refrigerator a great place to post noteworthy papers. Magnets on a fridge offer an ingenious alternative to the typical bulletin board setup. The door and sides of a refrigerator offer considerable billboard space, allowing several notes to be posted at once. No pins or tape are necessary, just a big enough refrigerator magnet to hold each item securely.

There are so many styles of refrigerator magnets available, it would be impossible to name them all. Small magnets can be glued to almost any item: seashells, rocks, simulated food items, flowers, animals, cartoon characters, or any other small knick-knack imaginable. Refrigerator magnet collectors generally have little trouble amassing any type of magnet desired. Crafty types can easily make their own with parts available in any hobby store or arts and crafts store.

Kitchen magnets are often sold on spinning racks, with certain types organized into specific groups. One of the most popular styles has children’s names on them, making the perfect complement to a cherished crayon drawing. The standard names are usually available, and organized alphabetically for convenience.

Refrigerator magnets are not always used to hold a piece of paper, sometimes the magnets stand alone as art. One example is known as magnetic poetry. Poetry magnets are sold as a group of individual magnetized words that can be artistically arranged and rearranged to make unique poems.

Some business people have discovered magnetized business cards. While the typical paper business card is often stuffed in a drawer or thrown out with the trash, consumers are more likely to retain a business card that has a functional use. Refrigerator magnet cards are both novel and useful. Office supply stores sell sheets of magnetic business cards that work in most home printers. There are also numerous online printers that will make magnetic business cards.

Refrigerator magnets are commonly given out as a novelty gift. Flat pieces of magnetized material can be imprinted with an ad or message that consumers can stick to their refrigerators as a reminder. These lightweight kitchen magnets can be mailed to potential customers, or included with an order, such as with a pizza delivery. Once the advertisement is affixed in a kitchen, it can remain for years, making the refrigerator magnet an especially-long-lasting marketing tool.

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Discussion Comments

By anon84137 — On May 13, 2010

this is an item that can stick thin things.

e.g. paper, etc.

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