Whether you’re cooking a meat-filled barbecue dinner or preparing a salad filled with fruit and vegetables, a pair of sharp and durable kitchen shears can turn tedious and arduous tasks into quick and easy work. Kitchen shears are designed to look like ordinary scissors but are much sharper and more durable, making it possible for users to do everything from trim the fat off meat to chop herbs and garlic.
Depending on how you prepare your food, you may want to have multiple pairs of kitchen shears in your home. One pair can be designated for use with meat, including poultry, while another can handle fruits, vegetables and packages. Since kitchen storage space is typically at a minimum, we also like kitchen shears that can be disinfected in the dishwasher and safely used in every part of the kitchen. Kitchen shears cut down on the need for cutting boards and pairing knives and provide a safer and faster alternative to chopping food with a large blade.
Cut bacon for Cobb salads, make individual slices of quesadillas, clean shrimp, shred kale and even trim dough for pies and cookies using powerful kitchen shears.
1. KitchenAid Shears
Cut meat, fruit and vegetables with confidence using the stainless steel KitchenAid Shears. Available in four color options, these shears have a soft grip handle that is comfortable to hold. Thanks to micro serrations on both blades, the shears provide a sharp and strong cutting surface. The shears are dishwasher safe, but it’s recommended to hand washed them instead to reduce the chance of rust.
Pros: The KitchenAid Shears come with a plastic sheath for safe storage.
Cons: The blades on the shears do not come apart, which can make it difficult to properly disinfect the shears when using them for meat.
2. J.A. Henckels International Kitchen Shears
For a multi-use pair of strong and durable kitchen shears, we recommend the model from J.A. Henckels International. Made from corrosion-resistant stainless steel, the kitchen shears can be used in most kitchen tasks, including cutting meat, fruit and vegetables. The area between the handles and the blades can be used to crack nuts and open bottle caps, adding to the functionality of these shears. Like the KitchenAid, the J.A. Henckels are dishwasher safe, but this is not recommended.
Pros: The blade has a micro-serrated edge that reduces the chances of food slipping while cutting.
Cons: The blades don’t separate and the shears do not come with a sheath.
3. Gerior Kitchen Scissors
For a truly sanitary option, we recommend the Gerior Kitchen Scissors. Ideal for use with cutting meats, especially poultry, the Gerior kitchen shears can be taken apart and the blades can be cleaned individually, ensuring that no leftover juice remains on the scissors. Made with rust-resistant, food-grade stainless steel blades, the Gerior shears have extra-thick three-millimeter blades and an oversized handle for added comfort. The serrated blades are designed to reduce slipping and the shears have an adjustable pivot screw to allow for increasing or decreasing the tension.
Pros: A bottle opener, nutcracker and jar opener are all incorporated into the kitchen shears.
Cons: The adjustable screw may come loose, causing the shears to separate.