5 Best Kitchen Shears, According to Testing
Our pros checked out the top scissors for all your kitchen needs.
Expert consulted: Nicole Papantoniou and Kate Merker
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A trusty pair of kitchen shears is handy for any number of cooking projects. This multitasking tool has many uses, from cutting the perfect pizza slice and deboning chicken to deveining shrimp or simply slicing a piece of parchment for your baking sheet. So how can you know which are the best pair of kitchen shears to buy? The pros in The Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab and the GH Test Kitchen evaluated more than two dozen products online and tested eight pairs to find the best kitchen shears for you.
Our top picks:
Because kitchen shears are so versatile, our experts tested them by evaluating them by look and feel, analyzed additional features, like bottle openers, herb strippers and even screwdrivers, then put their sharpness to the test by slicing through parchment and deboning whole chickens. Top performers were comfortable in our testers' hands (both lefties and righties!), provided sharp cuts, with minimal tearing to parchment and chicken skin, and felt sturdy but nimble.
Read on to learn about our favorite kitchen shears and scissors, plus learn a little bit more about the differences between the two, how to best use kitchen shears and what to look for when picking a pair to invest in.
Pros
- Blades are detachable for easy cleaning
- Super sharp, sturdy blades
Cons
- Handle is on the small side, which may be uncomfortable for some
These Wüsthof kitchen shears are extremely heavy duty, slicing through parchment in long, even slices with no tearing. In fact, this pair produced the cleanest cuts of any shears our testers analyzed. Convenience-wise, the blades detach from one another for easy cleaning, and there's a built-in jar opener.
Our testers noted that the handle openings were slightly smaller than others, so those with larger hands may find this pair to be slightly uncomfortable and give them less control than with other shears.
| Materials | Stainless steel blades and handle with plastic handle covering |
| Dishwasher safe | No |
| Blade length | 4" |
| Weight | 0.25 lbs |
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Serrated teeth
Cons
- Some testers found them tricky to put back together after cleaning
Not only were these kitchen shears the least expensive of the bunch, they also feel surprisingly smooth and sharp. Though lightweight, the pair is sturdy when cutting through chicken bones and the serrated teeth help to maintain straight cuts. The pair of blades can also come apart for cleaning, however some testers remarked that they were a little difficult to put the hinge back together after washing.
| Materials | Stainless steel blades and handles with plastic handle covering |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes, according to manufacturer |
| Blade length | 3.5" |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs |
Pros
- Super sharp
- Comes with mulitple features including a bottle opener and a nutcracker
Cons
- More expensive than other pairs
These Shun kitchen shears were a top pick in our Lab and Test Kitchen, where they cut seamlessly and quickly through parchment and chicken without snagging or shredding, resulting in very straight cuts. They are slightly heavy, which is understandable for shears that can take on tougher jobs, although some of our lefty testers struggled with the handles.
While significantly more expensive than other pairs we evaluated, this model comes with a variety of extra features, including jar and a bottle openers, a nutcracker, a bone notch and two screwdriver ends.
| Materials | Stainless steel blades and handle with plastic handle covering |
| Dishwasher safe | No |
| Blade length | 3.5" |
| Weight | 0.34 lbs |
OXO Multi-Purpose Kitchen and Herbs Scissors
Pros
- Strong and sturdy when butchering poultry
- Soft, comfortable handle
Cons
- Not as sharp through parchment as other pairs
Our testers loved how cushioned the handles of these OXO kitchen shears were. The handles' interior is constructed of soft plastic which provided ample space for large hands yet supported smaller ones.
While the serrated teeth snagged on our parchment-paper test more than other pairs did, it cut through the skin and bones of chickens with minimal effort. The shears also come with the addition of an herb stripper, great for removing leaves from woody herbs, such as rosemary.
| Materials | Stainless steel blades, plastic handle |
| Dishwasher safe | No |
| Blade length | 3.5" |
| Weight | 0.22 lbs |
Joyce Chen Original Unlimited Kitchen Scissors
Pros
- Versatile
- Testers found them to be more nimble than other models
Cons
- Short blades
While not technically shears (more on that later!), these small but mighty scissors are a favorite in the Good Housekeeping Institute for projects that require more attention to detail. In testing, they were nimble yet sharp, making them great for delicate tasks, but performed well cutting into chicken, too.
"I keep these on hand for any kitchen job. They're especially good for shrimp deveining," says Kate Merker, Chief Food Director. Regardless of their petite size, the handles of these kitchen scissors accommodated several fingers, which testers noted gave them more control. Also keep in mind that because the blades are shorter than those of other models, it may take more cuts to finish the job.
| Materials | Stainless steel blades and handle with plastic handle covering |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes, according to manufacturer |
| Blade length | 2" |
| Weight | 0.13 lbs |
How we test kitchen shears
The experts at the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab work together to analyze the most popular kitchen shears on the market as well as those from top brands. They evaluate 12 pairs in person for look and feel, and then tested eight pairs by slicing through parchment paper and butterflying whole chicken. Through this method, they were able to determine how sharp the shears are based on whether they snag or tear the parchment or chicken skin. They also consider how comfortable the handles feel. Testers also note the weight of the models and the sturdiness of the blades. Finally, they examine how easy the blades are to maneuver for more precise cuts.
Testers will continue to use the top shears and make notes on the longevity of the shears, including the sharpness and the rusting of the blades over time.
What to look for when shopping for the best kitchen shears
✔️ Materials: Most pairs of kitchen shears are made of stainless steel blades and stainless steel handles coated in rubber or plastic to provide a more comfortable, nonslip grip.
✔️ Detachable blades: Some models include hinged blades which can be taken apart in order to thoroughly clean the area where the blades meet so, sanitary-wise, they are safer than attached shears. Because the shears can be detached into two pieces, this also allows you to sharpen the blades when they become dull.
✔️ Length of blades: In our testing, we discovered that kitchen shears with blades over 3.5 inches felt slightly unwieldy, but made longer cuts with fewer slices. Our favorite length in testing scissors was about 3.5 inches, which gave testers control over projects but didn't require as many cuts as the shorter-bladed scissors we tested. Shorter blades (around 2 inches) can perform delicate jobs more nimbly but may take a longer amount of time. Both are useful, so if you find yourself reaching for kitchen shears often, consider investing in a pair of each.
✔️ Additional features: Several shears on our list come with built-in accessories, including a bottle opener, jar opener, herb stripper, bone notch and even screwdriver attachments. While these can be nice additions to have, what's ultimately most important is that the shears are sharp and sturdy.
What's the difference between scissors and kitchen shears?
Kitchen shears tend to be designed for more versatile kitchen use, while scissors are often used beyond the kitchen for opening packaging or jobs that require a more nimble maneuvering, such as cutting out fine shapes.
"When I think of shears, I think of strong, sturdy blades that come apart for easy cleaning," says Nicole Papantouniou, Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Director. "I also picture them being able to cut through bones, like those of chicken and fish." Kitchen shears may also come with bonus features like a bottle opener and the others mentioned above, to make them extra useful in the kitchen.
What are kitchen shears used for?
In the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, our pros reach for kitchen shears for a number of jobs from snipping herbs and cutting parchment and kitchen twine to prepping proteins, whether deveining shrimp or deboning chicken.
"Shears are a great hack for those who feel nervous about butchering a chicken using a chef's knife," says Tina Martinez, Test Kitchen Producer at Good Housekeeping. "Using scissors can be more forgiving as well." Our kitchen experts also love using kitchen shears for easily slicing pizza and thin sheet pan bakes like okonomiyaki.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Associate food editor Becca Miller has been with Good Housekeeping since 2018 where she has written and tried the top food products, recipes and kitchen appliances out there. She particularly loves multitasking kitchen tools, like kitchen shears and kitchen knives.
Becca consulted and tested with Nicole Papantouniou, Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. Also consulted was Kate Merker, Chief Food Director for Good Housekeeping as well as other brands like Women’s Health, Prevention, Woman’s Day and Country Living. Both Nicole and Kate have had many years of hands-on kitchen experience and are knowledgeable about kitchen appliances, including air fryers, nonstick pans and more.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
Kate Merker (she/her) is the Chief Food Director of the Hearst Lifestyle Group, overseeing the team that produces food content for several Hearst titles, including Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Prevention, Woman’s Day and Country Living. She has clocked nearly 20 years of experience in food media and before that, worked at some of New York City’s finest restaurants.
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