Kitchen Shears Strong Enough for Bones and Herbs
The OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors take our top spot for their comfortable grip and blades that come apart for washing. Shun Classic Kitchen Shears are the choice for cutting through poultry bone, and the KitchenAid All Purpose pair is the everyday value pick.
For one pair that handles almost everything, the OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors are the sensible choice, with the Shun Classic Kitchen Shears for real bone cutting and the KitchenAid All Purpose pair as reliable everyday value.
Kitchen shears are hard to judge from a listing because the differences that matter appear only under load: whether the pivot flexes when you press through a joint, whether the handles dig into your palm, and whether the blades separate so you can actually wash raw chicken residue out of the hinge. We compared published blade steel, edge geometry and construction alongside consistent owner reports about durability and cleaning, weighting bone cutting capability and hygiene above bundled extras.
The best picks, ranked
OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors
These shears separate completely at the pivot, which is the feature that matters most after cutting raw chicken, since the hinge is exactly where residue collects and no amount of rinsing reaches it assembled. The cushioned handles spread pressure across the palm rather than into one finger, and micro serrations on one blade stop slippery skin sliding away. Owners report them handling everything short of heavy bone.
Pros
- Blades come apart for genuine hygienic cleaning
- Comfortable grip under sustained force
- Micro serrations hold slippery poultry skin
Cons
- Not intended for cutting through heavy bone
- Herb stripper feature is used rarely
Shun Classic Kitchen Shears
Shun builds these from Japanese stainless steel with a heavier blade profile and a notch near the pivot designed to grip and cut through poultry joints and small bones. They come apart for cleaning and the offset handles give the leverage you need for spatchcocking without wrestling. This is a serious tool priced accordingly, and it rewards being kept off the general utility duties.
Pros
- Genuinely cuts through poultry bone
- Bone notch grips rather than slips
- Blades separate for thorough cleaning
Cons
- Highest outlay of the shears ranked here
- Should be hand washed and dried carefully
KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Shears
KitchenAid’s all purpose shears cover the daily jobs, opening packaging, trimming fat, snipping herbs and cutting parchment, with a soft grip handle and micro serrated blades that hold their edge well for the price. They are dishwasher safe, which suits a pair that will be used constantly and cleaned casually. Heavy bone is beyond them, as the construction makes clear.
Pros
- Strong price to performance for daily use
- Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
- Comfortable handles for smaller hands
Cons
- Blades do not separate for deep cleaning
- Not built for cutting through bone
Wusthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears
Wusthof’s come apart shears use high carbon German stainless with a micro serrated lower blade and a pivot that separates with a simple twist. The build feels notably solid in the hand, with no flex through a tough cut, and the handles are moulded rather than cushioned, which some prefer for grip when wet. It is a straightforward, long lasting tool without gimmicks.
Pros
- Rigid construction with no flex under load
- Separates easily for cleaning
- German steel holds an edge well
Cons
- Handles are less cushioned than rivals
- Priced above general purpose shears
Messermeister Take-Apart Kitchen Scissors
Messermeister’s take apart shears are noticeably heavier than most, which translates directly into cutting power through cardboard, thick packaging, fish fins and poultry joints. The blades separate for cleaning and the handles are sized for a full grip rather than a delicate one. That weight is the trade off for anyone who wants a light pair for herbs.
Pros
- Substantial cutting power through tough material
- Separating blades for washing
- Handles suit larger hands well
Cons
- Heavy and oversized for delicate snipping
- Large loops are awkward for small hands
Victorinox Swiss Classic Kitchen Shears
Victorinox brings its knife making steel to a light, simple pair of shears that excel at the fiddly work: trimming herbs, snipping bacon into a pan, cutting parchment to size. They are comfortable to use one handed for long stretches because there is so little mass to control. They do not come apart and they are not the pair for a chicken carcass.
Pros
- Light and nimble for detailed snipping
- Swiss steel takes a fine edge
- Comfortable for extended one handed use
Cons
- Blades do not separate for cleaning
- Not suited to bone or heavy cutting
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Kitchen Shears
Zwilling’s shears build a bottle opener, a nut cracker and a jar gripper into the handles alongside micro serrated stainless blades, which suits a kitchen where drawer space is short. The steel and pivot are solid, and the extra functions are genuinely usable rather than token. The thicker handle profile that houses them is less comfortable for long snipping sessions.
Pros
- Several genuinely useful built in functions
- Solid pivot with no play
- Saves drawer space in a small kitchen
Cons
- Thicker handles are less comfortable in long use
- Fixed blades limit deep cleaning
How to pick the right one
Take apart blades are a hygiene feature, not a convenience The pivot of a pair of shears is a narrow gap that traps exactly the material you least want left there, raw poultry juice and fat. Rinsing assembled shears under a tap does not reach it, and a dishwasher only partly does. Shears that separate at the pivot can be washed as two flat blades and dried properly, which is why almost every pair recommended for poultry work has this feature. If you cut raw meat with your shears, treat it as essential.
Micro serrations and what they are for One blade on most kitchen shears carries a row of fine serrations, and their job is to grip material that would otherwise slide along the smooth blade, chicken skin, tomato skin, plastic packaging. They make a noticeable difference on slippery jobs and cost you nothing on ordinary ones. The downside is that serrated edges are harder to sharpen at home, so shears tend to be replaced rather than reground when they finally dull.
Cutting bone needs the right tool General purpose shears will separate a chicken at the joints if you find the gap, but pushing through actual bone needs heavier blades, a stiff pivot and often a notch near the hinge that grips the bone rather than letting it slide out. Attempting bone with light shears is how blades get chipped and pivots get loose. If spatchcocking is a regular job in your kitchen, buy poultry shears specifically rather than expecting one pair to do everything.
Care that keeps shears working for years Hand wash and dry rather than relying on a dishwasher, since detergent and heat dull edges and can pit lower grade steel. Put a drop of food safe mineral oil on the pivot occasionally, and tighten the pivot screw if the blades begin to separate rather than shear, because a loose pivot feels exactly like a blunt edge. Keep kitchen shears in the kitchen, since the fastest way to ruin them is to use them on garden wire or cardboard boxes in the garage.
The lineup, side by side
| # | Model | Blades | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors | Stainless steel, micro serrated | Best overall | 9.4 | Check price |
| 2 | Shun Classic Kitchen Shears | Japanese stainless steel | Best for poultry | 9.2 | Check price |
| 3 | KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Shears | Stainless steel, micro serrated | Best value | 9.0 | Check price |
| 4 | Wusthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears | High carbon German stainless steel | Best for hygiene | 8.8 | Check price |
| 5 | Messermeister Take-Apart Kitchen Scissors | Stainless steel, heavy profile | Best for tough jobs | 8.6 | Check price |
| 6 | Victorinox Swiss Classic Kitchen Shears | Stainless steel | Best lightweight pair | 8.3 | Check price |
| 7 | Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Kitchen Shears | Stainless steel, micro serrated | Best multi function | 8.0 | Check price |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between kitchen shears and regular scissors?
Kitchen shears have thicker blades, a stronger pivot and usually micro serrations for grip, and they are built to cut food including tough skin and small bones. Regular scissors are ground for paper and fabric and will bend or chip on the same jobs.
Can kitchen shears cut through chicken bones?
Heavier pairs with a bone notch can cut through the small bones and joints of a chicken. Lighter general purpose shears will separate joints but should not be forced through solid bone, since that chips blades and loosens pivots.
Are kitchen shears dishwasher safe?
Some are marked as safe, but hand washing is better for all of them. Dishwasher detergent is abrasive and dulls edges over time, and the heat can loosen handle bonding. Wash, dry and put them away rather than leaving them wet in a rack.
How do I clean shears after cutting raw meat?
Separate the blades if the design allows and wash each half with hot soapy water, paying attention to the pivot area. If the blades do not separate, work soapy water into the hinge with a small brush and open and close the shears while rinsing, then dry thoroughly.
Can kitchen shears be sharpened?
Straight blades can be sharpened on a fine stone or by a professional, though the technique differs from knife sharpening. Micro serrated edges are much harder to restore, which is why most people replace serrated kitchen shears rather than sharpening them.
Do I need separate poultry shears?
Only if you break down whole birds regularly. If that is a weekly job, dedicated poultry shears with a bone notch make it far quicker and protect your general purpose pair. For occasional use, a sturdy take apart pair will manage.
Are left handed kitchen shears available?
Yes, several brands offer them, and they matter because the blade orientation on right handed shears pushes material away from the cutting line for a left handed user. Ambidextrous handles alone do not solve that, so look for genuinely reversed blades.
Why have my kitchen shears stopped cutting cleanly?
Check the pivot screw first, because a loose pivot lets the blades separate under load and feels identical to a dull edge. If tightening does not help, the edge has dulled or a burr has formed, most often from cutting something they were not designed for.
Our pick
The OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors are the right pair for most kitchens because they separate for proper cleaning and stay comfortable through the awkward jobs. Step up to Shun Classic Kitchen Shears if you break down whole chickens often enough to want a tool that cuts bone without protest, and take the KitchenAid All Purpose pair if you mainly need something dependable in the drawer every day.
