4 Best Kitchen Shears of 2026, Tested and Reviewed
Our top-rated kitchen shears are durable, sharp and easy to maneuver.
Laura Denby
Our Top Kitchen Shears Picks
- Best Overall: Misen Kitchen Shears
- Best Splurge: Miyabi Kitchen Shears
- Best for Herbs: OXO Kitchen and Herb Scissors
- Best Heavy-Duty: Shun Multi Purpose Shears
Tested by Laura Denby for Food Network Kitchen
Kitchen shears are one of those handy little tools that can transform your efficiency in the kitchen. They make tough jobs — like breaking down a whole chicken — faster, sturdier, and more precise than using a knife alone. They’re like the sharpest scissors in your drawer but made from high-quality, food grade stainless steel that can rival the sharpness and precision of your favorite chef’s knife. If you’re on the market for a good set of shears, make sure to keep size, weight and style in mind. We put 10 of the leading models through a series of tests, and we found that the best kitchen shears feature long, sharp blades that are supported by sturdy, spacious handles. They should be easy to clean by hand, and our favorite sets come apart to let you wash both blades individually. Most importantly, they should be strong enough to cut through tough pieces of meat but sharp enough to snip through delicate herbs, too. Read on for the best kitchen shears we could find.
Laura Denby
How We Tested
In search of the best kitchen shears available, we put 10 of the leading models from some of the world’s best cutlery brands through a series of real-world tests. Though the sizes of the shears varied slightly, we tested kitchen shears that are designed to cut through both meat and vegetables. To start, we took size, weight and material into account. We closely examined the handle of each set, and evaluated how they felt in comparison to the blade. Any good piece of cutlery — be it shears, a chef’s knife or paring knife — should feel balanced from heel to tip, so we made sure the handles of each set of shears felt lightweight and comfortable.
Next, we used each set of shears to spatchcock a whole chicken. Taking the backbone out of a raw chicken can be tough and slippery, so you need a strong set of sturdy shears to do it properly. By spatchcocking each chicken we were able to effectively understand the sharpness of the blades, comfort of the handles, sturdiness of the design, and overall performance of the shears. During this test we evaluated each set of shears and their ability to remain sturdy in our hands while cutting quickly and forcefully through meat, skin and cartilage. We then cleaned each set of shears according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Next, we used each set of shears to cut through a bunch of chives. Chives are a delicate herb that bruise easily when cut with a dull blade, so this test aimed to understand the sharpness of each blade. Cutting herbs should be done quickly, so this task also helped assess shear’s hinge system and how easily they open and close. Lastly, we used the ridged opening in each set of shears to crack whole walnuts.
These super sharp kitchen shears checked every box during our tests. They’re a perfect combination of functionality and comfort, and they make tough tasks considerably easier. To put it plainly, they’re a joy to use. Misen’s kitchen shears are among the longest of all the sets we tested out, which meant we could effectively navigate the bones, skin and meat of a whole chicken with precision, making it easier to achieve clean cuts throughout. The handles are also larger than most of the other shears we tested, which means you can get a comfortable grip while having the space to move around. When testing shears with smaller handle loops we noticed our thumb knuckles getting stuck, limiting mobility and making things much less comfortable. The long blades are made from stainless steel and feature micro serrations on the edges, which helped “grab” on to the slippery chicken skin and effectively cut through it, rather than slip around.
While these shears are super strong and durable, they’re also nimble enough to make quick, precise cuts. They can effectively snip through delicate herbs without bruising them, and the tips are pointed and sharp. Of all the shears we tested, these proved to be the most functional and efficient. Misen advises that they shouldn’t be put in the dishwasher, but we found them to be super easy to clean by hand.
These kitchen shears are sharp and nimble, with easy-to-hold handles that feel comfortable and secure. These Japanese-style shears feature sharp, micro-serrated blades made from stainless steel that worked perfectly on both raw chicken and delicate chives. Like many Japanese-style knives these shears are lightweight and ergonomic, so they’re easy to maneuver quickly across different ingredients. We had no trouble cutting through slippery chicken skin, and the blades easily gripped and cut through the meat quickly and efficiently. The handles are comfortable too, and throughout the cooking process we felt like we were in complete control of every snip. Tapered tips mean it’s easy to make precise cuts around crowded spaces (like the wing or thigh bone of a chicken.)
These shears also feature a bottle opener and integrated bone breaker section. They’re not dishwasher-safe, but we found them to be super easy to clean by hand.
These efficient and functional scissors are sharp and sturdy, and they can easily cut through meat and skin. The sharp and tapered blades are easy to maneuver thanks to spacious, comfortable handles, and the hinges allow them to open and close easily with no friction or resistance. Best of all, these shears have an integrated herb-stripper that makes it easy to strip leafy herbs—like Italian flat-leaf parsley and rosemary — from their stems. The functionality of the scissors plus the versatility of the herb-stripper makes these a perfect option for anyone who’s looking to become more efficient in the kitchen. These shears are also dishwasher-safe, though we found them to be easy to clean by hand, too.
One of the main reasons to invest in kitchen shears is to make it easier to cut through tough pieces of meat, but not all sets are equipped with the same strength and stability. That’s why we love the Shun Multi Purpose shears—they’re a strong, effective piece of cutlery that can make even the toughest tasks so much easier. This is a heavy-duty set of shears that excelled in all of our tests. The long, thin, micro-serrated blades cut through chicken and herbs easily and effectively, and the tapered tips made it easier to make precise, small snips. The large handle loops are easy to grab, which makes the heavy-duty scissors super easy to control. In addition to the functionality of the blades, these shears are also equipped with a number of additional features. For example, there’s a built-in bottle-opener, nutcracker and bone breaker. These are a durable and versatile option for anyone looking to add a multipurpose tool to their kitchen. Keep in mind that they’re not dishwasher-safe, and hand washing is recommended.
Laura Denby
What to Consider When Buying Kitchen Shears
Size
Just like chef’s knives, kitchen shears come in different sizes. The best size for you will depend on personal preference, but during our testing we found that shears with longer blades made it easier to make accurate, strong cuts. Longer blades meant we were able to maneuver around tougher parts of the chicken with more precision and they helped cut through thicker parts of meat with ease. Additionally, we found that the shears with larger, more spacious finger loops were easier to handle. The larger loops meant we could get our fingers inside easily and had the flexibility to move them around comfortably without getting stuck.
Style
Kitchen shears come in different styles, but we found that the best sets have the ability to separate into two pieces. Two pieces mean you can easily get into the shears to wash them thoroughly, which ensures that no bacteria gets trapped inside the hinges or between the blades. Though having the flexibility to separate the shears adds convenience and versatility, it’s essential that the shears have some sort of locking system that keeps them in place while you’re using them. No one wants the shears to separate while you’re halfway through cutting raw chicken.
Care & Cleaning
Caring for your shears properly is essential in maintaining their functionality. Though some sets of shears are safe to put in the dishwasher, we found that most of the products on this list do best when they’re hand washed. And the feature that makes them easiest to clean by hand? The ability to separate into two pieces. Kitchen shears are typically used to cut through raw meat, so having the ability to open up and detach the shears means each blade gets cleaned thoroughly — no need to worry about bacteria hiding in the hinges. Though the shears we tested in the dishwasher came clean, you need to have enough space to open them up so the machine can clean the blades from all angles.
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