Kitchen shears can cut meat, though sometimes they are not as effective as a pair of specialized poultry shears. A well-sharpened pair of shears should be sturdy enough to cut through smaller, thinner bones in poultry. A good pair of shears will have a breadth of usability—they should be adept in cutting everything from small herbs to tougher cuts of meat. Let’s take a look at the features you’ll see in the various models available today, starting with the materials the blades are made from. Carbon Steel vs. Stainless Steel The sharp, durable blades feature convenient design elements like a serrated edge to firmly grasp slippery skin, a fish scaler, a vegetable peeler, and a sturdy bone-breaker notch.

Dependable and user-friendly, the OXO Good Grips kitchen and herb scissors are engineered with high-carbon stainless steel. Generous, soft-grip handles ensure precision cuts and an easy, secure grip. High-carbon stainless steel blades are ice-hardened for a strong edge that’s sharp and long-lasting. One blade is serrated for improved gripping action and the other has a straight edge for clean, exact cutting. You may wish to consider the size of the handle on your shears too, to ensure it is a good fit for your own hand size and shape. Most kitchen shears give detailed dimensions for this purpose. Separating bladesThe worst snapped and crunched the bone rather then cutting through it and required a lot more force. A good pair of kitchen shears is an indispensable tool for food prep that can serve multiple purposes.

A comfortable handle is also important and many chefs choose kitchen scissors with non-slip handles that have spring-hinged mechanisms to retain good balance and to relieve strain when used over a prolonged period. Make sure to take a look at how much maintenance the scissors require. Some models are dishwasher safe, while others must be hand-washed immediately after use. Furthermore, the blade material is a good indication of how often your scissors will need resharpening; forged stainless steel is known for maintaining its edge over many uses. Shears with blades that can be separated completely are the easiest to maintain in terms of cleaning and sharpening. Note that more difficult cutting jobs will dull your blades faster, and that not every knife sharpener is compatible with scissor blades. There are a variety of kitchen shears on the market. The most versatile and popular type is multipurpose kitchen shears, which are ideal for slicing up herbs and other thin, leafy greens, as well as through tougher cuts of meat. If you foresee a need for using your multipurpose shears to cut through bones or seafood shells, it is definitely in your best interest to seek out a heavy-duty pair. Poultry shears are another type that is specifically used to cut through poultry meat and typically are equipped with curved beaks and a bone notch, which are both design features that help them to cut through bones. This helps to reduce hand fatigue, but because of the spring, some effort is needed to close the blades – which is then converted into cutting energy. Convenient and handy in the kitchen, the extra features help to reduce the need for a number of single-use tools that take up extra kitchen space. All shears do not act as multi-tools, but if this is something that interests you, be sure to keep an eye out for specific features that will meet your needs. One-Piece Construction

2. Best budget kitchen scissors: Nuoshen Kitchen Scissors

When in doubt, send them out. If you're unsure or don't feel comfortable sharpening them by yourself, the best way to maintain your scissors is to send them out to a professional. Some places allow you to drop them off in person, and others function through the mail, so it's easy to find the service that works best for you. You don't need to spend a ton of money: Although we tested a couple of pricier models, we found that more budget-conscious kitchen shears performed just as well—if not better. For sturdy performance, look for brands that use one-piece construction with a single blade and tang that extends fully into the handle. A full tang prevents handles from breaking or twisting when cutting through tough, challenging material. Separating Blades We trimmed chives and rosemary to see which scissors were able to chop finely, consistently and with control.

It's more difficult to sharpen serrated blades, but they will stay sharp for a lot longer than non-serrated edges because their properties result in less friction and therefore less dulling of their sharpness. Handle Kitchen scissors or shears are often considered more convenient and practical than using a kitchen knife for cutting many types of food, from strips of meat to herbs and even pizza, and saves the need to use a chopping board in most cases.Shears have blades longer than six inches and usually have large, D-shaped handles or a combination of circular and D handles – the smaller or circular one is for the thumb while the larger handle fits two to four fingers. Large, teardrop-shaped handles are made of ABS plastic for strength, durability, ergonomic comfort, and a secure, non-slip grip. Most importantly, look for sharp edges. Dull cutlery can be dangerous, and kitchen shears are no exception. The best shears typically have blades made from high-carbon stainless steel for a razor-sharp edge. Even better, this material can be maintained with a whetstone knife sharpening stone, ensuring it will last a long time. Design: We highlighted comfort and maneuverability, noting the overall balance and grip of the shears and whether they would work for both right and left-handed people. For our test of kitchen scissors, we didn't find that there were any particularly noticeable differences between the scissors when wearing these gloves.