Take-Apart, Warranty, Grip: Best Value Kitchen Shears

Kitchen shears do a surprising share of the work in a home kitchen. They spatchcock a chicken, snip cilantro and chives straight over the pot, cut dried chiles into strips for a salsa, trim tortillas into strips for chilaquiles and open every bag of masa harina that comes through the door. None of that needs an expensive pair, but it does need a pair that cuts cleanly, comes clean and does not loosen after a few months.

This guide is for the cook who wants good shears without paying for a premium name. Our main guide to the best kitchen shears covers the top performers, including the budget pair America’s Test Kitchen named its Best Buy; here we look only at other entry-level pairs from established makers and explain how to judge value when the price is low. None of the shears on this page appear on the main page or on our kitchen shears vs scissors guide.

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Quick verdict: which value kitchen shears to buy

Below are five standouts side by side, all seven pairs in detail, and a plain explanation of where cheaper shears save money and which of those savings matter.

Five value kitchen shears at a glance

Our five standout pairs, one for each kind of cook, with the features and care each maker or listing states. All seven are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Features and care instructions are as stated by each maker or listing; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best value kitchen shears

These seven pairs come from established cutlery and kitchenware makers. They cover the choices that matter at this level: take-apart or fixed pivot, one pair or two, an all-purpose pair or a poultry shear. Each pick explains who it suits, the specifications that matter, and one honest reason to skip it.

How to judge value in inexpensive kitchen shears

We do not quote prices, because they change daily. Instead, here is how to tell whether a low-cost pair is good value or just cheap.

• Does it come apart? America’s Test Kitchen strongly preferred shears whose blades separate, because food collects around the pivot. A take-apart pair is easier to keep clean and easier to have sharpened, so it lasts longer.
• Can the edge be resharpened? Victorinox says its edge can be sharpened repeatedly. Shears that can be sharpened are a long-term tool; shears that cannot are a short-term one.
• Is there a real warranty? Victorinox, Henckels and Cuisinart list lifetime warranties on the pairs here, and OXO offers its repair-or-replace guarantee. A clear warranty is a good sign a maker expects its budget shears to last.
• Does the maker say how to wash it? Care instructions are a sign of a maker that stands behind its product. Mercer says hand wash only; Henckels and KitchenAid allow the dishwasher but advise hand washing.
• What is missing from the listing? Inexpensive shears often say less about steel, blade length and origin. We marked anything missing as not stated rather than guess.

How to choose kitchen shears on a budget

1. Blade length and serrations

America’s Test Kitchen looked for blades of at least 3.5 inches for smooth, long strokes, and found that deeper, sharper serrations held slippery food more securely. Micro-serrated blades, like those on the Victorinox and Henckels multi-purpose pairs, grip chicken skin and herbs without tearing.

2. Handles that work when wet

The same review favored grippy plastic handles over slick metal, especially with wet or greasy hands, and moderately sized finger bows. If anyone in your house is left-handed, look for a pair described as suitable for either hand.

3. Take-apart or fixed

Take-apart blades are the single most useful feature in an inexpensive pair. If you choose a fixed pair, scrub the pivot with a small brush after raw chicken, as the CDC advises washing utensils with hot, soapy water after each food item.

4. One pair or two

A two-pair set, like the Cuisinart or KitchenAid sets, lets you keep one pair for food and one for everything else, or one for raw meat and one for herbs and vegetables. A poultry shear is a useful second pair if you cut up whole chickens often.

5. Care and storage

Dry shears completely before putting them away, and keep them in a cover or a separate slot so the edges do not knock against other tools. Most makers here advise hand washing even when the dishwasher is allowed.

How we chose these seven pairs

We started with what shears have to do in a Mexican home kitchen: cut chicken, herbs, dried chiles, tortillas and packaging, and survive frequent washing. We then looked only at shears from established cutlery and kitchenware makers that were in stock on Amazon in the United States, and read each Amazon listing for the blade, take-apart design, extras, care instructions, warranty and country of manufacture. We used America’s Test Kitchen’s published kitchen shears review for what makes shears work well: blade length, serrations, handle design and take-apart construction. None of the seven pairs here were among the models America’s Test Kitchen tested.

We left out every pair already recommended on our best kitchen shears and kitchen shears vs scissors guides, including the Henckels Take-Apart shears that America’s Test Kitchen named its Best Buy, along with color variants of those pairs. We also left out shears that were in short supply when we checked, general craft scissors and sellers with no identifiable maker. We checked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall database for each brand on this page and found no kitchen shear recalls. We have not used these shears ourselves; where we describe how a feature performs, we say whose findings those are.

Value kitchen shears questions, answered

What are the best inexpensive kitchen shears?

For most cooks, the Victorinox Swiss Classic Come Apart shears: take-apart blades, an edge that can be resharpened and a lifetime warranty, according to the listing. The Mercer Culinary 8-inch pair is a close alternative if you want a restaurant-supply tool.

Are cheap kitchen shears worth buying?

Yes, if they come from a known maker and the blades come apart. In America’s Test Kitchen’s review, the Best Buy was an inexpensive Henckels pair that was only a touch less sharp than the winner, which shows that low cost and good performance can go together.

What should I look for in kitchen shears under a small budget?

Take-apart blades, blades of at least 3.5 inches, serrations that grip, handles that stay grippy when wet, and a clear warranty. Extras such as bottle openers are nice but should not decide your choice.

Can inexpensive kitchen shears go in the dishwasher?

Some can. Henckels and KitchenAid allow it but recommend hand washing, and Mercer says its shears should not go in the dishwasher at all. Hand washing and drying straight away keeps the edge and pivot in better shape.

Do I need separate poultry shears?

Not if you only cut up a chicken now and then; a good all-purpose pair will do it. If you break down whole birds every week, a dedicated pair like the Henckels poultry shears is easier on your hands.

Our final pick for value kitchen shears

Buy the Victorinox Swiss Classic Come Apart shears if you want one inexpensive pair that comes apart, can be sharpened and carries a lifetime warranty. Choose the Mercer Culinary 8-inch pair for a restaurant-supply tool, and the OXO Good Grips Kitchen Scissors if comfort comes first. Whatever you choose, keep them for food, wash them by hand and dry them before you put them away.

If you would rather spend more for the sharpest blades, our main guide to the best kitchen shears covers the top pairs. For snipping cilantro and epazote, see our guide to Mexican herbs.

And if you would rather someone else did the chopping tonight, see the menu or call to order.