Quick Answer
The best kitchen shears for most home cooks is the Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears — Forged steel + come-apart for easy cleaning + spatchcock-grade strength — the heirloom kitchen shears. On a tighter budget, the OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors delivers most of the same performance for less.
Kitchen shears are the kitchen tool you use every day without thinking about it — spatchcocking chicken, snipping herbs, opening packages, trimming dough. The right pair lasts decades. Here are the three we'd buy.
How We Picked These
For this kitchen shears guide, we applied the framework laid out in our Editorial Policy: we evaluate materials and construction first, then weight long-term durability heavily — six-month and one-year owner-review patterns matter more than first-week impressions. We screened out products with documented reliability complaints, missing or hard-to-claim warranty support, and no-name brands without long-term service infrastructure. The picks below are the ones we'd recommend to a friend.
1. Best Overall: Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears
Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears
Wüsthof
- Forged stainless steel
- Come-apart for hand-washing
- Heavy-duty bone cutter
- Bottle opener built in
Why we picked it: Forged steel + come-apart for easy cleaning + spatchcock-grade strength — the heirloom kitchen shears.
2. Best Value: OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors
OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors
OXO
- Micro-serrated stainless blades
- Cushioned non-slip grip
- Built-in bottle opener
- Dishwasher safe
Why we picked it: OXO's everyday workhorse scissors — non-slip grip, micro-serrated blades, great everyday value.
3. Best Premium: JOYCE CHEN Joyce Chen Original Unlimited Kitchen Scissors
Joyce Chen Original Unlimited Kitchen Scissors
JOYCE CHEN
- Stainless steel blades
- Come-apart design
- Beloved by professional chefs
- Made in Korea
Why we picked it: The cult-favorite Joyce Chen scissors — sharper than they should be at the price, beloved by pro cooks.
The Comparison Table
| Pick | Brand | Product | Key spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Wüsthof | Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears | Forged stainless steel |
| Best Value | OXO | OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors | Micro-serrated stainless blades |
| Best Premium | JOYCE CHEN | Joyce Chen Original Unlimited Kitchen Scissors | Stainless steel blades |
What to Look For
Separable blades change cleanup. Shears that come apart for washing dry completely and don't trap food in the hinge. Non-separable shears trap chicken juice in places you can't reach, which is unsanitary over time. Look for take-apart design (Joyce Chen, Wüsthof).
Power-cutting through bone or just herbs? If you spatchcock chickens (cutting through breastbone), you need heavy-duty shears — Wüsthof or Joyce Chen handle bone cleanly. For herbs, food packaging, and trimming, OXO Good Grips is fine and cheaper.
Handle comfort matters for endurance work. Cheap plastic handles dig into your hand on long jobs. Rubber-coated (OXO Good Grips) or molded-grip (Wüsthof) handles stay comfortable through a 30-minute prep session. For one-cut tasks, handle material matters less.
Buyer Scenario Decision Matrix
Stop comparing specs. Start with what you're actually doing, then the right product is obvious:
| Your Situation | Buy This | Skip This | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most people — daily use, no compromises | Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears | Premium-only sets you won't grow into | Forged stainless steel |
| Budget-conscious or first-time buyer | OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors | Premium upgrade you may not need yet | Micro-serrated stainless blades |
| Heavy daily use, splurge, or buy-once-keep-forever | JOYCE CHEN Joyce Chen Original Unlimited Kitchen Scissors | Cheaper sets — you'll outgrow them | Stainless steel blades |
Bottom Line: Which Should You Buy?
For most people: the Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears. Forged steel + come-apart for easy cleaning + spatchcock-grade strength — the heirloom kitchen shears.
On a budget: the OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors. OXO's everyday workhorse scissors — non-slip grip, micro-serrated blades, great everyday value.
Worth the splurge: the JOYCE CHEN Joyce Chen Original Unlimited Kitchen Scissors. The cult-favorite Joyce Chen scissors — sharper than they should be at the price, beloved by pro cooks.
Ready to buy?
Jump straight to our top picks on Amazon — prices shown at click-through.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best kitchen shears for spatchcocking chicken?
The Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears — heavy-duty forged steel, separable for cleaning, cuts through chicken breastbone without strain. The Joyce Chen is the close runner-up and comes apart for cleaning. OXO Good Grips is fine for everyday use but feels light on bone work.
Are kitchen shears worth it?
Yes — they're the most-used tool in many kitchens after the chef's knife. Snipping herbs, opening packages, trimming fat, spatchcocking poultry, cutting pizza, cutting parchment. A good pair lasts 20+ years and saves countless small steps.
Can kitchen shears go in the dishwasher?
Hand-wash is recommended even for dishwasher-safe shears. The high heat and detergent dull the blades faster than warm soapy water. Separable shears (Joyce Chen, Wüsthof) come apart for easy hand-washing — a 30-second job vs the deeply-trapped grime in non-separable units.
What is the top-rated kitchen shears for 2026?
Our top-rated pick is the Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears. Forged steel + come-apart for easy cleaning + spatchcock-grade strength — the heirloom kitchen shears.
Which kitchen shears is best for beginners or a tighter budget?
The best-rated value pick is the OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors — OXO's everyday workhorse scissors — non-slip grip, micro-serrated blades, great everyday value.
What's the best kitchen shears for spatchcocking?
The Wüsthof Come-Apart — forged steel, separable for cleaning, cuts through chicken breastbone without strain. The Joyce Chen is the close runner-up. OXO Good Grips is fine for everyday but feels light on bone work.
Want to dig deeper? See our guides to Best Knife Set (2026), Best Cutting Boards (2026), and Best Chef's Knife (2026).