10 Best Kitchen Scissors UK 2024
We’re guessing you’re here because it’s about time you replaced that blunt old pair rattling around the top drawer, and if so, you’re in the right place. Our guide will help you find the best kitchenware scissors for your needs, and we’ll also share our top picks from Amazon and John Lewis. From the delicate to the heavy duty, including entries by OXO Good Grips and Global, we’ve cut through the reviews so you don’t have to!
Quick List - Top Kitchen Scissors
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Table of Contents
- How to Choose Kitchen Scissors in the UK – Buying Guide
- Pick Scissors for Specific Uses, or Grab an All-Purpose Pair for Everything1
- Carbon Steel is the Optimum for Pro Scissors, Stainless Steel is Fine for Everyday Cooks2
- Choose Scissors That Come Apart for Hygienic Cleaning, or Dishwasher Safe Pairs3
- Extra Built-in Features Such as Bottle Openers Are Handy for Other Kitchen Tasks4
- Make Sure the Handle Is Comfortable: Some Pairs Are Designed for Lefties or Ambidextrous Use5
- Kit Your Kitchen Out With These Essential Basics
- Summary
How to Choose Kitchen Scissors in the UK – Buying Guide
Pick Scissors for Specific Uses, or Grab an All-Purpose Pair for Everything
Whilst some of us no doubt use the same pair for everything in the house, once you buy culinary scissors you’ll never look back! Owning a few different types is best if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, or an all-purpose pair may be all you need. Check out the main types below.
All-Purpose Kitchen Scissors Should Be Micro-Serrated for Food, Packets, and Other Requirements
It’s best to look for those with micro-serrations on only one blade because you will be able to sharpen the other, smoother blade and therefore prolong their lifespan.
Shorter scissors offer more control when precise snipping is required, and longer pairs will give you more leverage and speed up the cutting of larger items, but for an all-purpose pair, an overall length of around 18-22cm is a suitable size to aim for.
Kitchen Shears Are Normally Professional Grade and Used for More Skilled Kitchen Tasks Such as Butchery
If it’s top quality, pro-chef shears you’re after, look for those whose blade and handle are forged from the same solid piece of metal rather than separate attachments. Fewer joints and pivots result in a stronger construction that will be able to withstand the force needed for heavy-duty tasks such as butchery.
Depending on the variety, shears can be very short or much longer, but for greater leverage and precision it is recommended to choose shears with a fulcrum (the pivot point) farther from the base and close to the blades.
Specific Purpose Scissors Such as Herb Snippers and Pizza Cutters Can Be Useful Extra Pairs
There are all sorts out there, including the somewhat more novelty pairs such as pizza scissors (with a triangle of plastic attached for serving up your slices), but the most common and useful are 5-blade herb scissors.
These multi-blade pairs make short work of finely chopping fresh herbs without bruising them, as well as other ingredients you may want to cut into hundreds of tiny pieces, so can be a good choice if you frequently cook or garnish with herbs and salad vegetables.
Carbon Steel is the Optimum for Pro Scissors, Stainless Steel is Fine for Everyday Cooks
Chef-types may want to go for carbon or Molybdenum/Vanadium steel, used in high-end kitchen knife forgery, particularly in Japan. High-carbon steels such as these can reach much higher degrees of sharpness than regular 404 steel and will cut through just about anything, and not dull as quickly.
Choose Scissors That Come Apart for Hygienic Cleaning, or Dishwasher Safe Pairs
It will be a simple case of unscrewing the pivot bolt and reattaching it when you’re done and can be a welcome feature to ensure a safe and hygienic kitchen environment. You could also look for a dishwasher safe pair if you like the idea of being able to give them a thorough clean.
Extra Built-in Features Such as Bottle Openers Are Handy for Other Kitchen Tasks
Bottle and jar openers, toothed-grips for nut cracking and even small holes for pulling rosemary leaves off their branches can all be incorporated into the design, so browse through each pair’s description if you’d like some of these inclusions.
Make Sure the Handle Is Comfortable: Some Pairs Are Designed for Lefties or Ambidextrous Use
For the left-handed folk, you probably already know the pain of finding tools that feel comfortable and easy to use. Unfortunately, most pairs of scissors are designed for right-handed use and it can be tough to find ones solely for left-handers, let alone left-handed scissors for a specific purpose. But luckily there are lots of options that are suitable for use ambidextrously.
Kitchen shears do often feature handles with two same-sized holes rather than one larger and one smaller, so these could be another fitting choice if those typical handles don’t fit your needs.
The Best Kitchen Scissors in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Joseph Joseph PowerGrip Kitchen Scissors | | Your New Favourite Pair of Scissors | |
2 | OXO Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors | | Super Comfy, Cushioned Everyday Scissors | |
3 | KitchenCraft Multi-Purpose Kitchen Scissors | | A Durable, All-Purpose Pair for Smaller Budgets | |
4 | Spear & Jackson 3-Piece Scissor Set | | A Functional Set for Every Kitchen Task | |
5 | Chef Remi Heavy Duty Kitchen Scissors | | Heavy Duty, High Performance Cutting | |
6 | Victorinox Black Handled Kitchen Scissors | | Simple, Sturdy and Dishwasher Safe | |
7 | Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears | | Chef Quality Carbon for Home Cooks | |
8 | Kuhn Rikon Avocado Print Kitchen Scissors With Herb Stripper | | An All-Purpose Pair for Ambidextrous Use | |
9 | Brabantia Tasty+ Herb Scissors | | Speedy Prep for Fresh Herbs and Vegetables |
Your New Favourite Pair of Scissors
This is mainly due to the clever handle and blade shapes, but also the extra thumb grip, that really makes a difference when it comes to tough items like meat, hard vegetables and stems. The blades are also detachable and there’s a bone notch for non-slip cutting. Perfect!
Super Comfy, Cushioned Everyday Scissors
The grips are cushioned for pressure relief and roomy enough for larger hands, and even with a bit of extra length the blades themselves are short enough to ensure accurate control. If you love rosemary on your roasties, you’ll love the little herb stripper between the blades too!
A Durable, All-Purpose Pair for Smaller Budgets
Left-handed cooks may need to steer clear due to the handle shape, but otherwise they are sturdy to hold even when pressure is exerted. There’s a bottle opener and toothed grip, and they can be thrown in the dishwasher after use.
A Functional Set for Every Kitchen Task
The other two pieces are a longer-bladed pair and a very useful small pair of snips, both of which are suitable for any number of other kitchen tasks. They all have an ergonomic soft grip and are dishwasher safe, too.
Heavy Duty, High Performance Cutting
An extra bottle opener features on the blade for those spontaneous mid-cooking beers, as well as the usual toothed central grip. They are one of the cheapest on our list but still one of the highest performing, and come apart easily for cleaning, too.
Simple, Sturdy and Dishwasher Safe
They’re dishwasher safe and detachable, with an adjustable pivot screw that can be loosened or tightened to suit the precision of the item you’re snipping or trimming. There’s a lifetime guarantee too, so you know they’re serious about quality!
Chef Quality Carbon for Home Cooks
There are additional steel teeth that can help with opening bottles and jars (or nuts) if you need, plus they can come apart for cleaning or sharpening with a quick unscrew.
Kuhn RikonAvocado Print Kitchen Scissors With Herb Stripper
An All-Purpose Pair for Ambidextrous Use
What's not to love about these fun Avocado Print Kitchen Scissors by Kuhn Rikon. Kitchen scissors don't usually have the most exciting colours or designs, but this pair is sure to bring a smile to your face. They're pretty useful, too.
The blade is powerful enough to cut through small bones, flower stems and packaging and the built-in stripper makes light work of thyme, rosemary and other herbs. Suitable for ambidextrous use, these scissors can easily be taken apart for cleaning. The design is rather vibrant so they won't suit everyone's tastes, but they might just be for you!
Speedy Prep for Fresh Herbs and Vegetables
The handles are soft and silicone-lined and are comfortable for both left and right-handed folk. However, they are mainly for cutting herbs and are not suitable as a main pair of scissors. A good value pair to have in the drawer, though!
Kit Your Kitchen Out With These Essential Basics
Whether you've recently moved house or simply want to update your essential kitchen items, be sure to check out our related articles. Full of hints, tips and top-rated products, you'll be kitted out in no time!
Summary
Author: Natasha Dziubajlo
Top 5 Kitchen Scissors
No. 1: Joseph Joseph｜PowerGrip Kitchen Scissors
No. 2: OXO｜Good Grips Kitchen and Herb Scissors
No. 3: KitchenCraft｜Multi-Purpose Kitchen Scissors
No. 4: Spear & Jackson｜3-Piece Scissor Set
No. 5: Chef Remi ｜Heavy Duty Kitchen Scissors
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