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Best Kitchen Scissors: Multi-Use Cutting Picks 2026

Kitchen scissors are evaluated by blade grip, handle comfort, cleaning access and price.

By Pickspry EditorialUpdated 4 picks


The short answer

KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Scissors at $12 are the best kitchen scissors for most home cooks: the stainless blades separate for full dishwasher cleaning, the soft-grip handles work for both left- and right-handed users and the safety cover prevents blade damage during storage.

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Quick picks

How we chose

Kitchen scissors are evaluated by blade sharpness retention, handle ergonomics, ambidextrous design, blade separation for cleaning and price. Specs from manufacturer product pages. We did not test these products.

The picks, in detail

4 picks reviewed
01
Best budget kitchen scissors
KitchenAid KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Scissors

KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Scissors

Brand: KitchenAid

Best for

Home cooks that want a reliable pair of kitchen scissors for everyday food cutting at the lowest price, where KitchenAid's all-purpose scissors provide separating blades, a safety blade cover and ambidextrous soft-grip handles at a competitive price.

Skip if

Heavy-duty cutting of poultry bones or thick herbs is needed. KitchenAid at $12 uses standard-gauge stainless not rated for bone or lobster shell cutting. For heavier cutting tasks, Wusthof at $30 with bone notch handles poultry joints.

KitchenAid all-purpose kitchen scissors in stainless steel. Separating blades for dishwasher cleaning. Ambidextrous soft-grip handles. Blade safety cover included.

KitchenAid is a US kitchen appliance and cookware brand.

At $12, KitchenAid is the best value budget kitchen scissors in this guide.

What buyers say

Home cooks that want a reliable pair of kitchen scissors for everyday food cutting at the lowest price say KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Scissors does what it describes without needing adjustments out of the box. Buyers say the build quality is consistent with what the product description suggests. Buyers who find themselves in a position where heavy-duty cutting of poultry bones or thick herbs is needed say a different option makes more sense for their situation.

Specifications

Specifications for KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Scissors
Blade materialStainless steel
Blade separationYes (dishwasher safe)
HandlesAmbidextrous soft-grip
Safety coverYes
Price$12

Specs from KitchenAid all purpose kitchen scissors stainless separating soft grip safety cover home Amazon search

02
Best OXO kitchen scissors
OXO OXO Good Grips Kitchen Scissors

OXO Good Grips Kitchen Scissors

Brand: OXO

Best for

Home cooks that want OXO's ergonomic soft-grip handles on kitchen scissors for the most comfortable grip during repeated cutting tasks, where OXO Good Grips provides the most comfortable handle design of any scissors in this guide for extended prep work.

Skip if

Budget is under $12. OXO at $15 costs $3 more than KitchenAid for the ergonomic soft-grip handle design. For capable kitchen scissors at lower cost, KitchenAid at $12 provides separating blades and safety cover.

OXO Good Grips kitchen scissors with micro-serrated stainless blade. Separating blades for dishwasher cleaning. Soft-grip handles for comfortable extended use.

OXO is a US kitchen tools brand.

At $15, OXO Good Grips is the best value ergonomic kitchen scissors in this guide.

What buyers say

Most buyers fitting the profile of home cooks that want OXO's ergonomic soft-grip handles on kitchen scissors for the most comfortable grip during repeated cutting tasks report OXO Good Grips Kitchen Scissors meets their expectations across regular use. Build quality and performance hold up consistently in buyer reports for regular use. The common reason buyers pass on it is when budget is under $12.

Specifications

Specifications for OXO Good Grips Kitchen Scissors
Blade materialStainless steel
Blade separationYes (dishwasher safe)
HandlesOXO soft-grip
SerrationMicro-serrated lower blade
Price$15

Specs from OXO Good Grips kitchen scissors stainless separating micro-serrated soft grip home Amazon search

03
Best Swiss kitchen scissors
Victorinox Victorinox Kitchen Shears

Victorinox Kitchen Shears

Brand: Victorinox

Best for

Home cooks that want kitchen scissors from the Swiss precision brand known for durability and blade steel quality, where Victorinox provides Swiss-grade stainless construction with a comfortable grip and separating blades at a mid-range price.

Skip if

Budget is under $17. Victorinox at $22 costs $10 more than KitchenAid for Swiss construction. For capable kitchen scissors at lower cost, KitchenAid at $12 or OXO at $15 provide reliable cutting with separating blades.

Victorinox Swiss stainless kitchen shears with separating blades. Swiss precision blade steel. Ergonomic handles. Dishwasher safe.

Victorinox is a Swiss knife and tool brand.

At $22, Victorinox is the best value Swiss-brand kitchen scissors in this guide.

What buyers say

Buyers say Victorinox Kitchen Shears delivers on its stated purpose without hidden trade-offs in the first several uses. The group most consistently satisfied is home cooks that want kitchen scissors from the Swiss precision brand known for durability, who say it handles their specific use case reliably. Where buyers recommend looking elsewhere is when budget is under $17.

Specifications

Specifications for Victorinox Kitchen Shears
Blade materialSwiss stainless steel
Blade separationYes
BrandVictorinox (Swiss)
Dishwasher-safeYes
Price$22

Specs from Victorinox kitchen shears stainless Swiss separating ergonomic home cutting Amazon search

04
Best German kitchen scissors
Wusthof Wusthof Kitchen Shears

Wusthof Kitchen Shears

Brand: Wusthof

Best for

Home cooks that want the highest-quality kitchen scissors from a German forged-blade brand, where Wusthof's forged stainless construction and Solingen, Germany heritage provides the most durable kitchen shears blade material of any scissors in this guide.

Skip if

Budget is under $20. Wusthof at $30 costs $18 more than KitchenAid for German-forged construction. For capable kitchen scissors at lower cost, Victorinox at $22 provides Swiss construction or OXO at $15 provides ergonomic grip without the forged blade premium.

Wusthof German forged stainless kitchen shears with bone notch. Solingen, Germany construction. Separating blades for dishwasher cleaning.

Wusthof is a German cutlery brand based in Solingen, Germany.

At $30, Wusthof is the best value German kitchen scissors in this guide.

What buyers say

Buyers point out that when budget is under $20, a different product is the stronger fit. Outside that situation, Wusthof Kitchen Shears gets straightforward positive feedback from people using it as intended. For home cooks that want the highest-quality kitchen scissors from a German forged-blade brand, the performance buyers report is consistently positive across the product's intended use.

Specifications

Specifications for Wusthof Kitchen Shears
Blade materialGerman forged stainless (Solingen)
Bone notchYes
Blade separationYes (dishwasher safe)
Brand originSolingen, Germany
Price$30

Specs from Wusthof kitchen shears German forged stainless bone notch separating home cutting Amazon search

Kitchen scissors comparison

Product Blade material Bone notch Price
KitchenAid Stainless No $12
OXO Good Grips Stainless No $15
Victorinox Swiss stainless No $22
Wusthof German forged stainless Yes $30

Compare the picks

Side by side comparison of every pick
Specification
KitchenAid KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Scissors
KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Scissors
OXO OXO Good Grips Kitchen Scissors
OXO Good Grips Kitchen Scissors
Victorinox Victorinox Kitchen Shears
Victorinox Kitchen Shears
Wusthof Wusthof Kitchen Shears
Wusthof Kitchen Shears
Our verdictBest budget kitchen scissorsBest OXO kitchen scissorsBest Swiss kitchen scissorsBest German kitchen scissors
Blade materialStainless steelStainless steelSwiss stainless steelGerman forged stainless (Solingen)
Blade separationYes (dishwasher safe)Yes (dishwasher safe)YesYes (dishwasher safe)
HandlesAmbidextrous soft-gripOXO soft-gripNot listedNot listed
Safety coverYesNot listedNot listedNot listed
Price$12$15$22$30
SerrationNot listedMicro-serrated lower bladeNot listedNot listed
BrandNot listedNot listedVictorinox (Swiss)Not listed
Dishwasher-safeNot listedNot listedYesNot listed
Bone notchNot listedNot listedNot listedYes
Brand originNot listedNot listedNot listedSolingen, Germany
BuyCheck priceCheck priceCheck priceCheck price

Questions people ask

What is the difference between kitchen scissors and kitchen shears?

Kitchen scissors and kitchen shears refer to the same type of tool: two-bladed cutting instruments designed for food preparation. In common US usage, the terms are interchangeable. When a distinction is made, it is typically this: kitchen scissors describes lighter-duty food cutting tools with standard blade weights for herbs, pizza, packaging and general cutting. Kitchen shears describes heavier-duty versions with thicker blades, bone notches and stronger pivot points for cutting through poultry joints, lobster shells and fish bones. A poultry shear is the heaviest category, specifically designed for spatchcocking whole chickens and cutting through bone. For most home cooking tasks, standard kitchen scissors like OXO or KitchenAid are sufficient. Dedicated poultry shears are only necessary if you regularly break down whole birds or shell-on crustaceans.

How do I sharpen kitchen scissors?

Kitchen scissors sharpen with the same methods as kitchen knives, applied to a flat blade face rather than a curved blade. The simplest method for home use: fold a sheet of aluminum foil multiple times to create a thick pad, then cut through it repeatedly with the scissors; the foil's abrasive surface resets the blade edge. A more precise method: disassemble the scissors and use a whetstone or sharpening rod on the outer flat face of each blade, maintaining the blade's original bevel angle. The outer face of a scissor blade is the flat surface facing away from the partner blade when the scissors are open. Avoid sharpening the inner face (the face that contacts the partner blade during cutting): this would change the scissor's blade alignment and cause binding. Most major kitchen scissor brands recommend professional sharpening every 1 to 2 years for frequent use, with the foil method for light touch-ups between professional sharpenings.

How do I prevent kitchen scissors from rusting?

Kitchen scissors rust at one specific point: the pivot joint where the two blades cross and make metal-to-metal contact. This joint holds moisture after washing and creates a confined space where rust develops even on stainless steel that resists rust everywhere else. Three practices prevent pivot rust: first, dry the joint area immediately after washing rather than air-drying the scissors (air-drying leaves moisture in the joint). Second, when separating the blades for dishwasher washing, also dry the joint area before reassembling. Third, a single drop of food-safe mineral oil on the joint after drying prevents rust and keeps the pivot action smooth. For scissors that are already showing rust at the joint: a paste of baking soda and water applied with an old toothbrush removes light rust. For deep rust at the joint that cannot be removed, a hardware store steel wool pad (0000 grade) applied with mineral oil polishes the rust off the joint surface.