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These handy cooking scissors makes butchering, snipping, and dicing easier.

A great pair of kitchen shears is an under-appreciated but extremely useful gadget to keep on hand. As soon as you have a set of shears at your disposal, you may be surprised by the hundreds of ways to use them in the kitchen. From butchering meat to finishing dishes with a dusting of fresh herbs, you’ll want to keep your shears by your side at all times.

To help equip you with the right pair of scissors for your needs, we’ve rounded up the best shears for every kind of home cook and project. Here’s what you need to know before you buy a new pair.

When looking for the best set of kitchen shears, first consider what you plan to use your new scissors for. Some of the most common culinary tasks that call for a set of scissors include snipping herbs, breaking down poultry and performing other meat-butchering projects, chopping vegetables, portioning long pasta, and more. If you’re looking for shears that perform especially well at one of these tasks, such as cutting through tough cuts of meat or dicing fine herbs, you may want to look for poultry- or herb-specific shears.

In addition, 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 the scissors will need resharpening. Forged stainless steel is known for maintaining its edge over many uses. Shears with blades that can be separated are the easiest to maintain for cleaning and sharpening. Note that more difficult cutting jobs will dull your blades faster.

Finally, the size of your shears matters, too. People with larger hands will appreciate heavier or bigger scissors, such as the 9.6-ounce Henckels shears below. Medium- to small-size hands may be better suited to smaller and lighter options in the 3- to 6-ounce range, which are more maneuverable and especially great for butchering.

There are a lot of options when it comes to shears. Aside from the most basic straight-edged scissors, you’ll find options with serrated edges, integrated bottle openers, curved blades, and other features. To help cut through the confusion, I’ve put my experience as a personal chef into researching the most-loved kitchen shears available online from top brands and lesser-known companies alike. The products below reflect product testing and research, including many customer reviews.

These all-purpose straight-edged shears are an excellent go-to for any cutting job in the kitchen, from cutting vegetables to trimming protein. They have a built-in bottle opener, as well as a serrated claw between the handle for cracking open nuts. The rust-resistant stainless steel blades maintain their sharp edge for a long time, even with frequent use.

This is an affordable set of shears that's great for all-around use, in and out of the kitchen. The shears come in six color options and have a soft-grip handle that’s shaped for ergonomic comfort and easy maneuverability. Plus, they’re dishwasher safe.

This two-for-one pack includes a straight-edged set of shears made from Japanese high-carbon stainless steel, as well as a set of herb scissors with five blades. Together, this set can do everything from breaking down poultry bones to beautifully chiffonading herbs.

These unique shears incorporate the thick, hefty blade of a butcher’s cleaver into the classic scissor design to help you accomplish especially large cutting jobs. The rust-proof stainless steel blades are detachable for easy cleaning, and the timeless retro design makes this an especially attractive set of kitchen scissors.

These sleek all-stainless shears are both great looking and highly effective. The super-sharp forged stainless steel blades maintain their edge well, but should they get dull over time, they’re easy to sharpen with an at-home knife sharpener. The edge has micro-serration that comes in handy for slicing through soft herbs and vegetables.

These heavy-duty scissors are designed for serious cutting jobs in the kitchen. They're spring-loaded for added leverage to cut through tough items, including small bones. For safe storage, simply lock the blades closed. The handle is cushioned for added comfort while you work.

Make quick work of delicate herbs with these multi-bladed shears. Five sharp stainless steel blades slice whole leaves and herb fronds into delicate confetti-like pieces perfect for garnishing salads, soups, and more. These shears come with a handy cleaning tool to remove any herby bits stuck between the blades, as well as a protective sheath for safe storage.

These kitchen shears go beyond cutting. The blades are outfitted with a nutcracker, bottle opener, vegetable peeler, and even a screwdriver. Large ridges on one blade are also handy for scaling fish and working through bones. These are a great pair of shears to bring on camping, hunting, or fishing trips.

These powerful shears are designed specifically to help cooks break down whole birds. The curved design makes it easy to maneuver around a chicken, turkey, or other poultry for an easy spatchcock job.