Kitchen Scissors

What the heck makes a pair of scissors, well, Kitchen Scissors?  I believe it is not because a company’s packaging says so.  Yes, you could use a nice pair of fabric scissors in the kitchen.  And guaranteed, you won’t be able to cut any fabric after cutting just one chicken back with those fabric scissors.  There are amazing varieties, colors, sizes, and price points.  However, cleanliness and durability are my top considerations.

Good Kitchen Scissors

Do you have good kitchen scissors?  Having the right tool for the job at hand is no less important in scissor land.  It is unlikely that cabinet making will be done well with a chainsaw.  Similarly, it is going to be a tall task taking a chicken apart with some beautician scissors.  Along these lines, there are some key characteristics in these specific scissors that I recommend.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is my top priority in the kitchen.  Thus, pull-apart (aka take-apart, come-apart) scissors make it not only possible to clean inside the pivot,  but extremely convenient to clean as well.  It is almost impossible to remove all residues from the pivot area of a pair of riveted scissors.  Bacteria and rust can build up at the pivot, running the risk of cross contamination.  This is not a problem with pull-aparts.

Additionally, plastic handles pressed onto metal blades are an often overlooked problem.  Those plastic handles can come loose after some not so extensive use.  As a result, this creates another happy place for bacteria to take up residence.

Durability

The food environment can be especially demanding on scissors.  Higher quality metal reduces the opportunity for rust, and helps the cutting edge last a lot longer.  Thicker blades and tip-to-handle unibody design, like these poultry shears, provide the strength necessary to repeatedly cut through chicken backs (please note the NON-pull-apart scissors in this video). 

Extras

There are many types of kitchen scissor added features to choose from.  Bottle openers, can openers, and shell crackers, oh my!  Funny, I have never needed to drive a screw with the screwdriver feature on my kitchen scissors.  

Sanitation, cleanliness, strength, and utility makes good kitchen scissors worth the investment, without a doubt.  By the way, kitchen scissors can be plenty sharp, too.