Best Poultry Shears
A good set of poultry shears is an essential tool for any home chef, yet many cooks don’t have one in their cutlery drawer. Instead, they struggle to cut through raw chicken, bones and other tough or fibrous foods with a knife not made for the task.
Poultry shears, sometimes referred to as poultry scissors, are super sharp and strong and are made of high-quality materials that make it easy to cut through tough kitchen jobs. But this simple-looking tool can also be used for other things such as cutting herbs and vegetables, like carrots, depending on the blade.
This handy kitchen tool’s blades are made from food-grade stainless steel, with large handles so you can get a good grip and control. Stainless steel is great for corrosion resistance, although some poultry shears should be washed and dried by hand to maintain the blade sharpness and longevity.
We feature five poultry shears you can buy online. Read on to find the one that suits your needs.
1. Top Pick: LIVINGO Forged Kitchen Shears
LIVINGO’s kitchen shears are an exceptional, multi-purpose addition to any kitchen. One of the best things about these LIVINGO shears is that they are made of press-forged, surgical quality stainless steel. This means that you’ll be working with a solid piece of metal from handle to blade tip. This is great for those who like extra weight to their kitchen implements, or for those who want a workhorse.
They also come with tabs on the end of each handle that are sturdy enough to work as both bottle openers or can openers. It also comes with a lightly grooved section on the inside of the handle. This can be used both to crack nuts and to strip leaves off of common herbs like thyme and oregano.
One warning, however. The blades themselves are quite short, meaning that if you’re looking for a dedicated set of poultry shears you may have better luck elsewhere. You’ll also want to make sure that the blades don’t become misaligned when doing any sort of heavy cutting such as through bone or the like. Keep in mind that missing the joint can lead to a blade offset that must be corrected before trying to cut through skin, work on raw meat, or remove silver skin.
Pros
- Press-forged using high-density carbon stainless-steel – the same quality as surgical instruments.
- Ergonomic design (although you’re still dealing with a steel handle)
- Central rotating bolt-lock for easy-cleaning.
- Includes bottle opener plus can opener and a nutcracking groove on the handle.
Cons
Short blades compared to dedicated poultry shears.
2. Best Basic: Gerior Poultry Shears
These streamlined poultry shears just might be the multi-purpose solution to many of your cutting needs in the kitchen and around the house.
Ideal for spatchcocking a chicken or turkey, these poultry scissors have German CNC technology and feature anti-slip, micro-serrated food-grade stainless steel blades that provides a firm and secure grip and precise cutting every time.
With a 9.35-inch long, 3mm-blade thickness, they are engineered for perfection and built to last a lifetime – strong, durable and rust-resistant.
They are easy to operate and the spring-loaded handle prevents hand strain. After being used on food, you must clean the blades of the shears well to avoid cross-contamination. However, they must be washed well by hand and dried completely to maintain the sharpness of the blades. Do not put the poultry shears into the dishwasher.
Washing by hand is made easy, though, because this model has a three-mode design so the blades can be easily taken apart for a thorough cleaning when they are separated. To keep your hands safe, move the safety lever into the middle position to limit the opening angle of the shears so they will not be unintentionally separated.
To maintain the sharpness of the blades, it is recommended to store the poultry shears in a knife block, cover it with a sheath, or put it in a drawer separate from other utensils. These poultry shears measure 9.35 inches long by 3.94 inches wide.
Pros:
- Three-mode design
- Spring-loaded
- Comes apart easily for cleaning
- Made from high-quality stainless steel, precision CNC finished blades
Cons:
- Cannot be put into the dishwasher
3. Best Versatile: TANSUNG Poultry Shears
These versatile poultry shears are a great kitchen and household tool. They are not only good at cutting bones and raw meat, scraping fish scales, chopping up herbs and vegetables, but also can be used to peel fruit and open bottles.
Made by CNC technology, these poultry scissors are crafted from 5Cr15MoV stainless steel, a material that is widely used in making high quality chef knives. The benefit here is that the blades become sharper with use and resist rust and corrosion.
The three-mode lock design gives these heavy-duty shears the ability to perform under different situations. For example, on locking mode, your safety is maximized because the shears are prevented from opening accidentally. While doing heavy-duty cutting jobs, the spring-loaded mode relieves the pressure from your hand.
For thorough and safe cleaning, the detaching mode allows you to safely separate the blades with ease. The large-sized, non-slip grips offer more room for your fingers to rest when holding, making them easy to use. These poultry shears are also ideal for cutting fish and have a bottle opener built into the handle.
Pros:
- Serrated edges
- Non-slip handle
- Suitable for right or left-handed use
- Bottle opener built into the handle
Cons:
- Do not immerse the poultry shears in water
4. Best Honorable Mention: Silver Armadillo Poultry Shears
These sleek-looking poultry shears are designed with extremely sharp scissor blades, making them the ideal tool to cut through meat and bones quickly.
The comfortable heavy-duty handle is spring-loaded and is one continuous piece with the blades, giving you the most slicing power with minimal effort. The handle provides easy grip with unwavering strength to butcher everything from turkey and chicken to fish and seafood whether the food is raw or cooked.
These poultry shears are designed to handle different kinds of food. For example, the front part of the scissors where the blades ‘meet’ continuously is meant to cut meat. It is important to note that in order to cut meat perfectly, you use only the front part of the scissors and not the rear part with the groove, which is designed specially to cut bones. It is important to note that these poultry shears do not cut through skin.
These scissors are made from heavy-duty stainless steel metal and won’t rust even after many uses and lots of washing. The blades do not come apart but they do open wide in order to provide easy cleaning and maintenance.
Along with these poultry shears, this set includes a convenient heat-resistant silicone brush, perfect for spreading marinade or oil on your chicken, turkey, fish or meat after you’ve cut it up with the shears.
Pros:
- Stainless steel won’t rust
- Cuts through raw and cooked chicken, fish, turkey, meat
- Easy grip handles
Cons:
- Not designed to cut skin
- More expensive than other models
5. Best Specialty: Heirloom Culinary Best Poultry Shears
If you’ve been thinking about trying spatchcocking or butterflying your chicken or turkey but are not sure of which kitchen tool will do the job quickly and easily, you may want to consider these chef-approved, ultra sharp poultry shears.
And while these shears are excellent for meat, chicken, turkey, steak, lobster and seafood, they are also the perfect utility shears that you can use around the house to cut plastic and thin sheets of metal. Now that’s sharp!
The spring-loaded full-tang handle gives you better control and a firm grip, and the ergonomic design is ideal for left or right-handed users. The thick heavy-duty 4mm high-grade stainless steel runs all the way through the shears from top to bottom, meaning the blades and handle are designed to last longer even for heavy duty cutting. And they are made to never come apart when cutting, no matter how wide you open the blade.
Pros:
- Comes with access to a downloadable Italian recipe book
- Full-tang handle
- Ideal for spatchcocking and butterflying chicken and turkey
Cons:
- More expensive than other brands
6. Honorable Mention: OXO Good Grips Spring-Loaded Poultry Shears
The OXO Good Grips Spring-Loaded Shears are a great kitchen tool for those who want an easier time in the kitchen, or those who struggle with grip strength. The key feature of these poultry shears is the addition of a spring-loaded mechanism in the handle. This is great for those who have arthritis or joint inflammation.
The Good Grips also come with a notched, micro-serrated blade. This means that the shears themselves have good bite, and can easily cut through bone and sinew alike. Sous Vide Guy found that the shears were curved a little more sharply than some other scissors on this list. This is a great feature for working the blades directly to the joint, or for getting to hard-to-reach places. Another big bonus is the ease at which the shears come apart. They two blades use a small channel-lock style mechanism for easy separation.
Pros
- Spring-loaded handle that’s perfect for those with arthritis or joint issues.
- Sharply curved blades allow you to reach nooks and crannies.
- Serrated shears for the easy cutting of muscle and sinew.
Cons
- Some consumer reports of damaged or ineffective springs.
7. Also Consider: J.A. Henckels Stainless Steel Poultry Shears
By itself, J.A. Henckels is a name that many trust – whether it’s their poultry shears or paring knives. The Henckels Stainless Steel Poultry Shears are a sleek addition to any kitchen. Henckels’ poultry shears also feature a traditional channel lock and peg system for easy separation. The shears are also dishwasher safe, but you’ll want to avoid using any heated drying settings. The coils used to dry your dishes are extremely hard on plastic shelling like the handle of these shears. As such, if you run them through the dishwasher at medium-high temperature or with a drying cycle you risk seriously damaging, if not shattering, the handle.
In terms of balance, Sous Vide Guy found that Henckel’s poultry shears work great for both left and right-handed butchers. They have a good amount of leverage and excel at cutting through joints. One note on that point: if you’re having trouble opening the shears after cutting then you’ll need to loosen a small screw that serves as a latch for the blades.
Pros
- Good brand name with a lifetime warranty.
- Easy to separate and clean.
- Dishwasher safe.
Cons
- Lifetime warranty requires you to pay shipping.
- Risk of handle shattering if run through a dishwasher on medium-high heat or during a heated-drying cycle.
Things to look out for:
Consider these things when looking for poultry shears so you will choose one that best suits your needs:
Blade material: Poultry shears or scissors are made from different materials, usually from steel. Stainless steel is great for corrosion resistance, but without a high carbon content, the blades aren’t very hard. Some the poultry shears are constructed from high carbon stainless steel, similar to what’s used in high-quality knives. This makes the shears very sharp and resistant to rust. Typically, the harder the blade, the longer it will hold it’s sharp edge. Most poultry shears have serrated blades but still might benefit from being sharpened.
Use: You many only use your poultry shears to cut through chicken, animal bones, fish and other fibrous food, and that’s okay. If that will be the sole use, then look for a pair that is strong with a good spring action and a lock. Also, some poultry shears cut through raw food, while others are better for cooked chicken, turkey or meat. Plus, there are some models that do not cut through raw skin, so be on the lookout for this if you intend to use your shears to cut up a raw chicken with the skin still on.
Poultry shears are quite versatile and can be used for other tasks around the house, Some shears have handles and blades equipped with a bottle or can opener, and the shears can also be used to cut herbs, twine and thin rope. If this is what you are looking for, then make sure the one you purchase is versatile enough to perform various tasks.
Finally, some poultry shears are specifically made for left or right-handers, while others work fine using either hand. Consider this before you make a purchase.
Cleaning and sharpening: Poultry shears come in contact with the juices of raw meat, fish and poultry and need to be thoroughly cleaned to avoid cross contamination. Look for shears where the blades are easy to separate so they can be properly cleaned, or open wide enough for you to be able to clean in between all the nooks and crannies. Being able to open the blades wide also makes them easier to sharpen. Some poultry shears can only be washed by hand, while others are safe to put in the dishwasher. Consider what is more convenient for you before choosing a model.
Budget: Poultry shears come in a wide range of prices, so there is something for everyone. That being said, lower-priced items are not generally the same quality as pricier models. The kind of material used to make the shears will affect the price, as does the durability of the product. You should probably consider how often you will use the poultry shears and on what kind of food before selecting a price range. If you will use them often, it would be wise to invest in ones that will last a long time.
FAQs
Are poultry shears necessary?
Poultry shears are absolutely essential if you plan to learn the finer points of poultry butchering. Spatchcocking or butterflying chicken, goose, or duck requires special shears designed to clip through bird bones. For the uninitiated bird bones are structurally different from both beef and pork bones. Birds have a certain number of pneumatic bones that allow for the transfer or air to aid in respiratory function. Simply put, poultry bones need to be handled with specialized tools when spatchcocking or butterflying. They’re delicate and prone to snapping if not handled properly.
How do you sharpen poultry shears?
Sharpening poultry shears is slightly more complicated than a knife in terms of disassembly. Most poultry shears have a nut or clasp that holds the blades together. Begin by removing this part so that the shears come away into two blades. From here treat them as you would any other good-quality piece of metalwork. Use a combination of a honing iron and sharpening iron if you’re doing top-to-bottom restoration work. Some poultry shears also come with a dual serrated edge.
Can poultry shears cut through bones?
Poultry shears are specifically designed to cut through bones, as we’ve discuss above. Chicken bones in particular require a special touch to deal with due to the presence of hollow-bones that double up as respiratory aids. Shears can cut through these delicate bones with ease, and without any splintering. This is also possible with a cleaver, but requires much more blade skill to accomplish.
How do you use a poultry shear?
Poultry shears are essentially scissors. When breaking down a chicken, duck, or goose you’ll want to target joints where two bones intersect. Shears can also cut cleanly through the breast bone both for spatchcocking or for disassembling a chicken into bucket pieces.
What else can you use a poultry shear for?
Poultry shears are good for much more than breaking down a chicken into pieces. You can also use the shears to debone chicken thighs, section wings, and trim fat off for deep frying. Poultry shears are an all-around useful kitchen tool – one of the few essentials that Sous Vide Guy recommends every chef has on hand. They can also serve a bit of double duty for processing herbs and some vegetables as well.
How do you clean poultry shears?
Poultry shears must be cleaned thoroughly after using. Poultry and water fowl both need to be treated with heightened kitchen care due to their susceptibility to pathogens. Wash down your shears with soap and hot water. Pay special attention to any serrated sections of the blade and the blade guard or handle. Often when cutting up a chicken bit of fat or the like will be pushed down to this point on the shears. Finally, dry your shears with paper towel. Make sure to get into any cracks and even consider disassembling the blades as if you were planning to sharpen them. Water can cause serious issues for delicate tools like poultry shears.