Who doesn’t love delicious homemade roasted chicken, right? It makes the perfect Sunday lunch and a satisfying meal to share with your loved ones.
But, prepping poultry properly is essential if we want it to taste great. Butterflying it will make it juicier and the skin ideally crispy. You’ll also reduce the cooking time.
Although you can use a chef’s or a boning knife for this, things get so much easier if you have the right tool.
This tool is the best poultry shears-these specialized kitchen scissors help you cut effortlessly through birds, either big or small, no matter how tough the bones.
You can also use them to debone thighs or other birds’ parts-thanks to their sturdiness and sharpness, no cartilage or bone is an obstacle.
Below, check out our list of 10 top models currently!
Table of Contents
Why do I need Poultry Shears?
Kitchen shears are one of the most versatile tools in the kitchen, especially the poultry ones. Here are some of the most common uses:
Remove fat and skin
Crispy chicken can be delicious, but there are occasions when we need skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
This is where your poultry shears come in handy-they’re perfect for slicing away skin and fat.
To spatchcock chicken
Butterflying or spatchcocking turkey or chicken is a technique used to make the piece sit flat.
And, although it can be done with a knife, the best tools are shears.
They help you cut through the rib cages and around the animal’s backbone with a lot of dexterity.
Plus, they’re much safer to use on a slippery animal rather than a big knife!
To cut poultry into pieces
With shears, cutting the entire bird into pieces is so much easier.
Thanks to their sturdiness and high sharpness, they cut the meat and skin effortlessly and help you reach the cartilages and joints.
To divide chicken wings
The wings of chicken consist of 3 parts, that is, the tip, the wingette, and the drumette. As the whole wings aren’t equally shaped and can’t sit flat, they’re often broken down into these pieces to be cooked consistently.
This is where shears can help you-they’re strong enough to penetrate through joints and cartilage.
To debone thighs
There’s a much easier way to debone chicken thighs-you just need kitchen shears. When you remove bones, you lower the cooking time and make the thighs even more delicious.
Don’t forget to save the bones for immunity-boosting stock!
Use it with seafood
Often, prepping seafood, for example opening up shells or prepping lobster, can be a time-consuming process if you don’t have the right tools or if you don’t have enough experience.
This is why you can benefit from kitchen shears in your drawer-their sturdiness and easy control helps so much- you’ll no longer fret seafood prep!
Snip herbs and plants
Snip herbs directly into your food and save precious time you would lose on doing it by hand or using a knife.
How to Choose Quality Poultry Shears?
When trying to find the best kitchen shears for you, the end choice will always depend on your personal preference and budget.
Still, there are some general factors that you should consider first to ensure your investment pays off. Here are some of the most important features to look for in poultry scissors:
- The shape-kitchen shears usually come in 2 basic shapes. That is, they’re curved or straight.
The choice you’ll make should depend on the reason why you need them. Hence, if you’ll primarily be using them for meat, opt for curved blades.
They’re much easier for meat butterflying and deboning. If you plan to use them less for meat and more snipping herbs or cutting pastry, go with the straight ones.
- The material-to be able to cut easily through meat, cartilage, and bones, you need sharp shears, preferably made of stainless steel and with serrations.
Stainless steel is sturdy, sharp, and the serrations help grasp the meat with ease. Also, when possible, look for handles that are padded to ensure comfort.
- The handles–in order to be comfy while using the shears and to work without any pressure, you need to choose quality handles.
In the best case, they’re padded, wide, suitable for left- and right-handed users, and can be used with wet or slippery hands.
Good handles don’t just help you optimize the maneuvers but keep your hands safe. Metal or plastic options are good, as well as silicone-coated ones.
- The blade-since you’ll primarily use these poultry shears for meat and seafood which has a lot of bones and cartilage, a sharp blade and edge are a must.
Plus, serrations are always a plus-they grasp the meat immediately, making the process of cutting, slicing, carving, etc. much easier.
When to Clean My Poultry Shears?
When it comes to cleaning your poultry shears, it’s important to do it after every use.
Do it with hot water and soap and make sure you reach the area between the handle and blade to remove bacteria. If they’re a model that can be taken apart, this part is much easier.
Although they’re made from quality stainless steel that’s made to resist corrosion and rust, over time, due to higher moisture and oxidation, rust may develop.
To reduce the chances for this, towel-dry the shears after you’ve washed them.
Oiling them is also recommended. Apply several drops of food-safe mineral oil after you’ve dried them, especially in the hinge and screw parts.
This helps boost the smooth movement of the blades and lowers oxidation risk. You can wipe away any surplus oil.
How to Properly Use My Poultry Shears?
Poultry shears are very easy to use.
First, you unlock the locking mechanism and then take them in your dominant hand.
You should open and shut them with the thumb, while the other fingers go in the other opening. This ensures optimal control of the blades.
Then, you do the spatchcocking, slicing, cutting, etc.
When should I Sharpen them?
Same as you would sharpen your knives, you should also sharpen your poultry shears’ blades. And, it’s a relief to learn that their sharpening is much easier than of a knife.
The reasons are numerous; however, the two most common are their wider bevel and no need of honing the blade because each blade aligns the burr of the other with several snips.
In the best case, use a sharpening stone with a fine and coarse side. Take them apart.
Place the flat, inner side of the blade on top of the coarse side and stroke it 10 times or so, from the back toward the tip, making sure the blade edge is flat against the stone.
Then, turn the stone over and stroke it 10 times or so with the flat side of the blade. This step is optional.
Poultry Shears to Choose
1. OXO Good Grips Poultry Shears
Highlighted Features
- Awesome grip
- Good control
- Easy to clean
- Sturdy materials
- Durable
These poultry shears are amazing-they’re made using sturdy and sharp stainless steel and feature micro-serrated blades for easy cutting through bones and cartilage.
The pointy tips will help you pierce through all areas of the turkey or chicken.
Thanks to the spring-loaded handle, hand strain is brought to a minimum. We appreciate the handle finger loop and bolster that will prevent the hand from slipping forward.
When you’re not using them, you can easily lock them and protect them from damage thanks to the handle lock. Keeping these shears clean is so easy- you separate the blades and thoroughly clean all areas.
This helps prolong the sharpness and longevity of the utensils. Washing them by hand with warm water is soap is recommended.
2. TUO Kitchen Poultry Shears
Highlighted Features
- Impressive design
- Sturdy & sharp blades
- Locking mechanism
- Pakkawood comfy handles
- Easy to clean
Versatile and easy to use, these multifunctional poultry shears will help you cut with ease through chicken and fish bones, seafood shells, veggies, and more.
The thick and highly sharp German high-carbon stainless steel blades with micro serrations definitely ease things. They’re strong and won’t rust or go dull.
Moreover, we really adore the pakkawood triple-riveted handles-they offer a nice and comfy grip. The handle is made to last and quite sturdy.
The attention to safety with this model is also for praise; there’s an option to lock the handles when not in use. To keep them clean and to ensure longevity, wash them by hand.
Customers who bought them gave the most kudos for being easy to clean, their ergonomic design, and offering excellent maneuvers.
3. Gerior Heavy Duty Poultry Shears
Highlighted Features
- Lifetime guarantee
- Locking mechanism
- Comfy handles
- Bottle opener addition
- Versatile (fish, poultry, herbs, veggies)
Spatchcocking chicken or turkey won’t ever be a task you fear-thanks to these multipurpose, sturdy shears, it will become so easy.
Made with German CNC technology, the design is strong; the stainless steel blades feature micro serrations and are thick enough. They won’t rust or go dull anytime soon.
Whether to slice raw meat or butterfly an entire turkey and remove fat, use these shears. They’re also suitable for herbs and veggies.
Thanks to the spring-loaded design of the handles, each maneuver is effortless and enjoyable. We appreciate the bottle opener addition on the back of the handle and the ability to set the handles apart for easy cleaning.
There’s also a lock mode for when you’re not using the shears.
4. Mercer Culinary Forged Poultry Shears
Highlighted Features
- Awesome sturdiness
- Easy to use & clean
- Versatile
- Locking mechanism
These shears made in Spain are an amazing choice if you’re looking to cut small game and poultry. It can be your ally for the removal of joints and cutting through bones.
Highly precise thanks to the premium design and quality of materials used, it will always perform optimally. It’s entirely constructed using hot-forged high-carbon stainless steel.
The blade features micro serrations that enable easy penetration and grip of the meat, bones, cartilage, and more.
The handles are ergonomic and easy to hold. When you’re done using them, rinse them with warm water and soap and dry them. Lock them on the bottom and store them.
5. Acelone Heavy Duty Kitchen Shears
Highlighted Features
- Robust blades
- Highly efficient & versatile
- Highly sharp
- Eco-friendly handle
- Ergonomic design
Whether to butterfly turkey or scrape fish, these shears will help you do it. Designed with 3CR14 stainless steel, these heavy-duty shears won’t rust or corrode and will preserve their sharpness for long.
Featuring micro-serrated blades for easy penetration and cutting and slicing, these shears will make time spent in the kitchen enjoyable.
Moreover, the handle made from eco-friendly PP plastic doesn’t just look stylish, but it’s also comfy and doesn’t slip, making everything easier.
You can also open up bottles or crack nuts with these shears thanks to the serrated section on the middle.
6. Raniaco Kitchen Shears
Highlighted Features
- Multipurpose
- 2CR13 strong stainless steel
- Easy for sharpening
- Easy to use
- Roomy handles
The unique serrated design of the blade ensures the cutting of chicken or turkey is effortless, no matter if it’s raw or cooked.
Made using strong 2CR13 stainless steel, these shears will preserve their edge much longer than the common 404 stainless steel.
When you feel like it needs a boost in sharpness, use a whetstone for the serrations and restore its previous glory.
Plus, this steel is easier for sharpening and suitable for the dishwasher. And, it doesn’t stain or rust.
The large and non-slippery handles are also wonderful; thanks to the rubber coating, they’re durable, comfy to use, and pretty wide, suitable for people with large hands.
They’re suitable for left- and right-handed users.
7. Tansung Poultry Shears
Highlighted Features
- Pull-apart for easy cleaning
- Versatile
- Sturdy
- Wide & padded handles
Multifunctional and time-saving, these poultry shears are amazing for cutting through the bones of poultry, scraping fish scales, and even chopping your herbs and veggies.
They also feature additions for opening bottles and peeling fruits.
Made with CNC tech, the shears are of premium quality and boast beautiful aesthetics.
Constructed using premium stainless steel, the blades have micro serrations and are sharp, don’t rust and corrode, and preserve the edge for long.
We love the designer signature engraved on the blade. The locking mode is amazing-maximizes safety and prevents accidental openings and injuries.
Plus, the spring-loaded opening reduces pressure in the hands while the wide grips maximize the comfort while cutting. The extra-padded handles definitely add to the ergonomic feel.
8. Heirloom Heavy Duty Poultry Shears
Highlighted Features
- Thick design
- Sturdy materials
- Good value for money
- Optimized safety
- Comfortable
Whether you’re looking to easily spatchcock chicken or turkey or even lobsters and other seafood, these shears seem ideal for the task.
Packed in a fine box, they also make an awesome gift. They’re quite versatile-you can use them for so much more, including boning fish and turkey and butterflying meat.
Its stainless steel blades are thick and highly sharp-they can actually cut through thin pieces of metal and plastic. You can also use it to snip herbs.
The spring-loaded triple-riveted handles are a perfect option because they maximize the user’s control and comfort. Plus, they maximize safety thanks to the locking option when they’re not in use.
Made to be ergonomic, it’s suitable for both left- and right-handed individuals.
9. J.A. Henckels Poultry Shears
Highlighted Features
- Comfy, wide handles
- Sharp, serrated blades
- Locking mechanism
- Easy to clean
These 3.5-inch strong stainless steel serrated blades are awesome for butterflying meat. The serrations ensure the process is easy and effortless by attaching to the meat easily.
The handles are also amazing-they’re not just sturdy and comfy, but can also be locked when not in use. This ensures safety is optimal and the risk of injuries brought to a minimum.
To ensure they last long, it’s best to rinse them in the sink after each use and dry them. You will protect the material and prolong its durability.
The customers who purchased these shears gave them the most kudos for their ergonomic design, good comfort, and ease of use.
10. Silver Armadillo Heavy Duty Poultry Shears
Highlighted Features
- Sturdy whole steel construction
- Sharp serrated blade
- Comes with a gift
- Easy to clean
Butterfly your turkey and chicken with little effort thanks to these shears. Their entire stainless steel construction makes them sturdy and highly sharp.
Bones and cartilage are a piece of cake for them. There are also serrations on the blades to ensure effortless cutting and slicing.
The ergonomic handles offer maximum comfort and good maneuvers. In addition to poultry, you can also use it with fish and other seafood.
The cleaning process is so easy with these shears thanks to their whole stainless steel construction. Wash them by hand and don’t worry about rust.
We appreciate the locking mechanism, which is awesome for safety. When not in use, you can lock them. This prevents damage and prolongs their longevity.
If you buy them, you’ll also get a practical gift- a silicone brush for spreading oil and other marinades.
Final Thoughts
Poultry shears are an amazing tool and every kitchen where meat like turkey and chicken are regularly on the menu should have them. They ease butterflying and dividing various meats into sections.
Poultry shears offer great control, are much safer than knives, and are suitable for both the more and the less experienced cooks.
By investing in this kitchen utensil, you’ll realize how easy and fun food prep can be!
If you’re looking for the poultry shears out there and you don’t want to compromise, you’ll appreciate our top pick.
On the other hand, if your budget is limited, our budget pick always will certainly deliver!
