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Reviewed/Lindsay D. Mattison
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Credit:
Reviewed/Lindsay D. Mattison
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These poultry shears have sharp, grippy blades, and a comfortable handle. The two blades also came apart, making them much easier to clean. Read More
J.A. Henckels International Poultry Shears performs well cutting up chicken and turkey, and its padded handle is very comfortable. Read More
These Mercer poultry shears are sharp and effective, but the handle design and weight can tire your hands after extended use. Read More
These poultry shears weren’t as sharp or grippy as other shears, and we didn’t find them comfortable to use, either. Read More
With serrated, spring-loaded blades, these are heavy-duty shears at a bargain price. But the blades don't come apart, making cleaning difficult. Read More
A decade ago, my mother probably would have chastised me for cursing if I told her I was serving a spatchcocked turkey for Thanksgiving. Today, more and more home cooks are taking advantage of this incredible cooking method.
Removing the backbone of a turkey or chicken allows you to lay the bird flat, cooking it faster and more evenly. It might look weird, but this method all but guarantees juicy meat and ultra-crispy skin. It’s easy enough to do if you have the right tool: a good set of poultry shears, like our top pick, OXO Good Grips Spring-Loaded Poultry Shears (available at Amazon for $21.40) .
Using a regular pair of kitchen shears will work in a pinch, but they’re not designed to cut through poultry bones. Instead, use a spring-loaded pair of clippers that are specifically designed to cut through these bones without too much of a workout. They’re helpful outside of the holiday season, too. We use our pair year round for spatchcocking chickens, slicing lobster tails, and carving whole-roasted birds.
OXO Good Grips makes our favorite pair of poultry shears.
Micro-serrated blades provides good grip on bones
Cuts poultry bones with ease
Comfortable handle
Struggles to cut raw chicken skin
Blades open too wide
Lock loosens over time
Sharp blades
Grips bones to help slice
Heavy
Spring-loaded handle opens too wide
Slippery handle
Spring-loaded mechanism provides good tension
Not sharp enough
Doesn't grip bones well
Uncomfortable, slippery handle
Micro-serrated blades
Spring-loaded blades for easier cutting
Blades don't come apart
Not dishwasher safe
Spring-loaded blades
Very sharp
Hand-wash only
Most poultry shears are spring-loaded with microserrated blades to grip onto bones, but some are definitely more comfortable to use than others.
It depends! If you don’t process whole chickens, you probably don’t need a set. But if you frequently cook whole chickens, or if you like to speed up the cooking process by spatchcocking a roasted chicken or turkey, you’ll definitely want a pair.
Poultry shears are different from kitchen shears or scissors in their design. While some kitchen shears—like the Shun Kitchen Shears we've previously tested—have extra features which aid in cutting poultry bones, kitchen scissors are mostly for general kitchen use, and include features like a notch for opening bottles or cracking crabs. Poultry shears have fewer bells and whistles, but excel at cutting through tough poultry bones. They also usually feature one handle loop, and some are flat on both handles. That makes them easy to use with either the right or left hand. Poultry shear blades are often curved and micro-serrated. This makes it easier to grip onto bone, preventing the shears from slipping backward with every slice.
It’s important to grab a pair with a comfortable, padded handle and an ergonomic design. Even the sharpest pair requires two hands from time to time. Putting that much pressure on the handle can cause quite a bit of pain—especially if the handle isn’t coated or has raised edges.
Much like kitchen scissors, it’s ideal if the blades on your poultry shears come apart. While you may only use them for raw poultry, you could also use them to carve roasted chicken, cut lobster tails, or gut fish, and no matter what you’re slicing, It’s important to clean your shears completely after every use to prevent cross-contamination and foodborne illness. Take-apart shears make it easier to do that, getting into all the crevices without accidentally slicing into your hands.
The blades on poultry shears are generally spring-loaded so you don’t have to use as much strength with each slice. And they’ll bounce open after every cut to keep your hands from tiring. That requires the use of a lock to keep them from being a storage hazard. A good set will have a well-designed lock that doesn’t get in the way or accidentally engage while you’re slicing.
Lindsay is a professional chef, recipe developer, writer, and developmental editor. After years of working in restaurant kitchens, she turned to writing to share her passion for local, organic, and seasonal ingredients with home cooks and food enthusiasts.
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