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Sunday, April 8, 2012

Frugal Kitchen Tool: Kitchen Shears

Yes, I own a Cuisinart Food Processor (actually, a Robot-Coupe, which is the precursor). No, I do NOT use it very much.

I am here to sing the praises of kitchen shears, a tool underutilized in these United States. These first came on my radar a few years ago. Frugal Son had come back from a summer in South Korea, where he stayed with the relatives of friends. He told me to get some shears. He said everyone used them for cutting scallions and bacon. You can cut right into the pot!

Eventually, I bought some at Goodwill for $1 (I later discovered you could buy the same exact ones "at retail" for $2). I kept forgetting to use them. Finally, I cut some scallions. Great!

Today, I put them to the ultimate test. I cut some bacon into a pan. Greater! No icky fatty cutting board to wash.

I told Frugal Son that I had really junky shears and should probably get some more befitting my status as serious (sometimes) cook. He pointed out that the many shears he saw in use in Korea were probably of the same quality as the ones I had.

Do you use kitchen shears? Am I the last person to get with the kitchen shears program?

Should I get some snazzier ones? Like these red ones?

8 comments:

Joan said...

I love Fiskars brand kitchen shears and have used them for the last 20 years. They are not expensive and last for ages, so I have no compunction about replacing them every 8 to 10 years or so. I would not be without them!

Duchesse said...

Seconding Joan's love for Fiskars. Think I have had 2 pr in 26 yrs; can't remember if 1st pair wore out or if kids took them to school.When the Cuisinart broke 2 yrs ago, did not replace it and don't miss it.

I'm devoted to high quality kitchenware (industrial if I can get it) b/c don't like to replace stuff. Just bought a cheap corkscrew (in a hurry, away from home) and it is useless.

Renee @ AddMoreChocolate said...

I have a fairly inexpensive pair (Revereware I think) that I keep right there in my knife block. I reach for them often! I use a knife for most food-oriented tasks, but the shears are used for cutting parchment, foil, packages, rubber band ties, butcher's twine, and a zillion other materials that come in and out of my kitchen. Don't ruin your good knives when you can use the shears.

Anonymous said...

I do have a pair of kitchen sheers. We have one pair with curved blades, which I find hard to maneuver although my husband uses them. These came with a set of kitchen knives. I keep another pair in the kitchen, mostly used for breaking into packaging.

SewingLibrarian said...

I have three pairs of kitchen shears including my good Henckels pair that I reach for often. The others are backup when my good ones "disappear," usually for a kid's craft project. I couldn't be without scissors in the kitchen, but I NEVER use my sewing shears anywhere but in the sewing room.

Frugal Scholar said...

@All--I do seem to be the last one to get with the shears. Will check out the Fiskars. And Sewers--don't worry! I know better than to touch your sewing shears. Especially on paper.

Shelley said...

Amazingly, I just grabbed a spare pair of regular scissors and stuck them in the kitchen drawer. I cut raw chicken breasts into cubes, cut up bacon, cut greens, stick them into a tin of whole tomatoes and chop them into bits...they work fine for me. Bill's son used to have a girlfriend who said to me 'Eeeww, it just doesn't seem right to use scissors in the kitchen' - I bought Simon some actual kitchen shears for the next Christmas, just to be contrary. Though, I must admit, it's something I only discovered after moving to Britain...

Revanche said...

I'm not there now but mostly because my hands and wrists usually wouldn't tolerate it. Otherwise, I like the idea! Seems a lot tidier!