Herb Scissors - Worthwhile?

[Shel_B]

This morning I was cutting up some parsley and, since a pair of scissors was handy, I snipped the leaves rather than chopping them with a knife. I liked the ease and simplicity of the technique, and I can snip the herbs directly into the dish I'm making, avoiding some cleanup time.

So I poked around Amazon and found herb scissors:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=herb+scissors&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=35123260829&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17442007941968704989&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_5i80dz4d05_b

On their face, they seem like a good idea. I'm wondering if anyone has used these things and how well they worked. What, if anything, is the downside? Is it worth spending $$ for them? My scissors seemed to do a pretty decent job.

Thanks!

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I have these, and I love them to little bits - then again, I chop a ridiculous amount of herbs on any given day. They take the stress right out of it.

Just make sure you get a pair that has a little comb to get the bits out of the blade spaces. It makes it so much easier to clean them.

[weinoo]

I prefer to mince parsley, as I was taught in cooking school, with a knife.

[Shel_B]

I have these, and I love them to little bits - then again, I chop a ridiculous amount of herbs on any given day. They take the stress right out of it.

Just make sure you get a pair that has a little comb to get the bits out of the blade spaces. It makes it so much easier to clean them.

Good tip about the comb. Didn't see mention of that when I quickly looked at the Amazon listings. If I decide to get a pair, I'll definitely look for one with a comb. Thanks!

Edited January 2, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[Shelby]

I have those exact scissors and I use the hell out of them.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

A couple years ago I purchased a pair of herb scissors from Burpee (I believe a different model) to fill out a minimum order to get a discount. I love the scissors and use them often -- usually not, however, for mincing herbs.

[andiesenji]

I have a pair. I think I used them once, maybe twice. I have arthritis in my right hand so they are not functional for me.

Then I saw one of the PBS food shows with someone using one of these (Norpro makes one that does not work well) so I ordered one and am very please with the ease of use and the resulting finely minced herbs.

I tend to chop a lot of herbs for certain dishes - tabbouleh, for instance. Chives for cheddar cheese/chive soup and etc.

(Amazon has one that looks identical for twice the price)

[Shel_B]

[...] I saw one of the PBS food shows with someone using one of these (Norpro makes one that does not work well) so I ordered one and am very please with the ease of use and the resulting finely minced herbs.

That's an interesting gadget. It seems like the herbs would all be cut to the same size, yes? Any way to adjust the size of the cut?

[Shel_B]

I have those exact scissors and I use the hell out of them.

I guess that means you like them ...

[Carole]

I have a pair. I think I used them once, maybe twice. I have arthritis in my right hand so they are not functional for me.

Then I saw one of the PBS food shows with someone using one of these (Norpro makes one that does not work well) so I ordered one and am very please with the ease of use and the resulting finely minced herbs.

I tend to chop a lot of herbs for certain dishes - tabbouleh, for instance. Chives for cheddar cheese/chive soup and etc.

(Amazon has one that looks identical for twice the price)

This is going to save me a ton of time. Especially at Thanksgiving!

[kayb]

I use my kitchen scissors when I'm chiffonading basil, but for chopping other herbs, I go with one of these that, in fact, a friend brought me as a souvenir from Alaska. It's called an ulu knife, and apparently was designed for the Inuit to scrape blubber out of whale hides. The blade is about 4 inches across, and it rolls through herbs nicely.

[annabelle]

I have an ulu knife, too. My step-daughter gave it to me. Herbs are the only thing I use it on.

[heidih]

I use my Messermeister 8-1/2" take-apart utility shears for the herbs I snip at least once a day. They are with me in the garden harvesting and then in the kitchen snipping. Unless I was making things requiring cups full of chopped herbs on a regular basis I wouldn't invest in a dedicated tool. The take-apart ability is a key feature. They have kept their edge for years.

Amazon Link

[Shel_B]

Unless I was making things requiring cups full of chopped herbs on a regular basis I wouldn't invest in a dedicated tool.

I have not been convinced that I need, or would even really benefit, from a pair of herb scissors, plus it seems that I can control the size of the cuts better with the simple set of shears I already use in the kitchen. Thanks to all for your input!

[Maison Rustique]

I have a pair of the scissors--Zyliss, I think. I hardly ever use them. A knife is easier to clean. But I really like the looks of that herb mill. Thanks, Andie!