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Seafood Scissors

Do seafood scissors live up to their promise in making it easier to cut through hard shells?

Published July 1, 2014. Appears in America's Test Kitchen TV Season 21: Salmon Steaks Done Right
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Top Pick

  • Comfort
  • Performance

WinnerRSVP International Endurance Seafood Scissors

This pair of scissors had everything we wanted: comfortable handles, sharp and sturdy blades, and a durable design that stood up to the thickest shells. The gently arched blades were very slightly serrated, which helped with crunching into shells, yet they were still slim enough to reach up narrow lobster legs without damaging tender meat.
Model Number: SEA-JPrice at Time of Testing: $14.99
Full Ratings & Specs
  • Comfort
  • Performance
This pair of scissors had everything we wanted: comfortable handles, sharp and sturdy blades, and a durable design that stood up to the thickest shells. The gently arched blades were very slightly serrated, which helped with crunching into shells, yet they were still slim enough to reach up narrow lobster legs without damaging tender meat.
Model Number: SEA-JPrice at Time of Testing: $14.99
Full Ratings & Specs
See Everything We Tested

What You Need to Know

Kitchen shears are ideal for butterflying chicken and snipping herbs but not so great for thick, curvy seafood shells. When we’re cooking lobster, crab, or shrimp, we reach for seafood scissors, designed with small, curved blades that snip open shells without marring the seafood within. Our previously winning pair was recently redesigned, so we bought the updated version plus four new products, priced from about $7 to $15, and snipped our way through pounds of shellfish.

Sadly, the redesigned pair was a bust. While it had excellent blades, the new, smaller handles cramped even the most petite hands. Of the remaining models, two had either comfortable handles or strong, sharp blades—but not both. The final two contenders fared better, but one model was the clear winner. These scissors had comfortable, sturdy handles and strong, sharp blades that snipped through tough lobster claws and delicate shrimp shells with ease, leaving the meat within pristine and ready for plucking.

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America's Test KitchenSeafood ScissorsWatch Now

Everything We Tested

Good 3 Stars out of 3.
Fair 2 Stars out of 3.
Poor 1 Star out of 3.

Highly Recommended

  • Comfort
  • Performance

WinnerRSVP International Endurance Seafood Scissors

This pair of scissors had everything we wanted: comfortable handles, sharp and sturdy blades, and a durable design that stood up to the thickest shells. The gently arched blades were very slightly serrated, which helped with crunching into shells, yet they were still slim enough to reach up narrow lobster legs without damaging tender meat.
Model Number: SEA-JPrice at Time of Testing: $14.99
  • Comfort
  • Performance
This pair of scissors had everything we wanted: comfortable handles, sharp and sturdy blades, and a durable design that stood up to the thickest shells. The gently arched blades were very slightly serrated, which helped with crunching into shells, yet they were still slim enough to reach up narrow lobster legs without damaging tender meat.
Model Number: SEA-JPrice at Time of Testing: $14.99

Recommended

  • Comfort
  • Performance

Fox Run Stainless Steel Shrimp Scissors

These scissors have comfortable, rounded handles and razor-sharp, gently curved blades that were lightweight and maneuverable; testers raced through piles of shrimp with ease using these scissors. The scissors’ only fault: They were fairly lightweight and we felt them “give” a bit against thicker shells.
Model Number: 6000Price at Time of Testing: $11.98
  • Comfort
  • Performance
These scissors have comfortable, rounded handles and razor-sharp, gently curved blades that were lightweight and maneuverable; testers raced through piles of shrimp with ease using these scissors. The scissors’ only fault: They were fairly lightweight and we felt them “give” a bit against thicker shells.
Model Number: 6000Price at Time of Testing: $11.98

Recommended with reservations

  • Comfort
  • Performance

Progressive International Seafood Scissors

The redesigned version of our former winner dropped in the rankings this time because of new handles, which were so small and cramped that even the most petite hands were uncomfortable after a few moments. That’s too bad, because their short, sharp blades were incredibly sturdy and snipped through even the hardest shells with ease.
Model Number: GT-1014Price at Time of Testing: $6.55
  • Comfort
  • Performance
The redesigned version of our former winner dropped in the rankings this time because of new handles, which were so small and cramped that even the most petite hands were uncomfortable after a few moments. That’s too bad, because their short, sharp blades were incredibly sturdy and snipped through even the hardest shells with ease.
Model Number: GT-1014Price at Time of Testing: $6.55
  • Comfort
  • Performance

Lobster-Louie Seafood Scissors

These scissors were sturdy, with sharp, strong blades that chomped through shells of all thicknesses, but the handles were too long, putting our hands farther away from what we were cutting, so we had less control and leverage. A few testers found the firm plastic handles uncomfortable.
Model Number: N/APrice at Time of Testing: $6.99
  • Comfort
  • Performance
These scissors were sturdy, with sharp, strong blades that chomped through shells of all thicknesses, but the handles were too long, putting our hands farther away from what we were cutting, so we had less control and leverage. A few testers found the firm plastic handles uncomfortable.
Model Number: N/APrice at Time of Testing: $6.99

Not Recommended

  • Comfort
  • Performance

The Original Sea Scissors

These sharp seafood scissors easily cut through lobster and crab shells, but their thick blades were too bulky to extract meat from spindly lobster legs and too large for shelling shrimp. The top blade was fitted with a wide plastic splatter guard that blocked our view, making it difficult to cut, and the wide, stiff handles were uncomfortable.
Model Number: 430Price at Time of Testing: $14.95
  • Comfort
  • Performance
These sharp seafood scissors easily cut through lobster and crab shells, but their thick blades were too bulky to extract meat from spindly lobster legs and too large for shelling shrimp. The top blade was fitted with a wide plastic splatter guard that blocked our view, making it difficult to cut, and the wide, stiff handles were uncomfortable.
Model Number: 430Price at Time of Testing: $14.95
  • Comfort
  • Performance

Norpro Shrimp/Prawn Peeler Deveiner

These scissors’ roomy handles comfortably fit a wide range of hand sizes, but testers struggled with their sharply upturned blades. Our favorite blades have a curve, too, but these were bent so far up that we had to position our arms awkwardly no matter how we held them.
Model Number: 6518Price at Time of Testing: $8.39
  • Comfort
  • Performance
These scissors’ roomy handles comfortably fit a wide range of hand sizes, but testers struggled with their sharply upturned blades. Our favorite blades have a curve, too, but these were bent so far up that we had to position our arms awkwardly no matter how we held them.
Model Number: 6518Price at Time of Testing: $8.39

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them. Have a question or suggestion? Send us an email at atkreviews@americastestkitchen.com. We appreciate your feedback!

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