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The only reason I have kitchen shears is because they were a gift. Regular old scissors would work fine for everything I've ever used mine for.

I will use any scissors in the kitchen as long as the two pieces come apart for cleaning. I am a germaphobe and cant stand the thought of not being able to clean the scissors completely!

I use my kitchen shears all the time. I used them just the other day to cut a couple slices of bacon into lardons. But sturdy scissors would work just as well.

- Amelia of Gradually Greener

I LOVE both pairs of my kitchen shears. They are indispensable in the kitchen and go into the dishwasher every night!

I have a $8 pair of target kitchen shears. They get used for a bunch of different things, including when my partner steals them to go craft in the other room and I can't figure out how to open a package of chicken breasts. =)

My kitchen shears are so sharp and handy that I use them more than my scissors! Cutting open packages, snipping herbs in the garden, anything and everything that requires a sharp cutting tool other than a knife.

jkloeker, that's my requirement too. especially if i'm going to be touching meat, dairy or egg products with them, they need to come apart for cleaning.

No, I don't need them, but I absolutely love my pair!

I think the important thing about kitchen shears is not whether they're officially made for the kitchen, but that they are kept separate and used only for food-related kitchen tasks. If you use them for, say, opening a package, they have to go in the dishwasher, because, like others, I'm a bit of a germophobe. I like that my kitchen shears are always food-safe and food-ready.

Plus, I no longer struggle with tearing open plastic/foil bags. Just a snip and I'm all set to go! (It took me quite a while to remember that I could do this.)

I have to admit, I don't need kitchen shears specifically, but because I have a pair in the kitchen, I always know where they are and don't have to hunt my other scissors down each time I need them for a kitchen task. Another plus to having them is that I clean and dry them after each use - so if I need to use them on food I don't have to wonder what I last cut with my regular scissors and if it will cross-contaminate my food.

I'm Korean and we use ours for everything... i use them for cutting long leaves of kimchi, long-ass noodles (after they've been cooked) and Korean BBQ. (which is why it's important for me to have both sturdy AND washable scissors) My friends always get a kick out of it when I bring out the shears to cut food, much to my surprise and annoyance. my usual response: what, you know a better way to cut this?

Absolutely I need my shears. Yes, I use them as everyday scissors if I get a package to open or something like that, but like you said, they're more heavy duty. Why would I bother using regular scissors that only work for thinner/ easier to cut things when I could spend a couple bucks more and have shears that can cut that stuff on top of thicker/ harder things? Doesn't make sense to me. Just stick to the shears.

My favorite use for them is broccoli- cutting the florets off. So much neater.

Necessary? ...no, probably not *fidget*

But I'm not giving mine up. Grrr.

I have 2 primary uses for my kitchen shears that could not be handled by regular scissors:

1.) They are the best tool in the world to use to open crab legs.

2.) I *do* spatchcock chickens alot! (okay, cornish game hens, but still.. spatchcock and then throw on the panini grill... mm mm).

You need a pair of scissors that live in the kitchen. They don't need to be made for the kitchen but that needs to be their address. I bought kitchen shears because they look different than regular scissors so they don't end up in the office area. In return, I don't take the regular scissors into the kitchen. Everyone is happy.

My kitchen shears came with our knife set. They're fine but the biggest benefit is in preventing my husband from grabbing my good sewing scissors for kitchen use! I always felt that a kitchen shears main function was to get gunked up and save the other scissors from getting ruined.

Also, I like to cut pizza with them! Much easier than a rotary cutter!

My kitchen shears get a workout on meat and chicken all the time! I will never cut chicken with a knife again if I can help it. Because my dog is raw-fed, I buy meat in bulk and cut it up into meal sizes for him, and the shears have saved me HOURS of work. Also they are easier to work with for long periods of time and it's easier to cut through bone with scissors than with a knife . . . even for those of us with RSI's (I had carpal tunnel release surgery on my dominant hand in January).

Oh and as to the shear vs. scissors question, the shears are better because of their shape. I have different scissors for different jobs (small ones for mending, for example, long ones for cutting paper), the shears are the best for cutting through bone!

My kitchen shears have a flat head screwdriver on one handle, a bottle opener on the other, and a little groove between them for opening small jars. Plus, they come apart for cleaning, which regular scissors do not. I'm not sure if they're strictly necessary, but they're really handy to have.

I must have 6 pairs of IKEA's kitchen shears. I use them for food and all sorts of other tasks (opening packages, etc). They are sturdy, inexpensive and I don't hesitate to throw them in the dishwasher.

It's indulgent to have so many, but I can always count on finding a clean and ready pair in my kitchen drawer and that's worth it. Plus, they're about $3/pair. So, I can afford my indulgence.

The main reason I have kitchen shears: they come apart for cleaning! The idea of meat juice down in the gear of a pair of regular scissors where I can't get to it to clean it makes me squirm.

I use mine to cut bacon too. No need for a chopping board! I don't know where our shears came from though. One of the many places we have lived and moved from I'm sure. Not sure if I would replace them if they disappeared.

I have two pair and there's rarely a day when I don't use them.

They were sure handy for cutting up little kid's food into bite-sized pieces.

kitchen shears are a MUST in my kitchen. i agree that the most important part is that they come apart for cleaning and are soley used for food purposes. i most frequently use them to cut herbs and pizza! (i always thought i was a weirdo for doing that. good thing to know im not the only one!)

As an EMT, I've taken to just using trauma shears as kitchen shears. They cut through pretty much anything. And yes, I obtained a brand new pair to stick in my kitchen, never touched a patient. They are very inexpensive...so easily replaceable.

I find them pretty handy. Not necessarily just for cutting up food. Saves on having to clean a cutting board for small jobs. They are also nice to have to open packages and so on.

They're so much easier for so many jobs, from slicing pizza to trimming fat off of meat.

Even better than kitchen shears, I love my poultry shears for cutting up whole chickens. They work like a charm.

I agree with everyone that scissors, whether kitchen shears or not, are a staple in my kitchen. I make pesto with them on a regular basis! I consider it my forearm workout. Much less to clean than using a food processor, which I'll do for a big batch, but if it's just a meal for one it's a snap. I also use them to "dice" sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil...just snip a few horizontal strips, then cut vertically...much quicker than using a knife.

They are a must for clean freaks (like me). You can take them apart and clean them properly. No fear of cross contamination or germs hiding in the joint. My regular scissors don't separate and would probably rust if thrown in the dishwasher.