Korean Kitchen Scissors Review 2023 | Scissor vs Shear - whats the difference?
Looking for the best Korean scissors to use in your kitchen? Here’s a curated list of the best Korean kitchen scissors and shears for you to choose from. Read on to get detailed reviews of top Korean kitchen scissors.
Let’s cut to the chase (pun intended) — without scissors managing a Korean kitchen would be difficult and simply more time consuming. Any other kitchen that isn’t familiar with the use of kitchen scissors on a regular basis — you’re missing out.
Contrary to popular opinion, kitchen scissors are more than just tools that can be used to cut open packets and then be shoved to the back of the drawers. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of your kitchen. You cut herbs, meat, poultry, through bones and cartilage and whatnot. It can prevent the commonly deemed inevitable mishaps in the kitchen.
In this article, we’ll talk about a few important things to know about your kitchen scissors and I’ll also help you find the best Korean scissors for you.
Korean Kitchen Shears vs Scissors
It is easy to confuse the two, kitchen scissors and shears. They look similar enough to be taken for the other. But there are some significant distinctions in the functionality that makes all the difference.
When you look at it, they both just look like two oblong blades attached to two handles on one hand and hinged together with a screw. But it is the design of the handles, the length of the blades and the shape of it all that makes all the difference.
The easiest way to tell the difference is to see the shape of the handles. In a kitchen scissor, you’ll fund that the handles on both blades are of equal lengths and are symmetrical. However, on a shear, the bottom handle is usually oblong, longer than the other to fit the four fingers opposing your thumb.
It may seem like a simple shape difference, but the way you hold these tools completely changes the amount of pressure one is able to apply on the respective food it is used to cut.
The other difference comes with the length of the blade. On a scissor, you’ll find that the length is usually 6 inches or shorter, whereas, on a kitchen shear, it is 6 inches or longer. There are some kitchen shears with shorter blades. They are used when one needs to provide an extra force on the chunk of meat in hand.
Of course, there are other specialty cutters, each dedicated to cut herbs, meat, poultry and seafood, but the versatility and multifunction of kitchen scissors might just be able to save you from too many purchases. Unless of course, you’re a kitchen tool aficionado.
Why do Koreans use scissors for cooking and eating?
The first time I went to a Korean barbeque place, as excited as I was to taste the exotic flavours, I was just as shocked to see the chefs use scissors to cut through the meat on the barbeque as it was already partially grilled.
I found it amusing so I asked a few questions to the people around me and finally put my curiosity to rest. There are two main reasons why the Koreans use kitchen scissors, which are much larger and much more efficient than the ones used for stationery, for cooking and eating.
- The Pali Pali Culture
Roughly translated to English, Pali pali would mean a hurry hurry culture. It indicates that the Koreans like to eat their food quickly, while consuming beverages, side dishes and alcohol at the same time.
It’s not typically limited to food, but since we;’re talking about the use of Korean scissors here, it’s best we stick to that. The scissor allows them to cut the meat into small bite sized pieces quickly as they eat, instead of having to slowly cut it through a fork and a knife.
Besides, Koreans with only chopsticks as another, using scissors makes sense. Being truly Korean means finishing your food in 20 minutes at the latest.
- Korean food can be cooked by anyone in the restaurant
It is safe to say that people who come to eat at the restaurant aren’t the best chefs, at least most of them. At a Korean barbeque, it is common culture that the customers sit around the barbeque table.
It would be tough for regular customers to handle the complex tools used by chefs. So in order for them to be able to get through the meal with ease, customers in a Korean barbecue use Korean barbeque scissors to get through their meal. This means cutting the sausage for the stew, the beef in the barbeque and the bulgogi as well.
After discovering this gold mine of a trick, my food prep in the kitchen was never the same. But I’m not sure we can single it out just to Korean kitchens. A lot of homes internationally depend on scissors for food prep. While we’re at it, why don’t we look for some of the best Korean scissors in the market?
Top Korean Scissors and Shears
iBayam Food Scissors
Best Korean BBQ Scissors
The first one on our list of best Korean scissors is the iBayam food scissors.
First of all, they come in a set of two, so if someone is willing to lend you a helping hand, don’t say no. With these scissors, it won’t be that hard anyway. The handles have comfortable grips that ensure your safety. The soft grip coating will also keep your hands stable as you cut through the meat. Additionally, there are cushion pads that help absorb the pressure.
The blades are 8.5 inches long with a super sharp edge. The stainless steel is durable and can cut through too many things. Cardboard, poultry, meat, fish, herbs, vegetables, twine and much more.
Despite being made of stainless steel, they’re not very heavy meaning people with arthritis and kids can also use them. As a bonus, the centre also has an in-built bottle opener for nights you have a party.
The scissors are easy to clean and the brand does claim that it is dishwasher safe, but I’d prefer cleaning it under running water. Additionally, the brand also offers a replacement within a year and it comes with a life long warranty!
Lamson Forged Hi-Carbon Stainless Steel Kitchen Scissors
Best Korean Kitchen Shears
These are the kind of kitchen scissors you pass on from generation to generation. The carbon forged stainless steel that makes up this kitchen tool may be hard to maintain, but it’s got an edge that will never falter. Unless you don’t do its upkeep.
LamsonSharp is known for its longevity and strength. This scissor is forged to form a blade that is made from one chunk of metal. The bottom blade of the scissor has micro serrations that help quick cutting on the meat as well as a better grip on the blades themselves.
The total length of the scissor is about 8 inches, half of which makes the blades. Unfortunately, these are designed in a way that only right-handed people will find comfortable to use.
Keep in mind that these scissors are made of carbon steel so they’ll need a fair bit of maintenance. Make sure to never accidentally put it in the dishwasher. These kitchen scissors need to be washed and wiped immediately.
Check out the best Korean scissors by Lamson Store below!
JSITON Ultra Sharp Premium Scissors
Best Korean Meat Scissors
The next on our list of best Korean scissors is the JSITON Ultra Sharp Premium Scissors.
In my experience, I have found cutting more delicate meat easier than the ones that are thicker and tougher to bite through. When tender poultry flesh meets with the blades of these kitchen scissors, you know you’ll have precisely cut meat. If you’re planning on doing stellar plating, this is a good choice.
In my experience, I have found cutting more delicate meat easier than the ones that are thicker and tougher to bite through. When tender poultry flesh meets with the blades of these kitchen scissors, you know you’ll have precisely cut meat. If you’re planning on doing stellar plating, this is a good choice.
To your benefit, the scissors also have multiple additional functions that help you make your humdrum kitchen jobs easy. Opening a bottle of sauce with the in-built bottle opener and using a locknut to help those loose nuts is indispensable in the kitchen.
Additionally, the blades can be capped with a protective cover, so that when they’re not in use, they won’t be damaged and won’t hurt anyone either.
All-Clad Stainless Steel Scissors
The next one on our list of best Korean scissors is this stainless steel kitchen scissors.
First of all, I have often found it hard to find kitchen scissors that are comfortable to use by both right handed and left handed people. I have several left handed people in my family, and it never made sense to buy two scissors or to leave the heavy lifting to them.
These kitchen scissors have changed that. Both the handles are balanced and it just makes it easier for anyone to use it. I love the way they look too. They are just stainless steel, but they have a brushed look that very suavely adds to the aesthetic of your kitchen.
About the blade. The entire scissor is about 7.5 inches in length. Part of the length comprises a well serrated upper blade that helps in precision cutting, then comes the bone notch that aids in cutting through bones you find in poultry, a bottle opener, and finally, an edge with teeth made of steel that helps in opening cans and jars.
Korean Carbon Steel vs Stainless Steel Scissors
It is very easy to confuse one for the other if you don’t know what to look out for. This negligence can lead to the underutilization and degradation of your tool and keep you from making the best food that you can!
Here are some basic differences between the two metals. These differences will help you choose what suits your kitchen needs best,
- Carbon Steel
Carbon steel is known for its strength. But what you don’t know is that it can’t be classified as the hardest kind. It is actually a bit soft, but not brittle. In general, you’ll find that carbon steel is tougher than your regular stainless steel. It has properties of flexibility because of the added manganese and carbon content in the steel.
There are so many people who prefer carbon steel over stainless steel and for good reason. The softness of the steel makes it easier to sharpen repeatedly if you feel like it has become blunt. This does not reflect upon the toughness of the steel.
There is a reason carbon steel scissors usually come in a box. While the material isn’t prone to chipping, it is possible that they’ll be damaged if you dro[ them. So no butter fingers when you’re using them, please.
Most important;y, if you’re someone who faces joint pain, arthritis or has issues with nerves and your wrists, carbon steel is far better for you than stainless steel because of its light weight.
- Stainless Steel
This metal needs no instruction. Practically everything we use consists of this steel wrapped in the body. The most important benefit of having stainless steel kitchen scissors is the fact that you won’t have to maintain them. You can simply let it lie and they’ll serve you well.
The material is rust-resistant. It can stand humidity, water and any kind of material on its skin for a long time. People think the material is completely rust proof but that’s not entirely true. Only if it remains in contact with water for a really long time will it be covered in rust. So don’t go on a vacation with the water running in a sink full of soaked dishes.
Like I said before, it doesn’t need maintenance to any extent. It stays sharper for a long time. On the off chance that it does blunt out, you’ll just have to replace your scissors because it is harder to sharpen by yourself. In fact, unless industrial materials are used to sharpen it, the blades might chip.
Because of its heavier nature, it does make the scissors easier to control and have a grip on what you’re cutting.
Maintenance of Korean Kitchen Scissors
This section is not relevant to the stainless steel kitchen scissors, simply because of its versatility. Carbon steel kitchen scissors on the other hand needs to be protected. When not in use, these scissors must be dried off nicely and stored in a cool place. Even if it isn’t in contact with water, the humidity can cause the carbon steel to rust.
If you’re going out of town and not going to be using the pair of scissors for weeks together, the above is recommended. Check to see whether your carbon steel scissors have an anti-rust coating. If they do, you don’t have to worry about any of this. However, if they don’t, follow these small steps.
Another way to ensure that your blades remain fine is coating them in sewing machine oil so that they remain smooth till you’re ready to use them again.
