Global Kitchen Shears: Are They Worth the Price?

Global makes kitchen shears, and they're quite good. If you already own Global knives or have been looking at the brand, the shears follow the same design DNA: stainless steel construction, clean lines, and a strong focus on build quality. Whether they're worth the price compared to other kitchen shears depends on what you need them for, which this article breaks down clearly.

I'll cover the specs, real-world performance, comparisons with other shears in a similar price bracket, and what kind of cook benefits most from buying Global's version.

What Global Kitchen Shears Actually Are

Global's kitchen shears are sold under their utility scissors category and are designed primarily for kitchen tasks rather than general household use. The construction reflects that intent.

Materials and Build

Global uses their standard high-carbon stainless steel (CROMOVA 18) for the blade portion of the shears. This is the same proprietary steel they use across their knife line. It's hardened to approximately 56 to 58 HRC, which gives the cutting edges good sharpness and reasonable edge retention.

The handles are typically black polypropylene or a similar hard plastic, and the construction is solid without any noticeable flex or wobble at the pivot. The blades are usually micro-serrated on one side, which helps grip slippery materials like fresh herbs, packaging, and poultry skin.

Design Features

One of the most practical features on Global kitchen shears is the ability to separate the blades for cleaning. You press a release tab or slide the pivot, and the two halves come apart. This is more important than it sounds. Shears that can't be disassembled harbor food residue at the pivot joint, and no amount of rinsing fully cleans that area. Separable shears can be fully cleaned in the dishwasher or washed by hand effectively.

Some versions include a bottle opener or bone notch integrated near the pivot. The bone notch is genuinely useful for cracking small bones or lobster shells. The bottle opener is more of a bonus feature.

What You Can Actually Do With Them

Kitchen shears are underused tools in most home kitchens. Here's where Global shears earn their place.

Breaking Down Poultry

Spatchcocking a chicken (removing the backbone) is one of the best use cases for sturdy kitchen shears. You cut along both sides of the spine and remove it cleanly. This takes about two minutes with good shears and becomes a reasonably difficult knife task without them. The serrated edge on Global shears grips well against the bones and skin, and the blades are thick enough to cut through without bending.

Trimming Herbs

Cutting fresh herbs directly over a dish or into a bowl is faster with shears than chopping on a board. Chives, parsley, basil, and green onions are all quick work. The micro-serration on one blade prevents herbs from sliding instead of cutting.

Cutting Pizza and Flatbread

A pizza wheel is fine, but kitchen shears give you more control over irregular shapes and thick crusts. You can cut from the center outward or follow the shape of a flatbread exactly. This works particularly well for thin-crust or Neapolitan style pizza where a rolling wheel can drag toppings.

Opening Packaging and Trimming Meat Fat

Kitchen shears handle the mundane kitchen tasks that make cooking faster: opening shrink wrap on meat, trimming excess fat from chicken thighs, cutting parchment paper, portioning canned tomatoes in their tin. These tasks don't require a premium tool, but having shears in the kitchen at all makes them go faster.

How Global Shears Compare to Other Options

Price-wise, Global kitchen shears run in the $30 to $60 range depending on the model and retailer. That puts them in a category above basic shears but below specialty culinary tools. Here's how they stack up.

Global vs. Shun Kitchen Shears

Shun makes kitchen shears that are beautiful and precise, but they often run $70 to $90. The performance difference between Shun and Global at kitchen shear tasks is marginal. Both cut cleanly, both disassemble for cleaning, both have premium steel. The price gap is harder to justify unless you're buying matching Shun scissors to complete a set.

Global vs. Wusthof Kitchen Shears

Wusthof shears are heavily built and quite durable. Their construction leans more toward heavy-duty tasks. If you regularly cut through large amounts of poultry bones or do more intensive food prep work with shears, Wusthof is worth considering. For general kitchen use, the difference in performance between Global and Wusthof shears in everyday tasks is small.

Global vs. OXO or Cuisinart Kitchen Shears

OXO Good Grips and Cuisinart kitchen shears run $15 to $30 and honestly perform well for most home kitchen tasks. They're made from softer steel that dulls faster, and their build quality is noticeably cheaper, but for someone who uses shears occasionally, they're serviceable.

The Global shears justify their higher price if you cook frequently, use shears for heavier tasks, or want something that holds up for years without the blades going dull or the pivot loosening.

If you're building out a complete Global kitchen setup alongside their knives, our Best Global Knife Set guide covers the full lineup so you can see how the shears fit into what Global offers.

Maintaining Global Kitchen Shears

Cleaning

Disassemble the shears and wash both halves separately. The pivot area accumulates grease, food particles, and general kitchen grime. Soap and warm water is fine. These can go in the dishwasher, but hand washing preserves the edge longer.

After washing, dry immediately. Stainless steel resists corrosion well, but letting water sit at the pivot creates mineral deposits over time.

Sharpening

Kitchen shears can be sharpened, though it's less commonly done than sharpening knives. A fine ceramic rod or a sharpening stone can touch up the inside bevel of each blade. Or you can have them professionally sharpened. With normal use, Global shears hold an edge for a year or more before needing attention.

Never use the shears for cutting paper, cardboard, or other non-food items regularly. These materials dull the edge faster than any food prep task.

Pivot Tightness

If the pivot starts to feel loose after extended use, some models allow you to tighten a screw or adjust the tension. Check the specific model you're using for adjustment instructions. A loose pivot reduces cutting precision and feels sloppy.

Who Should Buy Global Kitchen Shears

If you: - Already own Global knives and want a cohesive kitchen setup - Regularly spatchcock poultry or break down whole birds - Cook frequently enough that cheap shears become an annoyance after 6 to 12 months - Want shears that look and feel as well-made as the rest of your kitchen tools

...then Global kitchen shears are a reasonable investment. They're not a casual purchase given the price, but they're built to last and perform well across the range of tasks kitchen shears handle.

If you use shears occasionally and don't particularly care about the brand, a $20 OXO pair covers your needs without the premium cost.

FAQ

Do Global kitchen shears come apart for cleaning? Yes. The blades separate at the pivot for thorough cleaning. This is one of their more practical features.

Are Global kitchen shears dishwasher safe? Technically yes, but hand washing is recommended to extend the edge life and maintain the finish.

What size are Global kitchen shears? The standard Global kitchen shears are about 8.5 to 9 inches in overall length, which is typical for kitchen shears. They're sized for adult hands and general kitchen tasks.

Can I use Global kitchen shears for fish prep? Yes. They're useful for trimming fins, cutting through fish ribs, and portioning fillets. The serrated edge grips fish skin and scales without slipping.

Final Take

Global kitchen shears are a well-made tool that performs exactly as expected from the brand. The stainless steel construction, clean disassembly for washing, and sharp edges make them one of the better options at the $30 to $60 price point.

For everyday home cooks who use shears regularly, buying once at this quality level beats replacing budget shears every year or two. For casual cooks, the premium is harder to justify. Know your usage level and buy accordingly.