Because they can offer more options; that is the simple answer. There are more and more kitchen tools that were inspired by multi-use tools. Their purpose is really handy for those in small kitchens (hello, apartment dwellers).
Instead of buying a jar opener, nutcracker, and poultry scissors separately, a decent pair of kitchen scissors with its built-in gripper can do the work of all three. Just a quiet space-saver that can do more than its share for the space.
Does your pair have it?
Not all kitchen scissors do. It’s most often found in:
Heavy-duty kitchen scissors
Poultry or bone shears
Utility scissors that are marked as ‘multipurpose’
Just look in the area between the handles—does it have a notched or ridged section that aligns when you close them? That’s your built-in gripper ready to roll.
A few quick safety reminders before you go full throttle
Don’t push it. If something is hard, like an uncrackable nut or thick bone, don’t force it. Remember, these aren’t pliers.
Watch your fingers. Keep your fingers off the teeth when you’re twisting or pressing down on something.
Clean it up good. Especially if you have used it on raw meat or sticky stuff. That little section can be tricky to clean if you’re not paying attention.
Don’t use it on non-food things. Yes, it seems like it could pop paint cans or twist wires, but please don’t. That’s how scissors die.
That random ridge is actually a little bit of a power move
At first glance, it doesn’t look like it should do anything—just a goofy notch. A design grunge leftover. But that toothed part of your kitchen shears? It’s quietly capable of a lot. It gives your ordinary shears multi-tool-like capability, allowing you to twist, crack, grip, and open with little effort.
So next time you reach for your kitchen scissors, remember, in addition to cutting, these are a problem-solver. You have a jar gripper, a nutcracker, a mini bone press, and who knows what else waiting just a flip of your hand away.
You just have to actually use it.