As far as kitchen gadgets go, I'm what you would call a "hard sell". My personal experience dictates that more often than not, kitchen gadgets are long on novelty and short on function and performance. That is not to say that some gadgets aren't useful, just that in my experience most are not.
Recently, at COBW we received some Herb Scissors from www.usefulthings.com to review. I will confess that my initial skepticism was partly abated when I looked at the Herb Scissors because they are weighty and better made than one would expect. 7.5" inches long and constructed of stainless steel with large, comfortable silicone lined handles. As the photo shows, they are basically several pairs of scissors made into one. Seems practical right?
I'll admit, my first attempt with the Herb Scissors went less than satisfactory. I tried using them on some freshly washed (and wet) parsley and I got a sticky mess. Truth be told, the same would have happened had I used a knife on wet parsley. When using the Herb Scissors on properly washed and drained herbs the results were good. They work as advertised and certainly better than I expected. They work well enough that I still use them regularly after several weeks.
You're not going to use herb scissors to cut a large amount of herbs. When I'm making chimichurri sauce and need cups of parsley, I am going to use a knife and cutting board. That doesn't mean there's no place for Herb Scissors in your kitchen. I find them excellent for quickly and conveniently cutting small to moderate amounts of herbs to a uniform size. They are really handy when adding fresh herbs to the pot or when garnishing finished dishes. For instance, when using a knife and cutting board I find I tend to overestimate what I'll need and that just leads to waste. With Herb Scissors I find that I can add just what I need to the pot or as a garnish. Another great use for Herb Scissors is for cutting nori sheets into a very classy and attractive garnish.
Well made, easy-to-use and really easy to clean, I say that Herb Scissors are a keeper in the COBW kitchen.
If you're interested, you can check them out at www.usefulthings.com. Be sure to let them know you read about them at Cook's Stuff!
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