Pallarès Solsona 8-inch Professional Kitchen Shears

The Spaniards make the best kitchen shears we've used to date. They're more of a commitment, meaning the price point is higher than other shears out there, but we've not found anything comparable in quality or heft. Like our favorite little kitchen knives, they're handmade by a third-generation knife company in the small town of Solsona, Spain, not far from Barcelona, and we expect them to be part of our kitchen decades from now. We use them every day for a range of tasks:

   - trimming mushrooms
   - shredding herbs without crushing them
   - snipping sun-dried tomatoes or pitted dates
   - used directly in cans of whole tomatoes
   - friends' swear by them for use with poultry
   - cutting flowers, kitchen herbs, and spices
   - for cutting twine or cheesecloth for bouquet garni
   - trimming pastry
   - Recipe: Sorrel Soup with Garlic Chives

Care: Produced with durable stainless steel, these shears can be put through the dishwasher (top-rack) without ill affect. To preserve their longevity, put a couple of drops of mineral oil on the screw each month. The scissors can be sharpened once every 3-5 years.

Sizing: 8-inch: shears: The 8-inch shears available on this page are great for average hands. These will be the correct size for most women, or men who have hands that run medium-small. They're great for exacting work, and this is the size Heidi uses.

9-inch shears: The 9-inch shears are perfect for LARGE hands. These are big, impressive, substantial scissors - unless your hands run large (whether you're a man or woman), go for the 8-inch. The 9-inch shears are available here.