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As a restaurant worker, I’m always looking for ways to optimize and upgrade my home kitchen. And, just as with gifts, the best upgrades in the kitchen don’t always come in big boxes. Instead, it’s upgrading those easy-to-overlook tools — the ones we constantly use, yet may not even know can be upgraded — that make cooking more efficient and enjoyable. That’s why this Labor Day, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before: spend over $20 on a pair of scissors. The brilliantly-named “Shear Genius” scissors from Our Place, to be exact.
Now, you’re probably thinking: Two blades and a handle, what more is there to a pair of scissors? Well, buckle in, dear reader, because these are no ordinary pair of kitchen shears. The team at Our Place left no detail unconsidered during the design process, and they even made these game-changing scissors in four jaw-dropping colorways, to boot.
To start with, these scissors pair a razor-sharp, straight-edge blade with one that’s micro-serrated so they can quite literally get a grip on anything you’re cutting! From there, the blades overlap at the base to form two openings that function as herb strippers. Slide a sprig of parsley, mint, or cilantro through the opening, and watch as the stems pop off on one side and the leaves fall in an organized pile on the other. Magic. Pull these openings apart, and watch as they transform into wide-teeth clamps that are perfectly molded to hold any bone in place so that your hands are far and away during even the most difficult carving task. Lastly, but perhaps most thoughtfully, is the box cutter on the base of the handle — located away from where you grip the scissors, of course. Now, I can open my next impulse purchase without using the blades handling the ingredients heading to my dinner table. And, when I’m done cooking, the blades separate easily so that I can hand wash every nook and cranny. And yes, I said “hand wash” — putting knives or blades in the dishwasher is the quickest way to dull and warp both the blade and the handle. Be sure to spread the good word to your roommates, your family, your friends, and especially any strangers in line at the grocery store.
Beyond how great the scissors are, there’s another reason to make the splurge: Sustainability and inclusiveness are at the core of everything that Our Place does and makes. They partner with women-owned manufacturing collectives to produce the products and use fully recyclable and biodegradable materials to ship them. They also donate a percentage of all proceeds to causes such as food insecurity and mental health services for young people.
And, they’re committed to giving back to the community that’s forming around Our Place, too! Sign up for a free account and get points back on every dollar spent (and even a birthday gift!) Their hope is that this will bring you and yours together in the kitchen, and even more deliciously, around a home-cooked meal. Still not convinced that a pair of scissors is worth $21? Don’t worry. These bad boys come with a 100-day trial and free returns if you don’t think they’re worth the snip.