Stylists Swear These Are the 13 Best Hair Shears, Whether You're a Novice Cutter or a Pro (2024)

TL;DR

Our top pick for best hair shears is the Matsui Matte Black Aichei Mountain Offset Shear for its sharpness, longevity, and the fact you can tweak the finger grips to suit you. We also love the more budget-friendly Coolala Stainless Steel Hair Cutting Scissors 6.5" because they hit a sweet spot between quality, ease of use, and affordability.

Once upon a time, we would have shuddered at the thought of an at-home haircut. But nowadays, it doesn’t feel so foreign (global pandemic, we see you). However, if you’re going down the DIY path, whether you're a novice cutter or a pro, it’s important to have the right tools, namely a pair of quality hair shears.

“At-home haircuts are a slippery slope, but totally possible,” according to stylist and Raw salon owner Anthony Nader, “if you take the approach that less is more and use the best shears for the job.”

We agree this can be tricky territory if you’ve never cut your hair at home, which is why we’ve done the hard work for you and found the best professional hair-cutting shears on the market for all hair types, skill sets, and style preferences. To land on these pro-approved shears, we conducted hours of research, evaluating our options based on their sharpness, material, and how long-lasting they were. Our team then combined these results with customer reviews and top-rated picks recommended by stylists Nader, Karen Miller, and Edward Tricomi, the co-founder of Warren Tricomi Salons, to create this vetted list—and ahead, we're sharing which ones outperformed their competition.

Our Top Picks

What We Like

  • Great for adding texture

  • Sleek case and other accessories included

  • Super sharp

Things to Consider

  • May get blunt relatively quickly

Size: 5.5, 6, 7 inches | Style: Ambidextrous | Materials: Cobalt-infused steel

Fancy yourself a bit of a semi-pro at-home hairdresser? Invest in a great pair of shears like these from Matsui. They’re made from Aichei Japanese steel and come with finger inserts to get your best fit. Plus, the fine point means you can feather or add texture to the hair. We recommend keeping an eye on the edge of the blades to ensure they stay sharp.

What We Like

  • Includes comb and adjustable screw

  • Helps create versatile cuts

  • Comfortable to hold

Things to Consider

  • Could be sharper

Size: 6.5 inches | Style: Right hand | Materials: Stainless steel

It's kind of hard to believe this shear-and-comb kit comes in at about the same cost as a lox bagel, but such is the wonder of affordable beauty. Made from high-quality steel and with an adjustable screw for customized tension, these work well on all hair types and styles, from crops to long layers. Though we'd like to see them sharper out of the package, the value is solid.

What We Like

  • Great for precision cuts

  • Easy to trim bangs

  • Comfortable to grip

Things to Consider

  • May need sharpening quickly

Size: 5.5 inches | Style: Ambidextrous | Materials: Stainless steel

With a plastic handle and stainless steel blades, these shears from Tweezerman are simple and user-friendly. Don't let the convenience fool you; these drugstore shears are built to last (though they may need to be sharpened).

What We Like

  • Ergonomic design

  • Very sharp

  • Won't rust

Things to Consider

  • Must be washed before first use

Size: 6.5 inches | Style: Ambidextrous | Materials: Stainless steel

These handy shears allow you to easily change the tension setting to suit your hair type and style preference. They also come coated in a thin layer of oil to ensure the blades are fresh, so be sure to wash them thoroughly before use.

What We Like

  • V-shaped tip captures and removes more hair

  • Ideal for scissor-over-comb work

  • Radial tooth pattern eliminates bluntness

Things to Consider

  • May need tightening with adjustment key


Size:
6.5 inches | Style: Ambidextrous | Materials: Stainless steel

When it comes to bulk hair removal or blending strong layers, Miller reaches for Sam Villa’s reversible shears. “What I like about them is their ability to make achieving a good haircut easy,” she says. We also appreciate their ability to make quick work of thinning or texturizing. It comes with an adjustment coin so you can dial in the right amount of tension.

What We Like

  • Comfortable to grip

  • Won't slip

  • Very sharp

Things to Consider

  • Metal can get scratched over time

Size: 6.5 inches | Style: Right hand | Materials: Stainless steel

No one wants crampy, uncomfortable fingers when snipping away. Enter the ULG Hair Cutting Scissors. The ergonomic shape is designed to facilitate easy movement with an inner silicone finger grip to prevent slipping. A drawback of this pick is that the metal can sustain cosmetic damage over time.

What We Like

  • Comprehensive kit

  • Great value

  • Includes adjustable screw and other accessories

Things to Consider

  • Scissors could be sharper

Size: 6.7 inches | Style: Right hand | Materials: Stainless steel

Feeling confident? Try expanding your DIY haircutting repertoire to include this 10-piece kit from Sirabe. Complete with thinning scissors, regular shears, clips, a comb, and a cape, you’ll have everything on hand to give yourself (or someone else) a professional-ish job from the comforts of home. We'd like to see a sharper set of scissors out of the package, so it may be worth it to get them sharpened.

What We Like

  • Great value

  • Works well for precision cuts

  • Semi-offset handle

Things to Consider

  • Not the lightest option

Size: 5.75 inches | Style: Ambidextrous | Materials: Steel

These shears are made of ice-tempered Japanese steel, meaning they are processed to stay sharper for longer. Designed for a range of cutting techniques on wet and dry hair, the Explore Shears are an affordable and reliable addition to any at-home styling kit. If you have a lot of hair (or a lot of heads to trim), you may find this model too hefty.

What We Like

  • Fun design

  • Tempered with precise blades

  • Great for beginners

Things to Consider

  • Could be sharper

Size: 6 inches | Style: Right hand | Materials: Steel

Handmade from steel, these colored shears are not only fun to look at but work a treat on all hair types. High quality and comfortable to use, the shears are everything you need to touch up split ends, layers, or bangs, says Nader. What would make these shears even better? We'd like to see sharper blades out of the package.

What We Like

  • Ideal for quick trims

  • Includes clips, comb, and cape

  • Good value

Things to Consider

  • Comb could be better


Size:
7.5 inches | Style: Right hand | Materials: Steel

If you’re looking for a shorter blade for more specialized work, this kit from Diane is a great option. Sharp, easy to use, and comfortable to grip, these shears work well on crops and bobs. The inclusion of clips and a comb is a nice touch, though you won't be overly impressed by the quality of the accessories.

What We Like

  • Comfortable to grip

  • Ice-tempered blades don’t get dull

  • Brand offers free returns

Things to Consider

  • Occasionally pulls hair while cutting

Size: 5.25 inches | Style: Left hand | Materials: Stainless steel

Jaguar gets that not everyone cuts hair the same way, so it offers an offset left-handed variation of its stylish thinning shears. Thirty-eight thinning teeth with fine V-teeth serration ensure smooth, precise cuts every time. One drawback to this model is that it can pull at the hair.

What We Like

  • Comes with a case

  • Comfortable to grip

  • Good value

Things to Consider

  • Scissors must be closed gently

Size: 6.6 inches | Style: Ambidextrous | Materials: Alloy and stainless steel

These sleek black shears are high quality and a great choice for beginners. With a long, razor-sharp cutting edge, they move freely and have a comfortable handle for a clean cut at home. Keep in mind that these scissors should be treated with care.

What We Like

  • Lifetime warranty

  • Comfortable to grip

  • Works equally well on wet or dry hair

  • Range of sizes available

Things to Consider

  • Somewhat heavy

Size: 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5 inches | Style: Right hand | Materials: Cobalt and molybdenum alloys

Okay, these are really not cheap, but if you’re happy going your own way in the hair department and want the tools to match, these HH8 shears are gold glass. They feature a permanent finger rest, tension control, even balance, and a screw-in bumper for a precise cut every single time. While a splurge, they come with a lifetime warranty as well. One thing to note is that they are relatively weighty.

What to Look for When Buying Professional Hair Shears

  • Material: When looking to buy hair shears, stainless steel is by far the best material to go for as it retains a sharp edge, won’t rust, and will last forever.
  • Length: While this is more important for professional stylists than at-home stylists, you can still consider the length of your shear. First of all, choose something that aligns with the size of your hands. If they’re bigger (and your fingers are longer), go for a longer shear and vice versa. Your hairstyle matters as well. Longer shears are better at cutting curves and long layers, whereas shorter shears are great for ends, bangs, short choppy styles, and crops.

FAQ

  • How do you clean professional hair shears?

    Nader suggests using a cloth soaked with rubbing alcohol to clean your shears in between each use, but oiling your shears is just as important so they don’t rust. “Once a month, open the shears as wide as possible and place one to two drops of oil in the pivot area,” instructs Miller. Do this twice a month if you use them every day.

  • Should you sharpen hair shears?

    Maybe you don’t want to. Tricomi, for example, says he is not a fan of sharpening his shears, and instead, when they start to dull, he moves on to a new pair. “I’ve learned that if you have someone sharpen them, it tends to fully change the shear, making it unable to slide along the hair,” he explains.

    On the flip side, Miller can understand not wanting to part with a pricey pair of shears. “If you spend a good amount of money on shears, you can definitely have them maintained with a proper sharpening,” she says. While she doesn’t recommend doing that yourself, she does co-sign sending them to a specialist. In New York City, she takes hers to ShearWorld for a tune-up.

Why Trust Byrdie

Emily Algar is an experienced freelance journalist who covers all things beauty. She has written for various publications such as Allure, Who What Wear, MyDomaine, and, of course, Byrdie.

Byrdie contributor Kelli Acciardo has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry and regularly gets haircuts from celebrity stylists who school her on the many different types of shears on the market.

For this story, Team Byrdie interviewed three experts to gather more insights about what to keep in mind when buying professional hair shears.

  • Anthony Nader, Raw Hair Salon owner and stylist who specializes in precision cuts
  • Edward Tricomi, master celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of Warren Tricomi Salons, who has coiffed everyone from Coco Chanel and Salvador Dalí to Freddie Mercury
  • Karen Miller, a celebrity hairstylist and educator who has worked with Quinta Brunson, Tori Kelly, and Tinashe

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any professional hair shears from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.

Stylists Swear These Are the 13 Best Hair Shears, Whether You're a Novice Cutter or a Pro (2024)
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