The 7 Best Herb Strippers of 2023

Commerce Photo Composite — The Spruce Eats / Lecia Landis

The Spruce Eats Top Picks

We like the variety of strippers and the sharp shears found on the Chef'n LooseLeaf Plus Kitchen Herb Stripper & Chopper. The very budget-friendly MSC International Joie Leaf Herb Stripper has six stripper sizes and is very comfortable to hold.

Fresh herbs add a certain zing to salads, dressings, sauces, and marinades that can’t be replicated using dried herbs. Yet, prepping herbs can be tedious. Usually, only the leaves are desirable and edible, which requires removing them one-by-one from the stems before using the herbs. Cue the herb stripper!

This handheld tool comes with different-sized holes to pull the herb stems through, stripping them of the leaves. Soft-stemmed herbs, such as cilantro, are threaded through the small holes, and larger woody-stemmed herbs, such as rosemary, are for the larger holes. Some have even larger holes for leafy greens, such as kale. For the best results, make sure that the herbs are dry before de-stemming.

Whether you’re whipping up pesto or Baked Red Snapper With Garlic and Herbs, here are the best herb strippers.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Chef'n Herb Stripper & Chopper at Amazon

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Best Budget:

MSC International Herb Stripper at Amazon

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Best for Cilantro:

Luxiv Herb Leaf Stripping Tool at Amazon

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Best for Woody Herbs:

Chef'n ZipStrip Herb Stripper at Amazon

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Best Ergonomic:

OXO Good Grips Herb and Kale Stripping Comb at Amazon

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Best Stainless Steel:

Ropto Stainless Steel Leaf Herb Stripper at Amazon

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Best for Gifting:

Cuisinart Kale and Herb Stripper at Amazon

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In This Article

Our Picks
How We Selected
What to Look for
FAQs
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Sources

Chef'n LooseLeaf Plus Kitchen Herb Stripper & Chopper

Amazon

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What We Love

Includes cutting shears
Variety of large and small holes
Can handle thick, leafy greens

What We Don’t Love

Possible to unlatch the shears unintentionally

The Chef'n LooseLeaf Plus Kitchen Herb Stripper & Chopper has everything we wanted in an herb stripper. The cutting shears come in handy whether clipping the herbs from the garden or trimming stems bought at the store. At around $10, the product more than performs.

There are seven holes to choose from that work well for tender stems and large leafy greens. The shape of the herb stripper makes it comfortable to hold, and the materials are thick and sturdy. At over 0.5-inch thick, this herb stripper won’t bend or break. The herb stripper is dishwasher-safe for easy clean up. To lock the shears, flip the latch located at the base of the herb stripper. It’s important to be mindful of where your hand is placed when pulling the stems through the holes ,so as not to unlatch the shears, especially when using the smaller holes or for left-handed people. The Chef’n LooseLeaf does come in a version without the shears that is also a good option.

Price at time of publish: $11

Dimensions: 4.94 x 2.51 x 0.51 inches | Material: Plastic, stainless steel | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

What Our Experts Say

"When buying fresh herbs in the store, choose ones with bright green leaves and no signs of wilting, yellowed leaves, or brown spots. The stems should be stiff and not bend easily." — Stephanie Gravales, founder of Slow Living Kitchen

MSC International Joie Leaf Herb Stripper

Amazon

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What We Love

Minimal design
Comfortable to use
Can work with some leafy greens

What We Don’t Love

One sharp side

The Joie Leaf Herb Stripper is made of a stainless steel center, with BPA-free plastic wrapped around the outside. The center has six different holes to choose from, with the largest being a little less than half-an-inch. This product works best on both soft and hard herbs, but depending on the size of the stem, some larger leafy greens may fit through the largest opening.

At a mere 4 inches long, this herb stripper takes up very little space in the utensil drawer. The eye-catching green edge provides a comfortable spot to hold while using it. When finished, place it in the dishwasher for easy clean-up. One point to keep in mind is that there are a front and back to this product, so make sure to pull the stem through the sharp side.

Price at time of publish: $7

Dimensions: 4 x 1.5 x 0.25 inches | Material: Stainless steel, BPA-free plastic | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

What Our Experts Say

"First, it's essential to ensure that any tool, including an herb stripper, is comfortable. They come in wood, plastic, and metal, so choosing what works in your kitchen is an excellent place to start." — Stephanie Gravales, founder of Slow Living Kitchen

Luxiv Stainless Steel Kitchen Herb Leaf Stripping Tool

Amazon

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What We Love

Herb illustration
Variety of herb holes
Edge for cutting

What We Don’t Love

Two pieces

One of the trickiest parts of using an herb stripper is deciding which hole fits the stem best. The Luxiv Stainless Steel Kitchen Herb Leaf Stripping Tool helps solve the problem by placing a picture of the suggested herb close to each of the nine holes. This herb stripper works well for soft-stemmed herbs, such as cilantro, because of the range of small holes there are to choose from. It also has a flat, sharp edge at the bottom of the tool to help gather and chop the leaves stripped from the stem. This function would also come in handy for any soft or woody-stemmed herb.

The downside to this tool is that to use it safely as an herb stripper, the plastic blade cover needs to be on, making this herb stripper a two-piece utensil. When stripping herbs, your hand is close to, or resting on, the blade cover. If the cover is misplaced, it would be difficult to continue to use.

Price at time of publish: $7

Dimensions: 4.8 x 2.7 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

What Our Experts Say

"Removing the stems from herbs lets you use the leaves more efficiently, and you know how much you need for a recipe. It also helps with storage. Once herbs are removed from the stems, there are fewer air pockets between leaves, which won't dry out as quickly when stored in an airtight container." — Stephanie Gravales, founder of Slow Living Kitchen

Amazon

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What We Love

Includes cup with measurements
Versatile
Comfortable

What We Don’t Love

Only four holes

The Chef’n ZipStrip Herb Stripper consists of a convenient green BPA-free plastic container with four stainless-steel holes built into the side. The holes are effective sizes for woody-stemmed herbs, such as rosemary and thyme. To use, just pull the stems through the hole, which allows the leaves to fall into the cup.

Besides containing the herb leaves, the cup includes measurements along the side. The measurements are marked by tablespoons up to 0.25-cup. This makes it easy to measure other ingredients in a recipe without dirtying a measuring spoon. This newly designed version forgoes the previous one’s handle, which makes this easier to wash and store while still being comfortable to use. One downside to this, though, is that it isn't as effective at stripping soft-stemmed herbs or larger greens, such as kale.

Price at time of publish: $14

Dimensions: 2.75 x 2.88 x 2.4 inches | Material: Stainless steel, BPA-free plastic | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

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OXO Good Grips Herb and Kale Stripping Comb

Amazon

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What We Love

Comfortable to use
Multiple ways to strip herbs
Works with large leafy greens

What We Don’t Love

Only four holes

The OXO Good Grips Herb and Kale Stripping Comb is a versatile tool that works on herbs as well as removes the stalks from kale and large leafy greens. Pull woody-stemmed herbs and large leafy greens through the holes in the center to remove the stems. For soft herbs, use the comb side to strip the leaves from the stems. The tool can be comfortably held in your hand to strip stems, or it can be set against a cutting board and run over the soft-stemmed leaves. The smooth side of the gadget helps gather the leaves.

The herb stripper includes four holes to use on woody stemmed herbs and large leafy greens, but there aren’t any small enough for the soft-stemmed herbs, leaving only the comb side to use. It would be nice to have the option to pull soft-stemmed herbs through the holes if desired.

Price at time of publish: $10

Dimensions: 10.3 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches | Material: Plastic | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

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Ropto Stainless Steel Leaf Herb Stripper

Amazon

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What We Love

Easy to clean
Versatile
Sturdy

What We Don’t Love

Might not be comfortable for some

This stainless-steel herb stripper is a heavy-duty option for both herbs and large leafy greens. With eight holes ranging from small to large, and two half-circles to strip larger stems, this tool will get the job done. The large handle allows for a sturdy hold, while keeping fingers out of the way but might not be as comfortable to hold as other herb strippers. The flat side can be used to gather herb leaves. This herb stripper is dishwasher safe and cleans up easily. Plus, it’s made of one piece of stainless steel, so there aren’t any places for dirt to go unnoticed.

Price at time of publish: $12

Dimensions: 7.28 x 1.37 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Good to Know

There are a few ways to keep your herbs from turning into slimy green blobs. First, be sure to gently bathe your fresh herbs in a mixing bowl filled with cool water, as opposed to running the bunch under the tap, and pat dry with paper towels. For soft herbs, place the stems in a half-filled jar, cover the bunch with a plastic bag, and store in the fridge. For hard herbs, roll them up in the damp paper towel, place in a plastic bag, and place—unsealed—in the fridge.

Amazon

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What We Love

Giftable
Comfortable
Multiple sizes of herb holes

What We Don’t Love

MIght not strip all the leaves

The Cuisinart Kale and Herb Stripper is a light green, plastic herb stripper adorably shaped like a leaf. The playful design reminds the user what to use it for and makes a great gift for cooks as well as gardeners. The indents between the leaf points are natural places to hold the herb stripper and give a solid grip no matter which type of herb or green it is used for.

The generous eight holes range in size and can be used on any type of herbs, kale, and other greens that need stems removed. Though plastic makes the tool lightweight and comfortable to hold, stainless steel makes for a sharper stripping surface. Pulling stems through a plastic hole can leave more leaves on the stem. Regardless, this herb stripper is a fun and useful addition to the kitchen. This product includes a limited lifetime warranty, should it need to be replaced.

Price at time of publish: $9

Dimensions: 7.5 x 3.75 x 0.5 inches | Material: Plastic | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

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Final Verdict

For a tool that does it all, pick up the Chef'n LooseLeaf Plus Kitchen Herb Stripper & Chopper. If you often find yourself messily adding herbs to little measuring spoons, the Chef'n ZipStrip Herb Stripper’s measuring cup will save you time and patience.

How We Selected

We scoured the web looking for the best herb strippers on the market. Our research consisted of reading reviews and articles, watching how-to videos, and getting advice from an herbal expert. Stephanie Gravalese of Slow Living Kitchen, who answered our questions on herbs and how to pick an herb stripper. We found that most herb strippers have dual purposes, which add value to this single-use utensil. The price of a product was also important when determining the best herb strippers, but as most are under $15, it wasn’t the top priority. Along with cost, we focused on comfort, sturdiness, ease of cleaning, whether it has a variety of holes to choose from, and whether it could also be useful in other ways when working with herbs. Having a cutting blade or measuring cup and the ability to incorporate it with another utensil or to remove the stems from large leafy greens were considered bonuses.

What to Look for in an Herb Stripper

Versatility

Many herb strippers can do more than de-stem herbs. Those with large holes can be used to strip the stems of large leafy greens, such as kale and collard greens. Some herb strippers have cutting, measuring, or gathering features, as well. Herb strippers may also be incorporated into other single-use kitchen tools, such as a garlic press or kitchen shears.

Design

When determining the best herb stripper for you, it’s important to know which herbs you use the most in your kitchen. Different herb strippers work better for woody stems than for soft-stemmed herbs. A quality herb stripper needs to be sturdy enough not to bend when pulling tough stems through the holes. According to Stephanie Gravales, “It's essential to ensure that any tool, including an herb stripper, is comfortable.” Look for herb strippers that incorporate a non-slip grip, thumb indentations, or a long handle to hold on to.

FAQs

Can you use an herb stripper on other produce?

Many herb strippers include larger holes for stripping the leaves off large leafy greens, such as kale and collard greens. “Depending on its shape, an herb stripper can also scrape seeds out of squash or peppers,” says Gravales. Herb strippers that include kitchen shears or a cutting blade can be used for other produce, such as lettuce. Herb strippers with a measuring feature could be used to measure small quantities of dried herbs and seasonings.

Why should you de-stem herbs?

Stems on soft herbs can be tough and unpleasant to eat. The stems of woody-stemmed herbs, such as rosemary, are inedible and require removal before eating. Measuring herbs is much easier with the stems removed, too.

Are any herb stems safe to eat?

Yes! Soft-stemmed herbs with edible stems include parsley, cilantro, and dill. With mint and basil, you can eat the thin and soft stems closest to the leaves, but not the stalks. Stems can be chopped up along with the leaves and enjoyed in salads or pasta, for example. The edible stems can also be blended along with the leaves for pesto or other herb-based condiments and sauces.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Rachel Knecht is a recipe developer, recipe tester, and food writer located in Seattle, Washington. She began her love of herbs as a recipe tester for Simply Recipes and the cookbook “Let’s Stay In” and now uses fresh herbs regularly in her own cooking for her family.

Sources

Stephanie Gravalese, Slow Living Kitchen

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