Clever Cutter Review: Hands-On Test

Clever Cutter is an As Seen on TV kitchen utensil which acts as a knife and cutting board, but operates more like a pair of scissors to cut food. I’ve actually used the product and here I present my Clever Cutter review.

About Clever Cutter

Although Clever Cutter has been advertising heavily on TV in mid-2016, this particular item has been around for several years. After a brief absence, it returned in 2016 with a full advertising campaign that has continued into 2017.

Clever Cutter operates like a pair of scissors, with a knife on one side and a “cutting board” on the other. You simply squeeze as you would with a pair of scissors in order to cut food.

The official product website is buyclevercutter.com, which was first registered in July 2015.

What does it cost?

If you purchase from the official website, Clever Cutter will cost you $14.99 plus another $5.99 P&H. There is a “double offer” which adds another cutter for an additional $5.99 – and you can’t opt out of this offer. A bonus peeler is also thrown in for good measure. This brings your total price to $26.97 for two cutters and a peeler.

There is an option to upgrade your two cutters to a higher grade steel for $5 per cutter ($10 total).

You can find Clever Cutter in stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond for about $15.

Clever Cutter Review: Pros and Cons

Clever Cutter is advertised as a “2-in-1 Knife and Cutting Board” which operates like a pair of scissors. This product was introduced a few years ago and then disappeared. In 2016 it reappeared with a vigorous advertising campaign extolling its virtues as a versatile kitchen tool.

I was fortunate enough to find a Clever Cutter at a local Bed Bath & Beyond for $14.99 and gave it a whirl. Below are some of my observations about the product:

• Hand strength. I didn’t feel that it required a great deal of hand strength, even for very firm foods such as raw potatoes. Those with arthritis may not find it as easy to use as I did.
• Blade sharpness. The blade sharpness seems to be adequate, although there are situations where it didn’t cut all the way through. Tomato skins, for example, proved problematic. Hard items such as carrots seemed best suited for Clever Cutter, as did bananas. I found bread to be where Clever Cutter was least effective, as it simply smashed the bread before finally cutting through it.
• Cleaning. Although you can use it in the dishwasher, I found that it cleans quite easily by a little soap and water.
• Speed. The commercial shows user flying through food items faster than with a knife, but I didn’t find that I could perform a cutting motion at that speed for very long. It is probably faster than using a knife in many situations, however.

When it works, it works well.

If you have realistic expectations, and understand that it may not work perfectly on all of the food types shown in the advertising, you may find a place for Clever Cutter in your kitchen. It’s actually a pretty good item to use when you need to cut something quickly and don’t feel like hauling out a knife and cutting board.

Video Review

Check out my hands-on video review of Clever Cutter below.

Alternatives

When I do a product review, I will typically research similar products, but there really isn’t anything like Clever Cutter. Sure, you can pick up a good pair of kitchen shears or scissors, but the built-in cutting board is not something I’ve found in any other product.

There are a couple of knockoffs which have recently arrived on the scene. One such item is Lifine Cutter, which is a virtual carbon copy of Clever Cutter. Another is the Sinbad Food Chopper. I haven’t evaluated either of those products to see if they have addressed any of the problems with Clever Cutter.

Conclusion

Although you shouldn’t expect to throw away your kitchen knives upon the purchase of Clever Cutter, you may find that it does have some uses for which it is better suited than others. With realistic expectations, it isn’t a bad product.

Updated: January 2017.