Our 10 Japanese picks under A$300: the Ichiro Ergo for apprentices, Juntetsu Classic II for slide cutting, the Chomper Wide for barbers and two lefties.
By SalonScissors editorial team Updated
Quick answer
Short on time? Start with one of these four.
Best for apprentices
Ichiro Ergo Apprentice 5.5" · convex slice edge
Best for slide cutting
Juntetsu Classic II 5.25" · convex slice, level rings
Best 6.0" pair for left-handers
Ichiro Rose Lefty 6.0" · convex slice blade
Best for over-comb work
Ichiro Chomper Wide 6.0" · wide convex blade
How we chose: Ten cutters under A$300 from three Japanese brands we stock, picked from our listings. We sell them and haven’t run cutting tests. Prices checked 15 October 2026.
The cards run from lowest price to highest, and every option on them was under A$300 when we checked.
Eight are right-handed and two are left-handed. Tap a name to jump to its card. Spending under A$200? Our 7 cutters under A$200 go deeper on the cheapest Mina and Ichiro pairs.
| Scissor | Best for | Hand | Handle | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Mina Umi 5.5" | left-handers on a tight budget | Left | Offset | A$114.95 |
| 2. Mina Classic II 5.5" | blunt lines with a micro-serrated edge | Right | Semi-offset | A$114.95 |
| 3. Mina Sakura II 5.0" | close detail and fringes on a budget | Right | Offset | A$129.95 |
| 4. Mina Sakura Double Swivel 5.5" | trying a swivel handle at a low price | Right | Double swivel rings | A$149.95 |
| 5. Ichiro Rose Lefty 6.0" | left-handers who want a 6.0" pair | Left | Offset grip | A$199 |
| 6. Ichiro Ergo Apprentice 5.5" | apprentices who want a convex slice edge | Right | Offset | A$199.95 |
| 7. Juntetsu Classic II 5.25" | a traditional symmetrical grip | Right | Symmetrical rings | A$249 |
| 8. Ichiro Kawa Swivel Thumb 5.5" | a swivel thumb with a fixed finger ring | Right | Swivel thumb | A$254.95 |
| 9. Juntetsu Seido 6.0" | general shaping with blunt tips | Right | Offset | A$279 |
| 10. Ichiro Chomper Wide 6.0" | broad sections and over-comb work | Right | Offset | A$289.95 |
Catalogue photos show each model. The size or hand pictured can differ from the option named.
Best for: left-handers on a tight budget
A$114.95
A left-handed 5.5" with a flat edge and an offset handle, at a budget price.
Keep in mind: Left-hand sizes are 5.5", 6.0" and 7.0" only, so there’s no shorter left Umi.
View this option: Mina Umi 5.5"On the product page, choose Left / 5.5" Cutting Scissor.
Best for: blunt lines with a micro-serrated edge
A$114.95
A micro-serrated bevel edge holds the hair as the blades close, for clean blunt lines.
Keep in mind: Micro-serration suits blunt cutting. For lots of slide cutting, pick a smooth edge.
View this option: Mina Classic II 5.5"On the product page, choose 5.5" Inch Cutting.
Best for: close detail and fringes on a budget
A$129.95
The shortest pair on this list, with a convex edge and an offset handle.
Keep in mind: Less reach across wide sections. Sakura II also comes in 5.5" to 7.0".
View this option: Mina Sakura II 5.0"On the product page, choose 5.0" Inch.
Best for: trying a swivel handle at a low price
A$149.95
Both the thumb and finger rings rotate, so your grip can move as you work around the head.
Keep in mind: Moving rings feel different from a fixed handle, so try it before a full day of clients.
View this option: Mina Sakura Double Swivel 5.5"On the product page, choose 5.5" Inch.
Best for: left-handers who want a 6.0" pair
A$199
A dedicated left-handed 6.0" with a convex slice blade and an offset grip.
Keep in mind: One size only. For a shorter left pair on this list, see the Umi 5.5".
View this option: Ichiro Rose Lefty 6.0"Best for: apprentices who want a convex slice edge
A$199.95
Ichiro’s apprentice pair. This option has a convex slice edge and an offset handle.
Keep in mind: The 6.0" option is micro-serrated, so size and edge change together.
View this option: Ichiro Ergo Apprentice 5.5"On the product page, choose 5.5" Convex Slice Cutting.
Best for: a traditional symmetrical grip
A$249
Symmetrical rings and a convex slice edge, in an in-between 5.25" size.
Keep in mind: The only other size is 5.75". There’s no 5.5" or 6.0" option.
View this option: Juntetsu Classic II 5.25"On the product page, choose 5.25" Inch Cutting Scissors.
Best for: a swivel thumb with a fixed finger ring
A$254.95
Only the thumb ring rotates, on Kawa’s Z-Balance offset handle with a convex edge.
Keep in mind: Keep the ring and pivot clean so the swivel keeps turning smoothly.
View this option: Ichiro Kawa Swivel Thumb 5.5"On the product page, choose 5.5" Cutting Scissor.
Best for: general shaping with blunt tips
A$279
A 6.0" convex cutter in 440C steel, with blunt tips instead of sharp points.
Keep in mind: One size only, and blunt tips. For fine point work, keep a pointed pair too.
View this option: Juntetsu Seido 6.0"Best for: broad sections and over-comb work
A$289.95
A wide convex blade gives you more blade across big sections and over the comb.
Keep in mind: The wide blade is less handy for fine fringe detail. Keep a slimmer pair for that.
View this option: Ichiro Chomper Wide 6.0"The Ichiro Ergo Apprentice 5.5” is built for it, with a convex slice edge and an offset handle. Check your course list first: if it asks for a micro-serrated edge, the Ergo’s 6.0” option has one.
Our pick: the Ergo 5.5”. Need a thinner too? The Ergo set adds a 30-tooth one.
Two of the ten are true left-handed pairs:
Our pick: the Umi for a first pair, the Rose Lefty for more reach. For more choice, see the 10 left-handed cutters.
On the Ichiro Kawa Swivel Thumb, only the thumb ring turns. On the Mina Sakura Double Swivel, both rings turn.
Our pick: the Kawa for a first try, because the finger ring stays where you’re used to it.
The Mina Classic II has a micro-serrated edge that holds the hair as the blades close, which helps on blunt lines. That grip works against you on a slide cut, so for sliding, pick a smooth edge like the convex slice on the Juntetsu Classic II.
Our pick: the Mina Classic II for bobs and blunt perimeters, the Juntetsu Classic II if you slide cut a lot.
The Ichiro Chomper Wide 6.0” has a wide convex blade for broad sections and over-comb work. Want a longer blade still? The Mina Dark Gem comes in 6.5” and 7.0”, in the 7 cutters under A$200.
Our pick: the Chomper Wide. Keep a slimmer pair for fringes, and see the barber scissors guide for the rest of the kit.
For a first pair or a backup, yes. All ten are full-size cutters from Japanese brands. Spend more once you know the handle and length you like.
Only if your work or course calls for one. The Mina Umi and Ichiro Ergo also come as sets with a 30-tooth thinner.
They’re from Mina, Ichiro and Juntetsu, three independent Japanese brands. Where each model is made depends on the model, so ask us if that matters to you.
You have 14 days to change your mind, as set out on our returns page. Standard delivery is free on orders over A$89, which covers every pair here.
The scissor finder narrows it by hand, size and budget. Ready to spend more? Our top 10 Japanese hair scissors goes up to Joewell, Yasaka and Kasho. For the next budget band, the best cutters from A$200 to A$500 pick one per job.
Choosing between two of these brands? Read Ichiro vs Juntetsu.
Tell us what you cut and which scissors you are comparing.
Our 7 cutters under A$200: the Mina Umi from A$114.95, Ichiro Ergo for apprentices, Mina Classic II for blunt lines, Dark Gem for barbers and two left pairs.
Mina costs less and makes left-handed kits easy; Ichiro adds convex slice edges, texturisers and VG-10 pairs. Our pick from each, with prices.
