So you’re in the market for the BEST seam ripper. 

For such a basic tool with no moving parts, who knew there could be so many options!

Fashion options, ergonomic options, electric options, the list goes on and on! And when many of them can’t be found in the box stores, how do you know you are actually getting the best option for you?

Today I’m going over all of the different seam rippers that are out there to show you what does exist, help figure out which ones are actually worth your time, and more importantly, where to find them! 

What is a seam ripper?

Before getting too far, if you are more interested in learning about seam rippers in general, how to care for them, sharpen then, what types are they, what do they look like, be sure to check out part one of this post here!

If you already know all that good stuff and are more interested in finding out what type is best for you, then you are in the right place!

So for a quick synopsis of part one, what is a seam ripper really, and why do I need one?

While they come in many forms (we’ll go over all of them a little later on) a traditional seam ripper is a forked piece of metal attached to a handle.

The base of the fork where it creates a “U” shape where the bend is sharpened to create a blade. 

The ends of the fork can be pushed underneath the stitches of a seam and when the thread reaches that sharpened area at the bend, it’ll break, effectively ripping out your seam. 

So why do we need one?

In short? Because we’re human. 

We make mistakes, or worse, our machine makes mistakes. 

Maybe you aligned your quilt blocks incorrectly, or maybe your machine got its thread caught up in the bobbin casing and created a rats nest of thread on the back side of your quilt block. 

Whatever the case may be, we all make mistakes and having a seam ripper around helps us correct those mistakes as quickly as we can so we can get back to the sewing faster. 

What types of seam rippers are there?

Seam rippers some how have evolved to have lots of fun features these days. Some are more fashionable than practical, but depending on your personal preferences, the options are almost limitless.

The most popular types that I’m going over today are a mix of the practical and the fashionable:

• Lighted options, for those with bad eyes, or just bad lighting.
• Brass seam rippers, who knew there was such a market for a brass handle?
• Alternatives, for those times when you need a more heavy duty backup
• Ergonimic handles, if you find yourself using it regularly, ergonomics can make it more comfortable
• Electric styles, yup they exist, if you’re brave enough to give one a try
• Surgical style, looks similar to a surgical scalpel, and just as sharp!

Tons of different styles out there so I went out and found the best of the best in each category so no matter your preferences in the sewing room, you’ll find your perfect option here!

Best seam ripper by category

Lighted Seam Ripper

If eyes are your struggle when it comes to seeing your stitches, look no further. 

The Mighty Bright Lighted Seam Ripper will be your new best friend. 

It has both a light AND a 4x magnifier so you’ll be able to shine light directly where you need it, and make the stitches bigger so you no longer have to struggle to see if you got the fork underneath the thread. 

These little tools are fantastic whether you have trouble seeing normally or not.

And with a rotating fork, you’ll be able to maneuver wherever you need to get at those stubborn stitches and get the job done. 

Shop the Mighty Bright Lighted Seam Ripper here.

Brass Seam Rippers

My go to seam ripper is this one by Nifty Notions. 

What is so useful about a brass version over any other kind? Absolutely nothing, it’s only the handle that’s brass, not the blade.  

However, this particular brass seam ripper is much smaller in size than the others on this list which makes it much easier to get in and out of the tiny stitches.

The fork is much smaller as well which means i don’t have to try as hard to get it into those small places. You’d think it would be negligible, but it actually makes a huge difference.

I went out and purchased the Nifty Notions brass seam ripper to see what it was all about and it’s quickly become one of my favorite designer notions!

The one thing that is its benefit can also be its downside though. I would definitely warn is that it is quite small compared to my surgical or ergonomic versions.  So as long as a small handle and small size over all doesn’t bother you, this is a fantastic option.

You can find the Nifty Notions brass seam ripper here.

Seam ripper alternative

While I could do an entire article just on embroidery scissors, I wanted to include the category quickly. 

I have a bit about my thoughts on seam ripper alternatives coming up here in a bit, but if you are looking for a seam ripper alternative for those tougher reinforced stitches, embroidery scissors are my go to. 

This gold set that I have from Amazon are the ideal thin blades to get under those tough sections of stitches to rip. 

Although not super important when it comes to making a quilt, if you like to post pictures of your projects and instagram or pinterest is a big part of your creative adventures, these gold embroidery scissors perfectly match the Nifty Notions brass seam ripper and look stunning in photos together. 

Not to mention they are super sharp and make short work of those stubborn stitches and rats nests of thread the sewing machine sometimes likes to make. 

Ergonomic seam ripper

When your hands get tired or sore easily, whether you have arthritis or just happened to have a rough week on your hands, the Singer Grip ‘n Rip seam ripper is my favorite. 

It has supports designed specifically to force you to hold it in a way where the minimal amount of stress will be applied to the joints in your hands. 

While it may not remove discomfort all together, it will significantly reduce stress on your hands compared to those seam rippers that are only a few inches long. 

This long handle gives you plenty to grip so you won’t have any issues with it slipping or twisting as you try to use it. 

Shop the Singer Grip ‘n Rip seam ripper here.

Electric seam ripper

This is a relatively new entry to the seam ripper market and while I haven’t personally had the opportunity to try it out, if you are one for trying new things, this one may be the perfect seam ripper option for you. 

Electric seam rippers. 

I know what you’re thinking.

It totally looks like an electric razor a hair dresser might use.  

But I promise it’s designed for seam ripping.

Of the hand full of options that are available, the Quick Ripper electric seam ripper seems to be the emerging go to option of buyers today. 

Many reviews of this seam ripper speak of how well it handles those tougher fabrics to rip like sherpa or pinky fabrics. 

Instead of hand picking each stitch, you just start one or two at the beginning and then simply shave off the rest! 

Disclaimer: I’ve never actually used an electric seam ripper and can’t personally vouch for its effectiveness. I’m definitely not brave enough to give it a try.

However, with over 75% of reviews being positive, if you are looking for something off the beaten path that will take out all of the strain to your hands and eyes, this may be your perfect option!

Have you tried using one? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section!

Shop the Quick Ripper electric seam ripper Here.

Surgical seam rippers

Last but not least, the surgical seam ripper. 

This Tula Pink surgical seam ripper has some serious flair with its iridescent purple coating on it. 

While this style is a little more prone to damaging fabric, its also highly efficient with its larger surface area to rip through more stitches in one motion. 

With other fork style seam rippers, its not usually worth the effort to try and sharpen them. Instead, most quilters opt for tossing them out and buying a new one. 

A fantastic aspect of the Tula Pink surgical seam ripper is you can recycle the metal blade of the seam ripper without tossing the base. 

So whether you like the efficiency of the exposed blade, or the sustainability of the model, once you try it, you’ll never want to try another seam ripper again.

Shop the Tula Pink surgical seam ripper here.

What should I look for when buying one?

There are definitely a few things to keep in mind when it comes to shopping for your perfect seam ripper, and while all of the above options are most certainly effective in ripping seams, they may not all be the perfect fit for you. 

The one thing that is universal is their sharpness. Seam rippers really only have one function, cut the thread, so sharpness isn’t usually a huge issue across the different types.

The differences between seam rippers typically lies in the practicality and ease of use of each option. Once you determine what you personally find most important in your seam ripper it’s easier to narrow down types. 

So here are a few questions to ask yourself before looking closer into any of these options:

• Do you have pets or children that might find it? And exposed surgical blade may not be ideal.
• Do you find yourself straining to see the tiny stitches? One with lighted/magnifier features may be the perfect addition.
• Do you want to try something totally off the beaten path and don’t mind a little risk? The electric version sure looks cool.
• Do you like having fun fashionable notions? The brass one is a great trendy option.
• Or maybe you have arthritis, or just don’t like handling smaller notions. The ergonomic one with a longer handle will be your best bet. 
• Do you like the sustainability of simply recycling blades instead of throwing away the handle every time too? The surgical version may be a great option.

Alternatives – what are they and are they worth it?

While there isn’t really another tool on the market that will entirely replace a seam ripper, there are a few other tools you can use in a pinch.

• Thread Snips 
• Embroidery Scissors

Both with long and thing scissor blades, they are great for getting under bulky reinforced stitching. 

The thing about these two options though is that they are not ideal for long term replacement. 

A seam ripper is designed to take stitches out quickly and effectively while avoiding damage to your fabric as much as possible. 

When using a pair of scissors, you do not have the safeguards in place keeping you from damaging your fabrics leaving you much more likely to put holes in your fabric or simply cut it unintentionally.

These two tools have their own place in the sewing room and are worth having around for their own reasons separate from seam ripping. However, in the case of using them solely to rip seams, you will notice a large difference in efficiency by switching to one of the true seam ripper options above. 

If you are looking to use these tools solely to avoid buying a seam ripper, you’ll quickly find that the extra effort to avoid damaging your project will not be worth the relatively small investment long term.

What is the best all-purpose seam ripper?

Of the many I’ve owned, my personal vote for the best all-purpose seam ripper is the Nifty Notions brass seam ripper.

Some of the others that I’ve owned, the surgical or the ergonomic for example, have larger handles and as a result, larger blades. The Nifty Notions brass seam ripper is much smaller in comparison with its fork also being smaller to compensate and it is just the right size to fit very easily under my normal piecing stitch length of 2.5.

The other types I often find myself, not necessarily struggling to get the fork under those smaller stitch lengths, but it definitely takes a little more effort and attention to where I’m actually putting the fork.

So if you are in the market for a seam ripper upgrade, a brass one from Nifty Notions is my personal recommendation.

Smaller, more precise, looks cute at the same time, and you’ll never have ripped a seam so fast in your life!

So be sure to head over to Amazon and check out the Nifty Notions brass seam ripper and give it a try as your new seam ripper!