Dreiturm, Erbe, RUCK & Co. – which brand is right for you?
Dreiturm, Erbe, RUCK, Niegeloh, Dovo – they all make good instruments. Just not all of them for the same purpose. A manufacturer can hardly tell you that, because it only has its own brand on the shelf.
We carry them all. So here is the honest comparison – including the cases in which the more expensive brand is the wrong choice.
The short version
- Dreiturm – if you want a pair of scissors for life
- Erbe Solingen – if you are looking for choice and a good case
- RUCK – if you work on the foot professionally
- Niegeloh – if it is meant to be a gift
- Dovo – if it is about shaving
- Excellent Solingen – if the budget counts or you need a spare
The brands from this comparison
The best-selling model of each brand:
- MANePED nail nipper with double lever action – our own brand, double lever action
- Dreiturm MANUFAKT nail scissors – Solingen manufactory quality
- Ruck nail nipper – the podiatry standard
Dreiturm Solingen
What for: nail and cuticle scissors, household and fabric scissors, tweezers.
Dreiturm is a Solingen manufactory that has been making scissors for almost 200 years – around 90 types of scissors are still assembled and finally inspected there by hand today. Anyone looking for scissors that can be resharpened and last decades is in the right place.
When not: If you need an instrument for occasional use or could easily lose it – in your luggage, for instance. For that it is too good and too expensive.
Erbe Solingen
What for: the entire spectrum – scissors, nippers, tweezers, files and especially cases.
Erbe has by far the broadest range. If you are looking for a particular format – especially small cuticle scissors, a case in a particular colour, a left-handed version – the chances are best at Erbe. Solid Solingen quality across the whole range.
When not: If you want the best single instrument without compromise. There, a manufactory pair of scissors from Dreiturm is the more consistent choice.
RUCK
What for: podiatry and medical foot care.
Here is a classification that often goes unnoticed: RUCK is not based in Solingen, but in Baden-Württemberg. Made in Germany yes, Solingen mark of origin no. That is not a disadvantage – it is simply something different.
RUCK instruments are classified as medical devices and designed for everyday practice: frequent reprocessing, long treatment days, problem nails. Anyone equipping a practice will find it hard to get past RUCK.
When not: For nail care at home it is oversized. You pay for properties you will never need.
Niegeloh Solingen
What for: manicure sets, tweezers, nail scissors.
Niegeloh is strong at everything that is meant to look good – high-quality cases, neatly finished tweezers, classic nail scissors. The obvious choice if it is going to be a gift.
When not: With hard, thickened toenails. That calls for a nipper, not scissors.
Dovo Solingen
What for: straight razors, shaving brushes, shaving supplies – and a few nail scissors.
Dovo is the Solingen address for wet shaving. Anyone looking for a straight razor looks at Dovo. The nail scissors are good, but they are not the brand’s focus.
Excellent Solingen and MANePED
What for: good value for money.
These brands cover the needs for which manufactory quality makes no economic sense: spare instruments in the practice, a second set, instruments for rare applications. Surgical steel, sterilisable, functional – just without the handwork of a manufactory.
No contradiction: In a well-calculated practice both stand side by side. Main instruments in premium quality, additions economical.
The decision in three questions
1. How often do you use the instrument?
Daily or professionally – manufactory or RUCK. Occasionally – the mid price range is enough.
2. Finger or foot?
Fingernails: scissors. Hard toenails: a nipper with lever action or a head cutter. The best nail scissors in the world fail on a thickened toenail.
3. Do you want to have it resharpened?
Then pay attention to the screw joint. Riveted instruments cannot be serviced – whatever the brand.
What we cannot tell you
Which brand feels best in your hand. Handle size, weight and spring tension are a matter of taste – and the most frequent reason why someone changes brand after years.
If you are unsure: start with what you need daily and add as required. Buying a complete case of which you never use three pieces is the more expensive option.
To the brands:
Read also: Made in Solingen – what the name means in law and Rustproof, nickel-plated, stainless steel.
