If you or someone in your household takes prescription medication, chances are at some point you’ve run into a pill that’s just a little too big or a dose that needs to be split in half. That’s where a good pill cutter or pill crusher comes in handy. These small, inexpensive tools can make taking medication easier and safer.
Pill cutters are especially useful for anyone who needs to adjust the dose of a medication they are taking as they simply cut the pill (typically into halves or quarter pieces). Pill crushers, meanwhile, turn tablets into fine powder that’s easier to take with water, applesauce or a favorite drink. They tend to be a go-to for caregivers, parents, and anyone administering medicines to someone who has difficulty swallowing pills.
Below, find top-rated pill cutters and crushers, plus expert advice on what to keep in mind when shopping for one.
The best pill cutters
Before you shop for a pill cutter, it’s helpful to know exactly what they do. “These tools allow the user to split pills evenly when a medicine is manufactured with a splittable tablet or when a health care provider suggests that a patient take only part of their dose,” says Dr. Alan Farrell, chief medical officer at Choose Health, an at-home blood testing kit company. “Breaking larger tablets into smaller combinations can also help them go down more easily.”
All of the pill crushers below have at least a four-star average rating from more than 2,500 shoppers. They also align with guidance provided by experts (more on that later).
The Ezy Dose Pill Cutter uses a V-shaped holder and a sharp stainless steel blade to slice tablets cleanly in half, plus has a built-in dispenser tray where you can store the pieces. It’s compact enough for a purse or travel bag and works best on medium-to-large round pills. I have this and use it to split Benadryl in half for my dog (per my vet’s instruction) when she’s dealing with seasonal allergies.
This cutter is ideal for anyone looking to cut multiple pills at once. It has two adjustable bars to hold pills of nearly any size or shape in place and a stainless steel blade that slices them once you bring down the lid. That blade has a safety guard that keeps it covered until use. It can cut pills as small as 2 millimeters wide without them crumbling.
This option works like a pair of scissors instead of a press-down cutter, letting you see exactly where the blade lands for a precise cut. Its sharp stainless steel blade handles pills from 5 millimeters to 15 millimeters and can cut them into halves, quarters or eighths. It also rinses clean under running water for easy upkeep.
The best pill crushers
“Pill crushers reduce solid tablets into small powder mechanically to make it easier for those who may have a hard time swallowing them solid,” says Farrell, who notes crushers should only be used on meds that your doctor says are okay to crush. Each crusher below has a four-star or more average rating from thousands of reviews.
A wide, ergonomic handle that’s easy to grip and twist, even for people with arthritis or limited hand strength, makes this pill crusher easy to use. It grinds tablets into a fine powder that is smooth enough for feeding tubes or sensitive swallowers, according to the brand. Parts detach for a quick rinse, and its compact size means it travels easily.
The Ezy Dose Crush Pill Crusher grinds tablets into a fine powder using a simple twist-and-press design: Just place the pill inside, screw the top down and rotate until your medication is fully crushed. The clear bottom lets you check your progress and the built-in compartment holds the powder until you’re ready to mix it into food or liquid.
A hand crank paired with durable ceramic burrs on this crusher helps you easily grind pills into a fine, consistent powder. Its elongated crank boosts torque, so it’s easy to operate for people with arthritis or limited grip strength. The large upper chamber holds dozens of pills at once, and the stainless steel body comes apart for simple cleaning and travel.
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How I picked the best pill cutters and crushers
To gather the above options, I spoke with doctors about what to prioritize when shopping for pill cutters and crushers. Here is what they suggest to keep in mind:
- Ease of use: The whole point of these tools is to make your life easier, so you want to make sure they are effective and simple to use. Regardless of what tool you’re shopping for, look for something with a comfortable grip that requires minimal effort — especially if you have arthritis or are dealing with decreased hand strength, says Dr. Nneoma Oparaji, a board-certified internal medicine physician based in Houston.
- Precision: For pill cutters, you should prioritize a sharp blade and a secure pill holder to ensure you get a clean, accurate cut says Oparaji. For pill crushers, she suggests making sure it consistently produces a fine powder.
- Easy to clean: A pill crusher or cutter that’s easy to clean is a must, says Oparaji. Effective cleaning prevents medication residue buildup, cross-contamination between different drugs, and bacterial growth. This can help protect your health because, with some medication, even a tiny bit of residue can adhere to medication next time you cut or crush pills and impact dosage or cross-contaminate a different medication, all of which can cause a poor reaction.
Frequently asked questions
You should not cut or crush medication without talking to your doctor first. “It may alter pharmacokinetics (the absorption and metabolism of medications) and there are several types of medication that should not be split or crushed,” says Dr. Jared Ross, a board-certified emergency physician and assistant professor at the University of Missouri. “This primarily involves extended-release, controlled-release, or sustained-release medications, where crushing destroys the time-release mechanism, causing the entire dose to be absorbed at once.”
Ross notes that there are a number of other medications that should not be crushed or cut, which is why you would be checking with your prescribing doctors first.
Technically, you can use a knife to cut pills — but it doesn’t mean you should. “Most larger, scored tablets (which means they have a line down the center) can be easily split by hand, which may result in more even splitting than using a device,” says Ross. “For smaller tablets or those without scoring, devices are strongly preferred over improvised methods such as using knives or scissors, which can lead to inaccuracy.”
Meet our experts
At NBC Selected, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Dr. Alan Farrell is the chief medical officer at Choose Health, an at-home blood testing kit company.
- Dr. Nneoma Oparaji is a board-certified internal medicine physician based in Houston.
- Dr. Jared Ross is a board-certified emergency physician and assistant professor at the University of Missouri.
Why trust NBC Selected?
I am a commerce editor at NBC Selected and a journalist who regularly covers wellness, beauty, and lifestyle. I have also written about how to relieve shoulder pain and whether or not menopause causes acne. For this story, I spoke with three doctors about what to look for in pill crushers and cutters.
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