Here's an indication of how chip-centric my life's been lately -- last night on the subway home from work, a man stepped onto the train, and from 10 or so feet away, I could tell, just by spotting a smidge of the bottom corner of his chip bag, that he was enjoying some Deep River Snacks Olive Oil & Rosemary Potato Chips. I've tasted well over 150 varieties of plain and flavored chips in the past two months (and have learned to rely on plain lettuce for all my other sustenance), but in the taste test linked below have no doubt skipped over one of your faves. I wanna know which ones they are, so please shout it out in the comments section. List of chips is after the jump.
Flavored Potato Chip Taste Test
Plain Potato Chip Taste Test
As for methodology, to ensure complete impartiality, we served the chips on several days, grouped by category - Salt & Vinegar, Hot, BBQ, Sour Cream and Wild Flavors, and heaped on numbered plates and napkins, each with a corresponding score sheet. Participants did not see the chip bags, and they were asked to rank each chip from 1-5 on crunch, salt level, grease level, flavor and overall appeal, as well as offering commentary. From this data, I compiled the results, and lo and behold - we had some standout champs.
Chomp on through the listings and let us know what hit and missed, and if you're especially intrigued by any new flavors.
Flavored Potato Chip Taste Test
And here's the list of everything we tried:
| Brand | Style | Flavor |
| Wise | All Natural | Plain |
| Lay's | Wavy Original | Plain |
| Wise | Ridgies | Plain |
| Bachman | Golden Ridges | Plain |
| Ruffles | Natural Sea Salt Reduced Fat | Plain |
| Kettle | Lightly Salted | Plain |
| Lay's | Classic | Plain |
| Lay's | Natural Thick Cut Sea Salted | Plain |
| Ruffles | Baked Original | Plain |
| Poore Brothers | 40% Reduced Fat Original Kettle Chips | Plain |
| Mike Sell's | All Natural Groovy | Plain |
| Good's | Original | Plain |
| Zapp's | Regular | Plain |
| Mike Sell's | 30% Reduced Fat All Natural | Plain |
| Good's | Home Style Potato Chips | Plain |
| Utz | Natural Lightly Salted Kettle Cooked | Plain |
| Ballreich's | Marcelled Original | Plain |
| Ballreich's | Marcelled No Salt Added | Plain |
| Utz | Kettle Classics Crunchy Reduced Fat | Plain |
| Utz | Kettle Classics Crunchy | Plain |
| Utz | Kettle Classics Crunchy Krinkle Cut | Plain |
| Utz | Crisp All Natural | Plain |
| Madhouse Munchies | Sea Salted | Plain |
| Backer's | German Style | Plain |
| Beer Chips | Beer Chips | Plain |
| Shearer's | 40% Reduced Fat Kettle Cooked | Plain |
| Shearer's | Kettle Cooked Extra Crunchy | Plain |
| Shearer's | Unsalted Kettle Cooked | Plain |
| Martin's | Kettle Cook'D | Plain |
| Mrs. Mike's | Always Fresh | Plain |
| North Fork | All Natural Sweet Potato Chips | Plain |
| Spudmaster | Colossal Chips | Plain |
| California Chips | Sea Salted All Natural | Plain |
| Door Country | Kettle Cooked Original | Plain |
| Troyer Farms | Kettle Cooked Original | Plain |
| Ole Salty's | Regular Salt | Plain |
| Utz Natural | Gourmet Medley Kettle Cooked | Plain |
| Mister Bee | Original | Plain |
| Utz | Classic Russets Gourmet Dark | Plain |
| Route 11 | Lightly Salted | Plain |
| J.P.'s Old Fashioned | Extra Crunchy Kettle Cooked | Plain |
| D.W. Mikesell | Kettle Cooked Original | Plain |
| Utz | Kettle Classics Sweet Potato | Plain |
| Rachel's | Naturally Baked | Plain |
| Kettle Classics | Natural Kettle | Plain |
| Vitner's | Plain | Plain |
| Rusty's Island Chips | Hand Crafted | Plain |
| Rusty's Island Chips | Hand Made | Plain |
| North Fork | All Natural Kettle Cooked | Plain |
| Tri-Sum | Original Style | Plain |
| Deep River Snacks | Original Salted | Plain |
| Better Made | Original | Plain |
| Terra | Yukon Gold | Plain |
| Terra | Red Bliss | Plain |
| Boulder Canyon | Totally Natural | Plain |
| Fox Family | Plain | Plain |
| Michael Season's | Reduced Fat | Plain |
| 365 Organic | Organic Classic Sea Salt | Plain |
| 365 | Lightly Salted Homestyle | Plain |
| Brand | Style | Flavor |
| Rachel's | Naturally Baked | Cheddar & Sour Cream |
| Ballreich's | Marcelled | Cheddar & Sour Cream |
| Mike Sell's | Groovy | Cheddar & Sour Cream |
| Rachel's | Naturally Baked | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Utz | Ripple Cut | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Ballreich's | Marcelled | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Door Country | Kettle Cooked | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Route 11 | Hand Cooked | Sour Cream & Chive |
| Bachman | Regular | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Dieffenbach's | Regular | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Stewart's | Regular | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Michael Season's | Reduced Fat | Yogurt & Green Onion |
| Madhouse Munchies | Kettle Cooked | Creamy French Onion |
| Utz | Regular | Salt & Vinegar |
| Herr's | Regular | Salt & Vinegar |
| Dirty | All Natural | Salt & Vinegar |
| Ballreich's | Marcelled | Salt & Vinegar |
| Kettle Classics | Kettle | Salt & Vinegar |
| Better Made | Regular | Salt & Vinegar |
| Route 11 | Hand Cooked | Salt & Vinegar |
| Utz | Old English Style Kettle Classic | Salt and Malt Vinegar |
| Madhouse Munchies | Kettle Cooked | Sea Salt & Vinegar |
| PopChips | All Natural | Sea Salt & Vinegar |
| Utz | Regular | Honey BBQ |
| Ballreich's | Marcelled | Bar-B-Q |
| Better Made | Regular | Sweet BBQ |
| Better Made | Regular | Cathy's Creamy BBQ |
| Better Made | Regular | Barbecue |
| Madhouse Munchies | Kettle Cooked | Fire Sweet Mesquite BBQ |
| Wise | Regular | Honey BBQ |
| Cape Cod | Regular | Beachside BBQ |
| Lay's | Kettle Cooked | Mesquite BBQ |
| Lay's | Regular | Barbecue |
| Utz | Ripple Cut | Bar-B-Q |
| Good's | Home Style Potato Chips | Bar-B-Q |
| Utz | No Salt Added | Barbeque |
| Door Country | Kettle Cooked | Seasoned BBQ |
| Mike Sell's | Regular | Honey Bar-B-Que |
| Ballreich's | Marcelled | Smokey Sweet Mesquite |
| Martin's | Waffle | Bar-B-Q |
| Mike Sell's | Kettle Cooked | Bold Bahama Barbecue |
| Dirty | Kettle Cooked | Mesquite BBQ |
| Utz | Kettle Classics | Smokin' Sweet BBQ |
| Kettle Classics | Regular | Mesquite Barbecue |
| Golden Flake | Regular | Sweet Heat Barbecue |
| Rachel's | Naturally Baked | Barbeque |
| Middleswarth | Regular | Bar-B-Q |
| California Chips | All Natural | Honey BBQ |
| Better Made | Sicilian Style | Parmesan & Garlic |
| Dirty | Kettle Cooked | Roasted Garlic & Herb |
| Route 11 | Hand Cooked | Garlic & Herb |
| Shearer's | Regular | Parmesan Garlic |
| PopChips | All Natural | Parmesan Garlic |
| Dirty | Kettle Cooked | Craked Pepper & Sea Salt |
| Shearer's | Kettle Cooked | Salt & Pepper |
| Golden Flake | Wavy Cut | Salt & Pepper |
| Utz | Regular | Salt & Pepper |
| Mike Sell's | Old Fashioned | Salt & Pepper |
| Zapp's | Kettle Cooked | Cajun Dill Gator Tators |
| Deep River Snacks | Kettle Cooked | Rosemary & Olive Oil |
| Utz | Regular | The Crab Chip - Chesapeake Bay Seasoning |
| Golden Flake | Regular | Dill Pickle |
| Vitner's | Regular | Tangy Triple Cheese |
| Intoxi-Tators | Regular | Muy Mucho Margarita |
| Deep River Snacks | Kettle Cooked | Sweet Maui Onion |
| Herr's | Regular | Steak & Worcestershire |
| Shearer's | Regular | Pepperoni Pizza |
| California Chips | Regular | Earthquake |
| Door Country | Kettle Cooked | Salsa & Cheese |
| Herr's | Regular | Heinz Ketchup |
| TGIFriday's | Potato Skins | Cheddar & Bacon |
| TGIFriday's | Potato Skins | Chili Cheese |
| Michael Season's | Reduced Fat | Honey Barbecue |
| Dieffenbach's | Regular | Bar-B-Q |
| Miss Vickie's | Kettle Cooked | Smokehouse BBQ |
| Miss Vickie's | Kettle Cooked | Sea Salt & Vinegar |
| Miss Vickie's | Kettle Cooked | Hand-Picked Jalapeno |
| Miss Vickie's | Kettle Cooked | Creamy Buttermilk Ranch |
| Ruffles | Regular | Cheddar & Sour Cream |
| Lays | Regular | Cheddar & Sour Cream |
| Cape Cod | Regular | Cheddar Jack & Sour Cream |
| Cape Cod | Regular | Buttermilk Ranch |
| Kettle Chips | Kettle Cooked | Sour Cream, Onion & Chive |
| Miss Vickie's | Regular | Country Onion with 3 Cheeses |
| Cape Cod | Regular | Honey Dijon |
| Lay's | Regular | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Kettle Classics | Kettle Cooked | Buffalo Bleu |
| Lay's | Regular | Salt & Vinegar |
| Ruffles | Regular | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Lay's | Kettle Cooked | Sea Salt & Vinegar |
| Brand | Style | Flavor |
| Poore Brothers | Regular | Habanero |
| Zapp's | Kettle Cooked | Spicy Cajun Crawtators |
| Utz | Kettle Classics | Jalapeno |
| Zapp's | Kettle Cooked | Spicy Creole Tomato with Tabasco |
| Backer's | Regular | Red Hot Potato Chips |
| Vitner's | Regular | The Original Louisiana The Perfect Hot Sauce |
| Better Made | Regular | Red Hot! Barbeque |
| Intoxi-Tators | Regular | Especially Spicy Bloody Mary |
| Hot Potatoes | Regular | Spicy Bloody Mary |
| Kettle | Kettle Cooked | Death Valley Chiptole |
| Shearer's | Kettle Cooked | Jalapeno |
| Mike Sell's | Regular | Good'n'Hot |
| Mama Zuma's Revenge | Regular | Habanero |
| Mama Zuma's Revenge | Regular | Green Chile Enchilada |
| California Chips | Regular | Creamy Chipotlet |
| Old Vienna | Regular | Red Hot Barbecue |
| Kettle Classics | Regular | Jalapeno |
| Cape Cod | Regular | Jalapeno & Aged Cheddar |
| Miss Vickie's | Kettle Cooked | Hand-Picked Jalapeno |
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