ruffles, Recipes, & Food News

Best Flavored Potato Chips: Our Taste Test Results

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Sep 1st 2009 @ 4:36PM

Everyone loves potato chips. To satisfy your potato chips cravings and find the best flavored potato chips, read this potato chips taste test from Slashfood.

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Flavored Potato Chips

We crunched, munched and blind taste tested our way through more than 100 bags in search of the tip-top flavored chip in all the USA. In the end, we selected three runners-up and one winner each in the categories of Salt & Vinegar, BBQ and Sour Cream, and ten each for Hot and Wild Flavors. Flip through to find a new fave, or see if we gave the thumbs up to (or skipped!) your favorite chip.

Get snacking!

Rachel Been, AOL

Getty Images North America

Flavored Potato Chips

We crunched, munched and blind taste tested our way through more than 100 bags in search of the tip-top flavored chip in all the USA. In the end, we selected three runners-up and one winner each in the categories of Salt & Vinegar, BBQ and Sour Cream, and ten each for Hot and Wild Flavors. Flip through to find a new fave, or see if we gave the thumbs up to (or skipped!) your favorite chip.

Get snacking!

Rachel Been, AOL

Runner-up: BBQ
DIEFFENBACH'S BAR-B-Q
(Womelsdorf, PA)

An appealing combo of sweet heat and a whisper of smoke makes this cult chip worth seeking out.

Buy these chips at Anchor's Chip of the Month
Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Runner-up: BBQ
LAY'S BARBECUE
(Nationally available)

Nearly every taster used the word "subtle" in their description of this chip's flavor, but also noted that the light BBQ spice, minus any overpowering heat, would make it oh so easy to munch one's way through an entire bag at a picnic.

Blogger Bob Sassone shared his Lay's thoughts on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Runner-up: BBQ
MISS VICKIE'S SMOKEHOUSE BBQ
(Dallas, TX)

This chip lives up to its "Smokehouse" title with a sweetly fire-kissed 'cue taste and a tangy, crunchy, full-mouth feel. We just can't seem to quit loving you, Miss Vickie.

Blogger Bob Sassone shared his Miss Vickie's thoughts on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Winner: BBQ
BETTER MADE RED HOT BARBECUE
(Detroit, MI)

We were almost put off by the unnatural hue of the chip's surface, but gosh are we glad we blazed on through. This is one standout chip, with a lingering, yet not overpowering sweet heat that creeps up and warms the ears, and leaves the tongue a-tingling. Of all the BBQ chips we sampled, this is the one with the most potentially addictive appeal.

Buy these chips at Anchor's Chip of the Month
Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Runner-up: Salt & Vinegar
KETTLE CLASSICS SALT & VINEGAR
(San Francisco, CA)

An avowed kettle chip disliker on our tasting panel loved the interplay of explosive acidity and unapologetically applied salt so much, she grudgingly used the word "perfection." We could hardly disagree, and boy, did we love the crunchy texture.

Buy these chips at Anchor's Chip of the Month
Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Runner-up: Salt & Vinegar
MISS VICKIE'S SEA SALT & VINEGAR
(Dallas, TX)

Quality potato flavor stands up to a slightly sweet vinegar sting for an especially well-balanced and quite crunchable chip.

Blogger Monika Bartyzel shared her Miss Vickie's thoughts on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Runner-up: Salt & Vinegar
LAY'S KETTLE COOKED SEA SALT & VINEGAR
(Nationally available)

This chip's a major mouthful, with a pleasing tease of malty flavor, and slightly briny salt. Since they're a cinch to find on grocery store shelves, wow the crowd at your next big shindig.

Blogger Bob Sassone shared his Lay's thoughts on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Winner: Salt & Vinegar
DIRTY SALT & VINEGAR
(Gramercy, LA)

Ka-POW! This chip knocked us in the kisser so hard one of our tasters claimed she popped straight to a London pub for a sec. A solid crunch matches the initial vinegar and unsubtle salt burst for a truly vibrant chip experience.

Buy these chips at Anchor's Chip of the Month
Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Runner-up: Sour Cream
STEWART'S SOUR CREAM & ONION
(Saratoga Springs, NY)

After an initial salt kick, a subtle, sweet, creamy flavor underpins an onion essence present enough to please the palate, but light enough not to leave any aftertaste.

Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

Rachel Been, AOL

Filed under: Taste Test

Taste Test: A Pinch of Salt chips

COMMENTS 0

by Marisa McClellan, Posted Jun 17th 2008 @ 11:35AM

It is a well-known fact that, whether they be made of corn, potato or other variety of vegetable matter, chips aren't a health food. However, they are delicious little buggers and so despite the danger that they present to the waistline, many of us keep on crunching away.

The Frito-Lay company, in an attempt to respond to some of the health concerns related to the high levels of salt in their chips, has recently released a line of chips that they're calling "A Pinch of Salt." They've reduced the level of sodium in several of their most popular chip lines between 30 and 50%.

I had the opportunity to taste chips from the two bags you see above and I must say that I was really impressed by the flavor of both products. While I've never been one to avoid salt due to health concerns, I don't like to eat overly salty foods because while a little salt can enhance flavor, too much of it can mask the natural flavor of the food you're eating. I found when the amount of salt was reduced I could really taste the corn and potato from which the chips were made. Whether you like less salty foods, or are trying to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, this new line of chips could be a good choice.

Filed under: Raves & Reviews, New Products

RRRuffles Have Ridges, but I can't say it

COMMENTS 9

by Stefani Pollack, Posted Apr 27th 2008 @ 8:00AM

When Ruffles came out with its famous "RRRuffles Have Ridges" commercial, the three Rs (reading, writing, and arithmetic) were not nearly as important as the Rs of Ruffles. Rolling your tongue was suddenly the cool kid thing to do.