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I Tried 10 Old-Fashioned Plain Potato Chips & There Was One Clear Winner

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Salty, crispy, and crunchy, potato chips are one of the most beloved snack foods for a reason.

Not only are they satisfying on their own, but they also pair well with various foods like sandwiches, burgers, dips, and even chocolate.

Walk down your supermarket's snack aisle, and you'll likely spot several of the classics: barbecue, sour cream and onion, and salt and vinegar.

You may even find some less common flavors like Flamin' Hot Dill Pickle. But if there's one chip guaranteed to make an appearance in stores it's the good old-fashioned plain kind.

With grocery stores saturated with so many different plain chip varieties, I set out to see which ones are the tastiest.

I rounded up 10 bags of plain potato chips and assessed their flavor, texture, and thickness—and recruited the help of a couple of taste tasters along the way.

365 Whole Foods Market Sea Salt Potato Chips

Whole Foods may be best known for its selection of natural food products, but the grocery chain still offers plenty of less-than-healthy snack options, like potato chips. Sold under the 365 Whole Foods Market brand, the Sea Salt Potato Chips are made with potatoes, expeller pressed oil—which includes sunflower seed, safflower seed, and/or pre canola—and sea salt. I picked up a 10-ounce bag for $4.29.

Utz Original Potato Chips

The 103-year-old snack company Utz ranks as the fifth-leading potato chip vendor in the United States. The brand boasts a range of classic and innovative chip flavors, such as Carolina Style Barbeque, Fried Dill Pickle, and Mike's Hot Honey. The Original flavor is made with potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt. I purchased a 2.75-ounce bag for $2.



Lay's Classic Potato Chips

Lay's is probably the first brand you think of when hearing the term "potato chip." It is the leading potato chip vendor in the U.S. Within its product portfolio, Lay's offers a variety of options, such as Kettle Cooked, Wavy, and Poppables, but it doesn't get more classic than, well, Lay's Classic. Packaged in its iconic yellow bag, this fried snack is made with potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt. An 8-ounce bag cost me $3.50.

Cape Cod Kettle Cooked Potato Chips

Based in Hyannis, Mass., Cape Cod is known for its kettle cooked chips. As noted on the chip bag, the brand slices its potatoes thick and cooks them in custom kettles "at precisely the right temperature to a golden amber hue." I picked up an 8-ounce bag of the Original flavor, which is made with sea salt, for $5.29. This was one of the most expensive options in the taste test.

Deep River Snacks Original Sea Salt Kettle Cooked Potato Chips

Founded in 2002, Deep River Snacks currently offers 10 different flavors of kettle cooked potato chips. The Original Sea Salt variety is made with non-GMO potatoes, vegetable oil, and sea salt. I purchased a 5-ounce bag for $3.

Herr's Crisp 'N Tasty

This family-owned and -operated brand has been around since 1946. On its website, Herr's notes, "Because the seasoning in Herr's snacks is on the surface, the salt flavor is higher than the actual salt content." Taking this into account, I expected these Crisp 'N Tasty Potato Chips to be some of the saltiest. I snagged an 8-ounce bag for $3.50.

Wise Golden Potato Original

Within Wise's selection of Cheez Doodles, Dipsy Doodles, and flavored popcorn are multiple chip options, including the Golden Potato Original. This flavor has been available for over 100 years. I purchased a 3.25-ounce bag for $2.25.



Kettle Brand Sea Salt Potato Chips

Kettle Brand prides itself on knowing exactly where its potatoes come from and even encourages consumers to track the potatoes used in their bag of chips through its online "Tater Tracker." The brand describes its Sea Salt Potato Chips as "cut thick and dusted with just the right amount of sea salt." I bought a 7.5-ounce bag for $5.29—the same price as the 8-ounce bag of Cape Cod chips.

Trader Joe's Ode to the Classic Potato Chip

Trader Joe's has all sorts of unique snacks, but the cult-favorite grocery chain isn't afraid to stick to the tried and true. One of these options is the Ode to a Classic Potato Chip. I scored a 10-ounce bag for $2.99.

Ruffles Original Potato Chips

Owned by Frito-Lay, Ruffles is the second-leading potato chip vendor in the country. As highlighted on its website, Ruffles is not only known for its ridges, but also for being the official chip of the NBA. I purchased an 8.5-ounce bag of the Original potato chips for $3.99.

The Final Verdict: Ruffles Original Potato Chips

It's no wonder these are the official chips of the NBA—they're a slam dunk. The chip was deliciously well-salted, but the standout element was the brand's signature ridges. These helped elevate the chip eating experience, making me reach for another one, and then another one. "The texture is amazing," one taste tester said, to which I wholeheartedly agreed.


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