Ammar Kalia gets to grips with his crisps. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
Move over ready salted, salt and vinegar and cheese and onion. Gourmet crisps are everywhere, but which are actually worth trying?
It seems the era of the “holy trinity of flavours” – ready salted, salt and vinegar, cheese and onion – is over. Gourmet crisps are everywhere. Caviar and truffle flavours are on corner-shop shelves, while supermarket brands now include everything from glazed meats to blue cheese. We tasted 100 of the strangest crisp options available to find out which are worth coming back to and which should have stayed in the test kitchen.
100. Grouse and whinberry, Taste of Game For someone who has tasted neither grouse nor whinberry before, after eating these crisps I never want to. Smelling as meaty as a butcher’s but tasting sweet, this is truly the worst of all worlds.
Taste: 0/10, texture: 2/10, novelty: 10/10
99. Sparkling wine, Torres
Should crisps taste of sparkling wine? Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
Crisps are an excellent accompaniment for sparkling wine, but should they actually taste of it? The answer is a resounding no. These actually have the fizz of prosecco – strange and vile at the same time.
Taste: 0/10, texture: 3/10, novelty: 9/10
98. Blue heat, Takis These cylindrical Takis leave a luminescent blue powder on your fingers, smell of urinal cakes and taste of synthetic lime and chilli.
Taste: 0/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 8/10
97. Sweet and salty butter caramel, Pringles A sweet crisp is a brave idea, but it only serves to confirm that they are meant to be savoury, rather than taste like a pat of butter and sugar.
Taste: 1/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 9/10
96. Bubbly and serrano, Savoursmiths We must stop putting booze in crisps – especially ones that promise serrano ham but still end up tasting like flat prosecco.
Taste: 1/10, Texture: 4/10, Novelty: 9/10
95. Fried egg, Torres The sulphurous smell that greets you when you open the pack is quite something. They taste so similar to a bite of a fried egg that they are almost guaranteed to bring on the egg ick.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 9/10
94. Truffle and rosemary, Savoursmiths Truffle is a pungent flavour, as is rosemary – together they create an odd and overpowering combination of pure herbaceousness.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 8/10
93. Haggis and cracked black pepper, Taylor’s A hint of pepper hums through, but the haggis seems more marketing ploy than reality. Maybe that’s a blessing in disguise.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 8/10
92. Padron peppers and salt**,** Mr Filbert’s Promises sophistication but lacks in delivery. Vegetal and vinegary are the lingering aftertastes.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 8/10
91. Hot honey, Walkers More sweet honey than hot, this trendy flavour only serves to underscore the point that crisps should remain a savoury experience.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 8/10
90. Marmite crisps
‘You’re better off seeking out a Twiglet’ … Marmite crisps. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
As the old adage goes: you either love it or you hate it. Except, these don’t taste of Marmite at all. You’re better off seeking out a Twiglet.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 7/10
89. Hot kick ketchup, McCoy’s Tastes like the stale, rubbery nubbin of ketchup you find crusted on the rim of the bottle, accompanied by a dash of pepper.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 7/10
**88.**Crunchips Xcut kebab, Lorenz Promises hangover-curing doner meat on the packet, but a sad disappointment taste-wise. The only doner-like authenticity is the grease it leaves behind.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 8/10
87. French style chicken twister, Pringles A remarkable feat: these manage to taste of nothing at all. The moreish texture saves the day, dissolving on the tongue, but they might as well be marketed as Italian-style beef ragu.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 6/10
86. Lamb and mint, Seabrook Move over roast chicken, there’s a new Sunday lunch flavour on the market and it’s dull. Mainly minty rather than meaty.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 3/10, novelty: 6/10
85. BBQ, Brets French gourmand brand Brets has legions of fans, but their BBQ flavour smells more of the sauce than tastes of it.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 5/10
84. Hot chilli hoops, Cofresh The south Asian brand Cofresh should know better when it comes to chilli. These Hula Hoops knock-offs are tasty, but not hot enough.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 4/10
83. Honey dijon, Kettle Chips The honey overpowers the dijon here, threatening a dangerously sweet eating experience.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 4/10
82. Garlic and olive oil, Lidl All the garlic burn without the flavour, eating these crisps is a masochistic experience sure to linger on the taste buds and trail on the breath for hours to come.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 7/10
81. Roast ox, Real What makes something taste like ox meat? In this case, a vague and underwhelming savouriness.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 8/10
80. Italian cheese and wine, Savoursmiths
‘The Italian origins are a mystery’ … Savoursmiths’ Italian cheese and wine flavoured crisps. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
Mercifully there is more cheese than wine here, although the Italian origins are a mystery.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 8/10
79. Jalapeño pepper, Real Mildly spiced and subtly earthy, these taste more like the stem of a jalapeño than the thing itself.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 7/10
**78. Yakitori, Brets
**Conjuring Japanese meat skewers grilled on an open flame, but tasting like nondescript meat.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 8/10
77. Chippies gravy, Golden Wonder The real star of these crisps is their fiendish texture; they’re chopped and fried into tiny shards, waiting to lodge themselves in your throat.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 7/10
76. Gluten free curvies, Sch är Gluten-free Pringles knock-offs that underpromise on flavour but deliver a convincing texture.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 4/10
75. Dragon sweet chilli, Takis Come for the Takis signature heat, stay for the strange, subtle sweetness that might tempt you to go back for more.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 5/10
74. Steak & peppercorn, Taylor’s This has neither steak nor pepper to it. Like a ready salted that’s flirted with the idea of meat-eating.
Taste: 2/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 5/10
73. Sun dried tomato, Walkers Close to an actual ketchup flavour but still lacking the tangy sweetness of the bottled stuff.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 5/10
72. Mushroom, Brets Smelling like a can of soup, this mushroom flavour is convincingly fungal – for better or worse.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 6/10
71. Chilli and lime grills, Cofresh Once again, Cofresh fails to deliver on the chilli front, although there is a pleasantly mouth-watering citrus tang to the combination.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 5/10
70. Tomato ketchup, Golden Wonder Edging ever closer to the Heinz ketchup golden standard, this variation tastes more like the stale remnants at the bottom of the bottle.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 5/10
69. Sweet chilli & sour cream, Kettle Chips What this combination lacks in chilli it makes up for in the pleasantly cooling sensation of sour cream. It’s nothing on the Pringles standard though.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 5/10
68. Chorizo, Inessence Is there such a thing as tasting too meaty? This thick-cut crisp seems to argue yes, tasting overwhelmingly and somewhat repulsively of cured, fatty pork.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 5/10
67. Aberdeen Angus beef and Suffolk ale, Lidl Perhaps some alcohol is passable in a crisp flavour – the unobtrusive taste of ale lends these a pleasant savoury tang.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 6/10
66. Chicken curry, M&S More like coronation chicken than chicken curry, but still a worthy effort, with lashings of turmeric.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 6/10
65. Thai style green curry, Co-op The most Thai thing about this flavour is the hint of coconut that comes through the otherwise salty taste. Still, not altogether disgusting.
Taste: 3/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 6/10
64. Thai sweet chicken, McCoy’s Not sure where the poultry comes into the equation, but there is a touch of sweetness mercifully balanced by a peppery heat.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 4/10
63. Roast beef, Monster Munch
‘A textural marvel’ … Monster Munch’s roast beef crisps. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
No match for the classic pickled onion Monster Munch, this maize-based treat is still a textural marvel, both crunchy and liable to dissolve on the tongue.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 5/10
62. BBQ lovers pizza, Pringles The “pizza” element remains a mystery, but the barbecue and a mild cheesiness comes through.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 6/10
61. Carolina reaper, Herr’s Definitely more bark than bite here. The packet shows a scotch bonnet on fire, but the flavour profile is more peppery than scorching.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 4/10
60. Hot dogs, Tayto TheIrish brand Tayto has its loyal followers, but this frankfurter flavour is neither meaty nor salty enough.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 6/10
59. Sweetcorn, Seabrook Sweet and strange is the only way to describe this crisp, which has recently come back on the market at the discount store Home Bargains. Taste: 4/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 8/10
58. Wagyu beef and honey mustard, Savoursmiths More mustard than beef hits the tongue here and you’re left wondering what exactly makes this “wagyu”?
Taste: 4/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 8/10
57. Red leicester Quavers, Walkers The thinking person’s Quaver: a classy new take on a classic that tastes much the same as the original.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 7/10
56. Sticky glazed pork, M&S Slightly umami and somewhat sweet. A mild option for the meat lovers.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 7/10
55. Rib ‘n’ saucy, Nik Naks I’m not sure what makes this “saucy”. Still, it has a nice umami tang and unique texture.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 6/10
54. Spiced venison with capers and fennel, Taste of Game Thankfully, no game in sight here. Instead, this tastes of pepper and vinegar, with the capers adding a nice zing.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 8/10
53. Chip shop curry, Golden Wonder
‘Curry sauce on the nose but absent from the palate.’ Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
Smell is the sense that comes out on top here, with curry sauce on the nose but somewhat absent from the palate.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 7/10
52. Caviar, Torres Considered the gold standard of luxury crisps, but in fact tastes like the breaded outer layer of a fish finger.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 9/10
51. Pecorino and summer truffle, Waitrose What makes a truffle taste of summer? Eat these and you are unlikely to find out. The lingering flavour is cloying cheese.
Taste: 4/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 7/10
50. Dill pickle, Co-op So acidic it’ll burn the roof of your mouth off, although the salty aftertaste is surprisingly moreish. One for the intrepid flavour explorers.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 7/10
49. Intense nacho, Takis The cheese flavour here is nowhere near as “intense” as it should be. It will still leave your fingers coated in luminescent dust, though.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 6/10
48. Pickle, Torres Errs more on the side of a sweet than a salty pickle. Convincing, but could do with more vinegar for balance.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
47. Truffle and sea salt, Tyrrells An overpowering, overwhelming taste of truffle. A smell that will linger for days.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 7/10
46. Smoked rib and ancho chilli, Waitrose The marketing copy is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, as there is neither smokiness nor rib present. But a pleasant, bacon-adjacent experience.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 5/10, novelty: 6/10
45. Hot ‘ n honey cheese curls, Herr’s Delivers an emphatic kick, as well as capitalising on the hot honey trend. Not sure about the cheese though.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
44. Poulet braisé, Brets Chicken is somewhat absent, but the slightly charred taste of a roast comes through.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 7/10
43. Salt and chilli chicken, Golden Wonder A similarly chicken-free experience, although with added salt to make it moreish.
Taste: 5/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 8/10
42. British ham and hot mustard, M&S A nice nose-burning hit of mustard comes through with each mouthful, although the ham is so subtle it’s almost undetectable.
Taste: 6/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 6/10
41. Slow roasted beef, Walkers Slightly tangy and enjoyably savoury, these are more meaty than most crisps, although the oven-baked texture will suck all the moisture from your mouth.
Taste: 6/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 6/10
40. Smoked paprika**,** Tyrrells More smoke than paprika but the light fry and heavy crunch makes these very scoffable.
Taste: 6/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 6/10
39. Sticky teriyaki, Walkers More sweetness than smoky teriyaki, although there is a hint of flame-grilled char still present.
Taste: 6/10, texture: 4/10, novelty: 7/10
38. Southern style BBQ, Bugles These little ridged cones are a textural wonder and super moreish. Not sure, though, what makes the barbecue “southern style”.
Taste: 6/10, texture: 10/10, novelty: 6/10
37. Yellow mustard, McCoy’s Aiming for the mildness of American mustard and leaving a lingering tang on the palate. Unusual and enticing.
Taste: 6/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 8/10
36. Chorizo and cider, Mr Filbert’s An acceptable level of meatiness, but could do with the added acid of extra cider flavour.
Taste: 6/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 7/10
35. Texas BBQ sauce, Pringles Finally, a full smoky barbecue experience. All you need is a beer and someone burning a sausage to complete the scene.
Taste: 6/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 7/10
34. Scampi fries, Smiths This pub classic deserves its status thanks to its distinct crunch and puckering acidity.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 7/10
33. Flame grilled Aberdeen Angus, Taylor s We’re getting closer to steak with the salty, charred flavour here, although it could do with added umami bite.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 7/10
32. Hot smoked paprika, Torres Not much heat, but the paprika does deliver a smoky barbecue sensation.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 6/10, novelty: 7/10
31. Chip shop curry sauce, Taylor s Deeply ridged, super tangy and spiked with turmeric, these lack the flavour of your typical chip shop sauce, but they are salivatingly moreish.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 5/10
30. Extra virgin olive oil and serrano ham, M&S A convincing dupe of the Torres Iberian ham flavour (see below), but with a slightly synthetic aftertaste.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 7/10
29. Masala chicken, Walkers We’re nearing real curry flavour here, although it’s more curry leaf than layered spice.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
28. Sizzling king **prawn, McCoy’s
**A gourmet prawn cocktail with added salt, but sadly no sizzle.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 7/10
27. Worcester sauce, M&S
‘So tangy it’ll make your mouth water.’ Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
One for the thrill-seekers: so tangy it’ll make your mouth water and cheeks burn.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
26. Hot smokin’ BBQ ribs, Pringles At last, some actual heat. Tongue-scorching chilli action only somewhat subdued by the smoky barbecue.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
25. Spring onion, Tayto Only the lightest hint of onion, combined with a thicker-cut Tayto texture. A classy choice for cheese and onion fans looking to try something new.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 5/10
24. Vinegar, Torres A worthy effort to consciously uncouple salt and vinegar, which mainly serves as a reminder of why they should remain together.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
23. Black garlic and sour cream, Tyrrells A lovely balance of garlic burn and creamy coolness. Although beware of your breath after eating.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
22. Tiger prawn, chilli and lime, Brown Bag An even classier take on prawn cocktail, with that zingy hint of lime making these extra moreish.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
21. Max strong hot chicken wings, Walkers Much like the Pringles, these have an actual kick to them, along with the vague taste of chicken. A pleasant combination.
Taste: 7/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 9/10
20. Tomato ketchup, Walkers Hats off to Walkers for making these taste like a bottle of Heinz dumped over a bag of ready salted.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
19. Hot cheese and chilli, Pringles Even hotter than the hot smokin’ BBQ ribs: mouth-numbingly spicy, blended with pungently overpowering cheese. Not for the faint-hearted.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 7/10
18. Fuego, Takis The classic Takis flavour – full of preservatives, artificial colouring and a mouth-watering heat that somehow keeps you coming back for more. The perfect hangover crisp.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 8/10
17. Beef and onion, Tayto A hardy pub crisp, with enough onion and meaty umami flavour to head off any accompanying drink.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 7/10
16. Bleu d’ auvergne PDO, Brets These come with the authentic pong and pleasantly salty tang of blue cheese. A French marvel.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 7/10
15. Smokey bacon, Pringles Delivering the sweet-smoky balance of an actual rasher, the supreme pork flavour.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 6/10
14. Black truffle, Torres The most premium of the premium truffle flavours, delivering a convincing umami and salty bite. A gourmand’s delight.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 7/10
13. Iberi an ham, Torres Somehow, these taste almost exactly the same as slivers of fatty Iberico ham. An impressively meaty concoction with a heady aftertaste.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 8/10
12. Beef brisket and black peppercorn, Tyrrells For once, the elaborate marketing copy is spot-on – fiery pepper plus the slow-cooked unctuousness of beef brisket. Delicious!
Taste: 8/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 8/10
11. Scampi ‘ n’ lemon, Nik Naks Super lemony with a hint of fishiness and a great, gnarled texture.
Taste: 8/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 8/10
10. Beef and onion, M&S Supreme savouriness blended with a sweet onion finish. Eminently quaffable.
Taste: 9/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 8/10
9. Vegetable, M&S
M&S’s vegetable crisps. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
Featuring fried beetroots, parsnips and other roots. Despite the frying, the flavour of the vegetables still comes through strongly.
Taste: 9/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 9/10
8. Peanut classic curly**, Lorenz** So dry yet so addictive, these twisted curls taste exactly of salted peanuts and have the same mouthfeel.
Taste: 9/10, texture: 10/10, novelty: 9/10
7**. Sausage flavour, Serious Pig** Close your eyes and your brain might fool you into thinking that this is in fact a barbecued chipolata flattened into crisp form.
Taste: 9/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 9/10
6. Wuster Sauce, Tayto I now understand why people are Tayto aficionados. With a thicker cut, approaching a Kettle Chip, these taste like a more umami-packed, tangy version of prawn cocktail.
Taste: 9/10, texture: 8/10, novelty: 5/10
5. Great Berwick Longhorn beef**,** Piper s
‘Queen of the bovine flavour.’ Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
The beefiest of the beefy crisps. Queen of the bovine flavour.
Taste: 9/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
4. Côte de boeuf, Brets The rich umami flavour coupled with a smoky char edges these just ahead of Pipers Longhorn beef.
Taste: 9/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
3. Falafel, Brets Who knew falafels would taste so good as a crisp? These beauties miraculously conjure chickpea, mild spices and parsley. The perfect sandwich crisp or hummus accompaniment.
Taste: 9/10, texture: 7/10, novelty: 8/10
2. Extra virgin 0live oil, Torres The simplest of gourmet crisps but the most delightful. Perfectly fried, airy-light and tasting of smooth extra-virgin olive oil.
Taste: 10/10, texture: 9/10, novelty: 8/10
1. French fries sauce, Brets Like chips, tangy mustard and mayo sauce all blended into crisp form, these are a moreish marvel. One packet is not enough!
Taste: 10/10, texture: 9/10, novelty: 10/10
