As temperatures climb, picnic season is in full swing — and with the return of this beloved pastime comes an influx of delicious sandwiches and their trusty sidekick, potato chips. Which, as grocery nerds, means one thing: a deep dive into the Trader Joe’s chip aisle to see which potato chips are the best.
From classic salted to kettle-cooked, plus all the fun flavor options, Trader Joe’s has built such a large (and growing) potato chip lineup. But which ones are our favorites? We assembled a panel of seven snackers, and taste-tested our way through 13 (!) different Trader Joe’s potato chip varieties in stores right now — here’s how they all shook out.
13. Olive Oil Potato Chips
During the test, the seven of us all basically agreed there’s really no such thing as an outright bad potato chip — especially not from Trader Joe’s. It’s a crunchy potato! You can’t really go too wrong. But out of all of the chips, the Olive Oil Potato Chips garnered the least excitement from our group. Mara, our director of groceries and shopping, put it clearly: “These chips have a noticeably oily texture and aftertaste,” which stood out more to the group than the chips’ flavor.
Buy in stores: Olive Oil Potato Chips, $2.99 for 7 ounces at Trader Joe’s
12. Butter Garlic Potato Chips
Another solid chip, but we agreed that while these packed a punch in flavor, that flavor was somewhat overwhelming. Mara said the butter flavor was reminiscent of butter spray, and Ali, our associate groceries editor, said the garlic was punchy but that it tasted like raw garlic.
Buy in stores: Butter Garlic Potato Chips, $3.99 for 5.5 ounces at Trader Joe’s
11. Thai Yellow Curry Potato Chips
Inspired by Thai yellow curry, these chips have a bit of spice and curry seasoning. But according to Ali, the seasoning was lacking; she wished it was “more intense” and slightly spicier.” Mara put it well when she said that the “volume needed to be turned up.” That being said, it’s still a super-solid and delicious flavor.
Buy in stores: Thai Yellow Curry Potato Chips, $3.99 for 7 ounces at Trader Joe’s
At first appearance, these chips look like the iconic name-brand chip, and they matched that salty and satisfying crunch. But it’s that saltiness that kept these from scoring higher: Mara felt like it was a bit too much.
Buy in stores: Classic Potato Chips, $3.29 for 10 ounces at Trader Joe’s
9. Dark Russet Potato Chips
These extra-toasty chips are dark in color and caused a bit of a rift among our testers. Some, like Ali, loved its almost-burned, more complex flavor, while others, like Reece, our brand activation manager, felt like it was a bit too burnt-tasting.
Buy in stores: Dark Russet Potato Chips, $2.99 for 6 ounces at Trader Joe’s
8. Ghost Pepper Potato Chips
These are very spicy with real heat that lingers. However, they also have “good pepper flavor beyond just spice,” Lizzy, our senior lifestyle editor, said. Celia, our editorial assistant, found them too spicy to enjoy, but others liked them (especially with the idea of pairing them with a creamy dip!).
Buy in stores: Ghost Pepper Potato Chips, $2.99 for 6 ounces at Trader Joe’s
7. Kettle Cooked Potato Chips
These are extremely crunchy — arguably the crunchiest chip in the lineup. Overall they were described as “aggressively crunchy,” which firmly put them right in the middle of our ranking. Lizzy also wished they were a bit saltier.
Buy in stores: Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, $2.99 for 6 ounces at Trader Joe’s
6. Ketchup-Flavored Chips
Lizzy said that these chips taste like a french fry dipped in ketchup, which we loved (and is why these chips ranked so high up on the list). They’re lattice-cut, which makes for maximum crunch and extra sweet and vinegary seasoning in each and every ridge.
Buy in stores: Ketchup-Flavored Chips, $2.99 for 6 ounces at Trader Joe’s
5. Salt and Pepper Ridge Cut Chips
Mara is actually a devoted buyer of these Salt and Pepper Ridge Cut Chips, and they were a standout during our testing. They have a strong salt-and-pepper flavor, with nice ridges for texture. The overall reaction was extremely positive from the group. Celia said that the pepperiness adds a “nice complex dimension,” and that the crunch is “perfect.”
Buy in stores: Salt and Pepper Ridge Cut Chips, $3.29 for 10 ounces at Trader Joe’s
4. White Truffle Potato Chips
These have a distinct truffle flavor and feel “fancy,” according to Lizzy. Reece, who typically doesn’t like truffle fries, enjoyed these, which speaks to how delicious they are. Plus, the texture is very different from the other chips — they’re a bit smooth, and they lean into that luxe feeling.
Buy in stores: White Truffle Potato Chips, $3.99 for 7 ounces at Trader Joe’s
3. Dill Pickle Potato Chips
These delivered BIG flavor. After one bite, Reece reacted with “ooh baby,” and Lizzy agreed they were really just so good. In fact, we were a bit bummed that the chips felt like they were small and broken up into pieces, but the bold dill pickle flavor was so prominent that it more than makes up for it.
Buy in stores: Dill Pickle Potato Chips, $3.99 for 7 ounces at Trader Joe’s
2. Ridge Cut Potato Chips
Lizzy’s immediate reaction was “whoa” when she tasted these, which really sums up what we loved about this chip. It’s a classic, delicious potato chip that we all agreed had the best crunch (by far) out of the group of contenders, and generally it felt the most nostalgic and delicious.
Buy in stores: Ridge Cut Potato Chips, $3.99 for 10 ounces at Trader Joe’s
These are heavily seasoned (“covered in dust,” as described by Mara) and strike a great balance between smoky and sweet (leaning slightly sweeter, with nice brown sugar notes). They are “shatteringly crispy,” but not harsh enough to scratch up the roof of your mouth. Overall, they were the fan-favorite and the best chip that we can’t wait to keep in our pantries.
Buy in stores: Barbecue Potato Chips, $2.99 for 10 ounces at Trader Joe’s
What’s your favorite Trader Joe’s chip flavor? Tell us in the comments below.
