Utz slaps its name on quite a few products, throwing a hat into every corner of the snack ring from Pub Mix to Zapp’s chips. The brand also offers a signature line of Utz chips in a mob of flavors and styles, including classic, kettle, and wavy, Ruffles-style “Ripples.” Which flavors reign supreme? I grabbed 14 of them and endeavored to find out, ranking them from best to worst.
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Best: Carolina Style Barbecue
Style: Classic
Like anything based in vinegar, a bag of Carolina Style Barbecue chips smacks your nose the second you open the bag. These chips are wonderful, full of mustard and peppery seasoning. Eat them as a side, or maybe even a main course.
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2. Cheese Balls
Style: Ripples
Trust me on this one: These Ripples don’t get stuck in your teeth as badly as the others do. Utz’s very own Cheese Balls make a cameo appearance here, and the result is a special one. Sharp, pungent cheddar flavor is what you want out of a cheddar chip.
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3. The Crab Chip
Style: Classic
This is a very good chip, but I’m afraid calling it a “Crab Chip” might be a little misleading. As it contains no crab, it’s more like a celery salt chip. But there’s nothing wrong with that. You should buy these.
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4. Sour Cream & Onion
Style: Ripples
What tang! What fattiness! What crunch! I love this. Better than Ruffles, that’s for sure. Outstanding work.
5. Cheddar & Sour Cream
Style: Ripples
This one’s a classic. Many may know the similar Ruffles flavor, as well as the die-hard fandom behind it. I’m one of those people. I’m not sure I could tell you which is which in a blind taste test (though Utz seems to be a tad thicker), but as far as I’m concerned, that’s a good thing. Nice work on this one.
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6. Classic Dill Pickle
Style: Classic
We’ve got a Grillo’s Pickles collab on our hands. This was actually my first foray into the world of pickle-flavored potato chips and yeah, OK, I get it. Dill and salt work nicely together, and sort of bring you the best of both worlds if you eat it alongside a sandwich.
7. Red Hot
Style: Classic
Red Hot definitely delivers on spice more than Jalapeño does. It’s a fine chip, but I wish there was more pepper flavor beyond just paprika. A little cayenne wouldn’t hurt anybody, would it?
8. Salt ‘n Vinegar
Style: Classic
It’s no mystery to me why this type of flavor is so polarizing. It’s an aggressive one, and many people aren’t here for it. I am, though; I’m definitely here for it. Give me that briny, vinegary blast. It’s basically an olive at his point.
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9. Jalapeño
Style: Kettle
This is more of a literal take on the idea of a jalapeño chip. These chips actually aren’t spicy, but they do taste just like the flavor of a fresh jalapeño. Sort of an interesting thing. I like them, but I do wish they were spicier.
10. Barbecue
Style: Ripples
If you like Ruffles and don’t care how badly they get stuck in your teeth, the Utz Ripples line is for you. This barbecue chip is pretty tame as far as seasoning goes, but makes an excellent lunch companion.
11. Original
Style: Classic
You pretty much know what you’re getting when you look at this type of flavor. It’s salty, it’s got a nice crunch, and the chips verge on just-a-little-bit-too-big, which is the exact size a potato chip is supposed to be. If a classic potato chip is what you want, this one will hold up to anything.
12. Original Ripples
Style: Ripples
Much like the classic-style Original, this is a perfectly suitable plain chip. 10 times out of 10, I’m going to choose a flavored chip, so as far as my incredibly specific opinions are concerned, I don’t need these.
13. Smokin’ Sweet Barbecue
Style: Classic
Liiiiiiiiittle too sweet for me on this one, Utz. This is more like a ketchup chip, which is something I bet people would like. I seem to be the only person on the planet who doesn’t worship ketchup, so this one just isn’t for me.
14. Original Kettle
Style: Kettle
First of all: Love the branding for these. I wish more of them said “Grandma Utz” on the front. The bad news is that these sort of just taste like oil. I bet if you mashed them up you could crust the heck out of a chicken breast with them, though.
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