01of 24FRIED PICKLES WITH RANCHLay’sConcept:a deep-fried dill pickle with a tangy dipping sauceGrade:A-Tasting Notes:This chip tastes exactly like they said it would, with one of our tasters referring to it a “creamy pickle” before she even knew what it was supposed to taste like. Bottom line: if you like pickles, you’ll like this chip.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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FRIED PICKLES WITH RANCH
Lay’s
Concept:a deep-fried dill pickle with a tangy dipping sauce
Grade:A-
Tasting Notes:This chip tastes exactly like they said it would, with one of our tasters referring to it a “creamy pickle” before she even knew what it was supposed to taste like. Bottom line: if you like pickles, you’ll like this chip.
Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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DEEP DISH PIZZA
Concept:a chip based on the famed Chicago slices
Grade:D
03of 24CHILE CON QUESOLay’sConcept:the package describes it as “legendary Tex-Mex taste of velvety cheddar queso with a dash of spice"Grade:B+Tasting Notes:Although some tasters complained of an artificial cheese taste (that’s kind of the point), most of us said this chip was our favorite of the Lay’s Tastes of America flavors. It’s reminscient of a cheesy Mexican dip with a spicy kick at the end. We could polish off a bag in one sitting, no problem.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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CHILE CON QUESO
Concept:the package describes it as “legendary Tex-Mex taste of velvety cheddar queso with a dash of spice”
Grade:B+
Tasting Notes:Although some tasters complained of an artificial cheese taste (that’s kind of the point), most of us said this chip was our favorite of the Lay’s Tastes of America flavors. It’s reminscient of a cheesy Mexican dip with a spicy kick at the end. We could polish off a bag in one sitting, no problem.
04of 24CHESAPEAKE BAY CRAB SPICELay’sConcept:a custom blend of spices mixed with seafood in a chipGrade:B-Tasting Notes:Although some tasters got hints of seafood in the chips' smell, the crab-boil flavor isn’t as prominent as we imagined it would be, and it wasn’t heavy enough of on the spice. However, because of its subtle flavor and overpowering celery seed taste, one taster said she would enjoy these chips as an accompaniment to a Tuna sandwich.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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CHESAPEAKE BAY CRAB SPICE
Concept:a custom blend of spices mixed with seafood in a chip
Grade:B-
Tasting Notes:Although some tasters got hints of seafood in the chips' smell, the crab-boil flavor isn’t as prominent as we imagined it would be, and it wasn’t heavy enough of on the spice. However, because of its subtle flavor and overpowering celery seed taste, one taster said she would enjoy these chips as an accompaniment to a Tuna sandwich.
05of 24NEW ENGLAND LOBSTER ROLLLay’sConcept:transforming the famed buttery roll of New England into a chipGrade:C-Tasting Notes:These chips were polarizing among our tasters, while some said taste more like they’re flavored with sour cream (not a bad thing, but not quite buttery enough to call it a lobster roll) and others picked up on cheesy ranch with bacon flavorings. Even though they have a faint seafood-y scent, we didn’t pick up on the sweet lobster flavor as much as we hoped to, and one taster disliked this chip so much they likened the taste to feet.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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NEW ENGLAND LOBSTER ROLL
Concept:transforming the famed buttery roll of New England into a chip
Grade:C-
Tasting Notes:These chips were polarizing among our tasters, while some said taste more like they’re flavored with sour cream (not a bad thing, but not quite buttery enough to call it a lobster roll) and others picked up on cheesy ranch with bacon flavorings. Even though they have a faint seafood-y scent, we didn’t pick up on the sweet lobster flavor as much as we hoped to, and one taster disliked this chip so much they likened the taste to feet.
06of 24CAJUN SPICELay’sConcept:a mix of garlic, paprika, onion and oregano meant to resemble jambalaya or blackened cajun chickenGrade:BTasting Notes:Let us tell you: They don’t skimp on the spices. The Louisiana-style flavor is spot-on, with one taster commenting that the chips taste deliciously “like a crawfish.“Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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CAJUN SPICE
Concept:a mix of garlic, paprika, onion and oregano meant to resemble jambalaya or blackened cajun chicken
Grade:B
Tasting Notes:Let us tell you: They don’t skimp on the spices. The Louisiana-style flavor is spot-on, with one taster commenting that the chips taste deliciously “like a crawfish.”
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THAI SWEET CHILI
Grade:C
Tasting Notes:These chips left all of our tasters confused. At first bite, we tasted ranch and pickles plus an overwhelming taste of vinegar. The chips weren’t bad—in fact, most of us said we’d eat them—we just didn’t get the Thai Sweet Chili thing they were going for.
08of 24PIMENTO CHEESELay’sConcept:a fresh taste on the classic southern dipGrade:DTasting Notes:Pimento cheese is one of our tasters' favorite snacks, but this chip doesn’t even come close to capturing that full flavor. The cheese flavor is definitely there, but most of us agreed it reminded us more of stadium nachos.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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PIMENTO CHEESE
Concept:a fresh taste on the classic southern dip
Tasting Notes:Pimento cheese is one of our tasters' favorite snacks, but this chip doesn’t even come close to capturing that full flavor. The cheese flavor is definitely there, but most of us agreed it reminded us more of stadium nachos.
09of 24SOUTHERN BISCUITS & GRAVYConcept:a southern breakfast staple in a crunchy chipGrade:ATasting Notes:Eating these chips was like sitting in a Cracker Barrel chowing down on your favorite meal, and yes, that’s a good thing. We got all the hints of buttery biscuits, sausage gravy and true southern flavors in every bite. In fact, it kind of scared us how spot-on this chip flavor was—but we all went back for a second handful.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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SOUTHERN BISCUITS & GRAVY
Concept:a southern breakfast staple in a crunchy chip
Grade:A
Tasting Notes:Eating these chips was like sitting in a Cracker Barrel chowing down on your favorite meal, and yes, that’s a good thing. We got all the hints of buttery biscuits, sausage gravy and true southern flavors in every bite. In fact, it kind of scared us how spot-on this chip flavor was—but we all went back for a second handful.
10of 24WEST COAST TRUFFLE FRIESConcept:Fancy french fries in a different potato formGrade:DTasting Notes:From the get-go, these chips smelled…not great. They tasted kind of like a sour cream and onion chip, but had too much of an artificial truffle flavor for our liking.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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WEST COAST TRUFFLE FRIES
Concept:Fancy french fries in a different potato form
Tasting Notes:From the get-go, these chips smelled…not great. They tasted kind of like a sour cream and onion chip, but had too much of an artificial truffle flavor for our liking.
11of 24FRIED GREEN TOMATOConcept:a replica of a southern stapleGrade:B+Tasting Notes:While we appreciated the attempt to replicate a remoulade sauce and the tang of the tomatoes, they tasted more like pickle-y mustard than the fried southern delicacy we were looking for.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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FRIED GREEN TOMATO
Concept:a replica of a southern staple
Tasting Notes:While we appreciated the attempt to replicate a remoulade sauce and the tang of the tomatoes, they tasted more like pickle-y mustard than the fried southern delicacy we were looking for.
12of 24BACON WRAPPED JALAPENO POPPERConcept:A spicy, meaty hors-d’ouevre in a chipGrade:DTasting Notes:We really wanted to like this flavor, but we couldn’t get past the synthetic bacon taste and fake smokiness. Wedidlike the subtle spice that came on after the chip went down.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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BACON WRAPPED JALAPENO POPPER
Concept:A spicy, meaty hors-d’ouevre in a chip
Tasting Notes:We really wanted to like this flavor, but we couldn’t get past the synthetic bacon taste and fake smokiness. Wedidlike the subtle spice that came on after the chip went down.
13of 24KETCHUPConcept:a new way to consume our favorite condimentGrade:A-Tasting Notes:It smelled like ketchup, tasted like ketchup, and the coloring was spot-on. Essentially ketchup lovers will love this chip, and our tasters said they’d eat it with a burger, on a burger, or straight out of the bag.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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KETCHUP
Concept:a new way to consume our favorite condiment
Tasting Notes:It smelled like ketchup, tasted like ketchup, and the coloring was spot-on. Essentially ketchup lovers will love this chip, and our tasters said they’d eat it with a burger, on a burger, or straight out of the bag.
14of 24FLAMIN' HOTConcept:straight up spiceGrade:A-Tasting Notes:Heat-lovers, rejoice: This is the chip for you. It’s the kind of spice that makes your lips burn, and it’s so hot it might help you practice portion control.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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FLAMIN' HOT
Concept:straight up spice
Tasting Notes:Heat-lovers, rejoice: This is the chip for you. It’s the kind of spice that makes your lips burn, and it’s so hot it might help you practice portion control.
15of 24HICKORY BARBECUEConcept:an ultra-smoky barbecue sauceGrade:C+Tasting Notes:We wanted these chips to taste like barbecue sauce, but instead they tasted unfortunately the fake smoky flavor prevailed once again. One of our tasters said their chip tasted like it had pieces of the barbecue grate from a grill stuck to it.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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HICKORY BARBECUE
Concept:an ultra-smoky barbecue sauce
Grade:C+
Tasting Notes:We wanted these chips to taste like barbecue sauce, but instead they tasted unfortunately the fake smoky flavor prevailed once again. One of our tasters said their chip tasted like it had pieces of the barbecue grate from a grill stuck to it.
16of 24RANCHConcept:a popular dressing in chip formGrade:B+Tasting Notes:Most of our tasters really love ranch, so the biggest complaint was that it was too light on the flavoring. A few wanted more garlic and some wanted more seasoning in general, but we all agreed this chip was good.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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RANCH
Concept:a popular dressing in chip form
Tasting Notes:Most of our tasters really love ranch, so the biggest complaint was that it was too light on the flavoring. A few wanted more garlic and some wanted more seasoning in general, but we all agreed this chip was good.
17of 24CHILE LÍMONConcept:to be honest, we’re not really sure what they were going for hereGrade:D-Tasting Notes:One of our tasters said this chip had “no opportunity to taste good,” as it smelled like sweaty socks the minute the bag was opened. We definitely felt the heat and a hint of smoked paprika, but more than one of us couldn’t even finish one chip.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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CHILE LÍMON
Concept:to be honest, we’re not really sure what they were going for here
Grade:D-
Tasting Notes:One of our tasters said this chip had “no opportunity to taste good,” as it smelled like sweaty socks the minute the bag was opened. We definitely felt the heat and a hint of smoked paprika, but more than one of us couldn’t even finish one chip.
18of 24LÍMONConcept:a lime-flavored crispy potatoGrade:DTasting Notes:Although this tasted accurate and we definitely picked up on the lime flavor, most of us likened it to Pledge.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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LÍMON
Concept:a lime-flavored crispy potato
Tasting Notes:Although this tasted accurate and we definitely picked up on the lime flavor, most of us likened it to Pledge.
19of 24DILL PICKLEConcept:a salty brine-flavored chipGrade:ATasting Notes:If you like dill, you’ll appreciate this chip. It tasted like salt and vinegar, and perfectly matched the taste of a deli pickle to accompany a sandwich.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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DILL PICKLE
Concept:a salty brine-flavored chip
Tasting Notes:If you like dill, you’ll appreciate this chip. It tasted like salt and vinegar, and perfectly matched the taste of a deli pickle to accompany a sandwich.
20of 24KETTLE JALAPEÑOConcept:a crispy, spicy pepperGrade:B+Tasting Notes:It’s a good, standard chip, but some of our tasters wished it was more spicy.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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KETTLE JALAPEÑO
Concept:a crispy, spicy pepper
Tasting Notes:It’s a good, standard chip, but some of our tasters wished it was more spicy.
21of 24KETTLE SEA SALT & CRACKED PEPPERConcept:a minimalist chip featuring the most basic of seasoningsGrade:ATasting Notes:We appreciate the simple flavors in life, and we really loved this chip. In fact, we admitted we’d rather have this flavor than any of the crazy ones we tasted.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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KETTLE SEA SALT & CRACKED PEPPER
Concept:a minimalist chip featuring the most basic of seasonings
Tasting Notes:We appreciate the simple flavors in life, and we really loved this chip. In fact, we admitted we’d rather have this flavor than any of the crazy ones we tasted.
22of 24KETTLE MESQUITE BARBECUEConcept:chips tossed in a sweet barbecue sauce tossedGrade:BTasting Notes:This flavor is kind of sweet with a smoky hint. Overall, we much prefered this to the Hickory BBQ.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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KETTLE MESQUITE BARBECUE
Concept:chips tossed in a sweet barbecue sauce tossed
Tasting Notes:This flavor is kind of sweet with a smoky hint. Overall, we much prefered this to the Hickory BBQ.
23of 24KETTLE SEA SALT & VINEGARConcept:a salty tangy classicGrade:B-Tasting Notes:With a classic chip like this one, we want to be beat over the head with the flavor, but our tasters' biggest complaint was that there wasn’t quite enough salt or vinegar. If you like subtlety, though, this is for you!Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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KETTLE SEA SALT & VINEGAR
Concept:a salty tangy classic
Tasting Notes:With a classic chip like this one, we want to be beat over the head with the flavor, but our tasters' biggest complaint was that there wasn’t quite enough salt or vinegar. If you like subtlety, though, this is for you!
24of 24KETTLE CREAM CHEESE & CHIVEConcept:A lighter version of sour cream and onionGrade:B+Tasting Notes:If sour cream and onion is too bold for you, we definitely suggest this more mellow adaptation.Want to try it yourself? Buy It!target.com
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KETTLE CREAM CHEESE & CHIVE
Concept:A lighter version of sour cream and onion
Tasting Notes:If sour cream and onion is too bold for you, we definitely suggest this more mellow adaptation.
source: people.com
