18 Pringles Flavors, Ranked From Worst To Best

Pringles can be polarizing. They're basically potato chips, but not really (they don't count as real potato chips because of a technicality). And although they offer a salty, crispy snack that's ideal for mindlessly munching on the couch, they don't exactly offer the crunchiness of most other chip brands out there. One thing Pringles do offer, though, is plenty of different flavors to choose from — it almost seems like you can snag Pringles that taste like anything.

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That's why I was so excited to conduct a taste test of 18 different flavors from the chip brand. I've ranked these flavors, starting from the worst and working my way to the best, to help guide you on your chip-buying journey. Although I took texture into consideration for the few varieties that strayed from standard Pringles, the main criteria for this ranking is overwhelmingly flavor.

Of course, you probably won't agree with me on every count, but maybe this ranking can help you better choose the next Pringles flavor you want to try when you have the munchies and need an easy snack. These are Pringles flavors, ranked.

18. Original lightly salted

If you're looking for the most exciting chip you've ever eaten, you probably shouldn't pick up a canister of original lightly salted Pringles. For those who enjoy the texture of Pringles, there's nothing really wrong with this flavor at all. But when you're working with a snack as simple and as lacking in flavor as Pringles are, you need to at least make that snack salty. And that's where these chips fall short.

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They're boring, they're bland, and they basically don't taste like anything at all. Sure, we get that some people might be trying to reduce their sodium intake. But if you fall into that camp, there are much more delicious snacks you could be eating than Pringles that will pack a lot more flavor.

17. Harvest Blends smoky BBQ blended with sweet potato

The Harvest Blends Pringles seem to be the company's stab at making a "healthier" snack, although it's probably not any healthier than the original. After all, adding a wider variety of ultra-processed ingredients to an already nutritionally devoid, processed product isn't going to do much in terms of health. So, if you ask me, there's no reason to go out looking for the Harvest Blends smoky BBQ Pringles.

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They're slightly thicker than the original version of Pringles, with a slight sweetness to them, ostensibly from the sweet potatoes. The BBQ flavor is fine, but it's much less pronounced than it is in the original BBQ Pringles flavor. If you do love that smoky, meaty BBQ flavor, I suggest opting for that original version instead — this is just a strange twist on the classic.

16. Cheddar and sour cream

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of cheddar and sour cream anything, so take this one with a grain of salt, but I think Pringles' cheddar and sour cream flavor is among the worst of the bunch. That doesn't mean it's bad, per se — I would still snack on these if they were around — but there are much better flavors on this list to choose from.

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Oddly enough, this flavor didn't taste quite as salty as the others, which was an immediate turn-off for me. It mostly tasted like cheddar, although that flavor wasn't super pronounced either. There's a slight tang there, which is probably supposed to be the sour cream, but the fact that all the flavors were a bit muted made me feel like this is a totally forgettable flavor.

15. Everything bagel

Out of all the flavors on this list, I was most excited to try Pringles' everything bagel flavor. This, I thought, would be the pinnacle of the brand's products. But, alas, I was wrong. Again, this chip flavor isn't bad, but it's disappointing since it doesn't taste like much of anything at all. There's a very slight hint of garlic and onion, with a sort of cream cheese flavor that you may pick up on the back end. That's about it, though. Maybe this snack would've been more interesting with a nutty, seedy flavor, but that very much seemed missing.

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These days, it seems like you can find a massive slew of everything bagel products, and honestly, a lot of them aren't that great and don't capture all there is to love about an everything bagel. And unfortunately, Pringles' take on the flavor ultimately falls into that same camp.

14. Sour cream and onion

There are some sour cream and onion chips out there that are way, way too strong on the flavor front, leaving you with an oniony taste in your mouth for an hour or two after you've finished snacking. But you're not going to have that problem when you snag yourself some sour cream and onion Pringles. That's simply because these crisps aren't as flavorful as you would expect. That's good if you're just interested in mindlessly snacking and are on the hunt for something slightly more interesting than some original Pringles, but it's not exactly a snack you should go out of your way for.

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Those who really love sour cream and onion-flavored foods may find that they love this Pringles flavor. Everyone else, though, should probably look for other flavor options if they want the best possible snacking experience.

13. Original

I already mentioned that the lightly salted original version of Pringles misses the mark specifically because it doesn't pack enough salt for an otherwise relatively bland snack. It makes sense, then, that the fully-salted, original version of Pringles would earn a spot significantly higher on the list. Are Pringles the most delicious, flavorful chips in the world? No. But they're approachable, easy to eat, and ideal for snacking, and when you're just looking for something crispy and salty, they undoubtedly get the job done.

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My advice? Use original Pringles not as a snack all on their own but as a foundation for a more creative, interesting snack. Add ingredients, like cheese, cured meat, salsa, or guacamole, to your Pringles, and you'll have a much more flavorfully fulfilling snack than you would with plain Pringles.

12. Ranch

For a true ranch dressing lover, the ranch flavor of Pringles may have earned itself a spot a bit closer to the top on this list. But, alas, I am not a big fan of ranch, so this flavor ends up in the lower half of the ranking. These crisps taste, well, like ranch dressing. That flavor, though, is quite subtle — it definitely does not taste the same as dipping a plain Pringle into some ranch, for example. Rather, you get a bit of a dairy flavor, followed by some mild herbs and spices, none of them too pronounced. Although these aren't the most delicious crisps on their own, I think they could have a lot of potential as a sort of crispy coating for chicken or plant-based protein if they were crushed into small pieces.

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11. Cheddar cheese

There's nothing like a good, cheesy snack, and that's just what cheddar cheese Pringles provide. Sure, you're not getting a real cheese experience — it's just a cheesy coating that appears on these crisps — but that cheddar flavor is definitely there in this product. Unlike some of the other flavors on this list, that cheddar flavor is relatively strong, although it has a blandness that you wouldn't experience with real cheese.

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My advice? For the best possible cheddar cheese Pringles, shake a few of these crisps into a bowl, cover with some real shredded cheddar, and throw it all in the microwave for a few seconds. Without taking that extra step, though, I feel like cheddar cheese Pringles earn their place in the center of the pack.

10. Harvest Blends homestyle ranch blended with multigrains

This is another of the Harvest Blends products, and this one is a bit better than the sweet potato-spiked version. Pringles' Harvest Blends homestyle ranch are blended with multigrains and a winner when it comes to texture. The chip is slightly thicker than standard Pringles, with a more varied texture instead of the smoothness of the original. Flavor-wise, though, I couldn't really tell a major difference between these multigrain crisps and regular Pringles.

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Admittedly, I did like this ranch flavor better than the original ranch Pringles, but that's probably because it tasted less like ranch and more like sour cream and onion. That seasoning is subtle, though — it has just a hint of flavor to it, really allowing the texture to shine. It's not the best of the bunch, but it's not a product I would categorically avoid, either.

9. Hot Ones los calientes barbacoa

The Pringles and Hot Ones collab is one that just makes sense. After all, Pringles are more of a flavor delivery vehicle than a snack that's flavorful all on its own, and hot sauce is designed to pack a lot of flavor to be used on other foods. In general, all of the Hot Ones flavors of Pringles are enjoyable, but the one I liked least is the Hot Ones los calientes barbacoa.

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To me, this one was just a little too close to a BBQ flavor for my liking. It's meaty, umami, and smoky, with just a touch of spice (although maybe too little for my liking). "Barbacoa" is definitely an apt comparison, so if you love actual barbacoa, it may be worth a try. However, if you're looking for a delicious, spicy chip, there are better Pringles' Hot Ones flavors to choose from.

8. Hot Ones los calientes rojo

My second favorite Hot Ones Pringles flavor is los calientes rojo, which is a step above its barbacoa counterpart. There's not quite as much going on in this flavor, and that makes for a simpler — and more enjoyable — snack. Pringles los calientes rojo has a distinct paprika flavor to it, which offers a smoky touch to the crispy snack. It doesn't taste quite as meaty as its counterpart, though, and the spice level seems to be slightly higher as well. That may not be ideal for those who are sensitive to spice, but those people aren't likely to choose a hot sauce-flavored snack off the shelf anyway. Although, yes, there are more interesting flavors to choose from in the Pringles universe, spicy snack lovers should still give this stuff a try.

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7. Salt and vinegar

Pringles are the kind of snack I can mindlessly crunch on because they don't have much flavor to them at all. They're more about texture than flavor, which is probably why most Pringles flavors are relatively bland. Sure, you might get a touch of flavor, but it tends to be understated. Unless, of course, you're choosing Pringles' salt and vinegar crisps. This flavor is, by far, offering the boldest flavor profile, which is nice when you're searching for a snack that will deliver a decent dose of flavor.

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That being said, these salt and vinegar chips aren't quite as pronounced as many other brands I've tried, so don't think you're getting a super-intense salt and vinegar flavor. But for Pringles standards, they certainly pack a punch.

6. BBQ

I'll admit that when it comes to BBQ-flavored chips, I am absolutely a hater. There are few chip flavors I actively hate, but BBQ is absolutely one of them. So imagine my surprise as I dipped my fingertips into the canister of BBQ Pringles, pulled out a single crisp, and gave it a taste, only to discover that it was one of the better flavors in the bunch. Unlike so many other BBQ-flavored chips out there, this one was delicious, with a really nice balance that doesn't leave you with too much sweetness or smokiness.

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Although Pringles may not be offering the highest quality chips out there, the BBQ crisps are undoubtedly a success. They're still not my favorite flavor I tried, but they're not far from the top of this ranking.

5. Harvest Blends farmhouse cheddar blended with multigrains

Out of all the Pringles I tried from the brand's Harvest Blends line, the Harvest Blends farmhouse cheddar was by far my favorite. First of all, the structure of the chips themselves is nice. The addition of multigrains doesn't really affect the flavor of the chip, but it seems to result in a slightly thicker, more substantial crisp that offers a slightly crunchier experience than the original.

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But the fact that this flavor ranks as well as it does isn't just because of its texture. The flavor is excellent here, with a really pronounced cheesy note. It tastes surprisingly like cheddar specifically, offering more than just a plain, unexciting dairy flavor that you find in some cheese-flavored snacks.

4. Dill pickle

Pickles are having a moment — it seems like they're making an appearance in everything now (even in cocktails, like this pickle martini). So, it makes sense that Pringles would try to capitalize on that love of pickles by offering dill pickle Pringles. I have to admit, these crisps really do taste like dill pickles. They have a tang to them that's herbier and more complex than the tang you'll find in salt and vinegar Pringles, for example. That note of dill really shines, though, giving this snack its distinct flavor.

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If you don't love pickles, then this flavor probably isn't for you. But for everyone who loves an ultra-salty, ultra-briny snack that still delivers a chip-like crunch, this may just be the best Pringles flavor to try.

3. Pizza

There are a lot of different pizza-flavored snacks out there, but unfortunately, a lot of them don't taste much like pizza at all. It can be disappointing to fish your hand inside a bag of snacks that's supposed to taste like pepperoni pizza, only to start chomping and realize that it doesn't taste like pizza at all. 

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But when you choose pizza Pringles, you won't have that problem, since this snack tastes surprisingly like pizza. It has a distinct tomato-like flavor to it, with a cheesiness that's a lot more subtle than you'll find in the cheddar-flavored Pringles varieties on this list. It does fall a bit short of the top two spots in this ranking since it's a more expected flavor, but it's still one of my favorites of the bunch.

2. Honey mustard

Honey mustard can be a difficult flavor to pull off because you're working with flavors that can easily get out of hand. Too much mustard flavor, for instance, can make a dish or snack taste too sharp and acidic, which probably isn't what you're looking for when you want the best possible snacking situation. Perhaps even more egregious is an overly sweet honey mustard snack, which, in the worst cases, can border on dessert-like.

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But Pringles is making some seriously delicious honey mustard crisps. I was shocked at how much these things actually tasted like honey mustard, with a nice balance between acidity and sweetness. That sweetness is subtle, mostly coming through as an aftertaste, but that's exactly how I like my honey mustard. For people who don't like spicy snacks, this flavor is absolutely the winner.

1. Hot Ones los calientes verde

I, however, do like spicy snacks, which is why Pringles' Hot Ones lose calientes verde is at the very top of this ranking. This was my favorite Hot Ones flavor but also my favorite Pringles flavor overall, probably because this one packs so much more flavor and intensity than the other varieties I tried. This one is seriously spicy, so it may not be best for those who are sensitive to heat. But it's not all about the spice — it boasts some complexity, too. There's a fresh and vegetal note there that really is reminiscent of salsa verde. All in all, they had me going back for an additional handful, more so than any other flavor on this list.

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Methodology

I chose these Pringles flavors based on availability at my local grocery stores. Since these products are all so similar, my main criteria was flavor, and I paid attention to balance, concentration, accuracy, and novelty of flavor. However, when relevant, I also considered texture when ranking these different Pringles flavors. I tried them all in one sitting, straight out of the canister, all on their own.

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