12 Kettle-Cooked Chip Brands Ranked Worst To Best

Many people prefer kettle-cooked potato chips over regular potato chips. This is usually because kettle-cooked chips tend to be crispier and crunchier, making them even more satisfying and addicting to munch on. Ultimately, kettle-cooked potato chips are usually sliced thicker and cooked in smaller batches for longer amounts of time. They get cooked in kettles that are filled with oil, and the temperature of the fat gets adjusted throughout the cooking process.

While there are very popular kettle-cooked potato chip brands out there, like the Kettle brand, there are also tons of lesser-known ones worth trying. Even longtime favorite brands like Lay's have created their own kettle-cooked version. To decide which brands are the best, I grabbed as many different brands as I could find and taste-tested them to compare, writing meticulous notes about their level of crunchiness, saltiness, overall taste, and aftertaste. Surprisingly, I found a lot of variety in this test and have come up with a clear ranking of kettle-cooked chip brands from worst to best.

I found the Dirty Deli Style chips in a 7-Eleven and was immediately intrigued by the packaging. The bag says, "artfully crafted, partially peeled, thick cut kettle style for the perfect crunch!" in large, clear lettering. I had high hopes for these, but they didn't stick around. Before I jump into the negatives, I will say that the packaging didn't lead me astray in terms of crunchiness. These chips were incredibly crunchy and thick, so crunchy that I rated them a nine out of 10 on my crunchy scale.

Beyond the texture, everything else about this chip was absolutely horrendous. If I'm being completely honest, these didn't even taste like potato chips. They tasted like I was chewing on a tablet of chlorine. There was this awful, putrid taste that exploded in my mouth when I took my first (and only) bite, and immediately I was disgusted. I wasn't even able to take a second bite to try to evaluate these flavors in a deeper way, simply because the first one was that awful. I would only recommend these to someone whom I would like to play a cruel prank on.

Bowl & Basket is Shop Rite's in-house brand. This isn't just a chip brand; it encompasses just about any type of food you'd need to get from a grocery store. Since it's on the more affordable side, you may be tempted to buy it instead of a more expensive brand name. I really wanted to see how it would stack up, and unfortunately, I found that these kettle-cooked potato chips didn't hold a candle to the other brands I tried.

There was one positive to these chips, and that is that they were about a nine out of 10 on the thick and crunchy scale. Unfortunately, the taste overshadowed that one great quality. While the chips were very salty, they were also oddly sweet. It could be coming from the oil (the label says they may be cooked in canola, corn, or sunflower oil, or a mix of all three). Whatever it was, I found it to be unpleasant. 

There was also a strange aftertaste that I couldn't shake. If I could describe it, I would say it's kind of like ground beef. That slightly sweet, earthy taste that hung around on the back of my tongue. That's not at all what I expect from a kettle-cooked potato chip.

Good Health chips have a completely different vibe from the other brands that I tried. These are made with avocado oil, which many people think is one of the most versatile fats you can keep in your pantry. It's very nutrient-dense, packed with healthy fats and antioxidants, and it also has a mild taste. That's to say it doesn't necessarily alter the flavor of whatever you're cooking in it, unlike other oils do.

The Good Health kettle-cooked potato chips were definitely the least salty chips I tried. While they were still salty, they only received a three out of 10 on the salt rating. As for crunchiness, these chips definitely had a nice crunch to them, but they still felt light — like I could easily chew on multiple chips in my mouth at once. I enjoyed the taste of these chips overall because I could really appreciate the pure potato flavor. There wasn't a lot of salt or oil overtaking it. If you're someone who doesn't want too much salt and would rather a lighter, crunchier snack, I'd recommend Good Health. But for me, personally, that's ultimately not what I want out of a kettle-cooked potato chip, hence why it's ranked quite low on this list.

Siete is a brand that I am generally a big fan of. I'm gluten-free, and every single product that Siete sells is certified gluten-free. Its kettle-cooked potato chips, similar to Good Health, are made with avocado oil. When I first took a bite of a chip, I thought that I liked it. It had a crunch level of about eight out of 10 and was generously salted.

Suddenly, though, as I continued to chew, I noticed an overwhelming oiliness on my tongue. That's not what I expect from a quality kettle chip, and I couldn't enjoy them as much. I prefer them to taste and feel dry — not slightly slippery or wet. I did like them better than the Good Health chips, mainly because of the saltiness and crunchiness, but the oiliness made me not want to eat as many of them. 

Winning the award for the absolute saltiest kettle chip, I have Wise New York Deli chips. I would give them a 10 out of 10 for saltiness. There are times when I definitely love that amount of salt; however, that may not be for everyone. Unfortunately, I found that the chips weren't as crunchy as I had hoped. I gave them a six out of 10 on the crunchy scale. It was sort of odd because the very first bite was crunchy, but then as I continued, they turned mushy in my mouth, similar to how regular potato chips do.

Overall, these chips tasted different from most of the other brands that I tried, but not in a negative way. I enjoyed the flavor, as I found it to be very strong and sharp. It reminded me a bit of when I get an order of fresh french fries from a deli that are generously salted and burst with flavor with every bite. While I liked the flavor of these chips a ton, I would rather they stay crunchy when I eat them.

7-Eleven has its own snack brand, which encompasses ice cream, bags of nuts, beef jerky, and kettle chips. While I do frequent 7-Eleven often, I've always reached for name-brand chips over the 7-Select ones. I'm here to tell you that doing so is a big mistake, and I think that 7-Eleven's kettle chips are highly underrated. First and foremost, these chips are perfectly crunchy and receive an eight out of 10 on the crunchy scale. The chips themselves are small in size, so it's fun to chew on multiple chips at once. It's a crunch fest for sure.

I also found that the chips had an evenly distributed salty flavor that lasted from the first bite all the way through to the aftertaste. They weren't the absolute saltiest chip that I tasted, but they weren't lacking by any means. The only negative thing I will say about these 7-Select kettle chips is that they had a slightly sweet aftertaste that I noticed after I finished chewing. It threw me off a bit and took me out of the pure salty-potatoey bliss that I was enjoying as I chewed. I'd definitely still recommend these chips, but be aware of that slight sweetness. 

Herr's potato chips have been around since 1946 and it sells more than just kettle-cooked chips. It released its kettle chips in 2004, and the brand offers a few different types. It is one of the few brands that sells lattice-cut kettle chips; however, to keep things uniform, I tasted the regular version. The chips themselves were a bit larger in size than the other brands, and they weren't as thick — but they still had a great crunch.

On the negative side, I did notice that these chips had a prominently oily feel to them that also stuck around in the aftertaste and mouthfeel. It took away from the overall enjoyment and the crunchiness. The chips were also incredibly salty — scoring a 9.5 out of 10 on my salty scale. I love salt, so this was a plus for me. It could be great for someone looking for an extremely salty chip who can look past the oiliness.

Hal's New York is a brand that is, first and foremost, known for its seltzer. The company made its debut in 2014, and five years later, it started selling kettle-cooked chips. It's a brand that I see often in stores like Target, Whole Foods, and local markets in New York, where I'm based. I'm not going to lie, I expected the chips a lot. I've had them before and have enjoyed them, but I wanted to see if they would actually stack up against the others in an unbiased taste test.

Right away, I noticed that the Hal's chips were actually less crunchy than some of the other brands. I ended up giving them a seven out of 10 for crunch — which isn't bad by any means, but there are definitely brands that out-crunched them. Hal's kettle-cooked potato chips really shined when it came to flavor. They were nice and salty, ranked at about an eight out of 10, and balanced with the potato flavor well. I barely noticed the taste or feeling of oil, which is a huge plus for me. Ultimately, I thought that these chips offered the best balance of flavor out of the chips I tried; I just wish they were a tad crunchier.

Lay's is, hands down, one of the most popular chip brands out there. The company has been selling various flavors of potato chips for over 80 years. The classic version of Lay's that most people know and love is the thinly cut, salted potato chip. There is, however, a kettle-cooked version of that same popular chip. I was curious to see if the kettle-cooked version would still have that classic Lay's taste, and I was glad to see it did.

Ultimately, the only differences between the classic Lay's and the kettle-cooked Lay's are the thickness and crunchiness of the chips. On my crunchy scale, the kettle-cooked ones get an eight out of 10. I really enjoyed how salty they were in the beginning, but as I chewed, the saltiness became less powerful. I could sense that nostalgic Lay's chip taste perfectly; it was just matched with a different texture than I'm used to. I actually liked the kettle-cooked version better than the Lay's classic. If they were just a tad crunchier, they'd be at the top of this list.

With a name that places itself right at the forefront of kettle-cooked chips, Kettle Brand definitely holds its own against the other brands that I tasted. These chips are both large and cut very thin — a rare combination. I didn't find many other brands that accomplished it, so Kettle Brand definitely earns points for that. I liked how each chip felt like a substantial, satiating bite. It was the crunchiest chip out of all of the brands that I tasted.

While the Kettle Brand chips are salty, their flavor is more subdued. I gave them a six out of 10 for saltiness. The chips still satisfied a salty craving, but they didn't hold up to the salt level of some of the other brands I tried — including my top-ranked option. I also noticed that the aftertaste was purely potato – no oil, no excess salt, and no weird, lingering flavors. Overall, if you want a pure-tasting potato chip that isn't overly salty and has a delicious crunch, this is a great option.

Another brand that I saw in multiple grocery stores and quick markets was Deep River. This brand has been on the market since 2002, and has always specialized in kettle-cooked chips. It prides itself on high-quality ingredients and no artificial colors, and these chips are certified gluten-free, tree nut- and peanut-free, and kosher. Funny enough, these chips reminded me of the taste of McDonald's french fries — which some might say are the furthest thing from quality ingredients.

One thing I really enjoyed about the Deep River kettle-cooked potato chips was that each bite had a strong salty flavor from beginning to end. Right as I bit into it, I thought that the saltiness level was a solid nine out of 10. As I continued to chew, the salt didn't dissipate at all, as it did with other brands. Instead, the saltiness persevered and ultimately left a strong salty taste on the back of the tongue. As for crunch level, I thought these hit right in the middle to top tier. They weren't the absolute crunchiest, but they still held their own.

Cape Cod is one of the most common kettle chip brands in stores. Whether you're at a mainstream grocery store or at a small sandwich shop or deli, chances are you'll be able to grab a bag of them. As I took my first bite of these chips, I noticed that their crunch level was amazing. The chips themselves are cut a bit thick, and they also are cooked in a way that makes them perfectly crunchy.

As for salt levels, the first bite tended to be extremely salty — a level nine in my ranking. As I chewed, however, the salt quickly dissipated and didn't feel as strong, which I actually thought was a nice touch. That way, you get the satisfaction of getting a lot of salt on your tongue at first, but then it isn't overkill as you continue to eat. This is the type of chip that I could easily devour a family-sized bag of in one sitting. These chips came out on top for me because I find them incredibly enjoyable, and there truly isn't anything negative to say about them. 

I focused on a few key factors when tasting and ranking these kettle-cooked potato chips. First and foremost, I only chose plain-flavored kettle-cooked chips; just your normal, average potato chips — salted and kettle-cooked. I went to a few different grocery stores and picked up any chips that I saw that claimed to be kettle-cooked on their packaging.

I tasted each chip individually, one by one, and took notes. I wrote down the level of crunchiness that I thought each brand had, the amount of salt, my impression of the overall taste as I ate them, and there there were any aftertastes. Then, when I was finished tasting each brand, I went back and tasted certain similar brands side by side to compare their crunchiness and saltiness. 

Finally, to choose the final ranking, I considered which chips I would personally reach for first. I personally prefer an incredibly crunchy chip where you can still taste the potato flavoring, but it has to be very salty and without an aftertaste as well. I recognize that people may have different preferences when it comes to kettle chips; however, these are mine, and that is how I ranked them for this article.