Canstar Blue’s chips review has seen brands such as ALDI’s Sprinters and Blackstone, Woolworths, Smith’s, Tyrells, Red Rock Deli, Cheezels, Kettle, Thins, Twisties, Doritos, Grain Waves, Pringles, CC’s, Burger Rings, Natural Chip Co and Coles compared on taste, variety, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction.
See our Ratings Methodology.
Aussies have rated ALDI’s Sprinters best in Canstar Blue’s chips review, giving it five stars for taste, variety, value for money and overall satisfaction.
What type of chips do you eat with your BFFs? Friend-chips! Luckily, chips (or ‘crisps’ for the Brits) come in all shapes, sizes, and flavours. So, whether you prefer cheese curls, corn chips, thin or crinkle potato chips – there’s always something to nibble on out there for everyone. Naturally, almost a third of our survey respondents (29%) said chips are their go-to snack, while 39% said they always buy some during their grocery shop. But which chips are the best? That’s the debate of the ages.
To finally put it to rest, we asked more than 2,000 Aussie consumers for their feedback on the packets of chips or crisps they’ve purchased and enjoyed in the last three months. Respondents rated brands on their taste, value for money, packaging design, variety and overall satisfaction. Brands that met the minimum required survey sample size (30 responses) are included in the results.
Our 2021 chips review featured a whopping 17 brands, but only one was rated best – ALDI’s Sprinters! The supermarket label scooped up five-star reviews in most categories, such as taste, variety, value for money and overall satisfaction.
Here are the best chips in Australia, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s latest review:
German discount supermarket ALDI crunched this year’s review, after rating best in most categories ─ including overall satisfaction. Most other brands landed on four stars, while Pringles, CC’s, Burger Rings, Natural Chip Co and Coles ended on three stars overall.
ALDI also achieved the top spot for packaging design, but with its Blackstone range. Several brands similarly whipped up full marks for taste, including Smith’s, Red Rock Deli, Kettle and Twisties. Smith’s additionally received five stars for variety.
Sprinters is one of ALDI’s own brand of chips, snacks and crackers, available exclusively from the discount supermarket. The Sprinters snack range includes crinkle and thin-cut potato chips, with classic flavours such as original and sour cream & onion available. The homebrand favourite also offers corn chips and other snack foods like nuts and baked crackers.
Blackstone is another ALDI brand offering deli-style snacks such as veggie straws, prawn, whole grain and potato chips. Blackstone also sells a variety of chip flavours like sea salt, honey soy chicken, chili, cheddar cheese and caramelised onion.
Woolworths has a homebrand line of ‘low-price’ everyday essentials for your home, kitchen and snacking needs! The Woolies chips range has cheese rings, classic corn and crinkle-cut potato chips and stacked chips. Some flavours include original, sour cream & onion and roast chicken.
Smith’s began making crisps in the UK in the 1920s before reaching Australian shores a decade later. The brand cemented its reputation as ‘Australia’s favourite chip’ maker after introducing us to the first chicken-flavoured chips in 1961. Today, the brand offers a wide range of thin and crinkle-cut potato chips in a variety of classic flavours like cheese and onion, salt and vinegar, as well as limited edition alternatives.
Tyrrells crisps are claimed to be super crunchy thanks to the traditional English method used to slow cook potatoes in batches with the jackets on. Tyrrells potato chips come in deli-style flavours including sea salt original, sea salt & cider vinegar and mature cheddar cheese and chives. Tyrrells products are said to not contain any nasties and are gluten-free.
Red Rock Deli promises to deliver unique tastes and textures that capture your imagination with its selection of tortilla & potato chips and table nuts. The brand’s range of potato chips usually come in popular flavours like sea salt & lime and black pepper. There are also limited-edition and deluxe lines to choose from, with these likely to boast more unique combinations like parmesan & black truffle oil, or bourbon-glazed sticky ribs.
Cheezels is the brand behind the crunchy, cheesy ring-shaped snack with the finger-sized hole that both kids and adults have come to love. It’s the perfect snack for any occasion! Cheezels provides a range of cheesy flavour options including original cheese, cheese and bacon as well as ‘mini’ options for kids.
Kettle is passionate about crafting great-tasting chips. That’s why its potato chips are said to be slow-cooked in sunflower oil and seasoned with 100% natural flavours. The brand offers a wide assortment of thin and crinkle-cut potato chips, from classic and cheesy, to spicy and tangy, there’s not a flavour Kettle doesn’t serve.
Thins, as the name suggests, are light and crispy thin-cut potato chips that make an easy afternoon snack when entertaining friends (or anytime really). The Thins range includes classic and gourmet flavours such as salt and vinegar, light and tangy, tzatziki and Himalayan pink salt. Thins are gluten-free and said to contain no artificial colours and flavours.
Not to sound cheesy, but everyone knows Twisties! It’s an Aussie snack icon that’s had a special place in our hearts (and stomachs) for over 50 years, thanks to its delicious crispy corn curls. The brand has two original flavours, cheese and chicken, as well as some special limited-edition options from time to time.
Marketed for those who want full volume, full flavour and a full-on tooth rattling crunch, Doritos is a popular pick! The brand offers a bold-tasting range of snacks which includes its famous Mexican-style corn chips and salsa dips. There’s a variety of options to choose from, including original salted, nacho cheese, cool ranch, Mexicana cheese and other limited-edition flavours like barbeque meat lovers.
Sunbites Grain Waves are a range of wholegrain snacks that are both tasty and good for your waistline, supposedly containing 30% less fat than crinkle-cut potato chips. Grain Waves come in a variety of flavours such as sweet chili, sour cream and chives, and caramelised onion & balsamic. Grain Waves products are apparently made with Australian wheat, corn and oats and contain no artificial nasties.
Pop open a can of Pringles for a party snack that will keep everyone satisfied. Pringles is a range of stacked potato chips packaged in long cans. The brand offers a variety of flavours, including salt & vinegar, chicken salt, Sichuan-style spicy chicken, BBQ and New York-style cheeseburger. Pringles also offers smaller stacked cans and mini-sized multipack options.
CC’s stands for corn chips, which makes sense as a brand that sells some of the most popular tortilla chips. The products are said to be made using Aussie-ground corn, lightly seasoned, and topped off with added cheese baked into the chip. Need we say more? Some flavours available include tasty cheese, nacho cheese, CC’s original and CC’s special burger sauce.
Burger Rings is another popular party and lunchbox treat that’s got people craving more of its unique ‘big burger taste’. The brand falls under the Smith’s Snackfood Company, the same folks behind Twisties, Doritos, Cheetos, and more.
Claimed to be packed with real flavour and 100% real ingredients, Natural Chip Co chips are said to taste great ‘naturally’ and contain no artificial flavours, colours, preservatives or added MSG. Plus, most Natural Chip Co products are gluten-free. The brand offers tortilla strips, veggies rings and crinkle-cut potato chips which come in gourmet flavours such as sea salt, honey soy chicken, sour cream & chives and more.
Coles’ own brand is the supermarket’s range of ‘great-value’ household and pantry essentials. The private label offers a small range of thin and crinkle-cut potato chips which come in a wide variety of flavours including salt & vinegar, sea salt, chicken, honey soy and original. Coles offers a mix bag of stacked and regular chips bag options.
The brands featured in this year’s report aren’t the only ones worth checking out. Here are a couple more you might want to try:
Cheetos are a go-to if you’re after a crunchy cheesy treat, but be warned you can’t eat them without licking the signature ‘cheetle’ off your fingers! Cheetos offers a range of ‘flaming hot’ cheesy sticks and puffs for those looking to spice things up and some milder options for the rest of us. Some flavour options include cheese & bacon and cheese.
Samboy promises to offer ‘big flavours that will really hit you’ (or rather your taste buds). The brand is iconic for its crinkled potato chips which come in popular flavours like atomic tomato, salt & vinegar, barbecue and chicken.
Our recent survey found one in three consumers (31%) buy whichever brand is cheapest or on special, while 18% prefer to try limited edition or newly released flavours. Our research also revealed 38% of respondents usually buy the same brand of chips, with 53% having tried multiple brands.
In terms of flavour choice, this will depend on what you’re in the mood for. If you’re snacking on chips while binge-watching your favourite Netflix series, then anything goes right? However, if you’re pairing your chips with dips or spreads then it’s important to choose a flavour that will complement your condiments. On the other hand, if you’re nibbling on chips as an appetizer before a meal, then a more subtle or classic flavour will be your best bet, so as not to distract from the main course.
Interestingly, our latest survey saw taste as the biggest driver of satisfaction for consumers, which suggests Aussies care about quality as much as they do value. You can use our guide as a starting point to see how Aussies rated different brands in these categories. And enjoy!
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s home & lifestyle journalist, Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito. She’s an expert on household appliances, grooming products and all things grocery and shopping. In addition to translating our expert research into consumer-friendly ratings reports, Tahnee spends her time helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services, while highlighting the best deals and anything you need to be aware of.
Our latest survey saw Sprinters (ALDI) rated best in most categories:
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased (from a supermarket or grocer) and consumed a packet of potato chips/crisps in the last three months — in this case 2,072 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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