I Tried 9 Sour Cream and Onion Chip Brands and This One Beat the Rest
There are so many good flavors of chips out there, but sour cream and onion is an OG for a reason. The flavor is delicious, it pairs well with dips, it even pairs well with things like caviar for a fancy snack. That said, there are a lot of options when it comes to sour cream and onion chips.
Some claim to be crunchy, some claim to be better for you, and others are familiar labels we most likely all know like Lay's and Pringles. There were some really strong contenders, and it was ultimately challenging to pick one winner, but one brand did come out on top. The order is starting with my least favorite, ending in my favorite.
Lay's Stax Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips
Calories: 140
Fat: 8g
Sodium: 180mg
Carbs: 17g
Protein: 2g
Lay's came out with their version of a stacked chip called Stax, so of course we had to give it a try. The brand is legendary when it comes to chips and generally for good reason.
The Look:
They look a little lumpy, like a baked chip, and you can see the sprinkling of seasoning on each crisp. They seem a little thicker than Pringles, but give a similar shape.
The Taste:
I am not a fan at all. The flavor is very minimal and the texture is pretty offputting compared to some of the other options. The crunch is there, but it's almost foam-like in texture and has a bit of an odd aftertaste.
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $2
- Cost per serving: About $0.33
PICS Sour Cream And Onion Rippled Potato Chips
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g
Sodium: 160mg
Carbs: 15g
Protein: 2g
I wanted to include PICS to see if a store brand has similar quality to other chips. It seems that generally, when you try out the store brand, they compare to a larger brand on the market.
The Look:
They're thick, have a dusting of seasoning, and the ridge is similar to the look of Wise chips. With how similar they look, I'm curious if it'll be the same salt level and crunch factor that the Wise chips have.
The Taste:
The answer to that is no. They're honestly just mediocre at best, I'd say. They're lacking a good amount of salt and seasoning, and they look like they're going to be as crispy as the Wise chips, but they are not on that level at all.
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $2.69
- Cost per serving: About $0.27
Utz Ripples Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g
Sodium: 180mg
Carbs: 15g
Protein: 2g
I enjoy Utz products personally, especially when paired with a good French onion, chip dip. I like how they're on the smaller side and almost seem a little bit more well done with some brown crispy edges.
The Look:
When I popped open the bag, those brown crispy edges were noticeable. The ridges were consistent, as well. There seemed to be more ridges in each chip than in some of the other brands with larger chips and ridges. They are very heavily seasoned, too.
The Taste:
They have a nice crunch to them without being too severe on your teeth and are packed with phenomenal flavor. It's hard to not fill all those ridges with a good chip dip and just taste them by themselves, but they are great alone. A solid contender.
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $2.94
- Cost per serving: About $0.33
The Fresh Market Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g
Sodium: 160mg
Carbs: 15g
Protein: 2g
The Fresh Market has sour cream and onion chips that are meant to be a little thicker. Just like pasta, the different shapes seem to taste a little different. Let's see if the ridge-less chips are just as yummy!
The Look:
They seem sprinkled with a little seasoning and they definitely don't smell nearly as strong as other varieties out there. They appear quite thin and crispy with some brown edges.
The Taste:
The chips didn't look overly seasoned, but wow, they are coated in a delicious seasoning. These lack that greasy feel, but have a really satisfying texture that almost melts in your mouth after your crunch down on it. There's something about the seasoning that I'm not personally the biggest fan of. That's the only thing holding me back from giving it a higher spot.
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $4.49
- Cost per serving: About $0.50
Pringles Sour Cream & Onion Potato Crisps Chips
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g
Sodium: 160mg
Carbs: 16g
Protein: 1g
Pringles have always been a star of the show, with some unique flavors, for a while. Sour cream and onion are one of the best, in my personal opinion, and I've been a long time fan of these, so I was curious to see how they ranked.
The Look:
They have a nice seasoning to them and a curved shape stackable in the tin. It seems as though the bottom always has a little bit more seasoning than the top of the chip. They have a little bit of a dry feel, not oily.
The Taste:
If you haven't tried the sour cream and onion Pringles yet, they are crunchy, and seasoned evenly. Plus, I love that Pringles don't leave a greasy feel on your fingers like other chips do.
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $2.39
- Cost per serving: About $0.34
Lay's Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips
Calories: 160
Fat: 10g
Sodium: 200mg
Carbs: 15g
Protein: 2g
Although Lay's is a big name in the industry, not every flavor is the best in my opinion. When it comes to chips, I like a little more sturdiness, especially because I love a good chip dip, but Lay's are pretty good on their own.
The Look:
They are very thin and speckled with bits of green seasoning, with many of the chips having browned crispy edges. The seasoning looks evenly dispersed and although the chips look thin, many of them have held their shape.
The Taste:
No surprise here, Lay's is still one of the best options on the market. Although not overly salty, they have a subtle sour cream and onion flavor, a great crunch and are thin and crispy. A master of their craft!
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $3.99
- Cost per serving: About $0.50
Wise Ridgies Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips
Calories: 150
Fat: 10g
Sodium: 230mg
Carbs: 14g
Protein: 2g
Wise is a medium sized chip with ridges. They have a nice darkness to them, look hardy and crispy and the seasoning looks evenly distributed. They're definitely smaller and have more ridges than some of the larger chip options out there like Wavy Lay's
The Look:
They have some sturdy ridges and look very thick cut, making them a great pairing for a thick dip. They seem like they have a good amount of seasoning on each chip without being overly seasoned, as well.
The Taste:
These are phenomenal! I'm someone who really craves a salty snack and these are probably the saltiest I've tried so far. Almost a little too salty just by itself. It really needs to be paired with something like a dip. That said, as someone who loves salt, I am obsessed.
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $4.79
- Cost per serving: About $0.60
The Good Crisp Company Sour Cream and Onion Snack Chips
Calories: 140
Fat: 7g
Sodium: 220mg
Carbs: 18g
Protein: 2g
These options from the Good Crisp Company definitely give the resemblance of Pringles, but have a heartier feel to them. They are gluten-free, soy free, and nut free, and the ingredients used are pretty natural with things like onion powder, sour cream, butter, parsley, salt, and dried potato flakes, to name a few.
The Look:
They almost look like if a Pringle and a tortilla chip had a baby. It's kind of wrinkly and withered unlike that perfect curve of a Pringle, and a little lumpy. They don't smell as strong as Pringles, but you definitely smell that the seasoning is there.
The Taste:
I'm blown away! These are unbelievably delicious. Truthfully, I've never even heard of this company before trying them today and these are probably better than Pringles. The crisp is so satisfying and you can taste how clean the ingredients are. They're not as seasoned as Pringles, but I kind of prefer that.
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $4.59
- Cost per serving: About $0.77
Cape Cod Sour Cream & Onion Kettle Cooked Potato Chips
Calories: 140
Fat: 7g
Sodium: 160mg
Carbs: 16g
Protein: 2g
I have family in Cape Cod and grew up eating these chips. My family has a clam dip recipe and pairing them with a crunchy Cape Cod kettle chip is mandatory. That said, they weren't always my favorite. They kind of have a little bit of a particular smell to them, but I like that they don't use artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
The Look:
Many of them are quite small in shape. I can tell from looking at them, and to be honest, from my past knowledge of how they taste, that the crunch factor is going to be through the roof. It's just going to be a matter of consistency with the seasoning and flavor.
The Taste:
As predicted, and because I'm familiar with this product, they were super crunchy and delicious and will hold their ground against any dip. I've never tried the sour cream and onion before, and it might be one of the most natural seasonings I've tried. There's no aftertaste, they're not too salty, and overall these chips have a satisfying flavor and texture.
Price Point:
- Cost per package: $5.99
- Cost per serving: About $0.46
When it comes to sour cream and onion chips, the top choice was Cape Cod Sour Cream & Onion Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, but it was a very close call with Good Crisp Company Sour Cream and Onion Snack Chips and Wise Ridgies Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips.