A panel of taste testers, including a seven-year-old, sampled ten varieties of lightly salted crisps from UK supermarkets to find the perfect summer snack. The crisps were evaluated blind for crunch, saltiness, potato flavour, and moreishness. While every brand had its fans, some stood out as ideal for an aperitivo or picnic, while others fell short.
The top pick was Torres Selecta Extra Virgin Olive Oil Crisps, which divided opinion due to their yellow colour and higher fat content from olive oil. One tester declared: “Serve me these with an aperitivo immediately: crunch, salt, good oil – YES.” However, the seven-year-old gave them just one out of five, while an adult awarded five. These Andalusian crisps are best enjoyed with a chilled glass of sherry.
M&S Hand Cooked Sea Salt Crisps were praised for their “classic flavour” and “excellent crunch,” with testers noting they “actually taste of potato!” Despite some describing them as “mid-range,” they offer great value. Waitrose Essential Sea Salt Crinkle Cut Crisps were deemed “aggressively crunchy” with high salt content, perfect for a hangover, but lacking potatoey flavour.
Tesco Finest Sea Salt Hand Cooked Crisps were described as “perfectly fine” and “quite moreish,” with a thin, crisp texture that tasted of baked potato. Tyrrells Lightly Sea Salted Crisps, cooked skin-on, provided a decent potatoey flavour and were well-balanced for festivals or picnics, though some found them “middle of the road.”
Kettle Chips Lightly Salted, despite being hand-fried in small batches in Norwich, were criticised as “greasy,” “blah,” and “cardboardy,” with testers saying they “need more salt.” Morrisons The Best Sea Salt Crinkle Cut Crisps were “bang average” and “wouldn’t put out for guests,” feeling cheap despite the price. Asda Extra Special Sea Salt Crinkle Cut Crisps tasted “a bit stale” and “dense,” with excessive saltiness.
