The Best Potato Chips That Are Easy to Find
Why Utz Makes the Best Widely Available Potato Chips
Utz makes the best widely available potato chips. Hear me out.
Are they better than Fox Family’s chips? No. But unless you live in Maine (or are ordering online), they’re not exactly an everyday option. Utz is—and they’re the best version of that kind of chip. (If you’re chasing the absolute best, though, Fox Family is worth tracking down.)
What Makes a Great Potato Chip? It Starts with the Potatoes
Like Fox Family, what sets Utz apart starts with the potatoes. Simply put, Utz’s chips have more potato flavor than other brands.
If you read my post on Fox Family chips, this will sound familiar—but it’s worth repeating:
You might hear someone say, “Potatoes don’t taste like anything” (usually with a smirk). This is just flat-out wrong.
Let’s cut that smart aleck some slack: maybe they were raised on commodity-grade, flavorless potatoes.
Thickness, Oil, and Salt: The Details That Matter
Beyond the potato flavor, a few other key attributes stand out and contribute to Utz’s deliciousness:
- Good thickness: Some chips are razor thin. That’s not a bad thing—but a little extra thickness helps enhance the pleasure of eating a potato chip. This is science, my friends!
- Not too oily: Your hands will still come away from a snacking session with oil, but these chips aren’t drenched in it.1
- Balanced saltiness: Some chips are aggressively salted. Not Utz. They’re still salty—but not excessively so. Just enough to enhance the potato flavor.
Simply put, Utz’s chips have more potato flavor than other brands. Like Fox Family, they actually taste like potatoes—not oil. With some chips, the oil ends up being the dominant flavor, and that’s not the case here.
Once you get past the fundamentals—the potatoes, the oil, and the salt—Utz really separates itself with its range of flavors.
Utz Chip Flavors: A Deep Bench
BBQ Chips: Surprisingly Strong Across the Board
They have eight (eight!)2 BBQ flavors, most of which are better than what you’ll find elsewhere. I’m not usually a BBQ chip person, but I enjoy most of Utz’s lineup—particularly their Carolina Style Barbecue flavor, which is easily my favorite overall BBQ chip. It’s tangy and not overly sweet.
Dark Russets: A More Developed, Roasty Chip
Then there are the Dark Russets chips. The “secret” is that they’re cooked slightly longer, creating a deeper, more developed flavor with subtle roasty notes (thanks in part to maillard reactions—the same process that gives a steak crust its flavor). These chips have an intensely—and delicious—potato-y flavor.
The Crab Chip: The Best Old Bay–Style Potato Chip
Let’s not forget their “The Crab Chip”. It’s the best Old Bay–style potato chip I’ve had. Other brands tend to go overboard on seasoning, salt, or both. Utz strikes the balance perfectly: you clearly get that Chesapeake Bay seasoning flavor without overwhelming your palate. Considering that Utz is based in Pennsylvania—not Maryland or Virginia—that’s impressive.
Salt & Malt Vinegar: One of the Best Versions Out There
Then there are the salt and vinegar chips. I adore their Salt & Malt Vinegar chips, which says a lot because I’m not a huge fan of kettle chips. I’m not sure they’re the absolute best salt and vinegar chips out there, but they’re easily top five for me. And in another sign of greatness, Utz doesn’t just make one—they make two different salt and vinegar chips.
Kettle Chips: Less Aggressive, More Easier to Eat
Speaking of kettle chips—as I mentioned, I’m typically not a fan. Many are just too thick and, as a result, too hard—borderline gum-cutting territory. Not Utz. Their kettle chips are slightly less thick, which makes them noticeably easier to eat.
Grandma Utz: Fried in Lard (But Not Quite Transcendent)
Finally, there’s Grandma Utz. These are special for one reason: they’re fried in lard. How many large-scale producers are doing that? I have to say, though, that I was expecting something transcendent—while they’re very good, they didn’t quite reach that level.
A Quick Note on Utz Chocolate-Covered Pretzels
One last note: Utz also makes the best chocolate-covered pretzels I’ve had—even better than Snyder’s. That’s saying something, considering Snyder’s is a pretzel-first company. (I break this down more in my chocolate-covered pretzel post.)
Utz vs. Fox Family: Best Overall vs. Best You Can Actually Buy
Stepping back, I’ve been eating Utz chips for over 20 years—and they’ve been consistently good in a way that makes them an easy recommendation.
Just like with Fox Family, it all comes back to the fundamentals—great potatoes, balanced oil, and the right level of salt.
If you’re chasing the absolute best potato chips, Fox Family is still the top recommendation. But if you want something you can actually grab at a grocery store without thinking twice, Utz is the move.
- For a less oily chip, check out Humble Potatos Chips. Great flavor with less oil! ↩︎
- Barbecue, Smokin’ Sweet BBQ, Grandma Utz Bar-B-Q, Honey Barbecue, Southern Sweet Heat BBQ, Maui BBQ, Carolina Style Barbecue, Smokin’ Sweet BBQ Crab Chips. Bonus: Wavy Barbecue (not a different flavor, just a different variety). ↩︎
