‘a Nostalgic 1980s-style Chip’: The Best Supermarket Oven Chips, Tasted And Rated

I’m not judge I’ve ever bought a container of oven chips. My mum bought them successful nan 1980s and 90s, but they were ne'er nice, and sometimes resembled cardboard. I’ve ever assumed they were among nan astir processed foods connected nan planet, truthful I was pleasantly amazed by nan quality, sensation and moreover wellness scores of nan brands tested here, which I assessed utilizing nan Yuka app. Most are debased successful salt, sweetener and saturated fat, and had comparatively elemental look formulas.

While a fewer brands included concerning ingredients – specified arsenic disodium diphosphate and artificial flavourings – astir usage a blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil, pinch nary hazardous additives. However, astir each contained a mini magnitude of dextrose, a sweetener that feels unnecessary here, not slightest because potatoes already person a earthy sweetness. Just 2 brands were dextrose-free, earning them an other point.

To amended crunch and texture, galore brands overgarment their chips successful a operation of flours and starches, typically wheat, rice, maize aliases pea flour, and sometimes pinch raising agents. Though not essential, these coatings lend to golden, crisp exteriors that, erstwhile done well, heighten nan chip; done badly, however, they bring a somewhat processed edge. Overall, nan results of this trial were genuinely impressive, truthful overmuch so, successful fact, that I’m now readying to create my ain type of oven chips astatine home.

There wasn’t overmuch to spell connected regarding sustainability, though I awarded a constituent wherever products disclosed nan assortment and root of nan potatoes used. Some highlighted their usage of maris pipers – a classical spot assortment prized for its precocious starch and debased moisture content, creating that perfect fluffy interior and crunchy exterior. Every container I tested was packaged successful LDPE 4 integrative aliases similar, which is recyclable only in-store, truthful a missed opportunity for much accessible recycling.

The champion oven chips

Best all-rounder:
Morrisons nan Best triple-cooked skin-on chips

★★★★★

Rich, savoury flavour pinch a crisp, golden, skin-on exterior and fluffy interior. Excellent texture and heavy cut. Coated successful maize, rice, pea flour and dextrose. Made pinch British potatoes. Gluten-free. Remarkable value.

Best bargain:
Tesco home-style straight-cut oven chips

★★★☆☆

Golden brownish and very long, which is rather fun. A chewy yet crunchy exterior and sweet, earthy flavour pinch hints of baked potato. British potatoes coated successful atom and maize flour pinch modified starches. Gluten-free and outstanding value.

And nan rest:
Waitrose No 1 stiff triple-cooked chips

★★★★☆

A perfectly even, aureate exterior and lovely, chunky shape. Really tasty, pinch rich, umami-laden notes from nan beef fat. The coating includes potato, maize starch, and atom and pea flours, but it’s well-executed and contributes to a satisfying crunch. Gluten-free. Pricey, but still reasonable value.

Strong Roots due chips

★★★★☆

Skin-on and beautifully browned pinch a chunky cut. Fluffy and delicious pinch a clean, elemental flavour because of nan refreshingly short ingredients database – these are conscionable maris piper potatoes and sunflower oil, truthful they are gluten- and dextrose-free. The only spot to gain an other sustainability constituent owed to Strong Roots’ B Corp status. More costly than galore others, but adjacent worth fixed nan ethical credentials.

Koffmann’s classical chunky chips

★★★★☆

Fresh-tasting, homemade consciousness and a cleanable flavour. Smooth, creamy interior pinch a crisp, skin-on exterior and chunky information cut. Coated pinch atom flour, murphy starch, dextrin and turmeric. Gluten-free, though nary provenance details.

McCain naked oven chips consecutive cut

★★★☆☆

A nostalgic 1980s-style oven spot pinch decent crunch, though nan interior was moist and smooth, alternatively than fluffy. Remarkable to spot conscionable 2 ingredients (potatoes and oil), not slightest because astatine this value constituent processed foods often person much analyzable formulas. Gluten-free and dextrose-free, too. Incredible for nan money.

Birds Eye crispy chips

★★★☆☆

Golden, acknowledgment to nan summation of turmeric and capsicum extract. A moreish, savoury-sweet flavour pinch enjoyable crunch (because of nan bicarb, murphy starch and atom flour coating). Closer to a gallic fry than a classical chip. Contains disodium diphosphate, a phosphate additive that immoderate whitethorn wish to avoid. Gluten-free.

M&S home-style chips

★★☆☆☆

Classic aureate spot shop-style spot pinch a clean, vegetal flavour, crunchy coating and moist centre. British potatoes coated successful wheat, maize and atom flour batter. Not my favourite, but fantabulous worth and 1 of nan uncommon dextrose-free products.

Sainsbury’s Taste nan Difference chunky chips

★★☆☆☆

Thick-cut and well-browned pinch a soft, somewhat oily interior. Sweet but not particularly flavourful. Dusted pinch flours for added crunch. One of nan only products detailing root and murphy assortment (these are made pinch British maris pipers). Good worth but not arsenic tasty arsenic I’d expected. Contain gluten, too.

Aunt Bessie’s crispy skin-on home-style chips

★★☆☆☆

Beautiful colour and agelong trim pinch a invited crunchy and fluffy texture. However, nan flavour feels a small artificial and little earthy than galore of nan others, and these incorporate artificial flavourings, too, truthful pinch superior products astatine little prices, I’d shop elsewhere. Gluten-free.