15 Cape Cod Chip Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

New England doesn't get much by the way of "regional food." Sure, you have Del's lemonade and Boston baked beans, but the one thing that New Englanders can proudly rest their head on is that their region is home to the best kettle chips in the world: Cape Cod chips. 

As a lifelong resident of the region, I've had my fair share of these kettle-cooked chips over the years (which are, in fact, produced in the quaint Cape town of Hyannis). But, even I can admit that I haven't scaled up all of the offerings from this brand. In order to decide if I've been in the dark about the best flavor of Cape Cod chips, I rounded up as many flavors and variations of the brand's kettle chips as I could find and ranked them from worst to best. As I tasted them, I looked for how well each variety represented its respective flavor, and also considered any structural or textural issues that I ran into in the process. While I'll admit that none of these chips were bad, per se, there were some that were far tastier than others — and the top-ranked ones are definitely ones that you should consider packing as your next beach snack. 

I am usually a fiend for sour cream and onion chips — except when it comes to the Cape Cod brand. It honestly felt like Cape Cod was dangling the idea of a sour cream and onion chip over my head without really going all-out with its flavor. 

The chip itself was great; it wasn't greasy or oily, which meant that I could come back to it for a second, third, or fourth bite and not be too upset about it. However, the brand failed to really grab me in on flavor, which is the primary reason why I didn't want to eat more of the chips than I had to (which is a lot for me to say, considering how much I absolutely love sour cream and onion chips). I could detect some sour cream and some herbiness underneath those kettle-cooked layers, but it wasn't enough seasoning to make this chip stand out amongst the rest and send me back into the bag for another handful.

Plain Jane has its purpose in this world, and that is a title that can be given to these original sea salt kettle chips without a second thought. In all honesty, the original Cape Cod chips really fit the bill for what a kettle chip can and should be. They're not overtly greasy, nor are they overwhelming in terms of their saltiness. I didn't find anything particularly wrong with these chips — so they were one of the hardest flavors to rank out of the bunch. 

As the age-old adage goes, "I said I want something big. I want something that says I'm here: 'Beyoncé'." If the top-ranking flavor was worthy of the pop star's approval, these original kettle chips were the backup dancers — and not very good ones at that.

I've never really been a fan of Ruffles chips, so I didn't suspect that I was going to like these Waves chips any more. I found their flavor to be somewhat greasy; this oiliness was more pronounced than the original kettle chips. I also didn't think the salt flavor on these chips was concentrated enough either because I could still taste the prominent potato flavor underneath them.

Functionally, the Waves chips are better off than the regular ones. The gentle waves, not unlike the ones you'd find rolling against Cape Cod's seashore, can easily hold on to your favorite dip without cracking or sloshing off back into the container. While the lack of salty flavor left something to be desired, these are chips that I wouldn't mind eating again, especially if they were paired with a flavorful dip recipe. 

I'm a big fan of sour cream and onion chips, but I don't know if I can say the same about sour cream and cheese. These Waves chips are supposed to be covered with sour cream and white cheddar dust — which I suspected would be a flop from the beginning. White cheddar has a really mild flavor and is difficult to taste when you eat a block of it, let alone turn it into a powder and plaster it on a potato chip. 

The sour cream flavor on these chips is certainly prominent, and I thought it was a little more well-rounded than the sour cream and onion chips. However, the only time I really noticed the cheese was in the aftertaste. I wish these chips had a little more bold, cheesy flavor, like the aged white cheddar chips did. While they're not bad chips all-around, the lack of flavor prominence earned them a low spot in this ranking.

If I wasn't a barbecue chip lover before, I am now. These full-fat sweet mesquite barbecue kettle chips are outstanding — at least in terms of their flavor. The aroma of these chips is like a subtle smoked salt; it's not too oppressive, but still intriguing enough to make you want to grab a handful.

The seasoning is a perfect balance between all things sweet, like honey, and smoky. It's complex, yet is welcoming enough. While this balance was pleasing for both my nose and my palate, I felt myself craving a bit more salt on the outside of them. The aftertaste had some prominent black pepper notes, so it would have been nice to have some salinity to balance out this kettle chip as a whole.

I also noticed that these chips appeared less crisp than the other products that I sampled (and the low-fat mesquite chips, too). So while the flavor was satisfying, the texture was not. It should be an easy fix that would move this flavor farther up in my ranking. 

Barbecue has never been my go-to chip, especially when there are more crave-worthy flavors (hint: sour cream and onion) out there. But, these kettle chips do make me consider why I've been so opposed to this flavor in the past. Cape Cod's honey BBQ wavy chips certainly aren't as barbecue-forward as the mesquite barbecue ones. The chips instead offer a gentle hint of spice and molasses. The sweetness doesn't make things too cloying, but still gives this chip balance and a more unique flavor profile than I experienced with the other flavors in this ranking. 

I'm not a sweet-leaning potato chip person, so these chips didn't really strike me the right way compared to other flavors from the brand. After all, there's limited options for what you can pair with a sweet chip. But, if you're looking for an easy entry into the world of barbecue chips, this would be a great place to start. Functionally, these chips hit all the boxes: They're sturdy, easy to pick up, and will hold your dip without any issues. However, these chips can't climb higher until Cape Cod rebalances its flavor formula with less sugar and more spice. 

Sea salt and vinegar chips come on a spectrum. While you'll sometimes get chips that have a very mild tang, you'll also get varieties that make you pucker up and send you running for a glass of water. Cape Cod is one of the latter. These chips sting like jellyfish at the beach. Correction: a Portuguese Man o' War. They show absolutely no mercy when it comes to their flavor. 

I'm happy Cape Cod went all-out with this flavor, but I'm also a little hesitant to reach into the bag for another handful because of how sour that vinegar flavor is. It's so strong that even thinking about grabbing another chip makes my eyes water. 

The vinegar isn't the only thing that this chip has going on, either; the saltiness is a nice contrast to the tangy vinegar, and the crunchiness is pleasant and uplifting. It's not a chip that I could see myself eating or enjoying, but I'm sure someone with masochistic tendencies would get a lot out of buying a bag. 

Salt is very much tied to our perception of flavor, which is why I was a little apprehensive to sample these low-sodium sea salt chips. After all, part of the joy of eating potato chips is that salty residue that sticks to your fingers, right? Well, I can't say that I really missed out on the salt here. Instead of getting my taste buds walloped with sodium (though, as a whole, Cape Cod does a good job of preventing this from happening with all of its products), I got a familiar, yet unique potato flavor. It was bold, well-rounded, and earthy — though it wasn't as potato-y as the russet chips that I sampled. It was also interesting that the low-sodium chips and the dark russet chips had a similar saltiness — which makes me wonder if the brand forgot to slap the low-sodium label on the dark russets, too. 

The crispiness of the low-sodium chips was certainly present, but it wasn't as pronounced as it was with the low-fat original kettle chips. Regardless, these low-sodium chips still have a pleasant flavor and won't leave you craving something salty after you put down the bag. 

The sweet and spicy jalapeño chips had the spice that its other wavy ranch counterpart lacked. These chips were brimming with fresh jalapeño flavor from start to finish. I could feel the subtle prickle on my tongue and the lingering taste on my lips. The spice here was prickly, rather than burn-your-mouth-off hot – which I could appreciate.

I ranked these chips higher than the jalapeño ranch because they were able to deliver on the spicy component. I wouldn't mind eating these with a sandwich that needed a hint of something special, but as someone who doesn't love spice, I can't admit that they were my favorites. 

Ah, the black (or should I say brown) sheep of the family. These dark russet potatoes have a noticeably different bag color and shape than all the other kettle chips that I sampled. And the chips inside are different, too — and not in a bad way. 

These chips taste almost like the homemade chips you'd get from a good deli. They have a deep potato flavor that distracts you from the salt and makes for a complex bite. Although the flavor of these chips is rustic, the texture is not; it resembles the rest of the original Cape Cod chips. 

The dark russet chips are not what most people would expect when they hear the word "kettle chips." They're plainer than plain, and they don't have to hide behind any gimmicky flavors to be truly spectacular. While these would be a great pairing for a chicken salad sandwich, they would not be the bag I would reach for when I'm having a midnight craving for kettle chips. So, it earns a respectable spot near the middle of this list. 

I don't particularly enjoy spicy potato chips because I think the flavor tends to distract you from whatever you're eating them with. But these jalapeño ranch chips are something that I, a mostly spice-averse eater, would consider buying again — and I don't even like ranch dressing! 

The ranch flavor on these chips isn't as dominant and as cloying as I would expect it to be. Rather, it comes off like a more herbaceous and more flavorful sour cream dusting. This ranch flavor really outweighs the rest of the flavor notes from the jalapeños. In fact, I didn't really notice that the peppers were there until I felt a little tingle on my tongue after I was done eating them. I think that, as it stands, these chips are fine and pleasant to eat. But, if Cape Cod really wanted to double up on the spice and make the jalapeño more prominent, it would send the ranch out of balance. In other words, I would be fine with these chips, but a true spice lover probably would not be. 

It was surprising to see that Cape Cod made a full-fat and a reduced-fat version of the sweet mesquite barbecue chips. I figured that the low-fat version would have a more crispy bite, since adding oil to foods tends to make them more soft and pliable. So, it was strange to see that these chips tasted the exact same — all the way down to their crunch. 

The marketing here was a bit confusing, as the bag notes that the product contains 4 ounces less fat per serving "than the leading potato chip." The brand also specifies on its website that it gives the chips another rotation in the kettle to drain off some of the excess oil — so there should be a difference between the two. 

I'm not after nutrition facts here, but there's something to be said if a brand can replicate a lower-fat version of the exact same product without fundamentally altering its taste or consistency. Both are decent chips and are equally worthy of a coveted spot in your grocery cart, though. 

At first glance, there appears to be little difference between the sour cream and white cheddar Waves chips and the white cheddar and sour cream kettle chips, except for one word: aged. And, it's a word that makes all the difference in this ranking. 

When I think of aged white cheddar, I think of two snacks: Pirate's Booty and Smartfood popcorn. However, both of those other snack options taste quite fake compared to these aged white cheddar and sour cream Cape Cod chips. The flavor of the cheese on the chips is distinctly buttery and smooth, almost like the flavor notes that you get from a crock of homemade white cheddar mac and cheese. I can taste a little sourness from the sour cream, but I don't think that it eclipses the mild cheddar in any sense of the word. I wasn't left craving more salt on these chips, nor did I want anything crispier. These are great chips — though I don't think they can go with every food you pair with them since the flavor is too niche. 

I tried the low-fat original sea salt chips after I tried the mesquite and low-fat mesquite combo. While there was no clear difference between the two flavored chips, there clearly was a difference between the low-fat kettle chips and its unflavored, full-fat counterpart. I found the low-fat chips to be about 10 times crunchier than the latter. Each bite hit the back of my molars perfectly and made for a cacophony that should come with the experience of eating kettle chips. I would also venture to call these chips the crispiest out of the bunch, which means they won me over on the textural front. 

The one limitation that these chips have is that salt is its only flavor. Granted, I was glad to see that Cape Cod was a little more heavy-handed with the salt on this chip than with some of its other selections. I would eat this low-fat product before I would even touch the original chips, but I can't say that they were as satisfying as some of my top flavored chip picks of this ranking. 

I firmly believe that black pepper is an underutilized spice. While salt and pepper seem like a combination that's used in almost every savory recipe, it's rare that a brand goes all-out on this flavor. So, I have to tip my hat to Cape Cod for making chips that unapologetically scream "black pepper" at the tops of their lungs. 

When I opened the bag of sea salt and cracked pepper chips, I felt compelled to lean in and take a whiff. I was immediately met with a black pepper smell that caressed my nose; it felt like the feeling of a cat rubbing up against your legs with its body. The flavor of these chips, as I expected, was very prominently black pepper. You can see the little crushed peppercorns on the golden outside of each chip and feel the peppery bounce on your tongue as you eat them. The sea salt is much more toned down and only really comes through for the aftertaste.

I personally loved these chips — though I think if you were under the age of 10, they might be a little too much. But as for me, I will surely be packing a bag of these chips up for my next trip to the Cape. 

I love potato chips, so it's reasonable to assume that I'm going to have my preferences in regards to which flavor is best right off the bat. In order to keep this tasting as objective as possible, I sampled each chip solo (meaning without any dips or accompaniments) on the same day that I opened the bag. I wanted to ensure that each chip that I sampled was as crisp as it could possibly be.

As I crunched away, I focused on several key factors: balance of flavors, crunchiness, and if I felt compelled to come back for "just a couple more." The ideal kettle chip should have that distinct crispiness that sets it apart from a plain potato chip, along with a balanced flavor that has the perfect amount of saltiness and a profile representative of the flavor listed on the bag. I also ranked flavors that could be eaten with a variety of foods over those that were too niche and would only pair well with certain other foods, like sandwiches.