Trader Joe's Takis Dupes Vs Name Brand: Which Chips Are Better?

There are seemingly endless chip varieties to choose from at every store now, ranging from your most basic potato chips to tortilla chips enhanced with a variety of different flavors. But there's one kind of chip that stands apart from the rest: Takis Fuego. These Mexican rolled chips — and the Trader Joe's dupe of the product — are interesting thanks to their creative rolled shape and signature spicy, lime-y flavor. 

If you've never tried these products before, though, you may assume that they're the same thing: They're not. There are quite a few differences between the original Takis and the Trader Joe's dupe, which is why I decided to compare and contrast the two to deliver the 411 on which is better and more worth your hard-earned cash.

Whether you're already an avid Takis snacker or you always top off your TJ's shopping trip to the chip aisle specifically for the grocery chain's Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips, this taste test will tell you everything you need to know about these two very similar — albeit ultimately quite different — flavored corn chips.

Takis are a unique type of corn chip that, instead of being flat like most corn chips out there, are rolled into a thin tube. This gives them a super intense crunch. They're also doused in a chili pepper and lime-flavored dust that makes them incredibly bold. These chips are somewhat spicy, yes, but they're nicely balanced with a note of acidity you won't even find in other lime-flavored chips on store shelves.

A single one-ounce serving of Takis Fuego contains 140 calories, eight grams of fat, and a whopping 420 milligrams of sodium, which is partially what makes them taste so good. They're made primarily with corn flour, along with vegetable oil and a slew of seasonings that feature both recognizable ingredients (like onion powder), food coloring, and less familiar additives like disodium inosinate. Additionally, the signature flaming hue of Takis Fuego is derived from the food coloring Red 40, which is currently scheduled to become banned by the Food and Drug Administration by the end of the year, according to reporting by the BBC.

There are some "dupes" out there that can be argued aren't really dupes but just coincidentally similar products. That's not the case when it comes to Trader Joe's Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips. This is about as obvious a Trader Joe's snack dupe as it gets, with the same signature rolled chip construction and the same chili and lime seasoning mix. The ingredients are quite similar to those of Takis. Turn the bag around, and you'll find that these chips contain stone ground yellow corn, vegetable oil, a chili-lime seasoning, and other ingredients.

Nutritionally speaking, Trader Joe's Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips boast similar, but not identical, stats to Takis. They contain slightly more calories, coming in at 150 calories per 1-ounce serving, although they're less salty, with just 260 milligrams of sodium. The fat content is identical, at 8 grams of fat. Although these might be the better option if you're watching your salt intake, there's not a big difference in nutrition between the two products. That said, Trader Joe's Takis dupe does avoid the synthetic food coloring additives; instead, its color is imparted by turmeric, paprika, and concentrated fruit and vegetable juice.

You can find Takis Fuego at a variety of grocery and convenience stores, so they shouldn't be hard to locate for most people who generally have access to packaged snack foods. On the other hand, Trader Joe's Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips are trickier to find because you can only get them at an actual Trader Joe's location. This will likely make Takis Fuego more appealing to some snackers, simply because it can be found at a wider variety of stores and doesn't require buyers to be near a Trader Joe's location.

You can buy the TJ's chips for $2.99 for 9 ounces, but the price for Takis will likely vary depending on where you buy them. At my local Star Market, for instance, they're $3 for a 9.9-ounce bag, so they're very similarly priced to the Trader Joe's version. However, you can also get a larger, 17-ounce "fiesta" size of the product for $5.49.

As soon as you open a bag of Takis Fuego, you're immediately met with a strong chili and lime aroma: This is how you know you're in for a treat. Take a bite, and you'll first notice the intense crunchiness of these chips. Because these tortilla chips are rolled into a tube-like shape, they're a bit more solid than an average tortilla chip, meaning they don't break apart as easily and they offer a more pronounced crunch than other varieties of chips out there. This unique shape appears to be Takis' calling card, offering an interesting and unique snacking experience.

Flavor-wise, the lime comes across your palate first, with an incredibly bold, acidic flavor. Although some chips can taste too fatty and flat, that's not the case here: The brightness from the lime makes every bite interesting. However, if you're not already a fan of lime, then you may find these chips a bit too intense — that acidity plays a starring role in the snack's overall flavor. 

After that burst of lime, comes the heat. These chips are relatively spicy and will certainly be too bold for those who don't like spicy foods. However, if you're already someone who snacks on spicy stuff on the regular, these chips won't taste overwhelming. Overall, they offer a nice balance of acidity and heat, making for an intensely flavored snack.

When you're working with a dupe product, like Trader Joe's Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips, you may assume that you're going to get a nearly identical flavor to the original product. However, that's not the case when it comes to this Trader Joe's knockoff. The flavor of these chips is much less concentrated than Takis Fuego. 

You won't smell any remarkable aroma when you open the bag. Flavor-wise, those lime and chili flavors are still present, but they're less noticeable than in the Takis. These chips are also somewhat less spicy (though they still feature some heat), which may make them more appealing for those who want to avoid too much heat while snacking. That lack of concentrated flavor is evident in the seasoning coating on these — it's much less bold and red than the product it's imitating (since it uses natural instead of artificial coloring). Considering that these chips don't contain as much salt, you don't get that same intense savoriness that you do in standard Takis.

These chips also appear to be rolled a bit tighter than the brand-name counterpart, offering an even crunchier experience than original Takis. If that super crunchy texture is important to you, the Trader Joe's version of the snack may be more up your alley than the original.

For those who like a bold and spicy flavor, Takis Fuego is the clear winner because of its intense lime-y flavor and higher level of heat. This is because the concentration of flavor is incredibly important to the integrity of the snack. If I wanted mildly flavored corn chips, I'd just look for those. Instead, Takis Fuego promises that signature spicy and acidic flavor profile, which is exactly why I'd choose these chips over others. The bolder color, thanks to artificial flavors, isn't exactly preferred, but it does seem to inform you that you're about to eat a spicier snack. And even the relative lack of crunch isn't a problem here since Takis Fuego really do deliver so much more in terms of flavor.

Trader Joe's Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips aren't necessarily bad, but since they're not as bold or spicy as their original counterpart, they fall flat on the flavor front. Although they may be appealing to some consumers who don't like as much heat, this is a snack that's supposed to be spicy, which is why, ultimately, Takis Fuego takes the top spot here.