The supermarket own-brand salt and vinegar crisps that beat Tyrrells and Kettle on taste and price
SNACK ATTACK The supermarket own-brand salt and vinegar crisps that beat Tyrrells and Kettle on taste and price
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A HOST of supermarkets' own-brand salt and vinegar crisps have been crowned better than Tyrrells and Kettle.
A blind test carried out by 72 crisp enthusiasts for Which? found six retailer own-brand varieties pipped their branded counterparts in terms of both flavour and price.
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A host of supermarket own-brand crisps have pipped their branded counterparts in a Which? blind taste test
Tasters tried 10 different varieties of the popular flavour in total, including three branded bags - Tyrrell's, Kettle and Pipers.
Which? testers found Asda's Extra Special Sea Salt and Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps (£1.34 for 150g) came out top – scoring 78%.
The crisps were rated highly on texture, thickness and flavour, earning a Which? Best Buy tag.
Costing around half the price of the big brands, they also received a Great Value recommendation.
Also impressing Which?'s tasters and earning the Which? Best Buy was Co-op Irresistible Hand Cooked Sea Salt and Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Crisps (£1.70 for 150g), which scored 75%.
Tasters said they had an appetising aroma and appearance, with most agreeing they were the right thickness and crispiness.
The majority of tasters said the saltiness of the crisps was good – though some found that the vinegar was slightly too much, so these would be a good choice for fans of especially zingy crisps.
Aldi's Specially Selected Sea Salt and Chardonnay Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps (£1.09 for 150g) scored 69% and were both the cheapest on test and a popular choice among Which?'s tasters who were impressed by the crispness and thickness.
Most agreed that the seasoning was about right, though some wanted them to be a bit more salty, while others would have liked the crisps to be more vinegary.
Morrisons The Best Hand Cooked Sea Salt and Suffolk Cider Vinegar Crisps (£1.30 for 125g) scored 67%.
I tried Harry Kane's knobbly sticks after England star did a Gary Lineker by releasing snack brand - here's my verdict
Most of the tasters in the test said these looked appealing.
Two thirds thought they were the perfect thickness but lacked flavour compared to the Which? Best Buys.
M&S Hand Cooked Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar Crisps (£1.80 for 150g) scored 66%.
Half of Which?'s tasters found the salt level of these crisps to be perfect, though a third longed for a sharper vinegar kick.
Despite their high-end reputations and prices, none of the branded crisps in Which?'s taste test scored as highly as the supermarket versions.
Tyrrell's Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar Crisps (from £1.75 for 150g) scored 63%.
While it was the best of the brands on test, they did not wow Which? tasters.
Most of the panel enjoyed their thickness and crispness, but nearly half found these crisps pale-looking and lacking in flavour.
Kettle Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Potato Chips (£2.40 for 130g) scored 60%.
These widely available Kettle crisps were judged to be mediocre, with thickness and crispiness being their stronger points.
Many of Which?'s tasters thought they were bland, and would have liked them to be more salty and more vinegary.
Pipers Burrow Hill Cider Vinegar and Sea Salt Crisps, the most expensive crisps tested at £3 per 150g, came in last with a disappointing 57%.
While Which? tasters agreed these had a good thickness and crispiness, very few felt the salt and vinegar flavour hit the spot.
Most wanted more flavour out of these pricey crisps.
Jessica Carson, Which? food and health editor, said: "Our Which? taste tests show you don't have to splash out on the more expensive brand name crisps to get great flavour and a satisfying crunch.
'If you're after that classic salt and vinegar zing, a supermarket own-label is the best bet.
"Asda's and Co-op's posh crisps wowed our panel of crisp connoisseurs – outperforming the big names on every front."
In other news, a supermarket instant coffee was crowned better than a host of branded counterparts including Nescafe and Kenco.
Plus, the supermarket ice cream that's identical to Magnum and 46% cheaper.
How to bag a bargain
SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…
Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.
Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.
Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.
Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.
Sign up to mailing lists and you'll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.
Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.
Bargain hunters can also use B&M's scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you'll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
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