I decided to give the Lay's a shot first by the tasty look on the front of the bag. After opening the bag I had a double take as I saw a swarm of red potato chips and not a single beige chip. Still I went through and grabbed two to start off.
With the first few chews I could taste a kind of sweetness that wasn't too sweet with only seconds later the spicy kicked in. It wasn't uncomfortably spicy and felt just right. After eating another two I could start feeling a little tingle but not as bad as few hot wings leave.
Overall this was a good bag of chips that had a unique taste. The taste was good with the spice generally increasing the more chips were consumed. I made it a challenge to see how many I could eat without having a drink. Let me just say it didn't take too long. After a while I could feel the tingle in my sinuses but again not as bad as some mild spiced chicken wings might leave.
As I ate another handful I thought about how these chips were unique from other brands like Cheetos. Unlike others, this brand had some sweet in it and the flavor tasted better after a fourth handful. Even after having a drink from a soda, the flavor felt better than before. The heat settled down as well.
Fans of flaming hot snacks might think otherwise, but giving it a second take this really have a spicy kick. Even those not use to eating hot chips might enjoy this given a bit of sweetness with a spicy mix. Still they should have a drink at hand to extinguish the heat if necessary.
Price: $5.29 Bag 10 oz
Nutrition: Calories 160
Total Fat 10 G
Trans Fat 0 G
Cholesterol 0 Mg
Sodium 190 Mg
Potassium 320 Mg
Total Carbohydrates 15 G
Sugar 1 G
Protein 2 G
Rating: 4/5
Next up is the Flaming Hot Cheetos. This may or may not have paved the way for other companies coming out with similar products. But clearly this is the most popular brand out there. The brand has been out since 1995 with the idea being brought out by a janitor at a plant in California. Who would have thought?
I have to say this wasn't my first time trying them as I guess most have done so as well. Throughout the years Cheetos came out with different variations with some being extra hot. But I decided to stick with the original.
I started with two. What hits me first is the crunchiness which may be what makes Cheetos great. The second thing was the taste. It was nice and spicy except I didn't taste any cheese, which is weird because the bag mentions cheese. Still it had a bold taste and was hot but not too hot, just hot enough. This makes a great snack with a spice that is ideal for a break. No wonder they are the top selling brand.
Did you know? Japan offers Strawberry Cheetos
Price: $4.49 bag 9.75 oz
Nutrition: Calories 160
Total Fat 11 G
Trans Fat 0 G
Cholesterol 0 Mg
Sodium 250 Mg
Total Carbohydrate 13 Mg
Sugar 0 G
Protein 1 G
Rating: 4.5/5
The last bag I tried was Chicago’s own Vitner's Crunchy Kurls Sizzling Hot.
At first glance this looks like a mediocre off of Flaming Hot Cheetos. But you shouldn't judge a book by its cover or in this case the bag.
Once opening it, I could smell a cheesy-spicy aroma arising from inside. The Kurls as it says on the bag weren't as bright red as the Hot Cheetos. I ate one first. The first thing that hit me, unlike the Cheetos, was the taste. It had a nice cheesy-spicy flavor, just as it smelled like. On these ones you could definitely taste the cheese unlike the Cheetos. The second thing that hit me was the crunch. They weren't as crunchy as the Cheetos but they still had a crunch to satisfy.
This may be my all-time favorite just by the taste. The hotness does gradually increase the more you eat. But still that spice just makes it better. This may not compare to the Cheetos but it should since both are supposed to be hot and cheesy. I have to say this crunchy Kurls are hot and cheesy.
Overall I think this may be the perfect spicy snack to munch on. Definitely better than the Hot Cheetos and Lay’s Flaming Hot Chips.
Price: $2.79 Bag 9 oz
Nutrition: Calories 120
Total Fat 4 G
Cholesterol 0 Mg
Sodium 340 Mg
Potassium 0 Mg
Total Carbs 21 G
Sugars 2 G
Protein 2 G
Rating: 5/5