Taste-Off: The best BBQ potato chips — and the sad ones

Sliced razor thin and crisped until golden, potato chips are a heavenly thing. Add a dusting of barbecue-flavored powder, and they are another kind of delicious — salty, sweet, spicy, smoky and a perfect addition to a summer picnic.

Since making their debut in 1958, barbecue chips have become a crowd favorite. Store shelves are crowded with options ranging from thick to thin, baked or fried, ridged, unpeeled and more. Flavor differences are huge, with chips skewing from sweet to salty, smoky to bland. Kettle chips tend to be thicker and more crunchy; traditional chips are light and crispy.

Finding the best barbecue chips isn’t easy, as there are precious few clues on the package. Words such as “hickory” and “mesquite” are not flavor guarantees. Ingredient lists are nearly identical; fat and sugar levels are strikingly similar. The biggest difference between chip brands is the seasoning.

Great barbecue chips are a mouthful of crunchy, tangy flavor. They’re dusted with a balanced blend of flavorful spices, salt and sugar. The seasoning is bold, but doesn’t overpower the toasty flavor of the potato chip. The best BBQ chips also deliver a punch of authentic smoke flavor that lingers.

Caution: Very few supermarket brands get it right. Bad chips are either boring and bland or they’re dusted with too much salt or sugar. The worst punish the tastebuds with overpowering amounts of seasoning that’s neither balanced nor tasty.

Here’s the scoop on barbecue chips that deliver a tasty punch of spicy, smoky flavor — and the chip fails you won’t want in the bowl. Nutrition details refer to one ounce, or about 16 chips.

Spudlove Organic Barbecue Thick-cut Chips

A kick of tomato gives these smoky chips a nice tang. They’re crunchy and thick and have big, toasty potato flavor. 130 calories, 9 g fat, 150 mg sodium, 2 g sugar. $4.29 for 5 ounces at Whole Foods. (4 stars)

Dirty Deli Style Mesquite Barbecue Chips

The earthy, woody flavor of great barbecue and a hefty crunch make these a flavorful, satisfying snack. These chips are made by Utz, a popular East Coast chip maker. 145 calories, 8 g fat, 235 mg sodium, 1.5 g sugar. $1.09 for 2 ounces at Raley’s. (4 stars)

Hawaiian Luau BBQ Kettle Style

Extra-spicy and sweet, these colorful chips are so thickly coated with seasoning that they turn your fingers orange. The crisp is nowhere near delicate, but the heat level works. Note that these may be too spicy for kids. 140 calories, 8 g fat, 120 mg sodium, 2 g sugar. $4.29 for 7.5 ounces at Safeway. (3½ stars)

Kettle Backyard Barbecue Potato Chips

Those looking for a slightly better-for-you chip will love these. They have a hearty crunch and lots of smoke flavor, but they’re lower in fat and short on the sweet-salty note that makes barbecue chips so irresistible. 140 calories, 8 g fat, 125 mg sodium, 1 g sugar. $3.49 for 8.5 ounces at Target. (3 stars)

Lay’s Barbecue Flavored

Even though these delicate chips are missing both heat and flavor complexity, a decent smack of traditional, salty barbecue spice explain why they are so popular. 150 calories, 9 g fat, 200 mg sodium, 2 g sugar. $3 for 7.75 ounces at Walmart. (3 stars)

365 Barbecue Flavored Potato Chips

Cut the salt, and these airy chips would be a top contender. The spice mix is deliciously balanced; the chips delicate and perfectly fried. 150 calories, 9 g fat, 270 mg sodium, 1 g sugar. $4.99 for 10 ounces at Whole Foods. (2½ stars)

Boulder Canyon Hickory Barbecue Kettle Style Potato Chips

These stout, colorful chips have bright, bold flavor, but they’re tough, and they have an oily aftertaste. 220 calories, 12 g fat, 290 mg sodium, 2 g sugar. $1.09 for 1.5 ounces at Raley’s. (2 stars)

Great Value Barbecue Chips

These large, lightly seasoned chips are extra toasty, but there’s a distinct imbalance of flavors. These are simply too sweet. 150 calories, 10 g fat, 150 mg sodium, 2 g sugar. $1.54 for 7.75 ounces at Walmart. (2 stars)

Market Pantry Mesquite Barbecue Potato Chips

Guaranteed to brighten the picnic table, these traffic-cone orange chips are OK, but they are missing a sweet note. 150 calories, 10 g fat, 150 mg sodium, 2 g sugar. $2.49 for for 8 ounces at Target. (1½ stars)

Late July Organic BBQ Potato Chips

Too much garlic and a blast of citric acid in these super-oily chips throw the flavor profile completely out of whack. 150 calories, 9 g fat, 150 mg sodium, 1 g sugar. $4.39 for 5 ounces at Raley’s. (½ a star)