I tried crisps from Aldi, Lidl and 6 more shops — the winner was £1 cheaper than Walkers.uk
In a bid to see whether supermarket items live up to branded versions, this week I tried eight different ready salted crisps – one stood out more than Walkers.
I tried crisps from Aldi, Lidl and 6 more shops — the winner was £1 cheaper than Walkers (Image: Angela Patrone)
Having previously put the eight biggest supermarkets to the test for things like cheese, chocolate, digestives, coffee and toilet roll, this week I was focused on crisps. Crisps are one of those staple food items in many households, enjoyed as part of a lunchtime meal or afternoon snack. One brand that has continued to dominate the crisp aisle is, of course, Walkers. The name is legendary, and everyone knows it.
However, with prices soaring in recent years, many are looking to more affordable options when picking up their weekly snacks, with many supermarket brands costing 50% less than the brand leader, Walkers. When reviewing them, I looked out for not just the taste and texture, but also how full the bags were.
The taste of Walkers hasn’t changed over the years (Image: Angela Patrone)
Opening the packet of Tesco crisps, I could tell straight away that these were not the best crisps (Image: Angela Patrone)
Aldi’s crisps were crunchy but bland as they lacked the salty taste you want from these potato snack (Image: Angela Patrone)
Walkers
Starting with the famous crips brand Walkers. Since my childhood years, these crisps haven’t changed in the slightest. Not too thin, but a little bit on the salty side.
The packet contained a decent amount of crisps, but there was a downside—the price. Walkers Ready Salted Crisps cost £2.20 for a pack of six, one of the most expensive of this selection.
Rating: 9/10
Tesco
Opening the packet, I could tell straight away that these were not the best crisps. A lot of them were in tiny bits.
In terms of taste, these crisps were very dull and tasteless. There is a little bit of salt, but it is a half-hearted and bland effort from Tesco. The slight positive is the price, as you get six packets for just 85p.
Rating: 4/10
Aldi
Aldi’s crisps were crunchy but bland as they lacked the salty taste you want from these potato snacks. They also had an oily aftertaste and left a greasy feeling in the mouth.
Although these were among the cheapest crisps, retailing for 85p, they wouldn’t be a great swap if you love the taste and texture of Walkers.
Rating: 5/10
Coming in at 89p, Lidl’s crisps looked very similar to Aldi’s (Image: Angela Patrone)
These £1 Sainsbury’s crisps felt thinner than Walkers and had a strong potato taste with little salt (Image: Angela Patrone)
Despite them not looking the best, the £1 Asda crisps had a good crunch (Image: Angela Patrone)
Lidl
Coming in at 89p, Lidl’s crisps looked very similar to Aldi’s in terms of the packaging and how much you get.
These crisps were thicker and had a little more salt than Aldi’s; however, they were more on the oily side.
At less than half the price of Walkers, they were a bargain — but you might notice the difference in taste.
Rating: 5.5/10
Asda
Despite them not looking the best, the £1 Asda crisps surprisingly seem to hit the nail on the head when it comes to the texture of a good crisp. The packet was also pretty full, unlike a few of the others.
However, they did let themselves down when it came to the taste, as they were pretty bland.
Rating: 6/10
Sainsbury’s
These £1 Sainsbury’s crisps felt thinner than Walkers and had a strong potato taste, with a little too much salt.
They had a good amount in them and were still tasty — a decent alternative to the branded product, especially considering they were 54% cheaper.
Rating: 7/10
The £1 Morisons’ crisps were thin, oily and tasted so salty it made me wince (Image: Angela Patrone)
Marks and Spencer’s crisps are more expensive than all the others (Image: Angela Patrone)
Waitrose’s crisps were the winners for me (Image: Angela Patrone)
Morrisons
The £1 Morisons’ crisps were thin, oily and tasted so salty it made me wince, which was surprising as the actual salt content shown on the packet was lower than Walkers.
But it seemed like the balance of salt and fat was wrong with these crisps. Although they were nearly half the price of Walkers, these weren’t a great alternative.
Rating: 3/10
Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer’s crisps are more expensive than those in other supermarkets and even more than Walkers, retailing for £2.25 for a pack of six.
While all the other brands looked similar to Walkers, this six-pack and the individual bags were different. Once opened, the crisps also looked different.
The crisps were paler in colour and very crunchy. While I could taste the salt, it wasn’t very flavoursome.
Rating: 7.5/10
Waitrose
Waitrose’s Essential plain white bagged crisps are their low-priced offering, retailing for £1.20. While they are not the cheapest option, they still cost less than Walkers.
The crisps were nicely shaped and rounded, and they were decent-sized as well. They were also thick and possessed just the right amount of crunch to them.
In terms of taste, these were right on the money. Not too much salt, extremely fresh and boasted a wonderful taste that I preferred to Walkers.
Rating: 10/10
