Ruffles Max Smokehouse Style BBQ Potato Chips Review

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Nutrition

Bag
Calories
Fat
Saturated
Salt
Sugars
28g
160
10g
1.5g
170mg
2g
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Verdict

Bag

The Ruffles Original flavor bag design is as well known as the brand. The light blue, the positioning of the logo. It all looks so familiar. And bland. It seems odd that a company like FritoLay would have the second biggest brand name in the US, yet do nothing with it. Firstly, Ruffles needs a logo. The lettering may be familiar, but it should be treated like a standalone brand. The two tone blue at the top of the bag should be Wavy; der! The bottom should be larger and flavor color coded. More should be made of the slogan, 'RRRuffles Have Ridges'. But mostly, the new two man teams of the 'Max' flavors and the 'Ultimate' flavors, should be made to feel part of the family. The Hispanic flavors are a small progression in design, but they still feel separate, with just the brand name in common. It is all a bit old-fashioned, disjointed and disparate. 
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Crunch

As with all Rippled Chips, the crunch will not be crispy, snappy and light like a Regular Chip. Neither will it be firm and brittle rigid like a Kettle Cooked Chip. But what they will have, and these very much slot into the category, is a nice and robust crunchy crack, that gradually pulps up when eaten.

Texture

These Chips were thick and firm, with medium width Ridges and some small oil bubbles here and there disrupting the surface. There was a certain amount of visible oil, but there was also a sprinkling of orange powdery seasoning on all of the Chips in varying quantities.
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Taste

A Nose Plunge Test revealed a mild Barbecue aroma. Although we didn't really get anything particularly smoky, there was a creamy potato style Barbecue seasoning that was a little tomato, tangy and sweet, but not overly so. A well balanced Chip of low heat and Barbecue flavoring.