We Tried 9 Kinds of Tortilla Chips and Found Our All-Time Favorite

Best Overall: Xochitl Corn Tortilla Chips

We love these chips because they're fresh, crisp, light, and made with just the right amount of oil.

These tasted like chips fresh from the fryer at our favorite Mexican restaurant. The light corn flavor paired perfectly with salsa. As a plus, these chips are gluten-free, certified organic, Non-GMO, and made with no preservatives. Although they are on the thinner side, they have an excellent crunch.

The one concern with these is that they tend to break a little in the bag, but otherwise this is a perfect chip.

Buy it: $3.99; Target

Runner-up: Late July Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips

While I believe this one should be evenly tied for first place, my partner definitely sees it as the runner-up. I prefer a less salty chip, so to me this chip has the perfect amount. It had a pleasantly mild, creamy corn flavor and a lovely thin texture similar to a restaurant chip. However, it has a lighter flavor overall, without much oil flavor, which made it taste less like a restaurant-style chip. The chip also had a very smooth texture with no graininess, which I really appreciated. My partner noticed a hint of staleness, while I did not. If you prefer a milder flavor, then this is the chip for you.

Most Nostalgic: Mission Tortilla Rounds

Biting into this chip instantly transported me to my childhood baseball stadium on a cool, fall night with a pile of nachos loaded up with melty cheese and jalapeños. These taste just like the concession stand chips! The chip was crumbly, while also remaining sturdy enough for dipping. Just like the chips of my childhood, they were a little too salty and a little too oily but still paired well with the salsa since the flavor was strong enough to still be present. If you're having a hankering for a nostalgic nacho party, these chips are sure to hit the spot.

Best Balance of Flavor: Tostitos

Tostitos are a leading brand for a reason: These chips were so perfectly balanced with just the right amount of corn flavor and saltiness. They have that classic Tostitos crumble with a large surface area that's sturdy enough for dipping, but still breaks a little. They paired well with the salsa –– neither overpowering nor too mild. These were a perfectly balanced classic chip.

Best For Dipping: Tostitos Scoops

These chips were made for dippin' and that's just what they'll do. It's no surprise that these ranked as the best for dipping into salsa. With their perfect scooping shape, they give you the most salsa per dip of any of the chips. And like other Tostitos brand chips, they have a nice balance of flavor with a good amount of salt. They pair great with chunky dips, and I especially love them with Rotel sausage dip because they don't crumble or break like other chips can.

Best for Nachos: Santitas Tortilla Chips

When it comes to baking a tray of nachos piled with lots of toppings, you are going to need a chip that has a nice even surface area and enough sturdiness to hold everything. That's where this chip shines. These chips have the perfect sturdy, grainy texture to hold up any topping that comes its way. And its mild corn flavor truly allows all your toppings to shine.

Best Budget Tortilla Chips: Great Value

Walmart has really cornered the market when it comes to the flavor in their store-brand food items, and these tortilla chips are no exception. They have a nice sturdy and grainy texture, but are a little too salty for my liking. However, my partner thought the salt level was fine. They taste very similar to the Tostitos, and at less than $1.50 a bag, they make the perfect affordable choice.

Best Grain-Free Tortilla Chips: Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips

While this chip was very different from the rest, I believe everyone deserves an option for a delicious tortilla chip, so if you have a corn or gluten sensitivity then this chip is for you. They have a softer, crumbly texture, but they are still strong enough to dip into salsa. They also have a light veggie flavor that pairs really well with salsa. While I don't recommend these on their own, paired with a nice salsa, they can make a great alternative for regular corn tortilla chips.