Beer-battered, crinkle, shoestring or straight cut? Australia’s hot chip obsession has been put to a blind taste test, with consumer advocacy group Choice picking clear winners from more than 30 supermarket frozen chips.
The test included 34 types of frozen chips sourced from Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and IGA, which were cooked in air fryers to ensure the fastest and crispiest results.
The panel of four judges – including Amanda Walker, co-founder and owner of vegan fast-food chain Lord of the Fries – crowned Birds Eye’s Golden Crunch Thin and Crispy Chips the winner, with an overall score of 88% based on appearance, aroma, flavour and texture. At $5.80 per 900g packet, the judges applauded the winning chips for their “golden colour and crispy and fluffy texture”, with one commending the flavour as “noticeably of baked potato”.
At the same price point, Birds Eye’s Golden Crunch Crinkle Cut Chips took the top spot in the crinkle-cut category, scoring 85% overall and praised for their “crunchiness and slightly salty flavour”. However, one judge noted they were “a little bit airy in the middle” and “could be a bit fluffier”.
But the Birds Eye brand was also the worst-ranked product of the taste test, with the Birds Eye Golden Crunch Microwave Shoestring Chips chalking up just 37% in the shoestring category. Aldi’s Seasons Pride Crinkle Cut Chips – the second-worst ranked chip – scored just 46%.
“Our results show that just because one product performs well, others from the same brand might not necessarily have the same results, as shown by Birds Eye products taking first place in two categories but also receiving the lowest score in the shoestring chips category,” said Mark Serrels, Choice’s editorial director, in a press release.
Taste came at the expense of nutrition for the two top-ranking spuds from Birds Eye, whose sodium content came in at more than 300mg per 100 grams. Of all the 34 chips Choice tested, the average sodium content was 118mg per 100 grams. Aldi’s Seasons Pride French Fries (which scored 56%) and Aldi’s Seasons Pride Crinkle Cut Chips (which scored 46%) had the lowest sodium levels – both contained less than 8mg per 100 grams.
Woolworths’ Essentials French Fries ($4 per 1kg packet) claimed the best shoestring chip title with an overall score of 66%, although one judge commented: “Texture is very soggy, aroma isn’t that strong. Needs salt.” Woolworths’ Australian Beer Batter Steakhouse Chips ($4.50 per 750g packet) was awarded best battered chips, rating 76% for their “delicious smell” and “good balance of crispness and fluffiness”, although one judge complained they were “a little bit oily”.
Choice also highlighted each product’s percentage of potato content. While most brands had over 90% potato, the winning chip, Birds Eye’s Golden Crunch Thin and Crispy Chips, had 89% potato content. The chip with the lowest potato content – Birds Eye’s Deli Seasoned Chips Golden Ale Beer Batter – contained 85% potato.
In addition, Choice recruited a “kids’ panel” of eight junior samplers to try the top five-ranking products. Potato Utopia’s Steakhouse Fries and Woolworths’ Australian Beer Batter Steakhouse Chips tied in first place, with the former lauded by the young judges for being “smooshy and salty” and the latter “mushy and really potatoey”.
