I grew up in Pennsylvania, a place that I like to call Chip Country. That’s because the Keystone State is home to a variety of potato chip companies, like Utz, Herr’s, Martin’s, Wise, and Snyder’s. I also had a job professionally taste testing chips and other snacks while living in Los Angeles, and I even wrote a column for a couple of years reviewing potato chips from all over the country.
In short, I love trying new chips. So, upon moving to Detroit, I was thrilled to discover that Better Made has a wonderful catalog of chips and other snacks. Here’s how they stack up in my enthusiastic opinion:
Southern-Style Sweet Heat Barbecue
Ranking: Best (5/5)
This variety is a thick, ridged potato chip, which further enhances its distinctively meatytaste — a flavor that’s augmented by monosodium glutamate (better known as MSG) and natural smoke flavoring.
Red Hot Barbecue
Ranking: Best (5/5)
This is probably my favorite flavor in the whole Better Made catalog. While spicy chips are common these days, Better Made separates itself with one simple component: salt. The sodium content in the Red Hot flavor is much higher than that of other name-brand spicy potato chips. That means these chips don’t pack a one-note heat. There’s also a lingering heat after the bag is finished. It’s a well-made product that I would put up against any other Red Hot potato chip in the country, and I’ve tried a lot.
Barbecue
Ranking: Better (4/5)
Better Made’s regular barbecue chips taste predictably sweet, but the addition of powdered onion and powdered garlic gives them more tang and bite than your average barbecue chip.
Salt & Vinegar
Ranking: Good (3/5)
This is perhaps the only chip that I’m relatively disappointed by. This chip doesn’t contain enough vigor or tang to satisfy my thrill-seeking palate.
Rainbow
Ranking: Better (4/5)
Darkly colored with a distinctly deep flavor, the Rainbow chips are a favorite among Better Made diehards. Officially released about 18 years ago, being a part of their mass production has been one of Gusmano’s greatest contributions to the company.
This story originally appeared in the November 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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