All 6 Tropical Heat Crisps Flavors Ranked: Worst to Best

This post features all flavors from Tropical Heat crisps to find the best one overall, they are all ranked from the worst to the best.

I wouldn’t say Tropical Heat is my favorite local brand of crisps (potato chips), actually, Urban Bites and Krackles are generally way better, and more than half of you will agree with me.

But still, Tropical Heat is probably the best-selling brand for other reasons aside from taste; like good distribution chains and marketing.

Potato crisps are all about replicating something we already love, the following are all flavors starting off from the bottom.

Remember this is a personal and opinionated article so take it how you will, it is okay to enjoy what others term as “the worst”, and disagreeing is okay too.

Table of Contents

6. Nyama Choma

Meaty flavors for potato crisps have always fared badly in my book. Not just this Nyama Choma from Tropical Heat, but across all brands.

It is weird having a potato crisp taste like meat while being sweet. BBQ and Nyama Choma flavors are the worst and I’ll die on that hill.

Of course, there are other weird flavors, but at least they aren’t as mainstream as BBQ, and I will never understand why anyone will enjoy that. Meaty, sweet, and gravy tastes yuck.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the actual nyama choma,(meat), and so does everyone. But for the flavor of that on potatoes, nop, every other flavor is way better.

Also, I’m aware every brand of crisp with nyama choma/BBQ tastes different, yes Tropical Heat’s one is still the worst.

5. Tomato

Tropical Heat’s tomato-flavored crisps seem to mirror a trend seen in other brands, often termed “ketchup crisps.”

Personally, I fail to grasp the appeal of this flavor, especially when it comes to adults. It seems more suited to children, with its overly sweet profile that leaves a sugary residue on both tongue and fingertips.

Essentially, it’s a flavor tailored for kids, lacking any hint of saltiness. To me, it comes across as rather simplistic and uninspired.

The sweetness overwhelms any genuine tomato essence, coupled with an unpleasantly pungent odor.

While I’m fond of tomato-based foods, the idea of them on crisps doesn’t quite sit well with me. Unless I were a 5-year-old, I’d probably pass on this flavor without a second thought.

4. Salt & Vinegar

Although salt and vinegar a widely adored flavors globally, Tropical Heat’s rendition falls short.

It exhibits inconsistency, with fluctuating levels of vinegar and salt; some crisps are overly intense while others lack flavor entirely.

Personally, salt and vinegar ranks among my top 5 flavors, yet I find myself favoring other brands over Tropical Heat.

For example, the version from Urban Bites and Kracles offers a more refined and balanced experience, devoid of the erratic nature observed in Tropical Heat’s offering.

3. Cheese & Onion

Cheese and Onion stands out as one of the top-tier flavors from Tropical Heat. After all, who can resist anything with cheese?

Their version is nearly flawless, boasting an intense cheese flavor that hits all the right notes.

When the craving for cheese and onion strikes, Tropical Heat is my go-to brand. It’s like a close cousin to the renowned sour cream and onion flavor, although less recognized on a global scale.

Personally, I have a soft spot for both varieties.

2. Chili Lemon

Even with my considerable tolerance for spicy foods, I must admit that Tropical Heat’s Chili Lemon flavor packs quite a punch. It’s not that mild enough to piss you off it has spicy on the name.

It strikes a fine balance between heat from the chili and tanginess from the lemon. It’s reminiscent of the seasoning we apply to mahindi choma (grilled corn), where we squeeze a lemon wedge over chili powder and coat the kernels.

Chili lemon is truly a flavor fit for royalty, bringing together the best of both worlds in terms of spice and acidity.

No other brand does it better than Tropical Heat here.

1. Salted

Salted is the best potato crisp “flavor” Do you know why? It’s the only variant where you get to taste the actual potato, where the potato is not just a vessel transporting the powdered flavors on it, yes mostly salted it is.

They’re an easy pleaser, you can rarely go wrong when getting them. they are simple and not attention-seeking like all the crazy punchy flavors.

While I love salted Tropical Heat; it is almost perfect, being my second favorite brand after Lays, the only problem I have with Tropical Heat Salted is the cuts are not that thin and occasionally have dark and brown spots, so not as crispy as Lays.