The Worst Trader Joe's Potato Chips Are Simply Too Hot To Handle

When it comes to hyped-up snacks, Trader Joe's is king. The grocery store chain has a particularly powerful chip game, boasting shelves stocked with crispy, crunchy, sweet, and spicy bags of chips. There's something to please everyone's palate, from the fan-favorite Chili & Lime Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips to the salted-just-right plantain chips. But not every bag of chips hits the mark, and among the more divisive are Trader Joe's Ghost Pepper Potato Chips.

It seems like a clever idea at first — why not put one of the world's hottest peppers in a chip? If you love spicy, chances are you've taken the risk and tried this flavor. Perhaps you found yourself as disappointed as our taster did — the Ghost Pepper Potato Chips were at the bottom in our ranking of Trader Joe's potato chips. It might seem like an obvious complaint, but this chip is simply too hot and not much else. So if you like the sensation of a burning mouth, it might be perfect for you — but don't expect there to be much other flavor.

Ghost Pepper has an extremely high Scoville rating of 1 million; for context, a jalapeño sits at a meager 8,000. So if you personally find jalapeños spicy, stay far away from these chips! While the chips don't have a shocking, potentially painful level of spice like the pepper itself, there is still little opportunity to experience other flavor notes or even the saltiness of the chips. What you end up with is a chip flavor that burns, lingers, and doesn't really make for a pleasant eating experience.

Trader Joe's Ghost Pepper Chips are not necessarily awful; they simply don't bring enough to the table. And when it comes to potato chips, most of us are looking for something that we can munch on handfuls of and truly enjoy. With these, you probably have to take a break after eating just a few. The one thing that the Ghost Pepper Potato Chips have going for them is the chip style — these have a nice texture and crunch from the attractive lattice cut.

It might be what the spice-chasers need, the perfect snack for people who feel a tingle on their tongue. That said, an r/Trader Joe's thread on Reddit has a mix of positive and negative reviews about this product. Those who have a decent spice tolerance say these chips are barely spicy, while others find that some bags are over-the-top hot. In general, these potato chips seem to be quite inconsistent between bags.

It could make for an entertaining dinner party challenge to see who can actually handle the heat of a few of Trader Joe's Ghost Pepper Chips! But, if you want to make the experience of these chips more balanced, a creamy dip would help. Something with a sour cream or cashew base would work well to cool them down, or even some guacamole.