8 Takis Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

Whether you believe the marketing hype that brands Takis as a hip, edgy snack or not, there's no denying the chips have mass appeal. From the crunchy texture to the fun, rolled shape to the bold spicy flavors, they are delicious and unique all at the same time. Of course, Takis come in a collection of different flavors, as well, yay! Many of them feature a potent lime taste paired with some level of heat, but that's not where the Takis fun stops. There are also flavors devoid of heat that almost taste like the international cousin of Doritos, making selecting which flavor to buy a task all on its own. No need to worry, though. I bought, tasted, and ranked eight flavors of Takis in an effort to make choosing the right one for your preferences as simple as humanly possible.

Whether you enjoy Takis with a kick or without, my ranking below has you covered. I based it on taste, potency of flavor, and mass appeal. I'll get into my methodology more at the end, but for now, suffice it to say that the tastiest Takis flavors came out on top. Ready to find out how the flavors I tasted fared? Let's go.

Tortilla chips were invented for a practical reason: to combat food waste, which is pretty cool. However, I'm sure the lady behind the revolutionary idea never thought an abomination like Takis Blue Heat would come of it. At least, I hope not, because I hated the flavor. I hated the color, too. Like, why do they have to be blue? They are not made with blue corn, and the color does nothing for the taste. It just looks toxic, too. Plus, the blue dust gets on everything, including staining your fingers. Um, no thanks.

Back to flavor, Takis Blue Heat is labeled as an "Extreme Heat" option (the brand helpfully labels each flavor with a heat thermometer). Unfortunately, though, I didn't find them to be nearly as hot as something that's labelled as such should be. The lower spice level gives it more mass appeal, I guess. Still, it's a Mexican chip, and I expected more. Aside from the reduced amount of spice, Takis Blue Heat also had a weird sweetness at the end, and I was not a fan. Compared to all of the other flavors coming up, it was also a bit one-dimensional. All I got was heat, nothing else. That's okay, though. I got much more of what I wanted in the other flavors I tried. Not regarding a spicier recipe, but everything else only gets better from here on. Woohoo.

Coming in second-to-last place in my ranking is Takis Crunchy Fajitas. Were they crunchy and a touch smoky, as the name suggests? Yes, but that's the nicest thing you'll hear me say about them. Sorry, not sorry, Takis; this flavor is another fail in my book.

For starters, Takis Crunchy Fajitas feature a mild heat logo, and while this is true, it was way too mild for my preferences. I want my Mexican chips (Takis are, in fact, from Mexico) to come with a good kick of heat, and these certainly did not. I also detected a lime flavor, which was nice, but again, I could have used more. Instead, it was just boring. Oh, well. My last, and possibly most serious qualm with Takis Crunchy Fajitas, is that the smoky flavor tasted more burnt than anything. I guess the term fajitas in the name implies a smokier flavor, but you know what? I don't care if they are called fajitas, tacos, whatever; they tasted burnt to me. So I'll pass.

Fortunately, this is the last flavor of Takis that left a bad taste in my mouth. Everything else coming up blew it, and my last place pick out of the water when it came to potency of flavor, overall taste, and mass appeal. It's about time, geez.

Next up is Takis Buckin' Ranch, and, luckily, the flavor was just as fun as the name is to say (finally, right?). Each rolled-up corn chip was thoroughly coated with an abundance of flavors. All things considered, the ranch flavor was not only on point but quite tasty as well. Honestly, the flavor reminded me a whole lot of Cool Ranch Doritos, and we all know how tasty they are. Excellent execution all around, Takis. I must say that I approve. Obviously, I enjoyed quite a few flavors more, but there isn't anything wrong with the Buckin' Ranch flavor, per se. It didn't scratch all my itches for a Mexican snack — there isn't even any cheese — but mass appeal isn't an issue.

My main problem with Takis Buckin' Ranch is that it is not spicy at all. Seriously, zero heat. This is great for people who dislike spicy foods, and I would recommend it to someone who falls in that category. Even so, I want my Takis to come with some spice, so sixth place is where this flavor stays. It isn't bad at all, though, and you could definitely do a lot worse in the snack department than Takis Buckin' Ranch.

Takis Chile Limón is the first flavor in my ranking that gave me a taste of the authentic Mexican flavor I expected from a snack like this. I got a nice balance of heat and lime — arguably the best flavor combo found in the region's cuisine — and I also detected a good amount of the corn flavor from the rolled chips. All in all, it was a crowd-pleasing recipe that didn't go too far in any direction. However, that was also its downfall.

For me, Takis Chile Limón didn't have enough of any of its flavors. It was almost like a muted version of some of the bolder flavors coming up. While this will undoubtedly appeal to people who don't like a flavor overload, I think it will leave quite a few of us wanting more. Additionally, it is a mild heat flavor, and you know that's far from ideal for my palate, especially when the promise of heat is baked in (like with Takis). I'd even go so far as to say that they were barely spicy at all, so meh. It is not a bad flavor option by any means, but Takis really shows its strengths in the flavors yet to come. I would, however, crush up Takis Chile Limón and use it to make out-of-this-world breadcrumbs for mozzarella sticks.

Takis Fuego is a bolder, tastier version of my fifth-place pick (Chile Limón). In fact, it's almost like the same recipe but with more of every flavor. Nice! Starting with heat, Takis Fuego turns it up quite a bit. It is an "Extreme Heat" option, and it shows. Still, I would definitely have enjoyed it if there was more, maybe that's just me, though. The lime flavor is also much bolder than any of the lower-ranking options, and the balance between hot chili and lime is appealing, as well. For anyone looking for some authentic Mexican flavor, Takis Fuego delivers.

While eerily similar to the Takis flavor in second place (no spoilers), the flavor of the hot chili in Fuego simply didn't compare to the habanero coming up. I'm not a spicy pepper connoisseur by any means, but the hot chili used in this specific recipe just didn't hit my taste buds in the same delightful way. As such, fourth place is where it lands. That's not too shabby, though, and I would definitely purchase a bag of Takis Fuego again, no questions asked. Well, except maybe to inquire if any of my top three are available, but you get the point.

The award for third place goes to Takis Dragon Sweet Chili, and it sure is a delight. It's labeled as Hot, and I absolutely agree. Of course, I would have preferred even more heat, but the spice built nicely at the end. Actually, it kind of crept up on me and didn't reach its full potential until I stopped munching — I love when that happens. As the name suggests, Dragon Sweet Chili also had a nice sweetness to it that balanced out the heat in expert fashion. Due to that, it got massive style points for flavor and mass appeal.

I'll level with you: A lot of Takis flavors taste pretty similar. I'm looking at you, Fuego, Chile Limón, and even Nitro (yet to come). While I can get behind the consistency and enjoy the authentic Mexican flavors quite a bit, Takis Dragon Sweet Chili was a nice variation from the usual, and that's one of the main reasons it made it all the way to the top three. Don't get it twisted, though; it's still got lots of regional flavor as well. It just put a fun spin on things, and I, for one, am here for it. All that being said, the top two have it beat fair and square when it comes to boldness of flavors and mass appeal.

Coming in hot (pun intended) as the rightful winner of my number two spot is Takis Nitro. It's got everything I wanted from a Mexican snack and it does it all in full force. It's an Extreme Heat flavor — yay — and it gets its spice from habanero and a ton of lime. It hit all the hallmarks of a bold Mexican snack a girl like me could ask for, and I almost gave it my number one slot. In the end Nitro was beaten, but only because its heat and potency of flavors lacked the mass appeal of the one that wound up winning it all. Back to Takis Nitro, though.

Similar to Takis Dragon Sweet Chili flavor, Nitro has a progressive heat that builds while you eat, and I couldn't get enough of it. I know I probably sound like a broken record by now, but I still could have handled more heat. I don't care with this recipe, though, because the flavor of the habanero is outstanding. Instead of relying on heat alone, it has layers of spice that are tasty enough to make anyone drool. In addition, it has a seriously potent lime taste that brightens the flavors tremendously. Zesty, spicy, crunchy — Takis Nitro has it all. You better believe it is going to be one of my new chili upgrades, too. Delish.

The gold medal for the absolute best Takis flavor goes to none other than Intense Nacho. It may not be spicy, but it makes up for it with a bold cheesy flavor layered with spices good enough to turn some heads. Actually, these delectable little chips taste a whole lot like Nacho Cheese Doritos, and I'm sure I don't have to sell you on why it's a beloved product. Seriously, though, it doesn't matter what your preferences are, Takis Intense Nacho is a real stunner. And yes, the flavors are as intense as the name would lead you to believe.

Before you get all up in arms about how Takis Intense Nacho flavor doesn't have any heat, I know. I talked a lot of smack about Buckin' Ranch way back at the bottom of my ranking because it lacked the authentic Mexican flavor and heat I wanted, but Intense Nachos easily redeems itself with the bold, zesty cheese flavor. Plus, it doesn't matter if you crave spicy foods as much as I do or not, it will satisfy even the pickiest of palates. Do I wish it was also spicy? Yeah, duh, but this is one case where I'll let it slide. Takis Intense Nacho is a crowd-pleaser for sure. I plan on using it as a crumbly topping to upgrade mac and cheese tonight and I just know it's going to put boring bread crumbs to shame.

I wouldn't consider myself a die-hard fan of Takis, you know the type. Still, I have always liked them quite a bit, and I definitely know a thing or two about Mexican snacks — I lived in the country for a few years. Regardless, when the opportunity to taste and rank all the Takis flavors I could get my hands on arose, I happily stepped up to the plate.

After buying and tasting all eight of the Takis flavors discussed above, I ranked them based on taste, boldness of flavor, and mass appeal. As far as taste is concerned, I know it's highly subjective, but I prefer Mexican snacks that boast a ton of heat and lime, so for the most part, my ranking reflects this. There are a couple of exceptions based on mass appeal, but honestly, anything but the bottom two will do you right in the flavor department. Stick to the top six, or better yet, the top four, and you are in for a tasty treat.