The Worst Trader Joe's Chips Are Still Enjoyable And The Perfect Pringles Dupe

Trader Joe's can be a wonderland of food discovery with a whole world of flavors and private label names, many of them created by huge brands under Trader Joe's moniker. It's loved for its great prices, like frozen meals you can get for under five bucks. However, the store is also known for its knockoffs of well-known brands, and there are some Trader Joe's dupes that are spot-on. Sometimes it seems that there's nothing Trader Joe's can't do right; even the least favorites are still pretty darn good. And that seems to be the case with its Sea Salted Saddle Potato Crisps, a clear mimic of Pringles, which came in last place in Food Republic's ranking of Trader Joe's chips.

Sure, the top-ranked Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers are insanely delicious, but there could still be room in your basket for the Trader Joe's Pringles dupe. Called Saddle Crisps because they're shaped like saddles for a tiny horse, our reviewer found them to be perfectly palatable but said that the other TJ's chips simply outperformed them. They're possibly a bit thicker than Pringles, and some find the flavor to be a little milder than the classic they're copying, but the sprinkle of sea salt complements them nicely. It seems that the crunch is a little lacking compared to chips made out of whole sliced potatoes, but, well, no one is likely to confuse a Pringle with a natural fried potato chip, and the overall texture is pretty much the same.

Head-to-head, ingredient-wise, Pringles and TJ's Saddle Crisps are pretty similar. They both contain dried potato, corn flour or corn meal, rice flour, and cornstarch, which are what make up the overall texture. The Saddle Crisps strictly list sunflower oil, while the Pringles can reads that they are cooked in a variety of oils: "corn, cottonseed, high oleic soybean, and/or sunflower oil," so this may have a bit to do with the flavor difference (via Walmart). Plus, the Pringles have wheat, which makes them a no-go for those who need to eat gluten-free — while the Saddle Crisps are safe for those with conditions like celiac disease.

On Reddit, opinions are mixed. One reviewer wrote, "Pringles seem like they'd be an easy product to rip off, and yet literally every [knockoff] or competitor is substantially worse." On the other hand, another commenter wrote, "More for me! These are my favorite snack for some reason." Some complained about the heavy salt content, while others claimed they liked adding even more seasoning or eating them topped with Trader Joe's blue cheese crumbles. While there may be a bit of controversy online, we think these Pringles copycats are worth a try, and at just $2.29, it's really not a huge risk. But as one Reddit user pointed out, Trader Joe's missed a good "pun opportunity" by not simply naming them "Jingles."