Which of these spice-dusted chips boasts the best flavor and right level of heat?
I Taste-Tested Hot Chips from Takis, Doritos and Cheetos—Here’s the Clear Winner
Published on Mar. 28, 2025
5. Cheetos XXtra Flamin’ Hot
Unlike regular Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, which already have more than enough heat to be enjoyable, XXtra Flamin’ Hot has two whole Xs worth of extra heat. Perhaps at single X levels of spice, you can still taste the true essence of Cheetos. But when the second X is added, the concept of cheese flavoring becomes irrelevant, as does flavor in general.
The only thing Cheetos XXtra Flamin’ Hot cares to do is burn your delicate tongue, which could be fun if you like that sort of thing. I wouldn’t use these for casual snacking, but they’re great as a crunchy topping for tacos, cheesy casseroles or anywhere else you can use them in a crouton-esque capacity, like this TikTok Cheeto salad.
4. Takis Fuego
Takis balance an aggressive burn with equally aggressive amounts of salt and citric acid, making them a difficult chip to eat mindlessly. This is a good thing, as I consume far too many chips mindlessly, and that’s pretty disrespectful to chips!
These Takis didn’t come into the world for me not to notice them; they came to be fabulous and to be adored. Takis can make your eyes water, your mouth pucker and your tongue dry up all in one bite, and by golly, that’s impressive.
I’m also a huge fan of their shape. Takis are a sturdy snack that can hold up to the rigors of dips of all sorts, no matter how thick or thin they may be.
3. Doritos Tapatio
The hot sauce-flavored Doritos are actually milder than the brand’s Flamin’ Hot chips and far more flavorful. If you’re a fan of Tapatio to begin with, you’ll lose your mind over these. Tapatio Doritos have a strong, well-developed chile flavor with a hint of smoke and none of the hot sauce’s vinegar tang, letting you appreciate the nuances of Tapatio in a brand-new dimension. If you must dip these Doritos, use something simple, like sour cream.
2. Cheetos Flamin’ Hot
I’m a big fan of regular Cheetos, so what I appreciate most about the Flamin’ Hot version is that it doesn’t stray too far from the original. Yes, it brings the heat, but not so much so that you can’t taste any cheese, which is the entire point of eating a Cheeto in the first place. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are great for snacking straight out of the bag, preferably with an ice-cold beverage at hand.
1. Doritos Flamin’ Hot Nacho Cheese
I worried that giving Doritos’ signature nacho cheese flavor the Flamin’ Hot treatment would cover everything that’s so good about the original with a blanket of artificially flavored fire. Luckily, whoever is driving the Doritos bus knows what they’re doing!
The Flamin’ Hot chips still taste like the Doritos we love, but with enough of a kick to make you wince at first bite. Perfect for enjoying with dip, or even better, used as the base for nacho recipes that’ll knock your socks off.
