One of the brands I tried not only met all of these criteria, but completely blew me away.
A 20-ounce bag cost me $2.99.
They all came in those classic, cylindrical shapes and were pretty much the same size.
Zoe Strozewski / Eat This, Not That!
If anything, the differences really came down to color.
The tots came out barely crispy even though I baked them for a few extra minutes.
Between the inadequate seasoning and disappointing texture, ranking these at the bottom was a no-brainer.
Zoe Strozewski / Eat This, Not That!
A 32-ounce package cost me $6.29.
I did spot a few well-browned spots from direct contact with the cookie sheet, though.
The frozen food company actuallyinvented them back in the 1950sand even trademarked the name “Tater Tots.”
Zoe Strozewski / Eat This, Not That!
The originators still make a tasty version of the snack.
However, these tots were far from perfect.
On the negative side, the outside texture wasn’t crispy enough for me.
Zoe Strozewski / Eat This, Not That!
Don’t get me wrong, I had no qualms about eating these.
I got a 32-ounce bag for $3.42.
The taste:Putting these ahead of Ore-Ida’s tots was a tough decision.
Zoe Strozewski / Eat This, Not That!
I thought that Ore-Ida’s version was slightly better seasoned in the middle than Great Value’s.
For the second-lowest priced tots from this whole taste test, I think these are a steal.
I actually gasped in excitement when I pulled them out of the oven.
The taste:Boy oh boy, do these live up to their “Super Crispy” name.
You probably could have heard the crunch from these tots from 20 feet away.
That crunchy crust around the outside was thick and encased perfectly cooked, shredded potatoes.
But Lamb Weston has changed my perception of how good a frozen tot can be.
