Pringles Vs. Lay's Stax

It's the age-old debate. Which is better? Pringles or Lay's Stax?

Well, maybe the debate isn't that old, since Lay's Stax have only been around for about three years. But, ever since Lay's Stax were introduced back in 2003, it's a question asked by potato chip aficionados everywhere. After almost forty years on the market, did Pringles finally have real competition?

Pringles were introduced back in 1967 and, for decades, ruled the potato crisps roost. Pringles have even attained a sort of pop culture status, often being mentioned in television shows, books, and movies. Being able to eat a whole can of Pringles in one sitting has become a sort of rite of passage, right up there with eating an entire carton of ice cream, or scarfing down a whole cheese cake by yourself. And who doesn't feel a little chill when the open the seal on a brand new can of Pringles, and it makes that popping sound? After all, "Once you pop, you can't stop."

After years of being a Pringles junkie, it was hard for me to imagine anything could top my favorite potato chip-type product. But Lay's Stax looked like they were ready to give it the old college try. And they made no bones about the fact, either. Just look at the blatant similarities. Pringles potato crisps come in a long, tall can. Lay's Stax potato crisps come in a long, tall plastic tube. Pringles have a curved shape, which makes them stackable. Lay's Stax have a curved shape, which makes them stackable. And both Pringles and Lay's Stax come in a similar variety of flavors, from original, to barbeque, to salt and vinegar.

Yep, Lay's Stax were created to try to knock Pringles off the throne.

But, really, how do Lay's Stax stack up to Pringles, the perennial favorite?

Texture

Pringles are lighter, thinner, and more crispy than Lay's Stax, making them feel more like potato chips in your mouth. Lay's Stax are thicker and more hearty, which means you find fewer broken crisps when you open a package.

Which texture you prefer comes down to personal preference. But, for me, it's all about the "mouth stuffing" test. I can stuff an entire Pringles into my mouth, and the crisp will just melt against my tongue. I stuff a Lay's Stax into my mouth, and it just sort of sits there until it starts to get soggy.

Pringles wins over Lay's Stax on this one.

Taste

Pringles has a huge advantage over Lay's Stax here because a lot of us grew up eating Pringles. We take a bite out of a Pringles, and the taste takes us right back to our childhoods. Summer days sitting on the porch, eating Pringles one by one until the can was empty. Or summer days when our friend's mean older brother threw our Pringles into the pool, and all we could do was watch helplessly as the crisps gently bobbed across the surface of the water.

Lay's Stax have only been around for three years, so most people don't have the same kind of nostalgic attachment to them. That doesn't mean they don't taste good, or that I can't eat an entire tube of them in one sitting given the right motivation. But nostalgia plus good taste means Pringles wins again.

The Little Man with the Mustache

Pringles has something Lay's Stax never will. The little man with the mustache. One look at the little man with the mustache, and your mouth starts to water. Slap the little man with the mustache on a tall, red can, and it's an irresistible combination.

So, it looks like Pringles vs. Lay's Stax might not become the biggest rivalry since Pepsi vs. Coke. When you stack them up side by side (pun intended), Lay's Stax might be a tasty snack, but Pringles are still the potato crisp champions of the snack food world.