I've always been a fan of spicy snacks, but recently I've been having a huge internal battle—Flamin' Hot Cheetos vs. Takis. They're both long, puffy sticks covered in red. But which one is better, and how are they different?
How Do They Taste?
Everyone probably is familiar with the perfection of Cheetos—they're crunchy, puffy, and covered with cheesy goodness. It's the same with Flamin' Hot Cheetos, except with additional spice. Instead of the traditional orange magic dust, the Cheetos are covered with exploding redness!
When you open a bag for the first time, you can immediately recognize its aroma. It's like the smell of regular Cheetos, but with the cheesiness replaced with the heat of peppers. These Cheetos are super crunchy, but once you put them in your mouth, the spiciness and saltiness dissolves into your tongue. The stingy heat doesn't come up right when you crunch the Cheetos. Instead, it slowly rises up after you finish crunching the pieces, and it lingers around in your mouth for a while. Flamin' Hot Cheetos are all about the punch, rather than the cheese.
Takis are less mainstream than the Flamin' Hot Cheetos, but they're still at the top of the rankings when it comes to spicy snacks. These rolled blood-red tortilla chips have an aroma a little stronger than that of the Flamin' Hot Cheetos. After you take a bite, the spiciness immediately rises up and takes over your body. The chips are slightly less crispy than the puffed cheese snacks but pack a harder crunch. Instead of cheese, Takis go all in on spice and acidity, packing a stronger punch than your standard bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
How Many Flavors Are There?
There are around 16 flavors of Cheetos on their site, ranging from the original flavors to the reduced fat variations, both including the Flamin' Hot flavor. They also have different shapes of Cheetos, including puffs and paws—how cute is that! The company even collaborated with the Doritos Dinamita tortilla chips.
For Takis, there are about 12 different flavors—all of them being super spicy. They range from Hot Chili Pepper & Lime—the ones that we usually see in stores—to BBQ to Guacamole. There are even limited edition blue Takis, which are called the Azul.
#SpoonTip: Some of these might be hard to find in local stores, but you can always order online.
Which One Is For You?
Now, it's down to the final decision—Flamin' Hot Cheetos vs. Takis. If you love cheese, the Cheetos are definitely for you. You'll love the hint of cheesiness wrapped inside the spiciness. If you're more of a spicy-and-sour-flavor-bomb person, go for the Takis!
Personally, I love both of these spicy snacks. The feeling I get when they leave that tingly sensation and sickly red powder on my fingertips is irreplaceable. The thing is, you're not just restricted to purely Flamin' Hot Cheetos or Takis. There are loads of ways to incorporate them into your meals—like burritos, fries, dips. If you haven't tried either of these snacks, do yourself a favor and grab a bag ASAP!