Cheez-Its are a staple snack for many. But these one-inch by one-inch golden baked delights come in many flavors. So to help you avoid the bad and grab the good, here is a review of all the Cheez-It flavors I could find.

7. Cheez-It Hot & Spicy

This is by far the worst flavor. The cheesy taste is completely overpowered by its flavoring, which is slightly reminiscent of Chef Boyardee’s tomato sauce mixed with vinegar. However, the most disappointing part about the flavoring is that it wasn’t even spicy. After some research online, I discovered that the original Hot & Spicy flavor was a product of a partnership that Cheez-It had with Tabasco, and that the old recipe had considerably more favorable reviews. So if you do manage to come across the Hot & Spicy, make sure it’s the Tabasco version. Otherwise, don’t even touch it.

6. Cheddar Jack

Although not as bad as Hot & Spicy, Cheddar Jack is another flavor that should be discontinued. The mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack created a weird tangy taste that felt more like ramen seasoning than cheese. The worst part of the flavor is its aftertaste, which is inexplicably bitter. The only saving grace is the fact that the seasoning is pretty weak and some crackers don’t seem to have any flavoring at all. In fact, I occasionally thought that I was eating an original Cheez-It when finishing the bag of Cheddar Jack I got at Star Market.

5. Cheez-It Whole Grain

Whole Grain has nothing exceptionally good about it. It has the undeniable hearty whole grain taste but nothing else. Overall, it just tasted like a downgraded regular Cheez-It.

4. Cheez-It Extra Cheesy

Like its name suggests, Extra Cheesy is very cheesy. Each cracker is thoroughly covered in powder that strongly resembles Cheeto dust. The “dust” even tastes similar to Cheetos, with the familiar artificial cheese taste overpowering most of the other elements. But the pairing between the cracker and seasoning becomes tolerable after a few bites and is definitely a step up compared to Cheddar Jack and Hot & Spicy.

3. White Cheddar

Undoubtedly the best flavoring after the first bite. The salty punch is complemented with a super cheesy cheddar aftertaste that somehow remains subtle enough to let the taste of the cracker come through. But the White Cheddar dust that accumulates on your fingers is very annoying. Cheez-It has somehow perfected the ability to make the flavoring powder as troublesome as possible with White Cheddar. The stuff is way stickier than your typical Cheeto dust and when coupled with the cheese fatigue that sets in after a few crackers, you have a flavor that beats the original in the first few bites but steadily drops off as you consume more.

2. Original

Nothing is better than opening a packet of Cheez-Its you got from the vending machine. The original is unmatched when it comes to bringing that hearty nostalgic taste to your taste buds. It’s well salted and a bright cheesy taste that isn’t too strong is perfectly incorporated into each baked cracker. It’s not flashy, but it doesn’t need to be as you’ll continue reaching for more.

1. Extra Toasty

Extra Toasty simply takes the original flavor and enhances it. Each Cheez-It cracker is given an extra toast, giving that nutty browning and crisp. Who could ask for more?