Kettle chips are potato chips which are cooked individually in batches, rather than in a continuous flow machine. Many people feel that foods which are prepared in individual batches have a superior flavor to continuous-processed food, perhaps because of the associations with batches and artisan production. In fact, many companies which produce kettle chips along with other batch-processed food produce food on a scale which is comparable to that of continuous producers, using the cachet of batch production to command a high price for their products.

One famous producer of kettle chips, Kettle Foods, has popularized the batch production method for potato chips, leading other companies to follow suit. The claim is that batch cooking produces a superior potato chip, by allowing the company to carefully control the temperature of the cooking oil and the quality of the potatoes which go into the oil. Since batch cooking is associated with more natural methods of production, kettle chips are often produced with a minimum of artificial or excess ingredients, allowing the natural flavor of the potato to shine.

When done well, kettle cooking can produce a distinctively crisp potato chip, which attains a rich golden color as the natural sugars inside the potato chip caramelize. Many producers like to leave the skin on their kettle chips, adding some extra texture and flavor to the finished product, and kettle chips usually vary widely in size and shape, reflecting the variable sizes of the potatoes they come from. Kettle cooking does require more processing work, however, which explains why kettle chips tend to be more expensive than other chips.

After being fried, kettle chips must be drained and allowed to cool so that they can be packaged. They can also be flavored with a wide range of ingredients which may be tossed with the freshly cooked chips, ranging from simple salt and vinegar to blue cheese. In companies which do not use preservatives, kettle chips must be carefully handled and quickly brought to market to ensure that they do not go rancid.

Like other fried foods, kettle chips are not exactly healthy, thanks to the high fat content. Many companies also add a great deal of sodium to their kettle chips. Some people feel that the flavor is worth a little extra fat, since kettle chips do tend to have a more interesting flavor than chips fried in a continuous production machine.