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TL;DR: Two jars, same brand, completely different experiences. The GUIZ Original leads with crunch, peanuts, and serious Sichuan peppercorn heat. The Black Bean leads with deep fermented umami, chewiness, and a gentler warmth. Both are packed to the brim with solids and built on the same Guizhou-inspired base. This comparison breaks down where each one wins and which jar fits your kitchen.
GUIZ sells two chili crisps: an Original built around peanuts and Sichuan peppercorn, and a Fermented Black Bean variant built around douchi and deep umami. I bought both as a duo pack on Amazon and reviewed each individually — the Original earned EXCELLENT, the Black Bean earned GOOD. This GUIZ chili crisp comparison isn’t about ranking one above the other. They’re different jars designed for different purposes. This is about understanding what each one does so you know which to reach for.
If you’re new to chili crisp as a category, GUIZ is a Guizhou-inspired brand that leans heavier on traditional Chinese ingredients — broad bean paste, cooking wine, Sichuan peppercorn — than most jars on the American market. Both products share that foundation. What sits on top of it is where they diverge.
At a Glance
GUIZ Chili Crisp Comparison Table
| Original | Fermented Black Bean | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chili Crisp | Chili Crisp |
| Key Ingredient | Peanuts (3rd position) | Fermented black beans / douchi (3rd) |
| Oil Character | Clear, orangish-red, carries garlic and ginger | Darker, reddish-brown, absorbed into solids |
| Heat | 4/5 — Hot (dual-track chili + Sichuan peppercorn) | 3/5 — Medium (mild peppercorn warmth) |
| Crunch | Strong — peanuts, sesame, chili flakes | Minimal — chewy beans, limited crunch |
| Dominant Flavor | Spice-forward with layered complexity | Umami-forward with fermented tang |
| Sugar | Yes (second-to-last on label) | Yes (7th on label, more prominent) |
| Wheat | Yes (in broad bean paste) | Yes (in broad bean paste) |
| Price | $11.98 / 8.11 oz ($1.48/oz) | $11.98 / 8.11 oz ($1.48/oz) |
| Tier | EXCELLENT | GOOD |
What They Share
More than you’d expect. The first two ingredients are identical: non-GMO soybean oil and Guizhou chili pepper. Broad bean paste (doubanjiang) holds the fourth position in both. After that, the supporting cast is the same players in a different batting order: ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorn, cooking wine, yeast extract, sugar, salt, spices, natural flavor. GUIZ clearly has a house recipe — a base flavor profile that both jars share — and then customizes the third ingredient to create two distinct products.
That shared base matters. It means the cooking wine sharpness, the doubanjiang funk, and the background warmth from ginger and garlic show up in both jars. If you like one, the other won’t feel like a stranger. The difference is what sits on top of that base: peanuts and aggressive Sichuan peppercorn in the Original, or fermented black beans and a gentler warmth in the Black Bean.
Both jars are also packed to the brim with solids. The settlement on both is the best I’ve tested — near-zero oil layer, bits filling the jar from bottom to lid. At $11.98 for 8.11 ounces, you’re getting a dense, full jar either way. No paying a premium for oil with marketing attached.
Where They Split: Peanuts vs. Fermented Black Beans
The third ingredient is the fork in the road. In the Original, peanuts provide structural crunch, a roasted nuttiness that anchors the flavor, and enough body that you feel like you’re eating something substantial on every forkful. In the Black Bean, fermented soybeans provide chewiness, deep umami, and a tangy fermented character that’s closer to miso paste than to anything crunchy.
This isn’t a subtle difference. It changes the entire eating experience. The Original gives you a timeline: oil flavor hits first, spice kicks in, peanut crunch lands, Sichuan peppercorn numbs. The Black Bean gives you a wave: salt and umami arrive together, tang builds underneath, sweetness rounds it off, mild warmth sits in the background. One is a sequence of events; the other is a layered presence.
The ingredient list order tells the story. In the Original, sesame seeds come fifth and Sichuan peppercorn eighth — both contribute crunch and heat up front. In the Black Bean, sugar moves up to seventh and Sichuan peppercorn drops to tenth. The Black Bean is calibrated for savory depth, not spice impact.
Settlement & Density
Both jars have the best settlement I’ve tested across every product reviewed so far. The Original looks like a jar of peanuts and chili flakes suspended in clear, orangish-red oil. You can see individual ingredients through the oil — the visual is busy and varied, with a wide range of particle sizes from whole peanut chunks down to sesame seeds.
The Black Bean looks like a paste. It’s so dense with solids that on first glance I thought I was looking at a chunky fermented sauce, not a chili crisp. The color is noticeably darker — deep reddish-brown from the douchi and the doubanjiang. The texture is more uniform than the Original, with less size variation and a heavier, more cohesive composition. Once stirred, it’s clearly oil-and-bits rather than a paste, but the density is remarkable.
Fork-sit test on both: the fork doesn’t sink on either jar. Both have enough solid structure to support a fork resting on the surface before stirring. That’s the mark of a jar that prioritizes ingredients over oil fill.
The fork-pull after stirring is where the difference shows. In the Original, the fork comes up loaded with distinct pieces — peanut chunks, chili flakes, sesame seeds clinging to the tines with oil coating everything. You can see individual ingredients. In the Black Bean, the fork pulls through a denser, more cohesive mass. The bits cling together rather than separating. The oil is darker and less visible because the solids have absorbed so much of it. Both are loaded forkfuls, but the Original looks like a composed bite and the Black Bean looks like a scoop of concentrated sauce.
Flavor Profiles
Original: Spice-Forward with Layers Underneath
The Original leads with its oil — which is actively flavorful, carrying garlic, ginger, and chili from the infusion. The chili kick arrives within a second or two, and then the Sichuan peppercorn shows up and starts numbing and tingling across your lips and tongue. Even while that heat is working, you’re tasting peanut, sesame, and the broad bean paste funk underneath. The cooking wine and yeast extract add a savory background that’s hard to isolate but impossible to miss. It’s a jar where every bite has a story: beginning, middle, and a lingering end. Full review here.
Black Bean: Umami-Forward with Warmth Underneath
The Black Bean leads with salt and umami. The fermented black beans hit immediately — savory, tangy, almost vinegary in the way fermented foods can be. There’s a sweetness that follows, not sugar-sweet but a rich, deep sweetness from the beans and the doubanjiang working together. The cooking wine shows up in the mid-palate, same as the Original. The Sichuan peppercorn is present but restrained — a background tingle rather than a main event. The beans themselves are chewy, and as you work through them, they release more flavor. You earn the depth here. Full review here.
The MSG Question
Neither jar has the deep MSG hit you get from Lao Gan Ma. I don’t miss it here. Both GUIZ jars are getting their savory depth from actual ingredients — fermented beans, broad bean paste, yeast extract, cooking wine — rather than relying on MSG to do the heavy lifting. You don’t need an MSG bomb when the rest of the flavor is this developed. LGM’s approach works for LGM, but GUIZ is playing a different game, and the flavors are better for it.
Heat Comparison
This is one of the sharpest differences between the two jars. The Original is a 4 out of 5 on my heat scale — dual-track burn from Guizhou chili peppers plus full Sichuan peppercorn numbing across your lips, tongue, and into your nose. It lingers for several minutes. It’s the kind of heat that makes you reach for another bite, not a glass of water.
The Black Bean is a 3 — medium, comfortable for most people. The Sichuan peppercorn is there, but it sits quietly. A little tingle, a little numbing, and then it fades. The Guizhou chili pepper is either less prominent in the mix or it’s being absorbed by the fermented flavors — I suspect the sweetness and umami temper the perception of heat. Either way, if you want the spice, reach for the Original. If you want the flavor to lead, the Black Bean delivers that.
Which One for What
| Situation | Reach For |
|---|---|
| You want crunch on rice, noodles, or eggs | Original — the peanuts do the work |
| You want deep savory flavor on tofu, congee, or stir-fry greens | Black Bean — umami stacking |
| You want heat that sticks around | Original — full mala experience |
| You’re feeding someone who’s cautious about spice | Black Bean — medium, approachable |
| You want a condiment that adds texture | Original — crunch is the differentiator |
| You want a flavor base for cooking or mixing | Black Bean — built like a concentrated umami paste |
| Pizza, avocado toast, grain bowls | Original — more versatile across casual foods |
| Steamed buns, dumplings, anything soy-forward | Black Bean — the fermented profile complements |
The Mixing Angle
Each jar works on its own, but together they’re a custom blend waiting to happen. The Original has the crunch and heat the Black Bean lacks. The Black Bean has the fermented depth the Original doesn’t attempt. A tablespoon of the Black Bean stirred into a half-eaten jar of the Original would give you the best of both: peanut crunch, Sichuan peppercorn fire, and a deep umami backbone that makes the whole jar richer. That’s not a criticism of either product — it’s a power-user move for anyone who buys both.
If you’re only buying one, the Original is the more versatile standalone jar. If you cook often and want something to layer flavor into dishes, the Black Bean earns its spot in the fridge as a mixing ingredient that punches above its role.
Value & Verdict
Both jars run $11.98 for 8.11 ounces — $1.48 per ounce. That’s competitive with Fly By Jing and less than most boutique brands, and neither GUIZ jar is mostly oil. The solids-to-price ratio is the best I’ve seen. You’re paying for ingredients, not fill.
The duo pack was how I bought these — both jars shipped together on Amazon. The duo is occasionally unavailable, but each jar is sold individually at the same price. If you’re curious about GUIZ and only want to try one, start with the Original. If you know you like fermented flavors and want something different, the Black Bean is worth the experiment. If you buy both, you’ll end up mixing them. That’s not a bad outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between GUIZ Original and Black Bean chili crisp?
The main difference is the third ingredient: the Original uses peanuts for crunch and nuttiness, while the Black Bean uses fermented black beans (douchi) for chewy umami depth. The Original is hotter (4/5) with strong Sichuan peppercorn numbing; the Black Bean is milder (3/5) with a tangy, savory flavor profile. Both share the same base of soybean oil, Guizhou chili pepper, and broad bean paste.
Which GUIZ chili crisp should I buy first?
Start with the Original. It’s the more versatile jar — works on rice, noodles, eggs, pizza, and most casual foods. The Black Bean is a specialist jar best suited for umami-forward dishes like tofu, congee, and stir-fry greens. If you like both heat and crunch, the Original is the better introduction to the brand.
Is the GUIZ duo pack worth buying?
Yes. Both jars are $11.98 individually. The duo pack ships them together at the same per-jar price. Buying both lets you mix them — a tablespoon of Black Bean stirred into the Original adds fermented depth to an already excellent jar. The duo is occasionally unavailable on Amazon; check guiz.co as well.
Is GUIZ Black Bean chili crisp actually crunchy?
Not really. The fermented black beans are chewy, not crispy. There are some chili flakes and seeds for minor texture variation, but the jar lacks the crunch that defines most chili crisps. If crunch matters to you, the GUIZ Original is the better choice.
Are both GUIZ chili crisps vegan?
Yes, both are labeled vegan. The Original contains peanuts (allergen flag). Both contain wheat via the broad bean paste. Neither contains MSG as a listed ingredient.
How does GUIZ compare to Lao Gan Ma?
Both GUIZ jars are ahead of Lao Gan Ma on flavor complexity. LGM relies more heavily on MSG for its savory punch, while GUIZ gets depth from fermented ingredients, broad bean paste, and cooking wine. LGM has better crunch than the GUIZ Black Bean, but the GUIZ Original beats LGM on both crunch density and flavor layering.
Can you mix GUIZ Original and Black Bean together?
Yes, and it works well. The Original provides crunch, heat, and peanut flavor that the Black Bean lacks. The Black Bean adds fermented umami depth the Original doesn’t have. A spoonful of Black Bean stirred into the Original creates a custom blend that covers all the criteria.