World's Hottest Peppers Ranked by Scoville

Explore the fiery world of chili peppers, from the everyday jalapeño to the extreme heat champions, measured by the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) scale.

The top 3

Top 3 Hottest Peppers by Scoville Heat Units (SHU): Pepper X currently holds the Guinness World Record as the hottest pepper, averaging 2.69 million SHU, followed by the Carolina Reaper at up to 2.2 million SHU, and the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion around 2 million SHU.
Most Popular Peppers for Cooking (Beyond Jalapeños): Beyond jalapeños, popular cooking peppers include bell peppers for their mildness, poblanos for smoky flavor, serranos for a stronger kick, and cayenne for versatile heat.
Origins of the Scoville Scale: The Scoville scale was invented in 1912 by American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville to measure the pungency of chili peppers, based on the dilution needed for a panel of tasters to no longer detect heat.