Hot Pepper Heat Scale

Some peppers are hotter than others. Learn about pepper heat levels, including the Scoville scale, and how you can grow hot peppers in your garden.

Tabasco peppers are rated hot.

The Scoville scale is the safest way to understand how hot a pepper is. While you could blindly taste a pepper to determine its heat, that's not a recommended method—ouch! Instead, pepper heat is measured using the Scoville scale. Heat levels are expressed in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), with hotter peppers having higher numbers. You'll see these numbers listed for all our hot peppers.

Quick Answers About Pepper Heat

  • What is the Scoville scale? The Scoville scale measures how hot a pepper is using Scoville Heat Units (SHU).
  • What do higher Scoville numbers mean? Higher numbers indicate hotter peppers.
  • What is considered a mild pepper? Mild peppers typically range from 100 to 2,500 SHU.
  • What is the hottest pepper? The Carolina Reaper is currently the hottest widely recognized pepper.
  • Does growing environment affect pepper heat? Yes. Heat, drought, and full ripening can increase pepper heat.

Scoville Scale

The ranges of Scoville Heat Units (SHU) typically used to describe pepper heat levels are:

  • Mild (100 to 2,500)
  • Medium (2,500 to 30,000)
  • Hot (30,000 to 100,000)
  • Extra Hot (100,000 to 300,000)
  • Extremely Hot (above 300,000)

Here’s a quick look at heat levels for some popular peppers, according to the Scoville scale:

  • Ghost — Extremely Hot (over 1,000,000 SHU)
  • Habanero — Extra Hot (100,000 to 300,000 SHU)
  • Tabasco — Hot (30,000 to 50,000 SHU)
  • Cayenne — Hot (30,000 to 50,000 SHU)
  • Jalapeño — Medium (2,500 to 5,000 SHU)
  • Poblano (Ancho) — Mild (1,000 to 2,000 SHU)

How does the Scoville test work?

Devised by Wilbur L. Scoville in 1912, the Scoville test was the first laboratory method used to measure heat in peppers. In this test, human tasters sampled peppers diluted in sugar water until the heat was no longer detected. The amount of dilution required became the pepper’s Scoville Heat Unit rating.

Because this method depends on individual taste sensitivity, it is considered subjective. Today, heat levels are more commonly determined by measuring the compounds responsible for heat, which provides more consistent results.

What’s the hottest pepper?

Pepper breeders continually work to develop hotter varieties. The current record holder is the Carolina Reaper, with an official rating of 1,641,300 Scoville Heat Units. Bonnie Plants is proud to be the exclusive grower of Carolina Reaper starter plants.

While genetics determine pepper heat, growing conditions also play a role. Hot peppers tend to develop more heat during periods of drought and high temperatures. Allowing peppers to fully ripen on the vine can also increase their heat.

Grow your own hot peppers

Whether you enjoy mild warmth or intense heat, growing hot peppers at home is easy. Bonnie Plants offers a wide range of varieties that add bold flavor, color, and texture to your meals—the heat level is up to you.

Always handle very hot peppers with care. Wear gloves when working with extremely hot varieties and avoid touching your eyes or skin.