How hot is that chilli?
The Scoville scale is logarithmic in effect and linear in number, which is why the top end runs into the millions.
1.25 × a cayenne
50,000 SHU is hotter than 5 of the 11 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| pimento | 500 SHU | 100× | |
| poblano | 1,500 SHU | 33.3× | |
| jalapeño | 5,000 SHU | 10× | |
| serrano | 15,000 SHU | 3.33× | |
| cayenne | 40,000 SHU | 1.25× | |
| bird’s eye chilli | 100,000 SHU | 0.5× | |
| habanero | 250,000 SHU | 0.2× | |
| ghost pepper | 1,000,000 SHU | 1/20 | |
| Carolina Reaper | 1,700,000 SHU | 1/34 | |
| Pepper X | 2,690,000 SHU | 1/53.8 | The current record holder |
| police pepper spray | 3,000,000 SHU | 1/60 |
Worth knowing
- Pepper X at 2.69 million Scoville units is close to police-grade pepper spray, and is eaten voluntarily.
- The scale began as a taste test: how many times a chilli extract had to be diluted before a panel could no longer detect heat.
Frequently asked
What is the hottest pepper?
Pepper X, certified at 2.69 million Scoville units in 2023, taking the record from the Carolina Reaper.
Does milk actually help?
Yes. Capsaicin is fat-soluble and binds to casein in dairy, which carries it away. Water simply spreads it around.