Some peppers have a sweet taste while others have a little kick. Jalapeños and habaneros may be a great way to add spice to your meal, but these five hottest peppers in the world should be taken with extreme care. Ranging from 1.4 million SHU to over 2.5 million, these are peppers that might be better off staying on the plant.
5. 7 Pot Primo
Our fifth hottest pepper in the world is the 7 Pot Primo, part of the infamous 7 Pot family known for its high Scoville ratings. The 7 Pot Primo can be recognized by its long skinny “tail,” similar to the Carolina Reaper. Horticulturist Troy Primeaux created the 7 Pot Primo with a Scoville rating of over 1.4 million SHU.
–Scoville Rating: 1,469,000
RELATED: 10 Hottest Foods In The World
4. 7 Pot Douglah
Our fourth hottest pepper is the 7 Pot Douglah, known for its coloring. The rare variation of the 7 Pot family has a dark brown almost purple color and can be referred to as the Chocolate 7 Pot. When tested at the NMSU Chile Pepper Institute, the 7 Pot Douglah was rated over 1.8 million Scovilles.
–Scoville Rating: 1,853,936
3. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
With just over a 2 million Scoville rating, the Moruga Trinidad Scorpion chili ranks number three on our list of the hottest peppers in the world. The chili was developed at the New Mexico State University Chili Pepper Institute and briefly held the world record for spice in 2012 before relinquishing it to the Carolina Reaper.
–Scoville Rating: 2,009,231
CHECK OUT: 10 Most Expensive Foods in the World
2. Carolina Reaper
One of the most recognizable hottest peppers in the world is the Carolina Reaper, which held the title of “World’s Hottest Pepper” for a decade. Ed Currie developed the Reaper by crossing the Pakistani Naga Viper with a sweet red Habanero pepper. They have a fiery red color with wrinkly skin that comes to a sharp point at the end.
–Scoville Rating: 2,200,000
ALSO READ: 12 Pieces of Rare Candy You May Never Taste
1. Pepper X
While the Carolina Reaper has long been considered the hottest pepper in the world, as of August 2023 there is a new contender. Pepper X was announced as the hottest chili pepper in the world by Guinness World Records with heat levels over 2.5 million Scovilles. The peppers have a yellowish-green color and a similar shape to the Reaper.
–Scoville Rating: 2,693,000
