Hot peppers contain substances called Capsaicinoids, which determine exactly how “hot” a chili pepper can actually be. In the year 1912 an American pharmacists Willbur Lincoln Scoville (1865-1942) established a test, based on which chilies are now ranked. Not so surprisingly the ranking goes by “Scovill” units. According to Scoville’s sacle, one part of Capsaicin, which is the principal Capsaicinoid, per million equals 15,000 Scoville units. Pure Capsaicin registers around 15,000,000 to 17,000,000 on the Scoville scale. One drop of Capsaicin diluted with 100,0000 drops of water can still blister the tongue, while at the other end of the scale bell peppers and pimento register zero.
Below we have listed the hottest chili papers based Scovill scale;
10- Cascabel, Rocotillo, Sandia and Sriracha peppers
These four peppers are not quite popular but sum up to 1,500 to 2,500 on the Scovill scale.
9- Chipotle, Jalapeno and Mirasol peppers
Chipotle and Jalapeno are probably the better known two of the three hot chili peppers with 2,500 to 5,000 on the Scovill scale.
8- Serrano and Yellow Wax peppers
At 5,000 to 15,000 units these two can spice up your food pretty good.
7- de Arbol pepper
de Arbol is a small, but potent chili pepper from Mexico, which is also known as bird’s beak chile and rat’s tail chili measuring up to 15,000 to 30,000 on the Scovill scale.
6- Aji, Cayenne and Tabasco pepper
Cayenne peppers are red hot spicy and are often used in old medicine recipes and Tabasco is known from the popular “Tabasco Sauce”, measuring up to 30,000 to 50,000.
5- Chiltepin, Malaqueta, Pequin, Santaka and Thai pepper
At 50,000 to 100,0000 on the Scovill spicy scale these five chili peppers share the same level red hot fire power.
4- African Birdseye, Jamaican Hot and Rocoto pepper
Most popular of these three peppers is the Jamaican Hot pepper, which is widely used in caribbean dishes like the popular Jerck Chicken, but surprisingly is actually from southern Mexico. These four fall on a scale of 100,000 to 200,000
3- Datil, Habanero and Scotch Bonnet pepper
Now we are talking about serious sweet, popular Caribbean Bonnet pepper along with the other two share a rating of 100,000 to 350,000 under Scovill scale.
2- Red Savina pepper
The second hottest chili pepper belongs to the Red Savina pepper, which at a scale 350,000 to 577,000 did actually hold the hottest pepper record, of course until the discovery of the next one.
1- Naga Jolokia pepper
The hottest pepper ever, Naga Jolokia pepper can make you jump up and down and put your face literally on fire. This hot fiery spicy chili pepper measures to a whopping scale of 855,000 to 1,041,427.
