Top 10 Hottest Peppers in the World (2023)

The hottest peppers in the world include Pepper X, Carolina Reaper, and Ghost Pepper. Learn all about the spiciest peppers ranked in order of heat level. 🔥

Top 10 Hottest Peppers List (2023)

Some of these superhot peppers rank over 2 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), and all rank over 1 million SHU. (For reference, an orange Habanero goes up to 325,000 SHU, so yeah, the following list is the hottest of the hot!)

Hottest Peppers Fast Facts:

1. Pepper X – 2,693,000 million SHU
2. Carolina Reaper – 2.2 million SHU
3. Chocolate Bhutlah – ~2 million SHU
4. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion – 1.2 million to 2 million SHU
5. 7 Pot Douglah – 1,853,986 SHU
6. Dorset Naga – 1.5 million SHU
7. 7 Pot Primo – 1,473,480 SHU
8. Trinidad Scorpion Butch T – 1,463,700 SHU
9. Komodo Dragon – 1,400,000 SHU
10. Naga Viper – 1,382,118 SHU

1. Pepper X 2,693,000 Million SHU

Apparently, Ed took his time releasing Pepper X because no one had taken the hottest pepper record until now. Pepper X is a result of over a decade of development.

2. Carolina Reaper, 2.2 Million SHU

The Carolina Reaper was the previous record holder for the world’s hottest pepper, according to Guinness World Records. Currently, it’s still the official hottest pepper you can buy.

I grow the Carolina Reaper yearly because the depth of flavor and heat combination are outstanding. Plus, these plants are big and produce a lot of peppers, so they are definitely worth the grow!

» Read More – Carolina Reaper: Scoville, Where to Buy & Growing Guide

3. Chocolate Bhutlah ~2 Million SHU

Don’t let the “chocolate” in the name trick you — the Chocolate Bhutlah is known to be seriously, mouth-numbingly hot! I haven’t tried one yet, but I have eaten one of the contributors to the Chocolate Bhutlah (7 Pot Douglah), and that’s one of the hottest chiles I’ve ever tasted.

» Read More – Chocolate Bhutlah: Is it Hotter Than the Carolina Reaper?

4. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion 1.2 to 2 Million SHU

Here’s one of my absolute favorite peppers! Why? The Trinidad Moruga’s fruity, hot flavor is so prevalent (almost like candy), and the fragrance makes my mouth water. Plus, you get a lot of peppers per plant, even when growing them in containers.

» Read More – Trinidad Moruga Scorpion: Scoville, Seeds & Pepper Grow Guide

5. Seven Pot Douglah 1,853,986 SHU

Originating from Bangladesh, the Dorset Naga is an extremely hot chile developed in West Dorset. This pepper came to be after the creators — Joy and Michael Michaud — set out to offer fresh peppers and a super hot chilli that would cater to the taste buds of people who love heat (a.k.a. “chileheads”).

7. Seven Pot Primo 1,473,480 SHU

Nicknamed the “Primo,” this popular pepper is known for its bumpy skin, and stinger-like tail. Oh, and there’s that fiery heat! Coming in at close to 300 times hotter than a Jalapeno, the 7 Pot Primo has a floral scent and fruity taste with a hint of nuttiness.

8. Trinidad Scorpion Butch T 1,463,700 SHU

The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T is a global, hybrid pepper that has a bulbous form, dark red skin, and stinger-like tail (like other Trinidad Scorpion chiles). Fun fact: Neil Smith from The Hippy Seed Company named the “Butch T” pepper after receiving seeds from the creator Butch Taylor in Crosby, Mississippi.

9. Komodo Dragon 1.4 Million SHU

Potentially 880 times more hot than the Jalapeno, the Komodo Dragon pepper is known for its fruity flavor — then the slow burn sneaks up on you, and it’s all heat from there. If you’re in the United Kingdom, you may have the opportunity to buy this superhot pepper at a TESCO supermarket.

10. Naga Viper 1,382,118 SHU

The Naga Viper has a fruity, floral flavor followed by a quick, intense heat (the burn doesn’t last as long as other superhots like the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T). It’s one of the most productive super hot peppers I’ve ever grown — if you decide to add the Naga Viper to your garden, be aware that it’s an unstable hybrid, and variation can happen between growing seasons. 

» Want To Grow Super Hot Peppers? Check out Growing Peppers from Seed to Harvest – The Ultimate Guide

Bonus: 7 Pot Brain Strain 1.35 Million SHU

Previously number 10 on our list, the 7 Pot Brain Strain is a unique looking pepper known for its explosive heat. And that’s not a surprise — cut one open, and you’ll notice a a really thick membrane where capsaicin (what makes peppers hot) lives. If you can get past the burn, you’ll enjoy a fruity and somewhat smokey flavor.

Unofficial Hottest Peppers

New superhot chilies are created all the time. It takes about eight generations of growing to create stable pepper varieties.

In fact, Ed Currie’s Pepper X is said to have been in development for over 10 years before taking the Guinness World Records title.

Here are some honorable mentions for super hot peppers with unofficial heat levels:

• Apocalypse Scorpion Pepper: Also known as “Apocalypse Pepper,” this chile was developed by the Italian Peppers Lovers’ Association [source]. The Apocalypse pepper is seriously hot at 1.4+ million SHU (like the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion), and it’s known as an ugly pepper with its warty, pocked skin.
• Dragon’s Breath: Cultivated in Wales, the Dragon’s Breath pepper is said to unofficially rank at 2.48 million SHU. (Interestingly, it was originally bred as a skin anesthetic.) Dragon’s Breath is not as hot as Pepper X, but hotter than it’s predecessor the Carolina Reaper.
• Apollo Pepper: Here’s another creation from Ed Currie that is a cross between a Carolina Reaper and Pepper X. The result? The Apollo pepper is said to rank up to 3 million SHU! It could outrank Pepper X someday.

Ghost Pepper Scoville Rating

The Ghost chile (Bhut Jolokia) isn’t one of the top 10 hottest peppers, but it deserves a mention because it’s a major record-breaker. Specifically, the Ghost pepper was one of the first hottest peppers ranked at over 1 million SHUs when it topped the scale at 1,041,427.

Where To Buy The Hottest Peppers

You’re not likely to find any of these super hot chilies in grocery stores, so here are my favorite places to buy fresh peppers online.

• Etsy (in the search field, type “fresh peppers” after entering the pepper name for best results)
• ChilePlants.com
• Bohica Pepper Hut
• Your local farmer’s market (you never know what you’re going to find!)

» Related: 30 Places to Buy Pepper Seeds Online

How To Eat Super Hot Peppers

You can use super hot peppers in chili, salsas, hot sauce, candy, pepper powders, add them to pots of stew, and many other spicy recipes. When you cook with the hottest peppers, they go a long way because you only need a small piece at a time.

Before you start using super hots in your recipes, it’s really important to reiterate that these chilies are intense. You need to take special care when handling them.

As you eat super hot peppers, go slow and enjoy the flavor. Should things get too intense, ingest dairy such as milk and ice cream or eat carbs like chips and rice. Most of all, don’t drink water — that spreads the burn around!

Hottest Peppers FAQs

Wrapping Up

To recap, Pepper X is the official hottest pepper in the world (2023). I hope you enjoyed this hot pepper ranking and even try growing some of the 10 hottest peppers! 😀

What’s Next?

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