The Scoville Scale was created by a pharmacist named Wilbur Scoville in 1912 to measure the heat of peppers. A “Scoville Unit” is actually a measure of capsaicin (the chemical in hot peppers that is responsible for their heat). Scoville’s test was a comparative taste test that is considered subjective by today’s standards. A more sophisticated method is in use today, but in honor of Wilbur Scoville, the unit of measure is still called the Scoville.
| Scoville Units | Pepper |
| 2,200,000 | Carolina Reaper |
| 2,009,000 | Trinidad Moruga Scorpion |
| 1,850,000 | 7 Pot Douglah |
| 1,470,000 | 7 Pot Primo |
| 1,460,000 | Trinidad Scorpion |
| 1,300,000 | Naga Viper |
| 1,001,304 | Ghost Chile, aka Bhut Jolokia |
| 500,000 | Red Savina Habanero |
| 100,000 – 300,000 | Habanero |
| 50,000 – 100,000 | Chile Tepin, Thai |
| 30,000 – 50,000 | Tabasco, Pequin, Cayenne |
| 15,000 – 30,000 | de Arbol |
| 5,000 – 15,000 | Serrano, Dynamite |
| 2,500 – 5,000 | Guajillo, Mirasol, Jalapeno, Inferno |
| 1,500 – 2,500 | Sandia, Pueblo Hot, Rocotillo, Cascabel |
| 1,000 – 1,500 |
Pasilla, Ancho, Negro, Big Jim |
| 500 – 1,000 |
New Mexico 6-4, Anaheim, Mulato |
| 0 – 500 |
Cherry, Bell, Pimento |
