If you are looking to spice up your life, then consider these hottest peppers in the world. These chillies are sure to give that extra kick of flavor that will have people coming back for more. The world’s hottest pepper is always shifting and evolving. Every year, it appears that a new pepper is either invented or discovered, so keep checking back to see if any new record-breaking peppers are added!
Your love for spicy foods is unshakable. But, smothering your chilli or grain bowl in Sriracha isn’t your thing anymore. If you want to take your fiery cuisine to the next level, the world’s hottest peppers are where it’s at.
We have compiled a list of 15 hottest peppers in the world in 2022 which are sure to suit any palate. These 15 Scoville Scale-ranked peppers are at the sharp end of the spectrum, allowing you to delve into a universe where Chocula is just another run-of-the-mill condiment. In a nutshell, let’s spice things up!
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Table of Contents
1.) Carolina Reaper 2,200,000 SHU
One of the hottest peppers in the world, the Carolina Reaper is a hybrid cross between the Red Savina Habanero and the Naga Viper. Named for growing in North Carolina, this chilli has taken over the title of hottest pepper in the world with a score of 2.2 million Scoville Units.
It was first grown by Ed Currie and was revealed to be so similar to the Ghost Chilli that it quickly took hold as one of the hottest peppers in-demand. This chilli is cultivated exclusively in South Carolina and has become so popular that people will go on field trips to see them grow or buy them at farmers’ markets. You simply can’t miss out on trying this fiery morsel when you’re in Charleston!
Want to learn how to grow your own chilli peppers? Check out our article that covers this!
The Carolina Reaper pepper is 200 times hotter than a Jalapeño
2.) Trinidad Moruga Scorpion 2,009,231 SHU
The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is one of the hottest peppers in the world with a score of 2.0 million Scoville Units. It is closely related to the hottest pepper in the world, the Carolina Reaper, and is found mainly in Trinidad and Tobago. The chilli was first cultivated by The Chilli Pepper Company but has since been decoded for cultivation by other farmers as well.
It has an elongated shape that tapers at its end, with a height of 2-3 feet (60-90cm). The color of this pepper varies from light yellow or green, to dark brown-red at maturity. Flavor wise it is described as having notes of chocolate hazelnut spread covered in raspberry jam – yum!
3.) 7 Pot Douglah 1,853,936 SHU
The 7 Pot Douglah (also known as the Chocolate 7 Pod or, less commonly, the 7 Pod Douglah), is one of the unusual and burning hot 7 pod varieties. Currently the world’s third hottest pepper, behind #1 The Carolina Reaper and #2 Trinidad Moruga Scorpion. The skin of the Douglah is dark brown/purple in hue with numerous “pimples” spread over its surface. Green in color at first, it matures to a unique dark purple shade distinct from that of the Douglah.
The placenta of the Douglah chili is chock-full of liquid capsaicin oils, which give it so much heat. The majority of the capsaicin oils are kept in the placenta. Fresh or as a powder, it has a great taste.
4.) 7 Pot Primo 1,469,000 SHU
The 7 Pot Primo is a cross between a Naga Morich and a Trinidad 7 Pot pepper, conceived by Troy Primeaux (also known as Primo), an American horticulturist. He began crossing the Naga Morich and Trinidad 7 Pot seeds in 2005 after obtaining his Ph.D. in botany from Louisiana State University (LSU).
The 7 Pot Primo sports a scorpion-like tail. The skin is bumpy and pimply, just like other superhot chili peppers, but the tail is most distinctive. The pods can become lumpy, as though they are slightly misshapen 7 pot peppers. It typically reaches a brilliant red color when fully matured, although there are also orange and yellow cultivars available.
Are chilli peppers a fruit or vegetable? We wrote an article that covers this in full detail.
5.) Trinidad Scorpion “Butch T” 1,463,700 SHU
The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T is a Capsicum chinense cultivar that is one of the hottest peppers in the world. It is native to Trinidad and Tobago. After receiving the seeds from Butch Taylor (the owner of Zydeco Farms in Woodville/Crosbury, Mississippi, and a hot sauce company), Neil Smith named it after he got them from him.The “scorpion” peppers are so-called as the pointed end of the pepper resembles a scorpion’s stinger.
The Trinidad scorpion pepper, also known as the “Butch T” pepper, held the title of world’s hottest (“hot”) pepper for three years according to Guinness World Records. In March 2011, a laboratory analysis found a test subject at 1,463,700 Scoville heat units, making it officially the world’s hottest pepper at the time.
6.) Naga Viper 1,349,000 SHU
The Naga Viper pepper is a hot chili pepper. It was named the “World’s Hottest Chili” by the Guinness World Records in 2011, with a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) of 1,382,118. However, in 2017, it was surpassed by the current world record holder, the Carolina Reaper.
The Naga Viper was developed in Cark, Cumbria, by chilli farmer Gerald Fowler of The Chilli Pepper Company. It’s said to be an unbalanced three-way hybrid created from the Naga Morich, Bhut jolokia, and Trinidad Scorpion, two of the world’s hottest peppers.
7.) Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia) 1,041,427 SHU
The Bhut jolokia (or ghost pepper), also known as the “ghost chili,” “bhutlah,” and even by its former name, “Naga Jolokia” is a naturally occurring hybrid produced from crossing between the hottest chillies in the world: Naga Morich and Trinidad Scorpion.
It’s one of many hot peppers cultivated on Earth, but it currently holds first place for hottest variety grown commercially.It took third place at Guinness World Records’ annual Spice Week in August 2007 where they were judged to be the hottest chilli pepper available outside Asia.
8.) 7 Pot Barrackpore 1,000,000 SHU
The Seven Pot Barrackpore is a chili pepper created in Trinidad and Tobago. It was named the hottest of all time by Guinness World Records on December 13, 2011 with an average peak Scoville heat level of nearly one million Scovilles.
It’s also called the “Barracuda” because it looks like a fish from above – very round and odd-shaped. A little bit smaller than golf ball size but packing tons of heat! The pods grow to about three inches long and are wrinkled looking a lot like a cayenne pepper pod except they’re much hotter.
We wrote an article on different reasons why your chilli plant leaves are wilting and how to identify your chilli plant.
9.) 7 Pot Red (Giant) 1,000,000 SHU
The Trinidad 7 pot, also known as 7 pod, is a chili pepper from Trinidad. It’s a unique and extremely hot chili. The pungency of this pepper is comparable to that of the Bhut Jolokia and Naga Morich. According to legend, eating one pod will spice up the cooking of sevenpots of soup. Try to keep the temperature steady at 28 – 32 degrees for optimal germination rate.
10.) Chocolate Ghost Pepper 800,000 to 1,001,304 SHU
The ghost pepper, often known as the chocolate variety of it, is a spicy chili that has become popular in North America. It’s the name given to the sweet variety of this chili in other parts of the world. In India, it was christened Bhut Jolokia Chocolate after its discoverers.
The Chocolate ghost pepper is also used as an insect repellant. It’s possible to use it in military weapons and on fences to keep stampeding elephants at bay. When a chocolate ghost pepper intimidates an elephant, you know it’s hot. Consider how intimidating you’ll be if you approach it too quickly.
11.) Red Savina Habanero 500,000 SHU
The Red Savina pepper is a cultivar of the habanero chili (Capsicum chinense Jacquin), which has been selectively bred to produce spicier, heavier, and larger fruit that is more powerful than its parent. The Red Savina was developed by GNS Spices’ Francisco Garcia in Walnut, California. However, the specific method that Garcia employed to pick the top breeding strains is unknown.
The Red Savina is a small, wrinkled fruit that has a “Chinese lantern” form and measures 2 inches by 1.5 inches (5 x 3.5 cm). It’s distinctively dark red and may have been developed with spicy red habanero mutations. It was formerly protected under the U.S. Plant Variety Protection Act, which went into effect in 2011.
12.) Red Savina 350,000 to 577,000 SHU
The Red Savina pepper is one that should not be taken lightly, or for the faint of mouth. It originated in Central America, but the heat was enhanced after it moved to California. One sniff will provide a sense of how hot it is because of its distinctive aroma.
The Red Savina was the world’s spiciest pepper until 2006, when numerous others surpassed it. Given the difficulties involved with consuming a spicy pepper, one taste of it will make you believe that it is still the hottest in the world.
Want to know how you can overwinter your chilli plants? Find out on a blog that we wrote that covers this.
13.) Tigerpaw 265,000-328,000 SHU
The tigerpaw pepper has a distinct name and appearance, which sets it apart from the other fiery alternatives. It’s another variety of habanero pepper that was developed in the United States through scientific breeding. The tigerpaw was created to be resistant to pests that plague pepper and tomato crops.
The tigerpaw has a less favorable reputation than some of the other peppers on this list, owing to how it was developed. That doesn’t deter the tigerpaw from being very hot and well worth a try for anyone with a hardcore passion for spicy cuisine. You may simply replace the tigerpaw with any other type of Habanero pepper.
14.) Devil’s Tongue 125,000 to 325,000 SHU
The name Devil’s Tongue is enough to frighten any newcomer attempting this pepper. Although the color yellow makes Devil’s Tongue appear less frightening than other peppers, it is obvious in its name, which refers to how hot the pepper is in such a strong title.
The Devil’s Tongue pepper is a super-spicy variety discovered on an unexpected Amish farm in Pennsylvania. Nobody knows how far back it goes. It’s still one of the hottest peppers around. Salad or salsa with the Devil’s Tongue is popular among adventurous eaters.
15.) Fatalii 120,000–400,000 SHU
The fatalii pepper is a lesser-known variety of chili pepper, although it is still extremely hot. This African chili pepper is the one I’m speaking about. When eating the fatalii pepper, you notice a hint of citrus flavor in addition to the powerful spices.
It is frequently used in hot sauces, although it may also be eaten raw. If you bite into one of these peppers without enough cold water or milk, you risk dying. It’s still the most popular food in Africa and the Caribbean, among other places. Keep an eye out for fatalii peppers when eating anything new.
