Welcome to Chili Obsession’s chili pepper database, a celebration of the world’s most beloved and fiery peppers! From mild and flavorful varieties like the classic Anaheim to scorching legends like the Carolina Reaper, our curated list dives into the distinctive flavors, heat levels, and culinary versatility of each chili. We’ve spotlighted essential information for chili enthusiasts and adventurous cooks alike, including origins, unique tasting notes, heat ratings on the Scoville scale, and popular pairings to inspire your next fiery creation.
| Rank | Pepper Name | Scoville Heat Units | Description | Origin/Region | Common Uses | Color | Fresh or Dried Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bell Pepper | 0 | Mild and sweet, used in salads and stir-fries for color and crunch. | Central and South America | Salads, stir-fries, grilling | Green, red, yellow, orange | Fresh |
| 2 | Pimento Pepper | 100 – 500 | Sweet, mild, used in pimento cheese and stuffed olives. | Spain | Salads, stuffing, sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 3 | Cubanelle Pepper | 1,000 – 2,000 | Mildly sweet, great for frying and salads. | Cuba | Frying, fresh use, salads | Green, yellow | Fresh |
| 4 | Anaheim Pepper | 500 – 2,500 | Mild, versatile pepper for roasting and stuffing. | New Mexico | Roasting, stuffing, grilling | Green, red | Fresh |
| 5 | Banana Pepper | 0 – 5,000 | Tangy, often pickled and used in sandwiches. | United States | Pickling, sandwiches, salads | Yellow | Fresh |
| 6 | Sweet Pepper | 0 – 500 | Mild, adds sweetness to dishes. | Various | Salads, cooking, grilling | Varies | Fresh |
| 7 | New Mexico Pepper | 1,000 – 3,000 | Mild heat, used in chili and sauces. | New Mexico | Chili, sauces, roasting | Red, green | Fresh and dried |
| 8 | Mild Jalapeño | 2,500 – 5,000 | Less spicy than regular jalapeños, used in various dishes. | Mexico | Salsas, grilling, fresh | Green | Fresh |
| 9 | Pepperoncini | 100 – 500 | Mild and tangy, often used pickled. | Italy | Pickling, salads | Green, yellow | Fresh |
| 10 | Poblano Pepper | 1,000 – 2,000 | Mild, often roasted or stuffed for traditional dishes. | Mexico | Chiles Rellenos, sauces | Dark green | Fresh |
| 11 | Jalapeño | 2,500 – 8,000 | Versatile, used fresh, pickled, or smoked. | Mexico | Salsas, pickling, grilling | Green, red | Fresh |
| 12 | Serrano Pepper | 3,500 – 10,000 | Hotter than jalapeños, commonly used in salsas. | Mexico | Salsas, sauces | Green, red | Fresh |
| 13 | Fresno Pepper | 2,500 – 10,000 | Similar to jalapeños but sweeter, used in salsas. | California | Salsas, sauces | Red, green | Fresh |
| 14 | Cascabel Pepper | 1,000 – 5,000 | Rich, nutty flavor, often used dried in sauces. | Mexico | Sauces, salsas | Dark brown, red | Dried |
| 15 | Guajillo Pepper | 2,500 – 5,000 | Fruity and tangy, used in mole sauces. | Mexico | Mole, sauces | Red | Dried |
| 16 | Pasilla Pepper | 1,000 – 4,000 | Complex flavor, used in traditional Mexican dishes. | Mexico | Mole, sauces | Dark brown | Dried |
| 17 | Chile de Árbol | 15,000 – 30,000 | Fiery heat, adds spice to sauces. | Mexico | Salsas, sauces | Red | Dried |
| 18 | Green Hatch Chile | 1,000 – 5,000 | Rich flavor, often roasted and used in stews. | New Mexico | Chili, salsas | Green | Fresh |
| 19 | Mirasol Chili | 2,500 – 5,000 | Fruity and smoky, often dried. | Mexico | Salsas, sauces | Red, green | Fresh and dried |
| 20 | Hatch Pepper | 1,000 – 8,000 | Varied heat, popular in New Mexican cuisine. | New Mexico | Salsas, chili | Green | Fresh |
| 21 | Cayenne Pepper | 30,000 – 50,000 | Often ground into powder for spicy dishes. | Central/South America | Spicy dishes, hot sauces | Red | Dried |
| 22 | Thai Chili Pepper | 50,000 – 100,000 | Hot and small, used extensively in Asian cuisine. | Southeast Asia | Stir-fries, curries | Red, green | Fresh and dried |
| 23 | Tabasco | 30,000 – 50,000 | Known for its tangy heat, used in hot sauce. | United States | Hot sauce | Red | Fresh |
| 24 | Piri Piri PepperPiri Piri Chili | 50,000 – 175,000 | Spicy, popular in Portuguese and African dishes. | Africa/Portugal | Hot sauces, marinades | Red, green | Fresh and dried |
| 25 | Scotch Bonnet Chili | 100,000 – 350,000 | Fruity and hot, commonly used in Caribbean cooking. | Caribbean | Jerk seasoning, hot sauces | Red, yellow | Fresh |
| 26 | Habanero | 100,000 – 350,000 | Very hot and fruity, used in hot sauces. | Amazon region | Hot sauces, salsas | Orange, red | Fresh |
| 27 | Fresno Chili | 2,500 – 10,000 | Sweeter than jalapeños, great for salsas. | California | Salsas, sauces | Red, green | Fresh |
| 28 | Chiltepin Pepper | 50,000 – 100,000 | Tiny and hot, known as the ‘bird pepper’. | Mexico | Salsas, hot sauces | Red | Dried |
| 29 | Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia) | 800,000 – 1,000,000 | Extremely hot, used in super spicy dishes. | India | Hot sauces | Red | Dried |
| 30 | Carolina Reaper | 1,400,000 – 2,200,000 | Currently the world’s hottest pepper, very fruity. | United States | Hot sauces | Red | Fresh and dried |
| 31 | 7 Pot Douglah | 1,853,936 | Intensely hot, often used in hot sauces. | Trinidad | Cooking, sauces | Chocolate | Dried |
| 32 | 7 Pot Barrackpore | 1,000,000 – 1,463,700 | A very hot pepper from Trinidad, often used in hot sauces. | Trinidad | Hot sauces | Red | Dried |
| 33 | Infinity Chili | 1,176,182 | Former world record holder for heat. | United Kingdom | Hot sauces | Red | Dried |
| 34 | Naga Viper | 900,000 | Extremely hot hybrid pepper from the UK. | United Kingdom | Hot sauces | Red | Dried |
| 35 | 7 Pot Trinidad | 1,200,000 | Extremely hot pepper with fruity flavor. | Trinidad | Cooking, sauces | Red | Dried |
| 36 | Komodo Dragon | 1,400,000 | Hybrid with extreme heat and slow burn. | United Kingdom | Hot sauces | Red | Dried |
| 37 | Pepper X | 3,180,000 | The current hottest pepper, extremely intense. | United States | Hot sauces | Green | Dried |
| 38 | Pimento Chili | 500 – 1,500 | Mild, used in spreads and salads. | Spain | Salads, spreads | Red | Fresh |
| 39 | Trinidad 7 Pot | 1,200,000 | Very hot, known for its fruity flavor. | Trinidad | Cooking, sauces | Red | Dried |
| 40 | Dorset Naga | 1,000,000 – 1,200,000 | Fiery hot with a citrusy aroma. | Bangladesh | Cooking, sauces | Red | Dried |
| 41 | Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper) | 800,000 – 1,000,000 | Another name for ghost pepper, extreme heat. | India | Cooking, sauces | Red | Dried |
| 42 | 7 Pot Brown | 1,200,000 | Hot with an earthy flavor, used in sauces. | Trinidad | Cooking, sauces | Brown | Dried |
| 43 | Habanero Red Savina | 350,000 – 577,000 | A hotter strain of habanero. | United States | Hot sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 44 | Chocolate Habanero | 300,000 – 425,000 | Rich and hot, known as Black Congo. | Caribbean | Hot sauces | Brown | Dried |
| 45 | Caribbean Red Habanero | 300,000 – 475,000 | Extra heat, used in Caribbean cooking. | Caribbean | Hot sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 46 | Madame Jeanette | 100,000 – 350,000 | Fruity with floral notes, often used in Surinamese cuisine. | Suriname | Cooking, sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 47 | 7 Pot White | 1,200,000 – 1,500,000 | A rare variety of the 7 Pot pepper. | Trinidad | Cooking, sauces | White | Dried |
| 48 | Pimenta de Neyde | 1,000,000 | Known for its dark color and intense heat. | Brazil | Hot sauces | Dark purple | Dried |
| 49 | Purple Jalapeño | 2,500 – 8,000 | A colorful variety with moderate heat. | Mexico | Salsas | Purple | Fresh |
| 50 | Lemon Drop Pepper | 15,000 – 30,000 | Citrusy and bright, popular in Peruvian dishes. | Peru | Cooking, sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 51 | Aji Amarillo | 30,000 – 50,000 | Fruity flavor, essential in Peruvian cuisine. | Peru | Cooking, sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 52 | Aji Cristal | 5,000 – 15,000 | Medium-hot with a citrusy flavor, often used in Chilean cooking. | Chile | Salsas, sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 53 | Cherry Pepper | 5,000 – 10,000 | Round and sweet with moderate heat, often pickled. | United States | Pickling, salads | Red | Fresh |
| 54 | Aleppo Pepper | 10,000 – 20,000 | Mildly spicy with a sweet, fruity flavor, used in Middle Eastern dishes. | Syria | Seasoning, cooking | Red | Dried |
| 55 | Korean Gochu | 1,000 – 5,000 | Mild and sweet, commonly used in Korean cuisine for gochujang. | Korea | Sauces, stir-fries | Green, red | Fresh |
| 56 | Hungarian Wax Pepper | 5,000 – 15,000 | Mildly hot and often used in pickled preparations. | Hungary | Pickling, cooking | Yellow | Fresh |
| 57 | Cubanelle | 1,000 – 2,000 | Sweet and mild, great for frying and salads. | Cuba | Frying, salads | Green, yellow | Fresh |
| 58 | NuMex Big Jim | 1,000 – 3,000 | Large, mild pepper perfect for roasting. | New Mexico | Roasting, grilling | Green, red | Fresh |
| 59 | Hatch Green Chili | 2,000 – 5,000 | Mild to medium heat, a staple in New Mexican dishes. | New Mexico | Chili, grilling | Green | Fresh |
| 60 | Shishito Pepper | 100 – 1,000 | Mildly spicy, popular for blistering and serving as an appetizer. | Japan | Grilling, appetizers | Green | Fresh |
| 61 | Purple Bell Pepper | 0 | Colorful variety of bell pepper, often used fresh. | United States | Salads, grilling | Purple | Fresh |
| 62 | Hungarian Hot Wax | 10,000 – 15,000 | Hot and tangy, great for stuffing and grilling. | Hungary | Stuffing, grilling | Yellow | Fresh |
| 63 | Piquillo Pepper | 500 – 1,500 | Mild Spanish pepper often roasted and preserved. | Spain | Salads, sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 64 | Fushimi Pepper | 100 – 500 | Sweet and mild, commonly used in Japanese dishes. | Japan | Stir-fry, grilling | Green | Fresh |
| 65 | Santa Fe Grande | 5,000 – 7,000 | Medium heat, often used in salsas. | United States | Salsas, grilling | Yellow, red | Fresh |
| 66 | Mulato Pepper | 2,500 – 3,000 | Mild, dried poblano used in mole sauces. | Mexico | Mole, sauces | Dark brown | Dried |
| 67 | Cayenne Long Slim | 30,000 – 50,000 | A long, slender variety of cayenne pepper, used for spice. | India | Cooking, drying | Red | Dried |
| 68 | Scorpion Chili Pepper | 1,200,000 – 2,000,000 | Extremely hot pepper, often used in hot sauces. | Trinidad | Hot sauces | Red | Dried |
| 69 | Yellow Aji | 30,000 – 50,000 | Bright and fruity, used in Peruvian cooking. | Peru | Salsas, sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 70 | Chili Tepin | 50,000 – 100,000 | Small and fiery, used in Mexican dishes for heat. | Mexico | Salsas, cooking | Red | Dried |
| 71 | Mad Hatter | 5,000 – 10,000 | Mild to medium heat, with a sweet flavor. | South America | Salads, salsas | Green, red | Fresh |
| 72 | Bishop’s Crown | 10,000 – 30,000 | A mild to medium pepper with a unique shape. | South America | Sauces, cooking | Red | Fresh |
| 73 | Pasilla Bajio | 1,000 – 2,500 | Dried pepper with a smoky flavor, often used in Mexican cuisine. | Mexico | Mole, sauces | Dark brown | Dried |
| 74 | Fish Pepper | 5,000 – 30,000 | Colorful variety, used in seafood dishes. | United States | Seafood, cooking | Variegated | Fresh |
| 75 | Yellow Scotch Bonnet | 100,000 – 350,000 | Hot and fruity, often used in Caribbean cuisine. | Caribbean | Hot sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 76 | Ají Limo | 30,000 – 50,000 | Fruity and spicy, often used in ceviche. | Peru | Ceviche, cooking | Yellow, red | Fresh |
| 77 | Bulgarian Carrot | 10,000 – 30,000 | Crunchy and bright, often used in salsas and sauces. | Bulgaria | Salsas, sauces | Orange | Fresh |
| 78 | Tabiche Pepper | 100,000 – 300,000 | Hot Caribbean pepper used in sauces. | Caribbean | Cooking, sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 79 | Chili Manzano | 12,000 – 30,000 | Thick-fleshed and spicy, popular in Mexican dishes. | Mexico | Salsas, cooking | Orange | Fresh |
| 80 | Cuban Habanero | 100,000 – 300,000 | Hot and flavorful, used in hot sauces. | Cuba | Hot sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 81 | Ancho Poblano | 1,000 – 2,000 | Mild and sweet, used in stuffed dishes and mole. | Mexico | Stuffing, mole | Dark green | Fresh |
| 82 | White Habanero | 100,000 – 250,000 | Rare variety, often used for its fruity flavor. | Caribbean | Hot sauces | White | Fresh |
| 83 | Yellow Lantern | 100,000 – 350,000 | A fruity, hot pepper used in Chinese cuisine. | China | Cooking, sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 84 | Biquinho Pepper | 500 – 1,000 | Mild Brazilian pepper used for pickling. | Brazil | Pickling | Red | Fresh |
| 85 | Jaloro Pepper | 2,500 – 8,000 | Yellow jalapeño variety with moderate heat. | Mexico | Salsas, grilling | Yellow | Fresh |
| 86 | TAM Mild Jalapeño | 1,000 – 5,000 | Milder jalapeño variant for reduced heat. | Mexico | Salsas, grilling | Green | Fresh |
| 87 | Fatalii Pepper | 125,000 – 325,000 | Hot African pepper with a citrusy flavor. | Africa | Hot sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 88 | Caribbean Habanero | 150,000 – 325,000 | Hot and fruity, popular in Caribbean cooking. | Caribbean | Hot sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 89 | Long Red Cayenne | 30,000 – 50,000 | Versatile hot pepper often dried and ground. | United States | Spices, sauces | Red | Dried |
| 90 | Red Savina Habanero | 350,000 – 577,000 | Once the hottest pepper in the world. | United States | Hot sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 91 | Aji Panca | 500 – 1,500 | Mild Peruvian pepper, used in sauces and stews. | Peru | Sauces, stews | Dark red | Dried |
| 92 | Chinese Five Color | 5,000 – 15,000 | Ornamental and edible, changing colors as it ripens. | China | Salsas, pickling | Varied | Fresh |
| 93 | Cayenne Golden | 30,000 – 50,000 | Golden variety of cayenne, used in sauces. | India | Cooking, drying | Yellow | Dried |
| 94 | Naga Morich | 900,000 – 1,000,000 | Extremely hot Bangladeshi pepper, used in curries. | Bangladesh | Hot sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 95 | Hawaiian Chili | 50,000 – 100,000 | Small and spicy, often used in Hawaiian cuisine. | Hawaii | Salsas, sauces | Red | Fresh |
| 96 | Yellow Fatalii | 125,000 – 325,000 | Bright and hot, with a lemony flavor. | Africa | Hot sauces | Yellow | Fresh |
| 97 | Kashmiri Chili | 2,000 – 5,000 | Mild Indian chili used for color and mild heat. | India | Curries, sauces | Red | Dried |
| 98 | Chili Guero | 1,000 – 5,000 | Mild and yellow, popular in Mexican cuisine. | Mexico | Salsas, cooking | Yellow | Fresh |
| 99 | Orange Habanero | 100,000 – 300,000 | Bright and hot, used in various dishes. | Mexico | Hot sauces | Orange | Fresh |
| 100 | Carolina Cayenne | 30,000 – 50,000 | Long and spicy, often used dried. | United States | Cooking, drying | Red | Dried |