Hotter the better?
In 1902 Wibur Scoville developed a method for measuring the strength of capsicum in a given pepper, which originally meant tasting a diluted version of a pepper and giving it a value. Nowadays it can be done more accurately with the help of computers to rate the peppers in Scoville units, which indicate parts per million of capsaicin.
| Variety | Scoville Units |
| Pure Capsaicin | 15,000,000 - 16, 000,000 |
| US Police Pepper Spray | 5,000,000 |
| Dorset Naga Pepper | 923,000 |
| Red Savina Pepper | 350,000 - 580,000 |
| Scotch Bonnet | 100,000 - 325,000 |
| Jamaican Hot Pepper | 100,000 - 200,000 |
| Rocoto Pepper | 50,000 - 100,000 |
| Pequin Pepper | 75.000 |
| Super Chilli Pepper | 40,000 - 50,000 |
| Cayenne Pepper | 30,000 - 50,000 |
| Tabasco Pepper | 30,000 - 50,000 |
| de Arbol Pepper | 15,000 - 30,000 |
| Aji Pepper | 12,000 - 30,000 |
| Serrano pepper | 5,000 - 23,000 |
| Hot Wax Pepper | 5,000 - 10,000 |
| Chipotle | 5,000 - 10,000 |
| Jalapeno Pepper | 2,500 - 8,000 |
| Guajilla Pepper | 2,500 - 5,000 |
| Tabasco Sauce | 2,500 |
| Pasilla Pepper | 1,000 - 2,000 |
| Ancho Pepper | 1,000 - 2,000 |
| Anaheim Pepper | 500 - 2,500 |
| Nu Mex Pepper | 500 - 1,000 |
| Santa Fe Grande Pepper | 500 - 700 |
| Pimento Pepper | 100 - 500 |
| Bell Pepper | 0 |
