Chili peppers by Scoville heat

1. Carolina Reaper1,641,183 SHU

   Bred by Ed Currie, it was the Guinness hottest pepper for a decade, with some pods reportedly near 2.2 million. Source

2. Habaneroabout 225,000 SHU

   Its name means 'from Havana', yet it is best known in Mexico's Yucatán, where it flavours salsas and hot sauces. Source

3. Cayenne pepperabout 37,500 SHU

   Cayenne is the pepper behind Frank's RedHot, and it typically runs about twice as hot as a serrano. Source

4. Serranoabout 17,500 SHU

   Serrano means 'from the mountains' in Spanish, and these chilies are usually several times hotter than a jalapeño. Source

5. Jalapeñoabout 5,000 SHU

   The jalapeño is named after Xalapa, Mexico, and it is the mildest here, hundreds of times cooler than a Reaper. Source

Scoville heat units. Mid-point of each typical range; Reaper is its Guinness lab average.