ChilliFacts

Habanero vs Red Savina

Red Savina is hotter, at about 248,556 SHU against 225,000 SHU for Habanero: about 1.1× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 0.7× to 5.8×.

Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify

A single orange habanero pepper, close up
A single orange habanero pepper, close up. Photo: The original uploader was H at English Wikipedia ., CC BY 2.5.
225,000 SHUHabanero
248,556 SHURed Savina
1.1×Heat ratio
Red SavinaHotter
Pepper X: 2,693,000 SHUDragon's Breath: 2,480,000 SHUCarolina Reaper: 1,641,183 SHUTrinidad Scorpion Butch T: 1,463,700 SHU7 Pot Primo: 1,400,000 SHUKomodo Dragon: 1,400,000 SHUNaga Viper: 1,382,118 SHUTrinidad Moruga Scorpion: 1,200,000 SHUInfinity: 1,176,182 SHU7 Pot Brain Strain: 1,175,000 SHU7 Pot Douglah: 1,170,000 SHUDorset Naga: 1,032,310 SHUGhost Pepper: 1,001,304 SHUNaga Morich: 1,000,000 SHUDalle Khursani: 393,950 SHUFatalii: 262,500 SHUScotch Bonnet: 225,000 SHUDatil: 200,000 SHUKanthari: 80,640 SHUBird's Eye Chilli: 75,000 SHUCayenne: 40,000 SHUTabasco: 40,000 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUSerrano: 15,000 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHURed Savina · 249KHabanero · 225K1K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Habanero and Red Savina on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

HabaneroRed Savina
Typical heat225,000 SHU248,556 SHU
Measured range100,000–350,000 SHU248,556–577,000 SHU
StatusLab testedGuinness record
SpeciesCapsicum chinenseCapsicum chinense
OriginYucatan Peninsula, Mexico (species from the Amazon basin)Walnut, California, USA
FlavourBright tropical sweetness under the heatNot documented
Coloursorange, red, white, brown, pinkdark red

The Scoville maths

The Scoville scale is linear: a pepper at 2,000,000 SHU has twice the capsaicinoids of one at 1,000,000 SHU. So the ratio is a simple division, 248,556 ÷ 225,000 ≈ 1.1×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (0.7× to 5.8× across the measured ranges).

About each pepper

Habanero: Now most closely tied to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Red Savina: A habanero selection bred by Frank Garcia of GNS Spices.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Habanero or Red Savina?

Red Savina. It averages about 248,556 SHU against 225,000 SHU for Habanero, about 1.1× as hot.

How many times hotter is Red Savina than Habanero?

About 1.1× using typical values (248,556 ÷ 225,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 0.7× to 5.8×.

How hot is Habanero?

Habanero: 100,000–350,000 SHU, lab tested.

How hot is Red Savina?

Red Savina: 248,556–577,000 SHU, guinness record.

Are Habanero and Red Savina the same species?

Yes, both are Capsicum chinense.

People also compare

Sources

  1. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Habanero: 100,000-350,000 SHU
  2. Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Habanero: 200,000-300,000 average
  3. Bosland & Baral, HortScience 42(2):222-224 (2007), New Mexico State University: Red Savina: 577,000 Guinness figure; 248,556 trial result
  4. NMSU Chile Pepper Institute, 'Heat' page (archived 19 Jun 2021): Red Savina: 500,000 SHU peak

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.