ChilliFacts

Habanero vs Scotch Bonnet

Habanero is hotter, at about 225,000 SHU against 225,000 SHU for Scotch Bonnet: about 1× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 0.3× to 3.5×.

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
225,000 SHUScotch Bonnet
1×Heat ratio
HabaneroHotter
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 SHURed Savina: 248,556 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 SHUHabanero · 225KScotch Bonnet · 225K1K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Habanero and Scotch Bonnet on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

HabaneroScotch Bonnet
Typical heat225,000 SHU225,000 SHU
Measured range100,000–350,000 SHU100,000–350,000 SHU
StatusLab testedLab tested
SpeciesCapsicum chinenseCapsicum chinense
OriginYucatan Peninsula, Mexico (species from the Amazon basin)Caribbean (especially Jamaica)
FlavourBright tropical sweetness under the heatNot documented
Coloursorange, red, white, brown, pinkred, yellow, orange

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, 225,000 ÷ 225,000 ≈ 1×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (0.3× to 3.5× across the measured ranges).

About each pepper

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

Scotch Bonnet: A Caribbean C.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Habanero or Scotch Bonnet?

Habanero. It averages about 225,000 SHU against 225,000 SHU for Scotch Bonnet, about 1× as hot.

How many times hotter is Habanero than Scotch Bonnet?

About 1× using typical values (225,000 ÷ 225,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 0.3× to 3.5×.

How hot is Habanero?

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

How hot is Scotch Bonnet?

Scotch Bonnet: 100,000–350,000 SHU, lab tested.

Are Habanero and Scotch Bonnet 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. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Scotch Bonnet: 100,000-350,000
  4. NMSU Chile Pepper Institute, 'Heat' page (archived 19 Jun 2021): Scotch Bonnet: 350,000 tested

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.