ChilliFacts

Kanthari vs Bird's Eye Chilli

Kanthari is hotter, at about 80,640 SHU against 75,000 SHU for Bird's Eye Chilli: about 1.1× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 0.8× to 1.6×.

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

80,640 SHUKanthari
75,000 SHUBird's Eye Chilli
1.1×Heat ratio
KanthariHotter
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 SHUHabanero: 225,000 SHUScotch Bonnet: 225,000 SHUDatil: 200,000 SHUCayenne: 40,000 SHUTabasco: 40,000 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUSerrano: 15,000 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUKanthari · 80,640Bird's Eye Chilli · 75,0001K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Kanthari and Bird's Eye Chilli on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

KanthariBird's Eye Chilli
Typical heat80,640 SHU75,000 SHU
Measured range80,640 SHU50,000–100,000 SHU
StatusLab testedLab tested
SpeciesCapsicum frutescensCapsicum annuum (often confused with C. frutescens bird chillies)
OriginKerala and parts of Tamil Nadu, IndiaSoutheast Asia (species from the Americas)
FlavourNot documentedFruity, lightly earthy
Coloursivory white, red, greenred, green

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, 80,640 ÷ 75,000 ≈ 1.1×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (0.8× to 1.6× across the measured ranges).

About each pepper

Kanthari: A small, very pungent bird chilli grown mainly as a homestead crop in Kerala.

Bird's Eye Chilli: Like all chillies it originated in the Americas.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Kanthari or Bird's Eye Chilli?

Kanthari. It averages about 80,640 SHU against 75,000 SHU for Bird's Eye Chilli, about 1.1× as hot.

How many times hotter is Kanthari than Bird's Eye Chilli?

About 1.1× using typical values (80,640 ÷ 75,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 0.8× to 1.6×.

How hot is Kanthari?

Kanthari: 80,640 SHU, lab tested.

How hot is Bird's Eye Chilli?

Bird's Eye Chilli: 50,000–100,000 SHU, lab tested.

Are Kanthari and Bird's Eye Chilli the same species?

No. Kanthari is Capsicum frutescens; Bird's Eye Chilli is Capsicum annuum (often confused with C. frutescens bird chillies).

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Sources

  1. Spices Board India, Chilli spice catalogue (archived 8 Jun 2026): Kanthari: description, capsaicin 0.504%, ASTA 2.96
  2. Spices Board India, 'List of GI Tags Registered for Spices' (as of 15/09/2026): Kanthari: no Kanthari GI
  3. NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Bird's Eye Chilli: 50,000-100,000
  4. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Bird's Eye Chilli: 50,000-100,000

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.