ChilliFacts

Kashmiri Chilli vs Guntur Chilli

Guntur Chilli is hotter, at about 36,160 SHU against 20,800 SHU for Kashmiri Chilli: about 1.7× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 0.7× to 1.9×.

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

20,800 SHUKashmiri Chilli
36,160 SHUGuntur Chilli
1.7×Heat ratio
Guntur ChilliHotter
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 SHUKanthari: 80,640 SHUBird's Eye Chilli: 75,000 SHUCayenne: 40,000 SHUTabasco: 40,000 SHUSerrano: 15,000 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUGuntur Chilli · 36,160Kashmiri Chilli · 20,8001K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Kashmiri Chilli and Guntur Chilli on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

Kashmiri ChilliGuntur Chilli
Typical heat20,800 SHU36,160 SHU
Measured range20,800–52,000 SHU35,000–40,000 SHU
StatusLab testedLab tested
SpeciesCapsicum annuumCapsicum annuum var. longum
OriginJammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, India; also sub-tropical North India in winterGuntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India (also Prakasam, Warangal, Khammam)
FlavourMild-tasting, colour-forwardHot, pungent
Coloursdeep redred

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, 36,160 ÷ 20,800 ≈ 1.7×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (0.7× to 1.9× across the measured ranges).

About each pepper

Kashmiri Chilli: Prized for deep red colour rather than heat.

Guntur Chilli: 'Sannam' means 'thin' in Telugu.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Kashmiri Chilli or Guntur Chilli?

Guntur Chilli. It averages about 36,160 SHU against 20,800 SHU for Kashmiri Chilli, about 1.7× as hot.

How many times hotter is Guntur Chilli than Kashmiri Chilli?

About 1.7× using typical values (36,160 ÷ 20,800). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 0.7× to 1.9×.

How hot is Kashmiri Chilli?

Kashmiri Chilli: 20,800–52,000 SHU, lab tested.

How hot is Guntur Chilli?

Guntur Chilli: 35,000–40,000 SHU, lab tested.

Are Kashmiri Chilli and Guntur Chilli the same species?

No. Kashmiri Chilli is Capsicum annuum; Guntur Chilli is Capsicum annuum var. longum.

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Sources

  1. Spices Board India, Chilli spice catalogue (archived 8 Jun 2026): Kashmiri Chilli: growing regions, ASTA 54.10, capsaicin 0.325%
  2. Krishnamurthy et al., J. Sci. Ind. Res. 58(8):629-630 (1999), CSIR-NISCAIR: Kashmiri Chilli: capsaicin 0.13% (HPLC)
  3. IP India GI Registry, application 143 (Guntur Sannam Chilli): Guntur Chilli: GI dates and numbers
  4. Spices Board India, 'List of GI Tags Registered for Spices' (as of 15/09/2026): Guntur Chilli: certificate date

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.