ChilliFacts

Komodo Dragon vs Carolina Reaper

Carolina Reaper is hotter, at about 1,641,183 SHU against 1,400,000 SHU for Komodo Dragon: about 1.2× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 1.2× to 1.6×.

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

A single wrinkled red Carolina Reaper pod with its pointed tail
A single wrinkled red Carolina Reaper pod with its pointed tail. Photo: Richard Elzey, CC BY 2.0.
1,400,000 SHUKomodo Dragon
1,641,183 SHUCarolina Reaper
1.2×Heat ratio
Carolina ReaperHotter
Pepper X: 2,693,000 SHUDragon's Breath: 2,480,000 SHUTrinidad Scorpion Butch T: 1,463,700 SHU7 Pot Primo: 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 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUSerrano: 15,000 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUCarolina Reaper · 1.64MKomodo Dragon · 1.4M1K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Komodo Dragon and Carolina Reaper on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

Komodo DragonCarolina Reaper
Typical heat1,400,000 SHU1,641,183 SHU
Measured rangeup to 1,400,000 SHUup to 2,200,000 SHU
StatusBreeder claimGuinness record
SpeciesCapsicum chinenseCapsicum chinense
OriginBlunham, Bedfordshire, UKFort Mill / Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA
FlavourFruityFruity and sweet, with a hint of cinnamon and chocolate undertones (Guinness description)
Coloursredred

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, 1,641,183 ÷ 1,400,000 ≈ 1.2×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (1.2× to 1.6× across the measured ranges).

In between

1 pepper sits between Komodo Dragon and Carolina Reaper by typical heat.

About each pepper

Komodo Dragon: Grown for Tesco by Salvatore Genovese, the UK's largest chilli grower.

Carolina Reaper: Bred by Ed Currie of PuckerButt Pepper Company.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Komodo Dragon or Carolina Reaper?

Carolina Reaper. It averages about 1,641,183 SHU against 1,400,000 SHU for Komodo Dragon, about 1.2× as hot.

How many times hotter is Carolina Reaper than Komodo Dragon?

About 1.2× using typical values (1,641,183 ÷ 1,400,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 1.2× to 1.6×.

How hot is Komodo Dragon?

Komodo Dragon: up to 1,400,000 SHU, breeder claim.

How hot is Carolina Reaper?

Carolina Reaper: up to 2,200,000 SHU, guinness record.

Are Komodo Dragon and Carolina Reaper the same species?

Yes, both are Capsicum chinense.

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Sources

  1. Guinness World Records news, 19 Nov 2013: Carolina Reaper: 1,569,300 SHU average; parentage per Guinness; previous holder Butch T
  2. Guinness World Records (record page, archived 24 Dec 2014): Carolina Reaper: record text: average 1,569,300 SHU, Winthrop tests throughout 2012, dated 7 Aug 2013

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.