1K–10K SHU

Medium Peppers: Complete Guide (1K–10K SHU)

Noticeable warmth that most people enjoy. The sweet spot for home cooks.

4 varieties 4 comparisons
Mild Medium Hot Extra-Hot Super-Hot
Profiles

All Medium Peppers

4 varieties
Medium

Jalapeño

Mexico · 3K–8K SHU

bright grassy C. annuum
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Medium

Chipotle

Mexico · 3K–8K SHU

smoky sweet C. annuum
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Medium

Guajillo Pepper

Mexico · 3K–5K SHU

tangy sweet C. annuum
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Medium

Poblano Pepper

Mexico · 1K–2K SHU

earthy rich C. annuum
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Head-to-Head

Medium Pepper Comparisons

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Habanero vs Jalapeño

Habaneros deliver 12-140x more heat than jalapeños with a completely different fruity profile.

Jalapeño vs Serrano Pepper

Mexico's two most popular fresh peppers — serranos are 2-5x hotter with crisper, cleaner heat.

Jalapeño vs Poblano Pepper

Both Mexican essentials — jalapeños for heat, poblanos for roasting and stuffing.

Cayenne Pepper vs Jalapeño

Cayenne delivers 4-20x more heat with a cleaner, more neutral flavor ideal for general seasoning.
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Related Guides

All guides →
Scoville Scale Explained
How pepper heat is measured
What Is Capsaicin?
The compound behind the burn
How to Stop Pepper Burn
Proven remedies for capsaicin
Fresh vs Dried Peppers
How drying transforms flavor

Explore Other Heat Levels

The Scoville scale spans from 0 SHU (bell peppers) to over 3 million SHU (Pepper X). Each tier serves a different culinary purpose.

0–999 SHU
Mild
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10K–100K SHU
Hot
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100K–1M SHU
Extra-Hot
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1M+ SHU
Super-Hot
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