Dive deep into fiery sauces with our ever-growing hot sauce rankings list. Each month we review a handful of hand-picked hot sauces – some mainstream staples, others craft blends. Our rankings pull together all of our hot sauce reviews and scores into one easy-to-search list. Use it to discover your new “best hot sauce”, whether you have a hankering for unique flavor, something collectible, or a highly-usable daily-driver to spice up your everyday meals.
Note: We’re in the process of updating our rankings to a 10-point scale and adding an “eatability” score focused solely on flavor, heat balance, and usability. So scores will differ on our reviews compared to this ranking page until we’re complete.
Our hot sauce rankings
Click on the hot sauce name to read our full review (including any Sizzle Reel video review of the hot sauce). Or click on the row to open up fast facts on the sauce, including a score breakdown, Scoville range (if known), crafter location, and more.
| Hot Sauce | Image | Topline | Rating | Flavor | Balance | Usability | Collectibility | X-Factor | Heat | Scoville Heat Range | Peppers Used | Crafter City | Crafter State/Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Pete Hotter Hot Sauce |  | Texas Pete Hotter Hot Sauce delivers exactly what it says. It’s the original flavor with a much bigger kick. The hot sauce is roughly four times spicier, and it keeps its classic aged pepper and vinegar flavor intact. | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | Medium | 3,000 - 3,500 | Cayenne | Winston - Salem | North Carolina | |
| Trappey's Red Devil Cayenne Pepper Sauce |  | Trappey’s Red Devil Cayenne Pepper is a tasty blend of cayenne peppers, vinegar, and salt — all-in, it creates a slightly different flavor experience than Trappey’s Original Recipe. But it’s surprisingly mild, especially given the pepper used and the branding. | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Mild | 800 - 1,200 | Cayenne | New Iberia | Louisiana | |
| Dat’l Hook Ya Datil Pepper Sauce |  | Dat’l Hook Ya – a non-sweet datil sauce – pairs big earthy flavor with bold spices and a very eatable heat. It’s very versatile (you can use it as a ketchup replacement) and it shines with seafood in particular. | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Medium | 10,000 - 20,000 | Datil | St. Augustine | Florida | https://www.pepperscale.com/datl-hook-ya-datil-pepper-sauce/ |
| Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce |  | Secret Aardvark is a true table sauce – very versatile and well balanced. The heat is moderate (fresh jalapeño-like) making it very eatable for most, even though habaneros are the star pepper here. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | Medium | ND | Habanero | Portland | Oregon | https://www.pepperscale.com/secret-aardvark-habanero-hot-sauce/ |
| Gindo's Hot Sauce - Original Fresh and Spicy |  | Gindo’s Hot Sauce – Original Fresh and Spicy is a delicious gourmet experience. There’s lots of depth here, plus it’s very versatile for uses. | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | ND | Habanero | Batavia | Illinois | https://www.pepperscale.com/gindos-hot-sauce-original-fresh-and-spicy/ |
| Professor Phardtpounder’s Colon Cleaner Hot Sauce |  | Professor Phardtpounder’s Colon Cleaner is a flavorful, mustard-based hot sauce with nicely balanced heat. It’s very collectible and makes a statement on the table. Mustard-based hot sauces, though, are not for everyone. | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | ND | Habanero, Scotch Bonnet | Riviera Beach | Florida | https://www.pepperscale.com/colon-cleaner-hot-sauce/ |
| Slap Ya Mama Cajun Pepper Sauce |  | Slap Ya Mama Cajun Pepper Sauce is a well-balanced Louisiana-style hot sauce, with more heat and flavor than a lot of competitors. The spiciness is still very eatable and the sauce very versatile. Those watching their sodium intake should look elsewhere a | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Cayenne | Ville Platte | Louisiana | https://www.pepperscale.com/slap-ya-mama-cajun-pepper-sauce/ |
| Torchbearer Garlic Reaper Sauce |  | If you’re both a fan of garlic and an extreme eater, Torchbearer Garlic Reaper Sauce is your new go-to. It’s bold heat, but with a bold flavor to match. | 4.4 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | 116,000 | Carolina Reaper | Mechanicsburg | Pennsylvania | https://www.pepperscale.com/torchbearer-garlic-reaper-sauce/ |
| Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce |  | Sriracha is arguably the most versatile hot sauce on the planet. It’s sweet, garlicky flavor works on everything from steak to ice cream. And it’s a heat that most everyone can enjoy. | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | Mild | 1,000 - 2,500 | Jalapeno | Irwindale | California | https://www.pepperscale.com/sriracha-hot-chili-sauce/ |
| Lingham's Hot Sauce |  | Lingham’ is a delicious multi-use chili sauce with a mild heat. The sweetness is the star here and makes Lingham's an excellent everyday condiment (and condiment enhancer). | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Mild | ND | Semenyih | Malaysia | https://www.pepperscale.com/linghams-hot-sauce/ | |
| Tabasco Scorpion Pepper Sauce |  | Take Tabasco Original and multiply the heat by 20, then add a little sweetness and a little less vinegary tang. That’s Tabasco Scorpion. It’s a fun addition to the Tabasco line, providing needed sting! | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | 50,000 | Scorpion, Tabasco | Avery Island | Louisiana | https://www.pepperscale.com/tabasco-scorpion-pepper-sauce/ |
| Dr. Assburn’s Fire Roasted Habanero Pepper Sauce |  | If you like smoky hot sauces but want something more than chipotle pepper heat, Dr. Assburn’s is a winner. Its heat builds over time, and its well-balanced with the sweet-smoky flavor. Plus, the label design is just plain fun. | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | Extra-Hot | 25,000 - 50,000 | Habanero | Riviera Beach | Florida | https://www.pepperscale.com/dr-assburns-fire-roasted-habanero-pepper-sauce/ |
| Dawson’s Original Hot Sauce |  | Dawson’s Original Hot Sauce is a delicious sauce with a heat that lives up to the habaneros used inside, but with a delayed kick that really lets the flavor pop. | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | 82,500 | Habanero | Hamilton | Canada | https://www.pepperscale.com/dawsons-original-hot-sauce/ |
| Sauce Bae Skinny Habanero Hot Sauce |  | Sauce Bae Skinny Habanero Hot Sauce is a delicious mix of pineapple and exotic spices with a very eatable heat. Vegan, all natural, gluten-free, and low-sodium. | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | 2,500 | Habanero, Jalapeno | Hoboken | New Jersey | https://www.pepperscale.com/sauce-bae-skinny-habanero-hot-sauce/ |
| Angry Goat Purple Hippo Hot Sauce |  | Purple Hippo is a uniquely sweet and surprisingly spicy concoction. Heat seekers will enjoy the bold spiciness. And the sweetness from prickly pear works for one memorable hot sauce. | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | Jalapeno, Habanero, Scorpion | White River Junction | Vermont | https://www.pepperscale.com/angry-goat-purple-hippo-hot-sauce/ | |
| Dirty Dick's Hot Sauce |  | Dirty Dick’s is a very well-balanced tropical hot sauce. The banana in the sauce adds a nice twist to the eating experience. The mix of sweet and heat works very well here – neither overwhelms the other. | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Medium | Habanero | Norwell | Massachusetts | https://www.pepperscale.com/dirty-dicks-hot-sauce/ | |
| Mendez Hot Sauce |  | Mendez Hot Sauce is unique in look and flavor, but it’s more usable than you may think! The company’s altruistic mission is admirable and makes this sauce a terrific buy. | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | Medium | ND | Malagueta | Goiás | Brazil | https://www.pepperscale.com/mendez-hot-sauce/ |
| Blair's Mega Death Sauce |  | Blair’s Mega Death Sauce is not one for the timid. It’s a big super-hot spiciness, but there’s sneaky flavor here when used with care. A few drops will do for most use cases. The packaging and design are fun and super-collectible. | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | Super-Hot | 550,000 | Habanero, Cayenne | Highlands | New Jersey | https://www.pepperscale.com/blairs-mega-death-sauce/ |
| Matouk's Hot Pepper Sauce |  | Matouk's is a well-balanced scotch bonnet hot sauce with a delicious mustardy and vinegary tang. It’s surprisingly versatile. | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | Medium | ND | Scotch Bonnet | Arima | Trinidad and Tobago | https://www.pepperscale.com/matouks-hot-pepper-sauce-salsa-picante/ |
| Dave's Insanity Hot Sauce |  | A super-hot sauce, Dave's Insanity still brings a nice bit of flavor to the table. Though this is still a sauce you'll want to use in drops, if you're not an extreme eater. The label design is fun and ironic. | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Super-Hot | 180,000 | San Rafael | California | https://www.pepperscale.com/daves-insanity-hot-sauce/ | |
| Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Hot Sauce |  | Trader Joe’s Green Dragon is a surprisingly complex hot sauce - a lot of flavor backed by some surprising ingredients. This is a mild sauce great for everyday use. Those looking for big heat, though, may want to look elsewhere. | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 4.5 | Medium | ND | Jalapeno, Habanero | Monrovia | California | https://www.pepperscale.com/trader-joes-green-dragon-hot-sauce/ |
| Truff Hot Sauce |  | Truff Hot Sauce is a well-balanced, medium heat hot sauce featuring a delicious truffle flavor. It’s sweet and earthy, but not overwhelming on the truffle side. Beautiful packaging and a lot of use cases. Those who don't like sweeter hot sauces may want t | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Huntington Beach | California | https://www.pepperscale.com/truff-hot-sauce/ | |
| Fire Fruits Hot Sauce - Fiery Orange |  | Fire Fruits Hot Sauce – Fiery Orange is well-balanced, flavorful, and fresh-tasting. There are some big-heat peppers in the ingredient list, but the spiciness pairs well with the depth of the flavor. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | ND | Habanero, Scorpion | Orlando | Florida | https://www.pepperscale.com/fire-fruits-hot-sauce-fiery-orange/ |
| Huichol Hot Sauce |  | Huichol Hot Sauce is a deliciously earthy, flavor-forward sauce with a mild to low-medium heat. Very versatile. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | ND | Cascabel | Nayarit | Mexico | https://www.pepperscale.com/huichol-hot-sauce/ |
| Fairhope Favorite’s Original Moonshine Hot Sauce |  | Fairhope Favorite’s Moonshine Hot Sauce is a good everyday hot sauce if you want the sauce to get out of the way of the food's natural flavor. Cool label, pour-friendly spout (careful!). The plastic bottle takes some away from collectibility. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Fairhope | Alabama | https://www.pepperscale.com/fairhope-favorites-original-moonshine-hot-sauce/ | |
| Tabasco Original Red Sauce |  | There’s no surprise why Tabasco Original Red Sauce is a staple condiment. It’s as versatile as a hot sauce comes, with a delicious vinegar tang and very eatable heat. Hot sauce newbies and aficionados alike can enjoy it. | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 4.0 | Medium | 3,750 | Tabasco | Avery Island | Louisiana | https://www.pepperscale.com/tabasco-original-red-sauce/ |
| Trader Joe's Habanero Pepper Sauce |  | Habaneros really star in Trader Joe’s Habanero Hot Sauce. It’s a classic mix that makes an excellent table sauce. | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 4.0 | Medium | Habanero | Monrovia | California | https://www.pepperscale.com/trader-joes-habanero-hot-sauce/ | |
| Satan's Blood Hot Sauce |  | Satan’s Blood is one extreme hot sauce with a ton of collectibility due to its one of a kind vial. The overwhelming heat is the experience, so use sparingly. Those looking for a balance of flavor and spiciness should look elsewhere. | 3.9 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Super-Hot | 800,000 | Riviera Beach | Florida | https://www.pepperscale.com/satans-blood-hot-sauce/ | |
| Dave's Cool Cayenne Hot Sauce |  | Dave’s Cool Cayenne is a surprising offering in a Dave’s line well-known for big heat. It’s warmth grows to a very eatable simmer with a tasty peppery flavor and vinegary tang. This is a daily-driver hot sauce that can be used on near everythi | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Medium | 5,000 | Cayenne | San Rafael | California | https://www.pepperscale.com/daves-cool-cayenne-hot-sauce/ |
| Da Bomb Beyond Insanity Hot Sauce |  | Very collectible packaging meets big heat that tends to linger. Careful - too much will overtake your meal. Smoky and sweet - but use a drop or two at a time! | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Super-Hot | 135,600 | Habanero, Chipotle | Kansas City | Kansas | https://www.pepperscale.com/da-bomb-beyond-insanity-hot-sauce/ |
| Queen Majesty Scotch Bonnet & Ginger Hot Sauce |  | This ginger-forward sauce doesn't pack big heat as you'd expect with scotch bonnet on the label, but the fruity sweetness of the pepper pairs well with ginger. Unique exotic flavor and label. Use cases can be limited, but when it works it works very well. | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Scotch Bonnet | Queens | New York | https://www.pepperscale.com/queen-majesty-scotch-bonnet-ginger-hot-sauce/ |
| Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha Hot Sauce |  | This gochujang sriracha is a little weak in the heat department, but just as versatile as the popular Sriracha. It’s a decent daily driver hot sauce - solid, but doesn’t excel outside its usability. | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Washington | DC | https://www.pepperscale.com/weak-knees-gochujang-sriracha-hot-sauce/ | |
| Mike's Hot Honey |  | Mike's Hot Honey is an excellent alternative to everyday honey. It's deliciously sweet and very mild in spiciness. Its overall mildness though may be too little for spicy food fans. | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | Mild | ND | Brooklyn | New York | https://www.pepperscale.com/mikes-hot-honey/ | |
| Heartbeat Hot Sauce - Blueberry Habanero |  | A surprisingly light blueberry taste and mild heat (for a marketed habanero-based sauce), but very tasty nonetheless. It’s also more usable than you may think for a sauce that’s berry-based. | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Habanero | Thunder Bay | Canada | https://www.pepperscale.com/heartbeat-hot-sauce-blueberry-habanero/ |
| Mad Dog 357 Hot Sauce |  | If you want an extreme heat statement from your hot sauce, Mad Dog 357 delivers that in spades. This is big-time heat, but with that comes tradeoffs in flavor and usability. The branding is fun and fits the experience. Very collectible. | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | Super-Hot | 357,000 | Habanero, Cayenne | Sudbury | Massachusetts | https://www.pepperscale.com/mad-dog-357-hot-sauce/ |
| Kumana Avocado Sauce Be Mango |  | If you’re looking for a healthier sauce alternative to hot sauce, Kumana Avocado Sauce - Be Mango is a reasonable choice. It’s very usable, with a good (not great) overall flavor. Jalapeño may be in the ingredients list, but you won’t taste it here. | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 4.0 | Mild | ND | Jalapeno | Santa Monica | California | https://www.pepperscale.com/kumana-avocado-sauce-be-mango/ |
| Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce |  | Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce is mild and filled with flavor – tangy and bright. It’s a definite win for those who prefer green sauces over red and a must with Mexican food. | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 4.5 | Mild | 600 - 1200 | Jalapeno | Avery Island | Louisiana | |
| Inner Beauty Hot Sauce |  | Inner Beauty Hot Sauce – a Caribbean-style sauce – focuses on spice and flavor first. It’s a mustard-based sauce, so its usability is slightly limited. But its style and flavor add to its cool factor in a collection. | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | Medium | N/D | Scotch Bonnet | Bangor | Maine | |
| Devilfish Kitchen Pirate Panic Hot Sauce |  | Devilish Kitchen’s Pirate Panic Hot Sauce pairs big citrus flavor with a star-studded list of extra/super-hot peppers. The end result is more balanced than you may think and very flavorful! | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | N/D | Ghost, Scorpion, Scotch Bonnet | Gorham | Maine | |
| Gringo Bandito Original Hot Sauce |  | Gringo Bandito Original Hot Sauce doesn’t pack a big punch in the heat department, but with flavor like this it doesn’t have to. This is a delicious Mexican-style hot sauce that works well-beyond traditional Tex-Mex. | 4.1 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Mild | 820 | Fresno, Habanero | Huntington Beach | California | |
| Try Me Original Tiger Sauce |  | If you love sweet and tangy sauces like General Tso’s sauce, then Tiger Sauce is a slam dunk. We expected something spicier (and the balance could be better there), but this a sauce that everyone can enjoy. | 4.0 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Mild | N/D | Cayenne | New Orleans | Louisiana | |
| Burn After Eating Hot Sauce |  | Be ready to buckle up for a strong burn. Burn After Eating Hot Sauce pairs a murderer’s row of super-hot peppers with bold spices. It’s surprisingly tasty, but with 669,000 Scoville heat units, it’s not for the timid. The little amount that most users will use won’t showcase how delicious the sauce is. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | Super-Hot | 669,000 | Ghost, 7-Pot, Scorpion, Carolina Reaper | Rochester | New York | |
| Tabasco Habanero Sauce |  | Tabasco Habanero Sauce packs a bigger punch that the Original Red, with a delicious tropical fiery-sweet flavor. If you’re looking for a Jamaican-style sauce as a daily-driver, you can’t go wrong here. | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | Medium | 7,000 | Habanero, Tabasco | Avery Island | Louisiana | |
| Angry Goat Hippy Dippy Sauce |  | Angry Goat Hippy Dippy Hot Sauce is a delicious twist on verde sauce. Kiwi, agave, and avocado provide a fruity and earthy twist to the tomatillo tang. It also packs a very eatable heat, making it an easy hot sauce to grab for everyday use. | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | Medium | 2,300 | Jalapeno, Serrano | White River Junction | Vermont | |
| Pirate’s Lantern Pepper Sauce |  | Pirate’s Lantern Pepper Sauce is a tasty mustard-based, Bajan-style sauce with the unique addition of rum to the flavor list. It’s tangy, well-spiced, and a bit sweet. It’s mild — but perhaps to a fault. It feels like the heat could just be a little more to balance out the flavor. | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Medium | N/D | Scotch Bonnet | Brooklyn | New York | |
| Tapatio Hot Sauce |  | Tapatio is the kind of hot sauce that you want to put on everything and take just about everywhere. While it relies on simple, typical hot sauce ingredients, it doesn’t overpower you with heat and provides plenty of fresh peppery flavor. | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Medium | 3,000 | Vernon | California | ||
| Ring of Fire Habanero Hot Sauce |  | Ring of Fire Habanero Hot Sauce provides a ton of fresh flavor with an eatable fiery zing. That taste/heat combo makes this a total usability winner. You’ll find yourself reaching for this sauce often. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Habanero, Serrano | El Cajon | California | |
| Grinders Death Nectar |  | Grinders Death Nectar is a quality hot sauce for the true extreme eaters out there. It’s big time heat at 337,000 Scoville heat units. Flavor-wise, there’s a hint of citrus behind the heat, but truly the spiciness is the star. Use with caution. | 3.9 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Super-Hot | 337,000 | Habanero, Chipotle, Ghost | Kansas City | Missouri | |
| Gator Hammock Gator Sauce |  | Gator Hammock Gator Sauce is a delicious, amped up Louisiana-style hot sauce. It’s incredibly versatile in the kitchen, and it has a fun hand-drawn label style that pops in any collection. | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Medium | Estimated 2,500 to 10,000 | Cayenne | Felda | Florida | |
| The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce |  | The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce is a delicious mix of earthy, sweet, and tangy with a low-medium heat. It’s a sauce by Small Axe Peppers that supports (via their sauces) urban gardeners throughout the USA — so great purpose here! | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | 5,500 | Serrano | New York City | New York | |
| Yellowbird Habanero Hot Sauce |  | Yellowbird Habanero Hot Sauce uses carrots to great effect in its blend — providing an earthy sweetness with a touch of citrus tang. The heat range listed of this sauce is broad, so your heat balance may vary from bottle to bottle. | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | Extra-Hot | 15,580 to 54,535 | Habanero | Austin | Texas | |
| Palo Alto Firefighters Pepper Sauce |  | Palo Alto Firefighters Pepper Sauce delivers delicious, fresh flavor — sweet and peppery — with a mild to medium heat and no sodium at all. 100% of its profits go to charity, so it’s a hot sauce purchase with meaning beyond the plate! | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | Mild | 100 to 1,000 | Jalapeno | Palo Alto | California | |
| The Pepper Plant Hot Sauce |  | The Pepper Plant Hot Sauce (Original California Style) packs a delicious salty, smoky punch. It’s the sort of hot sauce that acts more like an entire seasoning blend, bringing life to even the blandest dish. But take care not to overdo it with additional salt and spices! Not needed in this case. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Mild | ND | Jalapeno | Gilroy | California | |
| Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce |  | Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce has everything you’re looking for in a classic, vinegar-forward Louisiana-style red hot sauce. It’s to the point, delicious, and unpretentious. The balance between the aged peppers and the vinegar is spot on. | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | Mild | 340 - 740 | Cayenne | Winston - Salem | North Carolina | |
| African Dream Foods Ghost Peri-Peri Sauce |  | African Dream Foods Ghost Peri-Peri Sauce is a deliciously well-balanced sweet and tangy hot sauce with a bold, but eatable medium-heat. Plus, the brand’s sustainable business supports both local South African farmers and wildlife conservation. | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | Medium | ND | Ghost | Vancouver | Washington | |
| Secret Aardvark Serrabanero Hot Sauce |  | Secret Aardvark Serrabanero Hot Sauce pairs two popular chili peppers — serranos and habaneros into a smooth, tasty green-tomato based sauce. Though, the spiciness may be too mild for some looking for bigger heat. | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Serrano, Habanero | Portland | Oregon | |
| Howler Monkey Original Hot Sauce |  | Howler Monkey Original Hot Sauce is a Panamanian-style sauce that pairs delicious tang with mustard and fresh spices. If you wish your Louisiana-style hot sauce had a bit more flavor, this is a hot sauce you’ll want to try! | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Scotch Bonnet | Jacksonville Beach | Florida | |
| Goya Hot Sauce |  | Goya Hot Sauce is a mainstay in supermarkets on the US West and East Coasts. This Louisiana-style hot sauce features both the expected vinegar tang and a healthy dose of saltiness. It’s tasty with a mild spiciness anyone can enjoy, but we can’t help wanting just a bit more heat. Those watching their sodium intake may want to look elsewhere. | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Mild | ND | Cayenne, Tabasco | Pedricktown | New Jersey | |
| Aka Miso Ghost-Reaper Hot Sauce |  | Few hot sauces nail the flavor and heat combo as well as Aka Miso Ghost-Reaper. As Bravado Spice Company rightly claims, it’s an “umami bomb” — full of bold flavors and a heat that stacks up well against it. | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | Super-Hot | 116,000 (estimated) | Ghost, Carolina Reaper | Houston | Texas | |
| Melinda’s Green Sauce |  | If you love herbaceous, vegetal “green” flavors and plenty of tang in your hot sauce, you’ll enjoy Melinda’s Green Sauce. It packs at most a low-medium heat, making it plenty eatable, too, for most. It can be used more like a spicy table sauce than a dash-at-a-time hot sauce. | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Medium | ND | Jalapeno, Habanero | Irving | Texas | |
| Hell Fire Detroit Habanero Hot Sauce |  | Hell Fire Detroit Habanero Hot Sauce rocks the natural flavor of fire-roasted habaneros in all the right ways. This is a bold sauce: high heat and a delicious natural earthy sweetness. | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | Super-Hot | 100,000 - 300,000 | Habanero | Royal Oak | Michigan | |
| Purple Haze Hot Sauce |  | Purple Haze gives you a sweet ride with its mix of pineapple, apple cider vinegar, red cabbage, habanero peppers, and more. It’s a unique flavor that pairs with a surprising color. This one’s totally fun to talk about (and taste) at the table. | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Habanero | Woodstock | New York | |
| Hot Ones “The Classic” Hot Sauce |  | Hot Ones The Classic Hot Sauce delivers on flavor (tangy, nutty, earthy, and a touch smoky) with a very eatable heat. It’s extremely versatile and totally fun to eat! 100% a classic and a must-have for any hot sauce collection. | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Medium | 1,800 | Arbol | Fort Mill | South Carolina | |
| Pain 100% Hot Sauce |  | Pain 100% Hot Sauce is a surprisingly well-balanced hot sauce for all the claims of total torture on the label. It’s an extra-hot heat, mixed with a tangy, smoky flavor. Expect some sweat and tears, but there’s still good flavor here. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | Extra-Hot | 40,600 | Habanero | Kansas City | Kansas | |
| Kentuxican Bourbon Hot Sauce |  | Kentuxican Bourbon Hot Sauce is a unique blending of Mexican and Bluegrass flavors. It’s earthy sweet, smoky, and fiery in all the right ways, well-balanced and delicious. If you love bourbon BBQ sauces or chipotle hot sauces, this sauce is a must to try. | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Chipotle, Habanero, Carolina Reaper, Yahualica | Louisville | Kentucky | |
| Zatarain’s Cajun Hot Sauce |  | Zatarain’s Cajun Hot Sauce leans into a delicious mix of aged red peppers, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Lots of salt. It’s as versatile as you’d expect from Cajun/Lousiana-style hot sauces, but those watching your sodium intake, take care in the amount you use. | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | Medium | N/D | Cayenne | New Orleans | Louisiana | |
| Trappey’s Louisiana Hot Sauce |  | Trappey’s Louisiana Hot Sauce is like an amped up Cajun sauce, big on vinegary flavor and salt, but light on heat. That lower heat, though, makes it very usable. | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Mild | N/D | Cayenne | New Orleans | Louisiana | |
| Torchbearer Honey Badger Hot Sauce |  | Torchbearer’s Honey Badger Hot sauce pairs big extra-hot spiciness with tangy and sweet honey mustard taste. The heat and flavor are well-balanced and Torchbearer’s packaging is always a blast. Take care: this one is hotter than you’d expect! | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | 99,000 SHU | Scorpion, Carolina Reaper, Cayenne | Mechanicsburg | Pennsylvania | |
| Old Bay Hot Sauce |  | There’s a reason the original limited run of Old Bay Hot Sauce sold out in hours. It’s all that makes Old Bay Seasoning great, but with added fieriness and a Louisiana-style hot sauce tang. While the heat may be a little too timid for a perfect balance, it’s still incredibly tasty and very versatile in the kitchen. A must for Old Bay fans. | 4.4 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Mild | N/D | Cayenne | Hunt Valley | Maryland | |
| Torchbearer Zombie Apocalypse Hot Sauce |  | Torchbearer sauces over and over prove their worth, and Zombie Apocalypse Hot Sauce is no exception. It’s a big heat, but it’s done with natural peppers (ghost pepper and habanero) so it’s packed with natural fiery sweetness. Overall, it’s well-balanced between flavor and spiciness and the cartoon label style makes it a total collectible. | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | 100,000 SHU | Ghost, Habanero | Mechanicsburg | Pennsylvania | |
| Crystal Hot Sauce |  | Crystal Hot Sauce is a perfect every day “driver” for your table. Its low-medium heat is very eatable, and the flavor is well-balanced between peppery bite and vinegar tang. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | Medium | 2,000 to 4,000 SHU | Cayenne | Metairie | Louisiana | |
| Poirier’s Louisiana-Style Hot Sauce |  | Poirier’s Louisiana-Style Hot Sauce brings some delicious depth to its vinegar-forward sauce with the inclusion of celery in the mix. It’s tasty, well-balanced, and very usable. Though the inclusion of red habaneros (and Dustin Poirier’s MMA background) leave us wanting just a bit more kick! | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | Medium | N/D | Cayenne, Habanero | Thunder Bay | Ontario | |
| Cholula Original Hot Sauce |  | Cholula Original Hot Sauce has a complex chili pepper profile that raises the bar on flavor among mass-market hot sauces. It’s a delicious mix of smoky, nutty, tangy, and every-so-lightly spicy that’s incredibly versatile. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | Medium | 1,000 to 2,000 SHU | Arbol, Pequin | Chapala, Jalisco | Mexico | |
| Mule Sauce |  | Don’t sleep on Mule Sauce just because it’s made by a sticker company (Sticker Mule.) This stuff is legit good: both flavorful and fiery. It features a trio of bold chilies (habaneros, scotch bonnets, and ghost peppers), binging a medium heat that’s well-balanced with a delicious citrusy-sweetness. | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | Medium | N/D | Habanero, Ghost, Scotch Bonnet | Amsterdam | New York | |
| Green Belly Hot Sauce |  | Green Belly Hot Sauce is an authentic Guatemalan green sauce eating experience: cilantro-forward, with hints of garlic, and sweetness from those habaneros and apple cider vinegar. It’s hot enough to make you notice, but not so hot as to drown out the herbaceous flavor. Very usable too! | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Habanero | Boulder | Colorado | |
| Elijah's Xtreme Regret Hot Sauce |  | Elijah’s Xtreme Regret Hot Sauce is a delicious combination of extreme heat and fruity sweetness. There’s more depth here than many super-hot sauces and very little dilution keeping you from the Carolina Reaper and scorpion pepper’s super-spiciness and natural sweetness. | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Super-Hot | 800,000 SHU | Scorpion, Carolina Reaper | Lowell | North Carolina | |
| Hoppin Hot Sauce |  | Hoppin Hot Sauce is pure California feel-good flavor magic, mixing Meyer lemons, puya peppers, chipotle meco, and spices perfectly. The flavor is the star, and the heat is a perfect level of spiciness to let it shine. | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | Mild | N/D | Puya, Chipotle | San Jose | California | |
| Valentina Hot Sauce |  | Valentina Hot Sauce is a classic Mexican hot sauce — with a simple ingredient list that’s packed full of flavor. It’s a sweet chili pepper forward flavor with a slight tang on the backend. And the heat is very family-friendly. | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | Mild | 900 SHU | Puya | Guadalajara | Mexico | |
| Casa Firelli Hot Sauce |  | Casa Firelli Hot Sauce is about as authentic Italian as you get. The heat is mild, but it’s the entire flavor package that’ll have you coming back for more and more. This one is a must-have for pizza alone! | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Mild | N/D | Calabrian | Parma | Italy | |
| Pickapeppa Sauce |  | There’s good reason Pickapeppa Sauce is sometimes called “Jamaican ketchup” — it’s chock-full of sweet, tangy flavor but with a ton more depth fueled by exotic Jamaican flavors. This is a super-mild sauce that everyone can enjoy. And it makes an exceptional seafood sauce. | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Mild | N/D | Shooters Hill | Jamaica | ||
| SAUS "Do Everything" Sauce |  | SAUS is truly a “do everything sauce”, working just as well as a dipper as it does a blending or grilling sauce — as long as peaches are your thing. Its peach-forward sweet flavor is bold, and the habaneros add to the sweetness while providing a low-medium kick. The bottle design is one-of-a-kind. | 4.7 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | Medium | N/D | Habanero | California | ||
| Hot n Saucy — Garlic n Peperoncini Sauce |  | Hot n Saucy — Garlic n Peperoncini Hot Sauce is a tasty sauce pairing two very different ingredients. It’s quite usable, though the heat is a bit underwhelming, even with the expectation of it being a mild sauce. It’s a beautiful bottle that looks great on the shelf. | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Mild | N/D | Pepperoncini | New York City | New York | |
| Jindotgae Hot Sauce |  | Jindotgae Hot Sauce mixes sweet, fruity tamarind flavor with a tasty, peppery mix. This one is particularly good with fried foods. It’s a mild sauce that most can enjoy, though in our books the balance would be better if it was a touch spicier. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Mild | N/D | Jalapeno | Seoul | Korea | |
| Three Mountains Yellow Sriracha |  | Three Mountains Yellow Sriracha amps up sriracha’s sweet and garlicky flavor — providing a sweetness that at times borders on citrusy and a heat that punches a little higher than you may expect. | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Thai | Thailand | ||
| Ginger Goat Hot Sauce (The Original Goat) |  | Ginger Goat Hot Sauce (Original Goat) is a bold mix of Carolina Reapers, ginger, multiple smoked ingredients, and pineapple. There’s a ton going on in the flavor department — and it works. The heat is bold, too, without being so overwhelming that you can’t enjoy it. | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Extra-Hot | 55.000 | Carolina Reaper | Ontario | Canada | |
| Skyline Chili Hot Sauce |  | There’s a lot to love about Skyline Chili Hot Sauce — plenty of vinegar tang, a surprising depth of peppery flavor, and a bolder than expected low-medium spiciness. It’s quite usable, and the bottle has a fun nostalgic feel. | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Tabasco, Jalapeno, Cayenne | Cincinatti | Ohio | |
| RADS Pepper Sauce (RADS Reserve) |  | RADS Pepper Sauce (RADS Reserve) is at its core a simple four-ingredient hot sauce, though the barrel aging really enhances the flavors. It’s big on garlic, though it blends surprisingly well (a blessing or curse, depending on how much garlic you were looking for.) This is a mild sauce with a nice pungent bite. And the label is a standout. | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | Mild | N/D | Bellingham | Washington | ||
| Hillside Harvest Original Hot Pepper Sauce |  | Hillside Harvest Original Hot Pepper Hot Sauce brings serious flavor to the table — a fruity sweet sauce with serious depth. The Caribbean chili pepper natural flavors (sweet and fruity) work very well in the sauce, and there’s plenty of upper-medium heat here too. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Scotch Bonnet | Boston | Massachusetts | |
| Melinda's Black Truffle Hot Sauce |  | Melinda’s Black Truffle Hot Sauce has a nice flavor twist, using Parmesan, garlic, and honey to deliver some depth to the flavor beyond those delicious truffles. There’s plenty of flavor here, but it’s not as hot as they make it out to be, though. | 4.0 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | Mild | N/D | Cayenne | Irving | Texas | |
| Yellowbird Bliss And Vinegar Hot Sauce |  | Your eyes may gravitate to the funky, happy name, but it’s your tongue that’ll have you coming back for more. Yellowbird Bliss and Vinegar Hot Sauce, leans into the tangy and pairs some surprising ingredients to deliver a delicious fruity sweetness and a mellow burn. | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Medium | 6,200 | Serrano | Austin | Texas | |
| Hoff’s Smoken Ghost Hot Sauce |  | Hoff’s Smoken Ghost Hot Sauce uses only seven ingredients, and four of those are chilies, ranging from chipotle to ghost peppers. Smoken Ghost does an excellent job showcasing the delicious natural flavors of these chilies here, smoky, earthy, and sweet. The label is a standout, too. | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Jalapeno, Habanero, Chipotle, Ghost | Chattanooga | Tennessee | |
| Blair's Ultra Death Sauce |  | With its 1.1 million Scoville heat units, Blair’s Ultra Death Sauce walks the talk of its name. This is extreme heat, so use caution with it. This sauce has some sweet flavor behind the heat…but who are we kidding, it’s all about the spiciness and wicked packaging here. And Blair’s nails both. | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Super-Hot | 1,100,000 | Habanero, Carolina Reaper, Cayenne, Serrano, Ghost, Scorpion | Highlands | New Jersey | |
| Mexico Lindo Red Habanero Hot Sauce |  | Mexico Lindo Red Habanero Hot Sauce places the natural flavor and heat of habanero chilies front and center. It’s sweet, smoky, and plenty spicy for a sauce that features the habanero so prevelantly. The heat does tend to take over, but overall this is a solid Mexican hot sauce. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | Extra-Hot | 80,200 | Habanero | Spring | Texas | |
| Cholula Green Pepper Hot Sauce |  | Cholula Green Pepper Hot Sauce couldn’t be more different from its Original Red flavor, but it’s as tasty! Think sweet and salty, with a mild and bright green-pepper heat and just a hint of tang. This can easily be a daily driver, especially for families who prefer a milder hot sauce. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | Mild | 1,000 | Jalapeno, Poblano | Chapala, Jalisco | Mexico | |
| Mayhem Original Datil Pepper Hot Sauce |  | If you love the sweetness of datil pepper sauces and enjoy a touch of smokiness in your hot sauce, Mayhem Original Datil Pepper Hot Sauce delivers. There’s a lot of flavor depth here and a solid medium spiciness. | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Datil | Pomona Park | Florida | |
| Hot Yuzu Sauce |  | The name says it all. Hot Yuzu Sauce pairs the citrusy flavor of yuzu fruit with chili pepper spiciness. It’s a unique flavor — lemony and floral, making it perfect for use with fish, shellfish, and chicken. | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Mild | N/D | Japan | |||
| Hellacious Hot Sauce |  | Don’t let the label fool you. Hellacious Hot Sauce has a surprising amount of flavor inside its ominous bottle. Its upper-medium heat is not overwhelming (think cayenne pepper level spiciness) and it’s well-balanced with the overall smoky, sweet, peppery flavor. You can find a lot of uses for this hot sauce. | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Medium | N/D | Habanero, Chipotle | Kings Park | New York | |
| Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce |  | There are many reasons Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce is a staple in many homes — great taste and terrific usability are big pros with this one. But the heat of Frank’s RedHot can be underwhelming for those that enjoy the heat. And the sodium level is extremely high. | 3.8 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 4 | Mild | 450 SHU | Cayenne | New Iberia | Louisiana | |
| Señor Lechuga Hot Sauce (.002) |  | Señor Lechuga Hot Sauce (.002) delivers both sweet, smoky flavor and bold extra-hot spiciness using mainly the delicious natural flavors of the chili peppers in the bottle. Carolina Reapers, habaneros, and chipotles all shine here. Plus, their label strategy, while simple, is among the most unique on the market. | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | Extra-Hot | Estimated 70,000 - 100,000 | Habanero, Chipotle, Carolina Reaper | Brooklyn | New York | |
| Tabasco Sweet And Spicy Sauce |  | Tabasco Sweet and Spicy Sauce isn’t really spicy at all, but it delivers flavor in spades. The pairing of sweetness, pear, and ginger provide a distinct flavor profile that’s quite versatile in the kitchen. | 4.1 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | Mild | 100 - 600 | Tabasco | Avery Island | Louisiana | |
| Tajin Mild Hot Sauce |  | The classic Tajin flavor of its chili lime seasoning is in full-form in their Tajin Mild Hot Sauce. Tangy and salty, with just a touch of heat. It delivers exactly what you’d expect in all the best ways. | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Mild | N/D | Chile de Arbol, Pasilla, Guajillo | Zapopan | Mexico | |
| Marie Sharp’s Habanero Pepper Sauce |  | Marie Sharp’s Habanero Pepper Sauce pairs carrots and red habaneros, with delicious results. It’s earthy-sweet, tangy, and a touch pungent with a bold medium-heat. All-in, this is one unique tasting and very usable hot sauce. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | N/D | Habanero | Belize City | Belize | |
| Hot Ones Los Calientes Hot Sauce |  | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Medium | 36,000 | Serrano | Brooklyn | New York | ||
| The Last Dab XXX Hot Sauce |  | The Last Dab XXX features three types of the super-hot Pepper X, and it’s a hot one for sure. But not quite as hot as you may have heard in our books. There’s good flavor here, too. Usability trails some (as it does with all extreme hot sauces), but The Last Dab makes up for it in spades with collectibility. | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | Super-Hot | Pepper X | Brooklyn | New York | ||
| Tabasco Family Reserve Hot Sauce |  | Tabasco Family Reserve is an all-around winner. This small-batch, limited edition hot sauce takes the standard Tabasco formula, tweaks it ever so slightly ingredient-wise, and ages it twice as long in oak barrels. The result is a Louisiana-style hot sauce with more depth and a hint of smokiness throughout. Highly usable and delicious. | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Medium | 2,500 - 5,000 | Tabasco | Avery Island | Louisiana |
Our ranking methodology
Scores are based on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). We use .5 intervals for our scoring.
- Overall Flavor: How tasty is this hot sauce? How much flavor depth is there?
- Heat Balance: Does the overall heat balance with the flavor? This is not a score on how spicy a hot sauce is – rather do the flavor and heat mesh well. Look to the heat column (and any known Scoville range) to consider pure spiciness.
- Usability: How usable is the hot sauce? Is it something that can be used every day or is the flavor something more specialized?
- Collectibility: How collectible is the packaging? Is it memorable? Fun? Unique? Gift-worthy?
- X-Factor: This is our subjective “does it have it” score. Think of it like our reviewer’s gut overall score.
The final score is calculated by averaging the above scores at equal weight.
How to read our scores
- 5: Special. A must-have for your table or collection
- 4: Very good. A hot sauce with few weaknesses
- 3: Good. You won’t be disappointed, but you won’t be wowed either
- 2: Under expectations. There are some definite weaknesses here
- 1: Not edible. Who decided to sell this?
One I have found recently from TX is Chef Flacos xxx salsa. Combines ghost, Carolina reaper and scorpion pepper all in a tomatoe based sauce super hot with a great flavor
I’m a fan of the Blair’s products. One of my favorites therein, with usability and flexibility built in, with probably one of the best overall FLAVOR profiles…? Blair’s Golden Death. Well worth the look.
Check out the Alchemy “hopp” sauces. You won’t be disappointed!
Great list and fantastic content as always!
Good list. But it omits one of my favorites. Sauces by El Yucateco! They range from mild to quite hot. Experiment. The best IMHO is El Yucateco Black Habanero. Not the hottest, but a wonderful smoky flavor. Generally find these in the ethnic/Hispanic sections of supermarkets. Another type of hot sauce not listed is hot oil, maybe needs a separate list. Mostly Thialand, Taiwan, or mainland China. A good one is Dragonfly (Taiwan), others vary in quality. I prefer hot oils in soups especially.
How can I buy this set…..
What a wonderful list! Can’t wait to try some of these. You did miss a very good one, however. From Private Selection (Kroger, high-end brand), Peach & Carolina Reaper Wing Sauce. It can also be used as a marinade or to flavor whatever you want. The sweet tang of the peach really pairs well to the heat of the Carolina Reaper peppers. Delicious!
Can hardly wait to try all of the flavors
Conimex Sambal Oelek ,is a great pepper paste,although they seem to have changed peppers of late. Pepper,salt and limited acetic acid.