I started off with jalepenos and chilis. By year two I moved onto carolina reapers, trinidad scorpions, ghost peppers, chocolate 7-pots, and orange nagas. The reapers and chocolate 7-pots make really good hot sauce, the reapers are actually kind of sweet. You can dilute them with chilies if you don't want molten lava. You have to be super careful handling super hot chilies. They burn your skin. I you touch the corner of your eye after touching one, you are screwed. If you dry them, crush them and then accidentally get the dust all over your kitchen, you are screwed. Some of the hotter ones like the reaper can have more capsicum than pepper spray, and dried they are way more potent.