title: ⚙️ Stardew Valley Equipment & Tool Upgrade Guide description: > Data version: Stardew Valley 1.6 | Complete tool upgrade paths, upgrade costs, material requirements, and comparison tables for all equipment date: 2026-07-03
⚙️ Equipment & Tool Upgrade Guide
Data version: Stardew Valley 1.6 | Complete upgrade paths, costs, materials, and comparisons
Every tool in Stardew Valley can be upgraded to improve its performance. This guide covers all 5 tools (Pickaxe, Axe, Sword, Watering Can, Hoe), the upgrade costs, materials required, and performance comparisons.
Data from Stardew Valley Wiki v1.6
🪓 Pickaxe Upgrades
The pickaxe determines how many tiles you can break at once and how quickly you can mine.
| Upgrade | Material Required | Cost | Effect | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | Copper Bar ×5 | 2,000g | Breaks 1 tile, slightly faster swing | ⭐⭐ | |
| Iron | Iron Bar ×5 | 5,000g | Breaks 1 tile, faster swing, wider range | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Gold | Gold Bar ×5 | 10,000g | Breaks 1 tile, even faster, slight range increase | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Iridium | Iridium Bar ×5 | 25,000g | Breaks 1 tile, fastest swing, best durability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Upgrade Cost Breakdown: - Copper → Iron: 2,000g + 5 Copper Bars (500g ore) = 2,500g total - Iron → Gold: 5,000g + 5 Gold Bars (1,250g ore) = 6,250g total - Gold → Iridium: 25,000g + 5 Iridium Bars (750g ore) = 25,750g total - Grand Total (Copper → Iridium): ~34,500g + all ores
Performance Comparison:
| Upgrade | Swing Speed | Durability | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 1.0x | 50 hits | Base tool | |
| Iron | 1.2x | 100 hits | Slightly faster | |
| Gold | 1.4x | 200 hits | Noticeably faster | |
| Iridium | 1.6x | 999 hits | Near-infinite |
🪓 Axe Upgrades
The axe determines chopping speed and whether you can chop larger trees.
| Upgrade | Material Required | Cost | Effect | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | Copper Bar ×5 | 2,000g | Chops regular trees (green stump) | ⭐⭐ | |
| Iron | Iron Bar ×5 | 5,000g | Chops regular + large trees (brown stump) | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Gold | Gold Bar ×5 | 10,000g | Faster chop, chops hardwood trees (purple stump) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Iridium | Iridium Bar ×5 | 25,000g | Fastest chop, chops all tree types | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Key Milestone: Iron axe is the minimum needed to chop large trees (brown stumps), which yield 2 hardwood. Gold axe adds hardwood trees (purple stumps).
Chop Speed Comparison:
| Upgrade | Chops per Tree (Regular) | Chops per Tree (Large) | Chops per Tree (Hardwood) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 4 | Cannot chop | Cannot chop | |
| Iron | 3 | 4 | Cannot chop | |
| Gold | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Iridium | 1 | 2 | 3 |
⚔️ Sword Upgrades
Swords are upgraded at the Adventurer's Guild (not Clint's). They determine combat damage.
| Upgrade | Material Required | Cost | Damage Range | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rusty Sword | Starting item | Free | 2–5 | ⭐ | |
| Silver Saber | 250g + 5 Copper Bars | 2,000g | 8–15 | ⭐⭐ | |
| Cutlass | 750g + 5 Iron Bars | 4,000g | 9–17 | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Iron Edge | 1,500g + 5 Gold Bars | 6,000g | 12–25 | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Templar's Blade | 2,000g + 5 Gold Bars | 7,000g | 14–25 | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Bone Sword | 6,000g + 5 Gold Bars | 9,000g | 20–30 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Master's Sword | 25,000g + 5 Gold Bars | 30,000g | 35–45 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Claymore | 5,000g + 5 Iridium Bars | 15,000g | 20–32 | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Ossified Blade | 7,500g + 5 Iridium Bars | 20,000g | 26–42 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Dark Sword | 8,000g + 5 Iridium Bars | 22,000g | 30–45 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Steel Falchion | 25,000g + 5 Iridium Bars | 40,000g | 25–35 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Lava Katana | 25,000g + 5 Iridium Bars | 40,000g | 55–64 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Galaxy Sword | 1 Prismatic Shard | 3,000g | 60–80 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Infinity Sword | 3 Galaxy Souls | 10,000g | 80–100 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Best Sword Path: Rusty → Silver → Cutlass → Bone → Dark → Lava Katana → Galaxy Sword → Infinity Sword
Damage Comparison Chart:
| Sword | Avg Damage | Special Ability | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rusty Sword | 3.5 | None | |
| Silver Saber | 11.5 | None | |
| Cutlass | 13 | None | |
| Bone Sword | 25 | None | |
| Dark Sword | 37.5 | 4% crit rate | |
| Lava Katana | 59.5 | +0 speed | |
| Galaxy Sword | 70 | +4 speed, +20 knockback | |
| Infinity Sword | 90 | +6 speed, +4% crit, +25 knockback |
💧 Watering Can Upgrades
Watering can upgrades determine how many tiles you water at once.
| Upgrade | Material Required | Cost | Tiles Watered | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | Copper Bar ×5 | 2,000g | 1 tile (cross) | ⭐⭐ | |
| Iron | Iron Bar ×5 | 5,000g | 4 tiles (2x2) | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Gold | Gold Bar ×5 | 10,000g | 9 tiles (3x3) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Iridium | Iridium Bar ×5 | 25,000g | 25 tiles (5x5) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Time Savings Analysis (per 120-tile farm):
| Upgrade | Waterings Needed | Time Saved vs Copper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 120 waterings | — | — |
| Iron | 30 waterings | 75% | ~90 min/day |
| Gold | 13–14 waterings | 89% | ~105 min/day |
| Iridium | 5 waterings | 96% | ~115 min/day |
Recommendation: Gold watering can is the sweet spot for most players. The jump from 4 tiles to 9 tiles cuts waterings by more than half. Iridium is nice but the marginal gain from 9 to 25 tiles is smaller.
🏗️ Hoe Upgrades
The hoe upgrade affects how many tiles you can till at once.
| Upgrade | Material Required | Cost | Tiles Tilled | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | Copper Bar ×5 | 2,000g | 1 tile | ⭐⭐ | |
| Iron | Iron Bar ×5 | 5,000g | 3 tiles (horizontal) | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Gold | Gold Bar ×5 | 10,000g | 9 tiles (3x3) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |
| Iridium | Iridium Bar ×5 | 25,000g | 25 tiles (5x5) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Time Savings Analysis (per 120-tile farm):
| Upgrade | Tillings Needed | Time Saved vs Copper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 120 tillings | — | — |
| Iron | 40 tillings | 67% | ~60 min/day |
| Gold | 13–14 tillings | 89% | ~105 min/day |
| Iridium | 5 tillings | 96% | ~115 min/day |
🛠️ Tool Upgrade Costs Summary
| Tool | Total Cost (Copper → Iridium) | Total Ore Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickaxe | 34,500g | 5 Cu + 5 Fe + 5 Au + 5 Ir | |
| Axe | 42,000g | 5 Cu + 5 Fe + 5 Au + 5 Ir | |
| Watering Can | 42,000g | 5 Cu + 5 Fe + 5 Au + 5 Ir | |
| Hoe | 42,000g | 5 Cu + 5 Fe + 5 Au + 5 Ir | |
| Total (all 4 farm tools) | 160,500g + ores | 20 Cu + 20 Fe + 20 Au + 20 Ir |
Ore Smelting Costs (to bars): - 1 Copper Ore → 1 Copper Bar (0g at Clint) - 1 Iron Ore → 1 Iron Bar (10g smelt fee) - 1 Gold Ore → 1 Gold Bar (25g smelt fee) - 1 Iridium Ore → 1 Iridium Bar (150g smelt fee)
Total Smelt Fees: 5×0 + 5×10 + 5×25 + 5×150 = 975g
🏠 Building Upgrades & Costs
|| Building | Upgrade | Cost | Materials | Description | |:---|:---|:---|:---|:---| | Farmhouse | None | Free | — | Starting cabin | | Farmhouse | 1st Upgrade | 10,000g + 400 Wood | Kitchen + extra room | Unlocks cooking | | Farmhouse | 2nd Upgrade | 50,000g + 250 Wood + 200 Stone | Children's bedroom(s) + basement workshop | Unlocks kids + workshop | | Barn | Base | 6,000g + 350 Wood | Holds 5 animals | Cows, goats, sheep | | Barn | Large | 12,000g + 400 Wood | Holds 8 animals + auto-feeder | Auto-feed in winter | | Coop | Base | 4,000g + 250 Wood | Holds 4 animals | Chickens, ducks, rabbits | | Coop | Large | 6,000g + 350 Wood | Holds 8 animals + auto-feeder | Auto-feed in winter | | Shed | Base | 10,000g + 500 Wood | Single building bay | Storage/workshop | | Shed | Large | 20,000g + 800 Wood | Double building bay | More storage | | Fish Pond | Base | 5,000g + 300 Stone + 200 Wood | Holds fish species | Produces roe/mucus | | Mill | Base | 2,500g + 300 Wood | Processes wheat → flour | Essential for baking | | Keg | Base | 4,000g + 30 Wood + 1 Cu + 1 Fe | Ferments fruit → wine | Core profit machine | | Preserves Jar | Base | 4,000g + 30 Wood + 40 Stone + 8 Coal | Makes jelly from fruit | Secondary profit | | Mayonnaise Machine | Base | 4,000g + 30 Wood | Eggs → mayonnaise | Early game profit | | Cheese Press | Base | 4,000g + 30 Wood + 20 Stone | Milk → cheese | Steady income | | Oil Maker | Base | 4,000g + 30 Wood + 20 Stone | Corn/sunflower → oil | Cooking ingredient | | Biomass Generator | Base | 1,000g + 100 Coal + 200 Wood | Biomass → energy | Power the island | | Auto-Petter | Base | 10,000g + 200 Iron + 100 Gold | Auto-pets animals | Convenience | | Deer Scanner | Base | 10,000g + 100 Iron + 50 Gold | Detects deer on farm | Convenience | | Egg Incubator | Base | 10,000g + 200 Iron + 100 Gold | Incubates duck eggs | Convenience | | Large Auto-Petter | Base | 20,000g + 400 Iron + 200 Gold | Auto-pets all animals | Late game | | Seed Maker | Base | 1,000g + 30 Copper + 10 Iron | Seeds → more seeds | Save seeds | | Slime Incubator | Base | 10,000g + 200 Iron + 100 Gold | Incubates slime eggs | Convenience | | Slime Hutch | Base | 10,000g + 200 Stone + 100 Wood | Slime farming | Ginger Island | | Solar Panel | Base | 1,000g + 100 Coal + 50 Iron | Solar → energy | Clean power | | Refinery | Base | 1,000g + 100 Coal + 100 Gold | Refines crystals → energy | Late game | | Wicker Man | Base | 10,000g + 100 Wood + 100 Coal | Burns on Spirit's Eve | Protects farm | | Furnace | Base | 1,000g + 20 Copper + 25 Stone | Smelts ore → bars | Essential | | Recycler | Base | 2,000g + 100 Wood | Recycles trash → items | Crab pot alternative | | Crystalarium | Base | 5,000g + 200 Stone + 100 Gold | Copies gems | Passive gem income | | Land of Milk | Base | 10,000g + 100 Wood + 100 Stone | Extra milk production | Convenience |
🧪 Machine Production Rates
| Machine | Input | Output | Time | Daily Output | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keg | Fruit | Wine | 7 days | 1 bottle/day | |
| Keg | Vegetable | Juice | 7 days | 1 bottle/day | |
| Keg | Hops | Pale Ale | 1.5 days | ~1.5/day | |
| Keg | Wheat | Beer | 1 day | 1/day | |
| Preserves Jar | Fruit | Jelly | 3 days | ~0.33/day | |
| Mayonnaise Machine | Egg | Mayonnaise | 1 day | 1/day | |
| Mayonnaise Machine | Duck Egg | Duck Mayo | 1 day | 1/day | |
| Cheese Press | Milk | Cheese | 4 hours | 6/day | |
| Cheese Press | Goat Milk | Goat Cheese | 4 hours | 6/day | |
| Oil Maker | Corn | Oil | 1 day | 1/day | |
| Oil Maker | Sunflower | Oil | 1 day | 1/day | |
| Seed Maker | Crop | Seeds | Instant | Variable | |
| Recycler | Trash | Random | Instant | Random | |
| Crystalarium | Gem | Copy | 4 days | 1 copy/4 days | |
| Auto-Petter | Animal | Happy | Instant | Continuous | |
| Biomass Generator | Biomass | 100 energy | Instant | Depends on biomass | |
| Refinery | Crystal | 100 energy | Instant | Depends on crystal |
📊 Upgrade Priority Guide
| Priority | What to Upgrade | When | |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0 | Watering Can → Gold | Year 1, Spring | Biggest time savings early |
| P0 | Axe → Iron | Year 1, immediately | Required for large trees |
| P1 | Pickaxe → Iron | Year 1, Spring | Better mining speed |
| P1 | Sword → Cutlass | Year 1, after reaching Mine F40 | Survive deeper mines |
| P2 | Watering Can → Iridium | Year 2 | Maximum convenience |
| P2 | Hoe → Gold | Year 2 | Large farm efficiency |
| P3 | Pickaxe → Gold | Year 2 | Faster mining |
| P3 | Axe → Gold | Year 2 | Chop hardwood trees |
| P4 | Pickaxe → Iridium | Year 3+ | Max mining speed |
| P4 | Axe → Iridium | Year 3+ | Max chopping speed |
| P4 | Hoe → Iridium | Year 3+ | Max tilling speed |
| P4 | Sword → Lava Katana | Year 3+ | Best pre-Galaxy sword |
💡 Pro Tips
- Upgrade the watering can first — it saves the most time daily. Gold (9 tiles) is the sweet spot.
- Iron axe ASAP — you need it to chop large trees for hardwood, essential for barns/coops.
- Don't rush Iridium tools — Gold tools are sufficient for 90% of gameplay. Save iridium for weapons.
- Keep a backup Copper pickaxe — if yours breaks (rare), you can still mine.
- Upgrade at the Blacksmith — Clint handles all tool upgrades. Talk to him, select your tool.
- The Sword upgrade path goes through the Adventurer's Guild — not Clint's shop. Talk to Willy's replacement.
- Iridium tool durability is effectively infinite — 999 hits means you'll never need to upgrade again.
This guide covers all standard tool and building upgrades in Stardew Valley 1.6. Prices and costs reflect base values without any discounts from professions or events.