Summary

  • Upgrading the watering can in Stardew Valley provides the best return on investment thanks to the increased efficiency.
  • Upgrading tools streamlines daily tasks, such as watering crops, making gameplay more efficient.
  • While all tool upgrades are worthwhile, the watering can proves to be the most useful due to its impact on crop growth.

Out of all the tools at the player's disposal in Stardew Valley, upgrading the watering can may have the best return on investment. All the farmer's tools in Stardew Valley are useful throughout the game, largely because they're required for many of the farmer's usual chores. Upgrading all of them over the course of the game is useful, but not all the upgrades are of equal value. Some should be prioritized over others, especially with early resources being relatively scarce. When it comes time for the first upgrade, the watering can would be the wisest choice.

The practice of upgrading tools in Stardew Valley is one of the many milestones in the game's progress. Upgrading requires giving the tool in question to Clint at the Blacksmith's shop along with five bars of the ore required for the upgrade, as well as a sum of money that increases with each upgrade. Clint will keep the tool for two days before giving the player their new upgraded version. In all, the Watering Can, Hoe, Axe, Pickaxe, and Pan can all be upgraded from the Blacksmith up to four times apiece. A fully upgraded toolkit in Stardew Valley turns many previous tasks trivial.

Stardew Valley's Watering Can Has Upgrades Well Worth Pursuing

Upgrading Tools in Stardew Valley Makes Everyday Chores Much Easier

Similar to the rewards for leveling up skills in Stardew Valley, every tool upgrade comes with its own significant benefit that makes them more efficient. These upgrade bonuses are:

  • Axes: Chop wood more quickly, chop large stumps at Copper, and chop large logs at Steel.
  • Hoes: Till more ground with each use. (1x1, 1x3, 1x5, 3x3, 6x3)
  • Pans: Find more ore and items with each use, and find more panning locations.
  • Pickaxe: Break rocks more easily, break boulders on the farm at Steel, break meteorites at Gold.
  • Watering Can: Water more ground with each use. (1x1, 1x3, 1x5, 3x3, 6x3)

Stardew Valley's Tools are Useful in Different Circumstances

It's hard to deny that these upgrades will be useful no matter how players build their farm in Stardew Valley. However, there are a few points worth noting. Pans are only useful in a few spots per day despite welcome rewards. The axe and pickaxe have similar strengths in quickly gathering resources, but players won't need to chop wood or go mining every day. This leaves the hoe and watering can with their similar set of upgrades. However, the hoe's bigger tilling area is mostly good for setting up a farm before planting seeds, which often isn't required again until after the harvest is completed.

The Watering Can Streamlines One of Stardew Valley's Most Time-Consuming Chores

Watering crops on the farm daily is a necessity, so players will probably be using Stardew Valley's watering can more than any other tool as long as they're growing crops. By cutting down on the time spent watering, players will be able to finish their morning routine much quicker, especially once they can water 18 tiles at once with the iridium watering can. This is especially true for players on the Beach Farm, who can't install sprinklers to water their crops automatically. Because the watering can will be used so much, upgrading it to streamline its efficiency is a wise choice.

Players will likely end up upgrading all of their tools at one point, but the watering can is a great place to start. Since growing crops in Stardew Valley is important for several purposes, anything that helps the process along is welcome. The watering can's upgrades only get better as time goes on, as one players have a large set of crops, the ability to water large areas at once becomes indispensable. While all of Stardew Valley's tool upgrades are worthwhile, the watering can has the greatest argument of being the most useful of the bunch.

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Stardew Valley Tag Page Cover Art

Stardew Valley
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RPG
Simulation
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Systems
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Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
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Released
February 26, 2016
ESRB
E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
Developer(s)
ConcernedApe
Publisher(s)
ConcernedApe
Engine
Proprietary
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
Stardew Valley does not currently support crossplay between different consoles and PC
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? It won’t be easy. Ever since Joja Corporation came to town, the old ways of life have all but disappeared. The community center, once the town’s most vibrant hub of activity, now lies in shambles. But the valley seems full of opportunity. With a little dedication, you might just be the one to restore Stardew Valley to greatness!

Genre(s)
RPG, Simulation