What is the best fuel source in Minecraft?

In Minecraft, things such as furnaces, torches, and even campfires can be essential in terms of smelting, providing light or cooking food. However, the one annoying part is that all of them require some sort of fuel. Luckily, Minecraft is stockpiled with materials that Minecraft players can use as fuel: lava buckets, coal, wood, bamboo and a few other things. But, which one is the best to use as a fuel source?

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Best Fuel Source in Minecraft

What is the best fuel source in Minecraft?

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Seeing as Minecraft is stock full of many amazing materials, in terms of fuel, it all comes down to two. Coal and charcoal are the two best fuel sources in Minecraft, as they are just about equal in terms of what they can be used for, as well as the time they are able to be used for.

Coal in Minecraft

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Coal in Minecraft is obtained by mining coal ore blocks, which are very common in most Minecraft worlds. It can be used for fuel, for crafting or can even be traded with villagers.

When placed in a furnace, coal will last up to 80 seconds (which smelts up to 8 items). Coal lasts 5 times longer than wood planks and wood logs, and is one of the only fuel sources to be accepted by powered minecarts, providing four minutes of transit.

Coal can be used to make blocks of coal, campfires, fire charges, soul torches and regular torches,

Charcoal in Minecraft

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Charcoal is an item that can be obtained by smelting logs or wood. Unlike its coal counterpart, charcoal cannot be traded with villagers or crafted into a block of coal.

When used in a furnace as fuel, charcoal will last 80 seconds (which will smelt up to 8 items), which is the same as coal. In terms of how it does against other fuel sources, charcoal will last 5 times longer than wood planks or wood logs.

Charcoal can be used to craft campfires, fire charges, soul torches and regular torches.