Why shelf block in Minecraft is a bigger deal than you may think

Shelf is a brand-new block coming to Minecraft in the fall game drop. This block was first added to the Bedrock beta and preview 1.21.110.20 version and was quickly considered to be one of the most interesting feature additions. This block can be crafted by any stripped wood or bamboo type, allowing it to be crafted in different colors.

An argument can be made that the new shelf block will be quite a game-changer in Minecraft once it arrives. Here's why.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

---

Reasons why the shelf block will have a massive impact in Minecraft

Shelves will allow you to set multiple hotbar configurations

Shelf will allow players to create different hotbar configurations (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

One of the shelf's main features is that it can be activated with redstone. When one shelf is activated, all three item stacks are connected uniquely. The wooden division texture between each item in a shelf will vanish if a shelf is redstone-activated. When two or three shelves are activated with redstone, all of them will become connected.

When a player interacts with any one shelf, all nine items in those three shelves will enter or exit the player's hotbar.

Hence, players can use this new block to create numerous sets of hotbar configurations because redstone-activated shelves can place multiple items in a hotbar at once. Players can create sets of three shelves with various hotbar layouts for specific tasks. They can interact with a series of shelves to fully alter the hotbar arrangement and item selection when they choose to switch tasks.

---

Shelves can act as a vertical slab

Shelves can be used as vertical slabs (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

For years, millions of Minecraft players have craved for vertical slabs, a vertical variant of regular horizontal slabs. Vertical slabs can be a fantastic addition that improves almost every build. While players will not get original vertical slabs, it is safe to say that shelves look a lot like vertical slabs.

The center of the new block, where items can be stored, has a very small dent. Nonetheless, a shelf will appear to be a vertical slab when placed next to other blocks.

Although the middle dent in a shelf makes it slightly different from a true vertical slab, the new block actually serves as a slab because it only takes up half of a block space and can be piled vertically on top of one another.

Because the shelf block can be constructed from any type of stripped wood in the game, players can create it in a range of colors and even a bamboo version.

---

Shelves will be a much better item frame alternative

Shelves can reduce the use of item frames in the game (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

Since three stacks of items can fit on a shelf, players can either keep three stacks of potions, each of which is a single unit, or three stacks of wooden planks, each of which contains 64 units. In contrast, item frames can only hold one item and not even a stack of them.

Furthermore, shelves are a much better decorative and item displaying block since they can be made with different kinds of wood. Because of the wide variety of shelf colors, it will fit much more perfectly with a wall than an item. An item frame's oak frame and orange leather interior might not match most building blocks.

---

Check out our latest articles on Minecraft:

• 4 tips to build better paths in Minecraft
• New shelf block might reduce the use of item frames in Minecraft
• New Minecraft shelf block brings key feature from a lost mob vote contender