Minecraft 1.21 update to add automated crafting

Minecraft Live 2023 has concluded, but it certainly offered up more than a few interesting details of the upcoming 1.21 update. Among the confirmed inclusions in the patch are trial chamber structures and the breeze mob. Moreover, a very impactful block that may change the vanilla game's future prospects has also been mentioned: the crafter block.

For years, Minecraft fans have opted to use mods and add-ons to introduce new methods of automation. Now, this crafter block will make its way to the 1.21 update to provide the same utility. This will allow fans to automatically make items while they're busy with other tasks.

Since Minecraft Live has just concluded, this article will discuss everything known so far about the crafter block and its automation abilities.

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What to know about the crafter block in Minecraft 1.21

The crafter can automatically craft items by using set recipes (Image via Mojang)

Although it's unclear how players can make a crafter block, what is well-defined is how this new addition will work. Once its interface is opened, gamers can place materials into it to choose a recipe they'd like to implement. After doing so, the block will automatically create the resources marked in the recipe each time it receives a redstone signal.

Moreover, the crafter can have slots within its inventory locked, ensuring that it doesn't accidentally make unintended items. Otherwise, as long as the block has the necessary resources stored within it, it will continue pumping out items each time it receives a redstone pulse.

The crafter creates multiple hanging signs based on a recipe set by the player (Image via Mojang)

It goes without saying that the crafter may very well blow open the doors in vanilla Minecraft when it comes to creating automated machines. With this new addition, players will be able to use their knowledge of redstone to use automated crafting contraptions that employ multiple crafters at once.

Sure, this doesn't exactly take vanilla Minecraft on the same level as something like the Create mod, but it's a huge step in the right direction. With the crafter block alone, players should be able to come up with some compelling machines capable of creating a plethora of items at regular intervals.

The crafter's redstone compatibility makes it an excellent cog in larger machines (Image via Mojang)

Whatever the case might be, even though Minecraft fans likely won't have the opportunity to use the crafter for a little while longer, there's no doubt that many players are already coming up with machine designs that utilize it.

Perhaps Mojang has even more automation blocks in store in this game's 1.21 update. However, the only way to find out is to keep an ear to the ground.