Minecraft is a complicated survival game with enduring popularity and a lot of items that can be crafted from a seemingly endless number of materials found across the many biomes of the world. Whereas many players prefer to stick to simpler builds and items that can be crafted easily, there are many that seek to master redstone, the material that allows players to create powered tracks and blocks.

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Redstone is the path to many abilities novice Minecraft players would consider unnatural. It can power rail tracks, lights, and machines alike. Learning about the different items that can be created with redstone can level up Minecraft gameplay massively for professional-looking builds.

10 Dispenser

A Minecraft Dispenser

A dispenser is a machine that can be used to throw out items loaded into it when pushed to do so. The block is placed and filled with items that the dispenser will toss out in item format when either a button is pushed or a redstone circuit prompts it to do so.

Dispensers are easy to create, players only need a single piece of redstone dust, a bow, and some cobblestone to make one. They are also easily operated, whether players choose to attach a button, use a lever or have a trail of redstone that leads to another power source of any kind. A note about dispensers is that they will try to use certain items, such as arrows if they are placed into the dispenser.

9 Dropper

Minecraft Droppers

A self-explanatory item, a dropper works similarly to a dispenser in that it is a machine that can be powered into sending out an inventory filled with items. However, a dropper has a very different type of use to a dispenser as it can be used to transfer items between machines, it can send them similarly to a hopper into another machine.

Droppers can be made in almost the exact same way as dispensers, with cobblestone and redstone dust, the difference is that droppers don’t require a bow. Droppers also won’t try to use items like arrows, they will always drop them as they would be dropped if a player threw them onto the ground. Items like this have helped Minecraft continue to evolve and keep it popular.

8 Piston

Pistons & Sticky Pistons In Minecraft

A piston is quite simply a mechanism used to push other blocks around. Much can be accomplished with this, including self-constructing bridges which make for some incredible in-game builds. There are certain blocks such as bedrock, obsidian, and some other machine blocks like dispensers that cannot be pushed by pistons.

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Piston recipes are complicated, they involve several planks of wood, cobblestone, redstone dust, and an iron ingot. Pistons can also be made into sticky pistons by combining them with a slime block, and pistons can push a number of blocks attached together as well. Powering a piston works similarly to powering a dispenser or dropper.

7 Redstone Comparator

A Redstone Comparator In Minecraft

One of the more complicated items to try and understand, a redstone comparator is used to regulate the signal strength running through the circuit. It can also measure the fullness of items such as a cauldron or cake.

The finer points of exactly how a comparator works are long and hard to explain. Essentially they work similarly to transformers in a real-life electrical grid. Comparators can be created using redstone torches, nether quartz, and stone blocks (not cobblestone).

6 Target

A Target Block In Minecraft

A target is exactly what it appears to be, a target block looks like it is to be used for archery practice, and it can be used in this fashion. However, when an arrow or other projectile is fired at a target block, it emits a signal that can power redstone nearby. This can be useful in a number of ways, it can even be set up to only light nearby redstone circuits when a bullseye is achieved, to help further with aim practice.

This is a good item to use if players want to be able to start a circuit from some distance off, or only at precise moments that they can easily choose by simply shooting at the target. Target blocks can be made using a block of wheat and redstone dust.

5 Observer

An Observer In Minecraft

An observer is a block that can detect changes in blocks around it. Whether it is blocks around it being set on fire, or a change in the substance of blocks around it, such as dirt becoming grass or snow falling onto a block nearby. There are many ways to activate an observer, and when activated it can power nearby redstone blocks.

Observers are useful for a number of reasons. They can be created using nether quartz, redstone dust, and cobblestone. An observer placed opposite a second observer in the right direction can create an effective redstone clock as the blocks are targeted to observe each other, powering nearby blocks continuously.

4 Redstone Repeater

Redstone Repeaters In Minecraft

A redstone repeater looks similar to a redstone comparator but has several possible uses that differentiate the two devices. A repeater can be used to transfer redstone power along a circuit, but importantly because a circuit loses power from 15 for each block further the circuit lasts, a repeater will reboot the signal to 15 no matter what level it is at when the signal reaches the repeater.

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This makes repeaters a necessity for long redstone circuits, as the redstone power will run out without further inputs or repeaters along the circuit. A repeater can be made using redstone dust, redstone torches, and stone blocks. This makes many things possible for players to achieve with redstone circuits.

3 Redstone Lamp

Redstone Lamps In Minecraft

A redstone lamp is another power block that can be turned on and will transmit power of 15 while turned on. It can be used as a light source (and players can have actual light switches in their Minecraft homes using them) or as the beginning of redstone power circuits.

A redstone lamp can be created using redstone dust and a glowstone block. While it still has to be switched on, a redstone lamp will provide a consistent power source for any circuit, and if players care about the appearance of their circuits, a redstone lamp will provide a more attractive alternative to other power blocks.

2 Note Block

Note Blocks In Minecraft

A note block plays a musical note when powered by redstone. Passionate Minecraft builders have used these blocks to play entire songs by finding which blocks are placed around them. A note block can be used to check without a visual on the entire circuit that power is being transferred along the route.

Note blocks make a certain note which depends upon a color-based system. Whatever the color is of the adjacent block to the note block will affect the exact note made by the block when powered. This is how players create entire songs along redstone circuits using note blocks.

1 Redstone Block

A Redstone Block In Minecraft

Finally, a redstone block is another way of reliably and consistently transferring power. It is a continuously powered source block for circuits and is easily made with nine pieces of redstone dust.

A redstone block can also be pushed by pistons, which can be incredibly useful in allowing it to power different sections of a circuit as it is moved. There are many methods for getting power to redstone circuits, but a redstone block is one of the few permanent ways to transfer power to a circuit.

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