Stardew Valley players have a lot of different things to do when they join the game. The open-ended RPG gives players a variety of different tools to help them mine, fight, and farm their way through a playthrough. Fortunately, these tools never break in Stardew Valley but, depending on their quality, each has its limitations.

As players progress through the game, they may find that their beginner set of tools just doesn’t cut it anymore. To make life easier in Stardew Valley, players will have to find a place to upgrade their tools. Those players looking to unlock better abilities through tool upgrades can rely on this guide for help.

Updated by Christina Roffe on March 27, 2024: As each new update is released for Stardew Valley, players are given the chance to upgrade even more tools. After the Version 1.6 update, you'll now have the ability to upgrade your Copper Pan, which you should have received from Willy after removing the Glittering Boulder near the Mines. We have updated this article to include all the upgrades you can get for the Copper Pan, as well as additional information on other upgradable items, such as the Fishing Rod and Trash Can. You'll also find a few new related links to lead you to further reading on the new updates in Stardew Valley.

Where to Upgrade Tools

Within the town, players will find a bunch of different places to explore and NPCs to meet. Places like JojaMart and Pierre’s are great for stocking up on supplies, but, unfortunately, there is just one place to upgrade player tools: The Blacksmith.

Clint’s Blacksmith shop is in the southeast corner of the map and across the river from the main part of town. This shop is open most days from 9am to 4pm. Speaking with Clint during this timeframe opens up his service menu and the option to upgrade tools.

When to Upgrade Tools

Players can upgrade their tools four times. These tools can be upgraded by visiting the Blacksmith:

• Watering Can
• Hoe
• Pickaxe
• Axe
• Pan
• Trash Can

This includes moving the basic tools to copper, steel, gold, and finally, the iridium level. Each upgrade costs five bars of the specific ore and a progressively higher cost in gold. While Clint does sell ore and coal in his shop, players will likely find it cheaper to invest time in Stardew Valley’s mines.

When players run into pieces of scenery that can’t be removed with their current quality tool or have found that their current tool requires too much time and energy for how much they use it, then it is likely time to invest in an upgrade. It is important to remember that it takes two in-game days for the Blacksmith Clint to upgrade the tool in question, so players need to plan ahead.

This is especially important to remember for those who have planted crops and are looking to upgrade the watering can. In this case, it is best to check the weather report on the television and wait until the forecast calls for rain the following day before turning their watering can over to Clint. By planning this way, a player can water their crops, send the watering can in for an upgrade, let the rain water the crops the next day, and then pick up their watering can on the third day to head home and water again.

The only tool that has differing prices from Clint will be the Trash Can. The Copper Trash Can will cost 1,000 g, Steel will cost 2,500 g, Gold will cost 5,000 g, and finally, Iridium will cost 12,500 g. Each upgrade will still require the same number of Bars, such as 5 Copper Bars, 5 Iron Bars, and so on. As for upgrading your Pan, this was added to the game after Version 1.6 was released. It will require the same materials and costs, except for the Copper Pan, which you will start with.

You can also upgrade your Fishing Rod, but this is done by purchasing each rod upgrade from Willy's Shop. Here are the requirements for each Fishing Rod:

After a player's tools have been upgraded, they can be further improved by enchantments. Check out this guide on enchantments for more information.