Making (and Using) a Barrel in Minecraft

Making (and Using) a Barrel in Minecraft

Managing inventory in Minecraft can be tough. Fortunately, besides your limited inventory space, the game offers various ways to store items through containers. Among these is a versatile block — the barrel. This guide is dedicated to exploring the crafting recipe for the barrel in Minecraft.

Materials for Crafting a Barrel

  • 6 Wooden Planks
  • 2 Wooden Slabs
  • Crafting Table

Obtaining planks and slabs is simple. You can convert a log into 4 planks and then arrange 3 of them in a row on the crafting table to produce 6 wooden slabs.

Chopping three logs should provide enough resources, including the crafting table. To craft a barrel, use wooden planks and slabs of any wood type.

Minecraft Barrel: Crafting Recipe

To make a barrel in Minecraft:

  • Place the crafting table in your world and open its UI.
  • Begin by placing a slab in the central slot of the top row.
  • Then, place the second slab in the central slot of the bottom row.
  • Next, completely fill the left and right columns with planks, leaving only the central slot empty.
  • That’s it. The barrel item will appear in the result slot on the right.

Alternatively, utilize the new crafter block in Minecraft 1.21. Most steps remain identical, differing only in the final crafting action. Power the crafter once (via a redstone signal) to produce a barrel item.

Where to Find a Barrel in Minecraft World

Barrels may generate in your blocky world, primarily within fisherman houses in villages.

Barrels frequently appear naturally in these buildings, converting villagers into fishermen. You’ll also find them in chests within these houses, with roughly a 24% chance of discovering up to 3 barrels inside.

Best Ways to Use a Barrel in Minecraft

1. Container Block

A barrel primarily stores items. Its inventory equals a single chest in Minecraft. Barrels cannot be placed adjacently to combine inventories into a double chest.

Making (and Using) a Barrel in Minecraft

Why opt for a barrel over a double chest? In Minecraft, a barrel is a solid block, unlike a chest. It can be placed anywhere for easy inventory access via right-click. Therefore, using a barrel is simpler than using a chest or double chest.

2. Decoration & Building

Barrels’ texture and rotational flexibility make them a frequently utilized decorative block in Minecraft. Their primary wood color harmonizes seamlessly with spruce wood, arguably the game’s premier wood type, making barrels an ideal addition to spruce constructions.

Additionally, due to their easily accessible inventory, barrels are often employed as loot storage options in various mini-games. On a simpler note, barrels resemble crates, enhancing their suitability for adorning docks, large cargo ships, or the basement of a tavern.

3. Villager Workstation

A barrel serves as a workstation block for villagers. Placing it near an unemployed villager transforms them into a fisherman. Despite the apparent insignificance of this job, fishermen offer valuable trades, particularly campfires, which can be costly to craft.

Congratulations on completing this guide! You now possess comprehensive knowledge about barrels in Minecraft, including their various uses. What is your preference: utilizing barrels for storage or decorative purposes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

How to craft an open barrel?

Creating an open barrel isn’t feasible, at least not legitimately. There might be glitches allowing you to acquire this block, but it’s not intended.

Making an Oak Barrel

Barrels are uniform regardless of the wood type used.

Barrel vs. Chest

Choosing between a barrel and a chest depends on your needs. Chests offer versatility as you can create a double chest by combining two, increasing storage capacity. However, there are situations where only a barrel will suffice. Both containers have their uses, making them valuable.

Do Barrels Emit Redstone Signals?

As containers, barrels can be read by redstone comparators to emit signals accordingly.