Stardew Valley, the cozy farming simulator, is full of tough choices. One of the most important choices for players at the beginning of a playthrough is usually what order they should upgrade their tools. While the pickaxe, watering can, and axe are usually at the top of that list,the tool that players shouldn’t ignore for upgrades is the trash can, as it can lead to helpful profits over time.

Upgrading a trash can might not seem important, especially as players spend most of their time in Pelican Town or on the farm, butusing a better trash can is crucial in areas like the Mines, and later, the Skull Cavern. Being able to gain a partial profit on items can help subtly boost profits while fighting through the most difficult areas of the game when inventory space is limited and the clock is ticking.

Stardew Valley Screenshot With Animals At The Farm

Upgrading Your Trash Can Can Boost Stardew Valley Savings

Small Amounts Can Add Up Quickly

Like all tools inStardew Valley, the trash can be upgraded by using better ores at Clint’s smithy. When first starting a new save file,most players are likely to only upgrade the tools they use daily on the most important farming chores, like planting, watering, and clearing space on the farm. These tasks obviously use the pickaxe, watering can, hoe, and axe the most and are the first candidates for an upgrade.

Upgrading every tool comes with special benefits, which does make it beneficial toupgrade the tools in a certain order. Upgrading the pickaxe and the axe simply allows players to break and chop in fewer hits, while upgrading the hoe and watering can increase the area effect of each tool. Upgrades to the trash can are deceptively simple, aseach level provides a larger reclaim for trashed items. The copper upgrade provides 15%, while steel provides 30%, gold provides 45%, and iridium provides 60%.

Skull Caverns Elevator In Stardew Valley.

Long Mining Trips Make Trashing Items A Necessity

Valuable Loot Can Still Get You 60 Percent Of Its Value

The first thing most new players will likely think is that they won’t trash any items, so there’s no point in upgrading the trash can. Simple inventory management and upgrading the backpack at Pierre’s General Store will make it less likely that any player doing chores on the farm or in Pelican Town will ever have to throw a valuable item away, since they can carry it over to sell at any point. The place the trash can shines is in The Mines and the Skull Cavern, sinceplayers won’t have the time to ferry valuables to a shipping boxif they want to make good progress and reach the bottom.

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To make the most of a mining trip, especially in the Skull Cavern, players will likely spend every waking moment fighting through levels of monsters whileusing their very best items to survive. That means there’s no time to manage an inventory and drop items off, and sincethe Skull Cavern is chock-full of enemies dropping valuable loot, there will simply be too many items for an upgraded backpack.

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Upgrading the trash can solves this issue, as theseexcess items are no longer completely wasted, but instead turned into profit. Every trashed item is instantly turned into profit, especially if players upgrade all the way to iridium and are able to reclaim 60% of an item’s value. In the lower levels of the Skull Cavern, these small profits can add up significantly in the long run. While five iridium bars does seem like a steep price, the amount of gold made from mining expeditions inStardew Valleycan make the investment well worth it.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is a charming indie farming scene that took the world by storm. After inheriting a run-down farm from their grandfather, the player moves to Stardew Valley to start a new life away from the city. Grow crops, raise animals, befriend the villagers, and discover the secrets the valley has to offer.