10 Coolest New Items From The Stardew Valley 1.6 Update, Ranked

The latest update to Stardew Valley added a lot of changes, including even a new farm, and among the list of content that was added were many new items for players to discover in the game. From decorative things such as new wallpapers and furniture, to impressive new machinery to make a farm into a high-profit operation, Stardew Valley 1.6 has a bit of everything. Of course, players are also now able to put hats on cats and dogs, which should deserve at least a mention among the coolest items in the new 1.6 update.

Despite developer ConcernedApe’s frequent assurances that he is focusing on his new game, Haunted Chocolatier, the recent patch 1.6 for Stardew Valley included a massive number of changes and updates to the game, and all are very welcome additions. While attention focused on the silly update to allow players to drink mayonnaise, there is much more than that. Mayo might not be new to the game, but it turns out that Patch 1.6 does include another item that sounds like it should be drinkable but somehow is non-consumable, Stardrop Tea, which is quite an impressive gift at least.

10
Fishing Becomes Much Better With The New Bait Maker

Craft Fish-Specific Bait

Fishing is an important part of Stardew Valley, so much so that there are even two new mini-festivals added specifically related to fishing. Sometimes it can be frustrating to find just the right type of fish for what a player is needing, however, which is where the new Bait Maker comes in. This special refining equipment machine is added with patch 1.6 and players get the crafting recipe for it after reaching Fishing Level 6.

To use the Bait Maker, players simply craft the machine and place it somewhere easily accessible on their property. Then they just insert any fish into the Bait Maker and after 10 minutes of in-game time, targeted bait for that specific type of fish will be made. The bait is still not guaranteed to catch that type, but will significantly increase the chances.

9
Great Statues Provide Buffs & Blessings

Statue Of Blessing & Statue Of The Dwarf King

Statues in Stardew Valley aren’t just for decoration, but are magical items that can either be used for getting items, magical buffs, and more, often on a daily basis. With this latest update to the game in patch 1.6, the Statue of Blessings and Statue of the Dwarf King were both added as new magical statues that are possible to be unlocked by only the most masterful of players.

The Statue of Blessings is craftable only after the farmer has completed the Farming Mastery in the Mastery Cave. This special statue gives a random blessing each day, which can include faster movement, infinite energy, more friendship points gained with people, and more.

The Statue of the Dwarf King is similar, in that it can be crafted after the player finishes the Mining Mastery in the Mastery Cave. By interacting with this statue, the farmer gains two mining-focused blessings each day. These can include greater chance of finding geodes, being impervious to bombs, and more.

8
Special Catalogues For Unique Looks

Many Themed Furniture Catalogues, Including Junimos

Update 1.6 added over 280 new furniture items to Stardew Valley, including many new catalogues that can provide access to new and unique themed decorations and items. There are several of these catalogues to be found in various places in the game, including in garbage cans. Sadly, finding the catalogues at stores and traveling merchants is very expensive (some are over 100k), but once purchased, the items inside the catalogue are free.

• Junimo Catalogue
• Trash Catalogue (often found inside trash cans)
• Wizard Catalogue (purchased from Krobus)
• Retro Catalogue
• Joja Catalogue

Each catalogue seems to include over 40 items themed around the title of the catalogue. For example, the Trash Catalogue provides items such as Moldy Couch, Broken TV, and more things that clearly belong in the garbage.

7
Treasure Totems Make Every Day A Scavenger Hunt

Creates A Circle Of Dig Spots

Once players have completed their Foraging Mastery in the Mastery Cave with patch 1.6 of Stardew Valley, they can get the crafting recipe for a Treasure Totem. This totem can be placed on diggable ground and once interacted with, a ring of treasure spots to dig up will appear in a circle around the totem.

The spots will look like a circle of worms, which can be slightly disconcerting if one doesn’t know what is happening, and then tilling the spots will give lots of good treasures. Some of the treasure spots will still be basic, boring items based on the RNG, but there are also chances to get things such as a Prismatic Shirt.

6
Upgrading To A Heavy Furnace Saves Time & Resources

Craft More For Less

Regular furnaces have been in Stardew Valley since the beginning and can be used to smelt ore that has been mined or foraged into bars for crafting or upgrading weapons. As another feature of the new skill Mastery system, the Mining Mastery will allow mining aficionados to get a crafting recipe for a Heavy Furnace. Crafting this new piece of equipment uses two Furnaces as well as some Iron Bars and Stone, but is well worth the cost of creation in the long run.

The Heavy Furnace is an improved version of the Furnace, leading to a higher output with less required Coal for its use. Only three pieces of coal can do the same as five pieces would have in the regular Furnace, and at five times the speed to smelt.

5
Stardrop Tea Is A Special Gift Worthy Of 250 Friendship Points

A Non-Consumable Artisan Good

Although it makes little sense that in the same patch that allows mayonnaise to be drinkable by the players character, something that is literally called Tea is not drinkable. It is, however, still a very impressive item in the game. Stardrop Tea is listed as a non-consumable Artisan Good that can be obtained at the Mayor’s Manor in the Prize Machine or found in Golden Fishing Chests.

The Stardrop Tea is not meant for the player to drink, but rather to give it as a gift for a massive increase in friendship points. Everyone loves Stardrop Tea and players gain 250 friendship points for gifting it to someone. If it is gifted as a birthday gift or during the Feast of the Winter Star, that gets increased to 750 points, the equivalent of 3 hearts.

4
Re-Forge Trinkets For Better Stats With The Anvil

Combat Mastery Required

For those who have focused on their Combat Mastery, claiming the Combat Mastery from the Mastery Cave in Stardew Valley‘s patch 1.6 can seem a bit disappointing at first when it gives players a crafting recipe for an Anvil. The Anvil is actually a very useful item, however, allowing for any Trinket to be re-forged to randomize its stats and try to get something more useful for the player’s needs.

Crafting the Anvil requires 50 Iron Bars just to make it, and then three Iridium bars for each use, but for those who are looking for a specific Trinket effect, it can be incredibly useful. Trinkets can provide boosts, such as making one immune to debuffs, summoning a fairy companion to heal during combat, or a parrot that can find extra gold when looting monsters, just to name a few.

3
Dehydrator Can Create Dried Fruits, Mushrooms, & Raisins

Included For Players With The Mushroom Cave

The Dehydrator is another piece of equipment that players can place to turn fruit and mushrooms into other goods with better benefits than the base items have. The Dehydrator actually is included automatically for anyone who chooses the mushroom cave for their farm layout, although the crafting recipe can also be purchased from Pierre’s for 10,000g.

As its name suggests, the Dehydrator crafts dried versions of fruits and mushrooms. Dried Mushrooms and Fruits will provide three times as much energy and health restoration as regular mushrooms or fruit would give. Raisins, on the other hand, are said to be the Junimo’s favorite food and, when placed in a Junimo Hut will make the Junimos more efficient.

2
A Fish Smoker Is A Money Making Goldmine

Smoked Fish Are Worth Double

The Fish Smoker is another piece of Artisan Equipment that can be very useful when it comes to making money. Any player who starts at the Riverland Farm will automatically have a Fish Smoker at the beginning of the game, but the crating recipe can also be found at the Fish Shop for 10,000g. Placing any fish inside the fish smoker for 50 minutes will double the worth of that fish when sold.

Starting out on the Riverland Farm and having a Fish Smoker available will make anyone with that starting setup have a much better advantage for their in-game pocketbook, although the smaller and earlier caught fish will clearly be less valuable even when doubled in price than if Stardew Valley‘s Legendary fish are smoked.

1
Storage Problems Are Lessened With The Big Chest

Almost Twice As Much Storage

In any game like Stardew Valley, inventory management is nearly always a big problem. Although chests in the game have already been useful, patch 1.6 is making it even better with the new, craftable Big Chest item. It looks only slightly larger but takes up the same amount of room on the grid in the game, and holds up to 70 different types of items, nearly double the size of a regular chest.

Even more convenient, the Big Chest can be swapped with a regular chest easily. Simply placing a Big Chest on top of a regular chest or even stone chest will swap the two, and immediately transfer all the contents of the old chest into the big one while dropping the old chest to be used somewhere else if desired. This will make managing all the resources and items in Stardew Valley much less of a headache and help keep everything neat and tidy on the farm and inside the house.