Best Enchantments for All Minecraft Tools

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Enchanting your tools in Minecraft isn’t just a luxury – it’s essential for efficiency, durability, and survival. Whether you’re mining, digging, chopping, or building, the right enchantments can save time, boost yield, and keep your gear in top shape longer.

This guide breaks down the best enchantments for each major Minecraft tool — from pickaxes to hoes — and explains why they matter, what to enchant first, and how to get the best combinations for survival and long-term gameplay.

Best Enchantments for All Minecraft Tools

🧱 Pickaxe Enchantments

A pickaxe is the backbone of Minecraft resource gathering. Here’s how to supercharge it:

  • Unbreaking III – Increases tool durability dramatically. Must-have.

  • Efficiency V – Speeds up mining. Essential when working with stone or obsidian.

  • Fortune III – Multiplies drops from ores like diamonds, lapis, coal, and emeralds.

  • Silk Touch (Optional) – Use on a secondary pickaxe to collect blocks like ores, glass, and grass blocks.

  • Mending – Repairs the tool with XP instead of using an anvil. Pairs well with Unbreaking.

💡 Best Combo: Efficiency V + Fortune III + Unbreaking III + Mending
(Optional: Create a second pickaxe with Silk Touch instead of Fortune)

⛏️ Shovel Enchantments

Often overlooked, but powerful when enchanted right:

  • Efficiency V – Dig through dirt, gravel, and sand instantly.

  • Unbreaking III – Keeps it from breaking too soon.

  • Silk Touch – Useful for picking up grass blocks or podzol.

  • Mending – Keeps your shovel going as long as you earn XP.

💡 Best Combo: Efficiency V + Unbreaking III + Mending
(Optional: Silk Touch on a second shovel for landscaping builds)

🪓 Axe Enchantments

Axes are great for chopping wood and combat. Prioritize based on your playstyle:

  • Efficiency V – Chops logs lightning fast.

  • Unbreaking III – Lasts much longer.

  • Sharpness V / Smite V – For combat, especially in Bedrock Edition.

  • Mending – Repairs via XP.

  • Silk Touch / Fortune (Optional) – Niche use-cases for mushrooms, leaves, or logs.

💡 Best Combo (Utility): Efficiency V + Unbreaking III + Mending
💡 Best Combo (Combat Hybrid): Sharpness V + Unbreaking III + Mending + Efficiency IV

⚒️ Hoe Enchantments

Yes, even hoes have a place in late-game strategy (especially in 1.16+ versions):

  • Efficiency V – Speeds up tilling and breaking leaves, hay, and nether wart blocks.

  • Unbreaking III – Reduces wear and tear.

  • Fortune III – Can boost crop yields from carrots, potatoes, or nether wart.

  • Silk Touch – Useful for gathering path blocks or grass.

  • Mending – Makes it last forever with XP.

💡 Best Combo: Efficiency V + Fortune III + Unbreaking III + Mending
(Optional: Silk Touch hoe for aesthetic builders or custom paths)

🪚 Shears Enchantments

Most players don’t think to enchant shears, but if you’re into aesthetics or farming:

  • Unbreaking III – Makes your shears last.

  • Mending – Repair with XP.

  • Efficiency (Java-only via commands) – Speeds up shearing, leaf clearing.

💡 Best Combo: Unbreaking III + Mending
(Note: Shears cannot have Silk Touch or Fortune via normal gameplay)

Flint and Steel Enchantments

This tool doesn’t accept traditional enchantments in survival. No enchantments apply.

What Should You Enchant First?

If you’re early in the game or limited by XP and resources, here’s the priority list:

  1. Pickaxe – Fortune III is game-changing for ore yield.

  2. Sword – For defense and mob drops.

  3. Armor – Especially chestplate and boots (for feather falling).

  4. Axe – If used as a weapon or heavy builder.

  5. Shovel/Hoe – Mid-late game when resources are steady.

  6. Bow/Crossbow/Trident – Based on your ranged combat style.

Bonus Tips: How to Combine Enchantments Right

  • Use an Anvil, not the Enchanting Table, to merge enchanted books or tools.

  • Combine lower-level books (Efficiency I + Efficiency II = III) to save XP.

  • Order matters — always put the tool in the first slot and books in the second to reduce XP cost.

  • Use a grindstone to remove unwanted enchantments.

Final Thoughts

Powering up your tools in Minecraft is more than just throwing random enchantments on a pickaxe. A well-thought-out enchantment strategy can transform how you mine, build, farm, and survive. Whether you’re starting out or managing end-game gear, these tool enchantments actually matter.

Use this guide to enchant smarter, not harder—and make every swing count.