Top 5 alternatives to coal for smelting in Minecraft

In Minecraft, players need certain essential resources to survive and this includes coal. It is a natural material found in the form of ore blocks. The primary purpose of this resource is for smelting or cooking items. However, this is not the most efficient and best fuel to use in the game. There are other items that can be used as fuel that are much better.

Coal is a resource that can be commonly found in almost any biome, hence players usually use it and don't bother using any other fuel due to its sheer availability. Many novice players might not even know of other alternatives to it. There are various unique and more common resources that can be used as fuel in the game.

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5 best alternatives of coal for smelting in Minecraft

5) Bamboo

Bamboo in furnace (Image via Minecraft)

Although bamboo is a rare item and can burn quite quickly, it is still a viable option for players if they run out of the main fuel item. If players make a huge bamboo farm, they can easily use it instead of finding and collecting coal. Bamboo can also be made into scaffolding that can smelt for longer.

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4) Wood

Wood log in furnace (Image via Minecraft)

Many players might forget, but any type of wood or wooden item can be used as a fuel as well. Though it burns quicker, it is the most common block that can be found in the game, apart from dirt. Different wooden items have different burning speeds.

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3) Blaze Rods

Blaze rods in furnace (Image via Minecraft)

Although blaze rods have other more important uses in the game, they can also be used as a fuel in furnaces and smokers. These rare items can be obtained by killing Blazes in the Nether. They can burn for about 2 minutes, which is longer than coal.

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2) Dried Kelp Block

Dried kelp block in furnace (Image via Minecraft)

Dried Kelp Block is one of the best alternative fuels in the game. This can be made with dried kelp. Though, the process of making the item is long, if players have a working kelp farm, they can easily obtain it. This can burn for much longer than coal for up to 3 minutes and 20 seconds.

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1) Lava Bucket

Lava bucket in furnace (Image via Mojang)

Many players use lava in various ways, however it can also be used as a fuel for smelting and cooking. Lava buckets are the best alternative to coal for smelting items in the game. It burns for over 16 minutes, which is 12 times longer than coal. However, players should have a good amount of lava to use it for smelting items.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinion of the writer.