Best Hoe Enchantments in Minecraft
Quick answer
- Efficiency V
- Fortune III
- Unbreaking III
- Mending I
Cheapest anvil order: 23 levels in 4 steps (Java)
Why each enchantment earns its slot
- VEfficiency
Faster mining. Efficiency V + Haste II instamines many blocks.
- IIIFortune
More drops from ores and crops (up to 4× diamonds at level III).
- IIIUnbreaking
Chance to skip durability loss; roughly quadruples tool life at level III.
- IMending Treasure
Collected XP repairs the item (2 durability per XP point). Librarian trade or loot only. Get it from librarian villager trades, fishing, or loot chests.
Cheapest order to combine the books
Left item goes in the anvil’s first slot. Costs are Java Edition levels for a fresh hoe and books straight from the table or a librarian.
- Hoe + Unbreaking book3
- Fortune book + Mending book2
- Hoe (Unbreaking) + Book (Fortune + Mending)10
- Hoe (Unbreaking + Fortune + Mending) + Efficiency book8
Trade-offs to know
A hoe is the fastest tool for leaves, sculk, hay bales and moss. Fortune III raises crop and sapling drops.
Other enchantments a hoe can take: Silk Touch.Silk Touch can’t sit with Fortune.
With cheats on (Java 1.21.5+), this command gives the finished hoe: /give @p netherite_hoe[enchantments={efficiency:5,fortune:3,unbreaking:3,mending:1}]
Every hoe enchantment
| Enchantment | Max | What it does | Conflicts with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | V | Faster mining. Efficiency V + Haste II instamines many blocks. | — |
| Silk Touch | I | Blocks drop themselves: ores, glass, grass blocks, bookshelves. | Fortune |
| Fortune | III | More drops from ores and crops (up to 4× diamonds at level III). | Silk Touch |
| Unbreaking | III | Chance to skip durability loss; roughly quadruples tool life at level III. | — |
| Mending Treasure | I | Collected XP repairs the item (2 durability per XP point). Librarian trade or loot only. | Infinity |
| Curse of Vanishing Curse | I | The item is destroyed instead of dropping when you die. | — |
Questions players ask
What are the best hoe enchantments in Minecraft?
The strongest all-round set is Efficiency V, Fortune III, Unbreaking III, Mending I. A hoe is the fastest tool for leaves, sculk, hay bales and moss. Fortune III raises crop and sapling drops.
How many levels does a max-enchanted hoe cost?
Combining the books in the cheapest order costs 23 levels in total over 4 anvil uses in Java Edition, and no single step reaches the 40-level “Too Expensive!” cap. Applying the books one at a time costs more because the hoe’s prior-work penalty doubles with every use.
Which hoe enchantments can’t be combined?
Silk Touch and Fortune are mutually exclusive, so pick one of each pair.
Where do I get Mending?
Mending never appears on an enchanting table; get it from librarian villager trades, fishing, or loot chests.
Is there a command to give a fully enchanted hoe?
Yes, with cheats on in Java Edition 1.21.5 or later: /give @p netherite_hoe[enchantments={efficiency:5,fortune:3,unbreaking:3,mending:1}]. Older versions use a different syntax.