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To do just about anything in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, tools like fishing rods, nets, and watering cans are essential. Players looking to improve their island will want all the tools appropriate to help the do so. At first, players will likely only have the kinds of materials for Flimsy versions of tools, which break quickly. Though all tools in Animal Crossing break after a certain number of uses and will need to be replaced, tools made from stronger materials tend to last longer.

Related: Animal Crossing: Villager Greeting Ideas

Tools can either be crafted as DIY recipes at a Workbench or purchased already made. Players who complete certain challenges and collections can even earn the recipe to craft hyper-durable Gold Tools, which last far longer than any other variety. Players can equip tools in the new Tool Wheel, which holds up to eight items at a time for easy access. Each time a tool is used to catch a fish, net a bug, or water a plant, it will degrade and eventually break, causing the player to need to make or buy and equip a new one. Here's the durability of every tool in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and how long they will last before breaking.

Animal Crossing Tool Durability, Explained

Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug Net

The average tool can be used up to 30 times before needing to be replaced. Three variants of certain tools can be purchased and cannot be crafted. These are usually the Colorful, Outdoorsy, and specialty design varieties. Players will find them at Nook's Cranny in the cabinet. The tools' DIY recipes can be obtained for Nook Miles at the Nook Stop. Gold Tools, however, are part of a reward set. Players can obtain each Gold Tool recipe by completing a different collection or task. The Gold Net, for example, is unlocked after players catch all the available species of bug in the game. For the Gold Watering Can, however, players must have a 5-star island.

Animal Crossing: How Long Fishing Rods Last

A player fishes off the pier in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

One of the first tools a player will craft in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the flimsy fishing rod, used to catch rare and exotic fish around the island. There are six varieties of fishing rod. Three can be crafted, and three are only available through purchase. Fishing rods will never break during ACNH's Fishing Tourney, but will still degrade and may break once the Tourney is over. Fishing rods do not lose durability if the player casts the line but catches nothing, but will lose durability when the player catches trash. Here is how long every fishing rod lasts in Animal Crossing:

  • Flimsy Fishing Rod: 7-10 uses
  • Fishing Rod: 30 uses
  • Colorful Fishing Rod: 30 uses
  • Fish Fishing Rod: 30 uses
  • Outdoorsy Fishing Rod: 30 uses
  • Golden Fishing Rod: 90 uses

Animal Crossing: How Long Nets Last

A player swings his net at a beetle sitting on a log outside his house in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Nets are used to collect bugs and to catch specialty items like leaves or cherry blossoms. Like fishing rods, three nets are craftable, and the other three can be purchased. During the Bug Off event, even less durable nets will not break until the tournament ends. However, each successful catch during this event will contribute to the degradation of the tool, which will likely lead to breakage following the event. Swinging a net and catching nothing, or hitting a villager, will not count against the durability of the tool. Here is how long you can use every net in Animal Crossing: New Horizons before it breaks:

  • Flimsy Net: 10 uses
  • Net: 30 uses
  • Colorful Net: 30 uses
  • Outdoorsy Net: 30 uses
  • Star Net: 30 uses
  • Golden Net: 90 uses

Related: Animal Crossing New Horizons: How to Get Rid of Villagers You Don't Like

Animal Crossing: How Long Shovels Last

Players use shovels in Animal Crossing to dig for buried objects or hit rocks to yield new materials. Players will also need to use shovels to dig up tree stumps once a tree has been cut down and to dig holes to plant new trees. As with the fishing rods and nets, there are six options. The specialty designs can only be obtained by purchasing the tool from Nook's Cranny. Each use of a shovel counts toward degrading its durability, even if the player doesn't dig up or otherwise yield anything at all. Here is how long all varieties of shovel in ACNH can be used before breaking:

  • Flimsy Shovel: 40 uses
  • Shovel: 100 uses
  • Colorful Shovel: 100 uses
  • Outdoorsy Shovel: 100 uses
  • Printed-design Shovel: 100 uses
  • Golden Shovel: 200 uses

Animal Crossing: How Long Axes Last

A player in Animal Crossing standing next to a crafting table and making a flimsy axe.

Players mainly use axes to obtain wood and bamboo from trees. There are only four varieties, and they can all be crafted. Axes wear down and will shatter every time they hit a tree, even if the player doesn't get wood as a result. Here is the durability of every variety of axe in Animal Crossing: New Horizons:

  • Flimsy Axe: 40 uses
  • Stone Axe: 100 uses
  • Axe: 100 uses
  • Gold Axe: 200 uses

Related: Animal Crossing: New Horizons - How To Grow Blue Roses

Animal Crossing: How Long Watering Cans Last

The gold watering can in Animal Crossing New Horizons

Players use watering cans to keep flowers and plants alive on the island and to cross-breed for hybrid flower colors. Of the six varieties, three can be crafted and three must be purchased from Nook's Cranny. The Watering Can will still degrade with use, even if the player just waters the ground, though the degradation happens more slowly. Here is how long every watering can lasts in ACNH:

  • Flimsy Watering Can: 20 uses
  • Watering Can: 60 uses
  • Colorful Watering Can: 60 uses
  • Elephant Watering Can: 60 uses
  • Outdoorsy Watering Can: 60 uses
  • Golden Watering Can: 180 uses

Animal Crossing: How Long Slingshots Last

Slingshot recipe in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Players use slingshots to shoot colorful balloons out of the sky and obtain the contents of the gift boxes they carry. There are only four varieties. This tool does not have a Flimsy version. Using the slingshot and missing or just firing into the air for fun will not degrade the tool, but each time the player hits a balloon with the slingshot, it will degrade. Here is how long slingshots last before breaking:

  • Slingshot: 20 uses
  • Colorful Slingshot: 20 uses
  • Outdoorsy Slingshot: 20 uses
  • Golden Slingshot: 60 uses

The other tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Ladders, Vaulting Poles, and Wands) do not break no matter how many times they are used.

Next: Animal Crossing: How To Unlock More Custom Design Slots

  • Animal Crossing New Horizons Poster Art
    Animal Crossing New Horizons
    Released:
    2020-03-20
    Developer:
    Nintendo EPD
    Franchise:
    Animal Crossing
    Genre:
    Simulation
    Platform:
    Nintendo Switch
    Publisher:
    Nintendo
    ESRB:
    E
    Platforms:
    Nintendo Switch
    Expansions:
    Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Happy Home Paradise
    How Long To Beat:
    68-600 hours
    Prequel:
    Animal Crossing: New Leaf
    Expansion Packs :
    Animal Crossing: New Horizons- Happy Home Paradise