Start with the current game interface
Cauldron recipes matter because one incorrect input or outdated rate can break an entire production line. Alchemy Factory is now at version 1.0, but the official 1.0 material does not publish a complete cauldron recipe, rate, heat, capacity, or progression table. Use the current in-game recipe panel and machine tooltip as the authority before building at scale.
Older Codex snapshots, calculators, and player reports can still help identify possible combinations and planning ideas. They should be treated as historical reference, especially when a build depends on exact output rates, heat use, or byproducts.
| Check before building | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Input items | Community combinations may have changed after rebalances or hotfixes. |
| Output item | Verify the result in the current recipe panel. |
| Rate and heat | Older examples may not match version 1.0 values. |
| Ratios and belts | A layout can fail if inputs do not arrive quickly enough. |
| Related updates | Recheck systems mentioned in official patch notes after hotfixes. |
The safest approach is simple:
- Confirm the items and device in the live interface.
- Build a small test setup before connecting a main production line.
- Check that all input slots remain supplied.
- Confirm output handling before duplicating the design.
- Revisit the layout after game updates that affect cauldrons or related systems.
How cauldrons worked in earlier references
A historical community guide described a cauldron as taking three inputs and producing one procedurally generated product. Under that description, the selected inputs determined the output, while recipes for the same product shared the same listed rate and heat requirement.
That guide also warned that an empty slot could cause a cauldron to fill with another available item and switch products. Whether that behavior remains unchanged in version 1.0 must be confirmed in-game, but it explains why testing input reliability is important.
An earlier example compared two clay combinations. Both were reported to produce clay at the same rate and heat use, while their ingredient choices affected fertilizer needs and line reliability.
| Historical output | Historical inputs | Reported rate | Reported heat | Historical note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay | 3 red currant | 16.7/min | 4.6 P/s | All slots use the same plant, so the recipe could not switch products. |
| Clay | Sage, sage powder, red currant | 16.7/min | 4.6 P/s | Reported to use about half the fertilizer. |
| Salt | 1 copper coin, 2 chamomile | 49/min | Not stated | Coins reportedly lock about 5,000 in the device. |
| Impure copper powder | 2 chamomile, 1 lavender | 36.9/min | Not stated | Listed as a bronze-route option. |
| Copper powder | 2 chamomile, 1 gentian flower | 31.2/min | Not stated | Listed for copper ingots and bearings. |
| Gloom spores | 3 lavender | 33.3/min | Not stated | Listed as feeding malachite. |
These examples were recorded before version 1.0. They are useful as starting points for experiments, not as guaranteed current recipes.
Historical recipe leads to test carefully
The older guide collected several combinations that players used in Early Access. It stated that early-game recipes such as clay and coke were mostly unaffected by a June rebalance, while later-game outputs such as Star Dust were reworked. It also stated that version 1.0 changed an obsidian byproduct.
Because the current complete recipe table is not published in the supplied official-material summary, test every one of these combinations in a small live setup.
| Historical output | Historical inputs | Reported rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malachite | Copper coin, lavender, gloom spore | About 30/min | Described as a two-stage stack. |
| Topaz | Lavender, impure copper powder, silver coin | Not stated | Listed with the same layout as malachite. |
| Obsidian | Fertile catalyst, chamomile, silver coin | 13.6/min | Historical guide says the byproduct changed to Marble in 1.0. |
| Lapis lazuli | 2 world tree leaves, 1 resonant catalyst | 9.9/min per cauldron | A 28-cauldron example was reported at 277/min. |
| Plank | 3 copper coins | Trivial | Associated with the “Overqualified” achievement. |
Do not assume that an input combination remains economical simply because it still creates the expected item. A viable factory build also needs a stable ingredient supply, enough logistics capacity, acceptable heat demand, and a way to handle the output continuously.
A useful test sequence is:
- Place one cauldron away from the main line.
- Feed only the proposed ingredients.
- Observe the result and current tooltip values.
- Let it run long enough to reveal shortages or product changes.
- Scale only after its inputs and output remain stable.
Advanced Cauldron value-math reports
A Steam discussion described the standard cauldron as producing an item near the total value of its inputs. The same player described the Advanced Cauldron as using the difference between two item values instead. This is a player explanation, not a current official specification, so verify it in version 1.0 before relying on it.
The discussion used Gentian, valued at 400 in a Codex calculator snapshot, and Gentian Nectar, valued at 420. Their difference was described as producing Clay, listed at 21 value in that calculator. Duplicate items were also said to work differently in the Advanced Cauldron.
| Item | Value in Codex calculator snapshot |
|---|---|
| Flax | 2 |
| Small Wooden Gear | 0.33 |
| Clay | 21 |
| Stone | 4 |
| Quicklime | 6 |
| Coal | 40 |
| Coke | 29 |
| Malachite | 367 |
| Gentian | 400 |
| Gentian Nectar | 420 |
The discussion highlighted these Advanced Cauldron combinations:
| Reported combination | Reported result | Player note |
|---|---|---|
| Flax + Flax Fiber | Plank | Called “Vegan” Jupiters. |
| Flax + Flax | Stone | Reported as better than three flax. |
| Redcurrant + Redcurrant | Iron Sand | Described as more compact than a three-item option. |
| Chamomile + Chamomile | Salt | Described as a simpler alternative. |
| Gentian + Gentian Powder | Coke | Described as fertilizer-wasteful but simple. |
| Flax + Chamomile | Coal | Suggested for making coke. |
| Flax + Redcurrant | Quicklime | Suggested for Vitality Potions. |
The player also stated that two Gentian in an Advanced Cauldron produced Malachite, described there as worth 421. Treat all of these as community test cases rather than permanent recipe documentation.
Building a dependable cauldron line
A cauldron setup is only as dependable as its slowest input. Historical guidance emphasized mapping each input flow rate, keeping ratios balanced, and making sure output is not pulled faster than the device fills.
For example, the older clay reference stated that three cauldrons at 16.7 clay per minute would need 50.1 per minute of each input. It gave a nursery stack producing 60 of each as a safe example. That specific number is historical, but the planning principle is durable: calculate demand across the full stack, then leave supply headroom.
| Planning area | What to verify in the live game |
|---|---|
| Inputs | Each ingredient reaches every cauldron at its required rate. |
| Duplicate ingredients | Separate slots can increase demand for the same item. |
| Fertilizer | Ingredient choices can change the burden on plant production. |
| Heat | Check current heat demand for the selected output. |
| Logistics | Raise transport capacity when production demand rises. |
| Output | Ensure storage or downstream machines can accept the result. |
Avoid mixing unverified cauldron inputs on a shared belt. If a device can receive an unintended material when a preferred slot runs dry, a temporary shortage may create an unwanted output and make diagnosis harder.
Keep test builds small, label their inputs, and expand them one repeatable unit at a time. That approach is slower than copying a large community layout immediately, but it makes version changes and supply issues much easier to isolate.
FAQ
Where can I find current alchemy factory cauldron recipes?
Check the current in-game recipe panel and cauldron tooltip first. The supplied version 1.0 reference states that official notes do not publish a complete current recipe or throughput table.
Are older cauldron guides still useful?
Yes, as historical reference and test ideas. Older guides and Codex snapshots may identify combinations worth trying, but their rates, heat values, outputs, costs, and byproducts are not guaranteed for version 1.0.
Why should I test a recipe before scaling it?
Historical guidance warned that an empty input slot could lead to a changed product. Testing also confirms the current output, heat requirement, input rate, and output flow before a main factory line depends on them.
Does the Advanced Cauldron use different rules?
A community Steam post said the Advanced Cauldron used value differences and handled duplicates differently from a standard cauldron. Verify that behavior in the current game before designing around it.