Enchanting table vs anvils in Minecraft: Which method is best for enchanting your gear?

In Minecraft, you can enchant weapons, tools, and armor. Enchantments are special powerups that add magic-like features to gear. Some increase durability, while others boost attack power, efficiency, and other stats. You can enchant items either by using an enchanting table or by using enchanted books on an anvil.

While there is a constant debate in the community about which of the two methods is better for enchanting gear, it depends on your progression and your aim in the game. In short, enchanting a table is great early in the game while finding enchanted books and using anvil is a better endgame tactic. Let's look at both methods in detail.

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

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Comparing Minecraft enchanting methods: Enchanting table and anvil

Enchanting table

The enchanting table give random enchantments but can be used by players in a new world (Image via Mojang Studios)

Minecraft's enchanting table can be crafted using four obsidian, two diamonds, and one book. This block can be placed anywhere and needs to be surrounded by bookshelves in a three-by-three configuration to increase it's ability to give stronger enchantments.

When you place a gear on the table, it will also require lapis lazuli mineral to unlock the enchantments. The block will show three levels of enchantments, each with a separate name. This set of enchantments is completely random and depends on the type of gear placed on it.

Furthermore, this random set of enchantments will showcase every level of gear. For example, it will show three enchantments for the stone sword, but will also show the same powerups for a diamond sword.

Once a type of enchantment is applied to a gear, its enchantment table will shuffle. The next time you place another gear, it will show other kinds of enchantments.

The only catch of an enchanting table is that you cannot choose particular ones. You can get lucky and get the desired power-up on the first try, but it can also take several rolls before you get what you want.

However, it is a great way to get enchantments early in Minecraft since most kinds will help you in one way or another.

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Anvil (with enchanted books)

Anvil enchanting is much more specific because of the use of librarian villagers (Image via Mojang Studios)

Another method to enchant in Minecraft is by combining enchanted books with gears on an anvil. An anvil is made with three blocks of iron and four iron ingots. On the other hand, enchanted books are essentially books with enchantment information on them. These can either be found as chest loot, by trading with librarian villagers, or by enchanting regular books on enchanting tables.

Over the years, getting enchanted books through librarian villagers has proved to be the most lucrative method. The player base found a method to shuffle the librarian's trading list by breaking their job site block, which is a lectern. Every time that block is broken and placed again, the librarian reassigns itself to the block and reshuffles it's trading list.

Since a librarian's trading list can consist of any enchantment, including treasure enchantments, it is considered the best method to find the exact powerup you want. Once the desired enchantment is found, you can buy it with emeralds and lock the librarian.

After obtaining the enchanted book, you can place it on an anvil along with the gear you want to enchant. A certain cost is charged by the game to apply the power-up onto the gear through an anvil.

This method is brilliant for someone looking to specifically create a particular weapon or armor build. Through the librarian, you can get specific enchantments you get without the worry of randomization found in enchanting tables.

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Check out other Minecraft enchantment-related articles:

• How to get level 255 enchantments in Minecraft Java Edition
• How to get any enchantment in Minecraft 1.21
• List of max level for all Minecraft enchantments