How To Make Grinder In Minecraft: AFK & Efficient Designs

Want to know how to build a Minecraft XP grinder? Yes, you can create mob grinders in Minecraft to gain XP and resources automatically. This guide will walk you through the best Minecraft XP farm designs, focusing on efficiency, AFK capabilities, and ease of construction for your Minecraft survival XP farm. Let’s dive into the world of Minecraft mob grinders!

Why Build a Minecraft Mob Grinder?

Building a Minecraft mob grinder, also known as a Minecraft mob farm or Minecraft XP farm, offers several significant advantages:

• XP Farming: Provides a reliable source of experience points (XP) for enchanting, repairing items, and using anvils.
• Resource Gathering: Yields valuable resources dropped by mobs, like bones, gunpowder, string, and rotten flesh.
• AFK Capability: Many designs allow you to stand near the grinder and collect XP and items while being “away from keyboard” (AFK).
• Automation: Reduces the need for manual mob hunting, saving time and effort.

Factors Influencing Grinder Efficiency

Before diving into specific designs, it’s essential to grasp what makes a Minecraft grinder effective:

• Mob Spawning Rates: Maximizing the number of mobs that spawn within the grinder is crucial. This depends on factors like light levels, available spawning space, and proximity to the player.
• Mob Collection and Killing: Efficiently directing mobs to a central location and quickly dispatching them are key.
• AFK Position: The player must be positioned close enough for mobs to spawn but far enough from the spawning area to allow it to function properly.
• Chunk Loading: Ensuring the grinder and the AFK spot remain loaded is necessary for continuous operation.
• Mob Type Targeting: Some grinders are designed for specific mobs (e.g., Enderman, skeletons) which can significantly affect the loot acquired.

Essential Materials for Grinder Construction

The specific materials will vary depending on the design chosen, but here’s a general list of common components:

• Building Blocks: Cobblestone, stone bricks, wood, or any solid block to construct the structure.
• Water Buckets: Crucial for moving mobs into collection areas.
• Signs: Used to hold back water and create waterfalls.
• Hoppers: Collect items dropped by mobs and funnel them into chests.
• Chests: Store the collected items.
• Slabs/Stairs: Helpful in minimizing spawning locations within the collection area.
• Torches/Light Sources: To control mob spawning inside and around the farm.
• Minecart with Hopper (Optional): For efficient item collection over a large area.
• Redstone Components (Optional): For advanced automation and mob killing mechanisms.

Simple and Effective Minecraft Grinder Designs

Let’s explore some easy Minecraft XP farm options that balance simplicity and effectiveness.

Basic Dark Room Grinder

This design is a classic and relatively simple to build, perfect for early-game Minecraft survival XP farm.

Design Overview:

• Creates a large dark room where mobs can spawn.
• Uses water to push mobs towards a central collection point.
• Mobs drop to their near death and await a single hit from the player for XP.

Construction Steps:

1. Location Selection: Choose a flat area, preferably underground or high in the sky, away from other light sources.
2. Spawning Platform: Build a square or rectangular platform of solid blocks, at least 20×20 blocks in size. Larger platforms mean more spawning area, increasing output.
3. Walls: Construct walls around the platform, at least 3 blocks high. This prevents mobs from escaping.
4. Water Channels: Place water sources along one side of the platform, spaced a few blocks apart. The water should flow towards the opposite side.
5. Collection Point: Dig a hole at the end of the water channels, deep enough to ensure mobs take fall damage. Four blocks is usually sufficient.
6. Collection System: Place hoppers at the bottom of the hole, leading into chests to collect the dropped items.
7. Darkness: Cover the entire structure with a roof to create complete darkness. This encourages mob spawning.
8. AFK Spot: Position yourself a comfortable distance away (24-32 blocks from the spawning platform) to keep the area loaded.

Pros:

• Easy to build and requires minimal resources.
• Effective for early-game XP and resource collection.

Cons:

• Spawning rates can be limited compared to more advanced designs.
• Relatively slow compared to other farms.
• Needs manual killing of mobs.

Diagram:

[Wall] [Water Source] [Block] [Block] [Block] [Wall] [Wall] [Block] [Block] [Block] [Block] [Wall] [Wall] [Water Source] [Block] [Block] [Block] [Wall] [Wall] [Block] [Block] [Block] [Block] [Wall] [Wall] [Water Source] [Block] [Block] [Block] [Wall] [Wall] [Wall] [Wall] [Wall] [Wall] [Wall] [Hoppers]->[Chest]

The Simple Spider Farm

This is a specific type of mob grinder targeting spiders. It exploits their unique climbing abilities to make a highly efficient trap.

Design Overview:

• Creates a series of narrow shafts where spiders can spawn.
• Funneling the spiders with water to a collection point.
• Spider can be either killed through fall damage, or a player can kill them by hand.

Construction Steps:

1. Location Selection: Find a suitable area, either above or below ground.
2. Shaft Construction: Dig a series of 1×2 shafts that extend vertically for at least 20 blocks. Space these shafts a few blocks apart.
3. Water System: At the top of each shaft, place a water source. This water will push the spiders down the shaft.
4. Collection Point: At the bottom of the shafts, create a collection area. This can be a simple hole with hoppers leading to chests.
5. Spider Killing Area: Make it possible for the spiders to take fall damage, or kill them by hand.
6. AFK Spot: Stay about 24 blocks away.

Pros:

• Relatively easy to build.
• Excellent source of string and spider eyes.

Cons:

• Only targets spiders.
• Can be somewhat dangerous if spiders escape the shafts.

The Witch Farm

Witch farms are advanced, efficient farms that exploit the specific spawning behavior of witches in witch huts.

Design Overview:

• Identifies a witch hut in a swamp biome.
• Removes the existing hut and surrounding area.
• Creates a spawning platform around the hut location.
• Uses water streams to push witches to a central killing chamber.

Construction Steps:

1. Find a Witch Hut: Locate a witch hut in a swamp biome. Use the /locate structure minecraft:swamp_hut command if needed.
2. Clear the Area: Clear a large area around the hut, removing all blocks and lighting up the surrounding area to prevent other mobs from spawning.
3. Spawning Platform: Build a large spawning platform around the area where the witch hut used to be, typically a grid of platforms separated by water channels.
4. Water Channels: Place water sources to push witches towards a central collection point.
5. Killing Chamber: Design a killing chamber. This can be a simple drop to their near death or a more automated system using lava blades or pistons.
6. Collection System: Use hoppers and chests to collect the loot dropped by the witches.
7. AFK Spot: Position yourself within the spawning range of the witch hut.

Pros:

• Highly efficient for potion ingredients (glowstone dust, redstone, sugar, spider eyes, sticks, gunpowder, glass bottles).
• Good source of XP.

Cons:

• More complex to build compared to basic grinders.
• Requires locating a witch hut.
• May need to clear a large area.

Table: Comparing Grinder Designs

Feature	Basic Dark Room	Spider Farm	Witch Farm
Difficulty	Easy	Medium	Hard
Resources Needed	Low	Medium	High
Mob Types	All Overworld	Spiders Only	Witches Only
XP Yield	Moderate	Moderate	High
Resource Yield	Moderate	String, Eyes	Potion Items
AFK	Yes	Yes	Yes

Advanced Minecraft Grinder Designs

For those seeking maximum efficiency and automation, consider these advanced designs:

Enderman Farm (The End)

Enderman farms are among the most efficient XP farms in Minecraft, exploiting the high spawn rates of Endermen in the End dimension.

Design Overview:

• Located in the End dimension, typically near the main island.
• Uses Endermites to attract Endermen to a central killing chamber.
• Endermen are killed by fall damage or other automated methods.

Construction Steps:

1. Access the End: Defeat the Ender Dragon to access the End dimension.
2. Build a Platform: Create a large platform away from the main island to prevent interference.
3. Endermite Spawner: Use an Endermite trapped in a minecart as bait.
4. Collection Point: The Endermen will be attracted to the Endermite and fall into a pit, leaving them with low health for the player to finish.
5. Killing Mechanism: Place hoppers to collect the enderpearls.
6. AFK Spot: The player must be positioned near the farm.

Pros:

• Extremely high XP yield.
• Excellent source of Ender Pearls.

Cons:

• Requires access to the End dimension.
• Can be challenging to build due to the End’s environment.
• Requires careful management of Endermites.

Guardian Farm (Ocean Monument)

Guardian farms are complex but rewarding, utilizing the unique spawning mechanics of Guardians around ocean monuments.

Design Overview:

• Locates an ocean monument.
• Drains the water around the monument.
• Creates spawning platforms within the drained area.
• Uses water streams and other mechanisms to collect and kill Guardians.

Construction Steps:

1. Locate an Ocean Monument: Find an ocean monument in the deep ocean.
2. Drain the Water: Completely drain the water around the monument. This is a time-consuming process that typically involves using sponges and sand.
3. Spawning Platforms: Build spawning platforms within the drained area.
4. Collection System: Implement water streams to move Guardians to a central collection point.
5. Killing Chamber: Design a killing chamber. This could be drop damage or a more automated design.
6. AFK Spot: The player must be positioned near the farm.

Pros:

• High XP yield.
• Excellent source of prismarine shards and crystals.

Cons:

• Very complex and time-consuming to build.
• Requires significant resources (sponges, sand).
• Can be challenging to drain the water effectively.

The Cave Spider Farm

Cave Spider farms are built around naturally spawning cave spider spawners found in mineshafts. These can provide a steady source of XP and string.

Design Overview:

• Locate a cave spider spawner in a mineshaft.
• Create a collection system around the spawner.
• Utilize water to bring the cave spiders to a central point for easy killing.

Construction Steps:

1. Find a Cave Spider Spawner: Search mineshafts for cave spider spawners.
2. Enclose the Spawner: Build a small room around the spawner.
3. Water Collection: Place water around the spawner to push cave spiders into a collection shaft.
4. Killing Chamber: Design a killing chamber with hoppers.
5. AFK Spot: Position yourself within the spawning range of the spawner.

Pros:

• Good for early to mid-game resource and XP collection.
• Can be relatively easy to set up once a spawner is found.

Cons:

• Cave spiders are poisonous.
• Spawning is limited by the spawner rate.

Tips for Optimizing Your Minecraft Grinder

• Light Control: Ensure complete darkness inside the spawning areas and adequate lighting outside to prevent unwanted spawns.
• Mob Proofing: Seal any gaps or openings to prevent mobs from escaping the grinder.
• Chunk Loading: Ensure that the grinder and your AFK spot are within loaded chunks to maintain continuous operation. Consider using a chunk loader if necessary.
• Automation: Implement redstone mechanisms for automated killing and item sorting to maximize efficiency.
• Experimentation: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different designs and modifications to find what works best for your needs and playstyle.

The Importance of AFK Positioning

Achieving true AFK operation involves precise player placement. The player must be within the mob spawning radius (typically 24-32 blocks) of the spawning platform, but far enough away to allow the spawning process to function correctly. Too close, and mobs won’t spawn. Too far, and the chunks won’t stay loaded. Trial and error may be needed to find the perfect location.

FAQs About Minecraft Grinders

Q: What is the best Minecraft XP farm for beginners?
A: The basic dark room grinder is an excellent starting point due to its simplicity and low resource requirements.

Q: Can I build a mob grinder in Peaceful mode?
A: No, mobs do not spawn in Peaceful mode, so a grinder will not function.

Q: What’s the difference between a mob farm and an XP farm?
A: While often used interchangeably, a mob farm focuses on resource collection, while an XP farm prioritizes experience point generation. Many grinders serve both purposes.

Q: How can I prevent Endermen from teleporting out of my grinder?
A: Prevent Endermen teleporting by ensuring all enclosed spaces are smaller than 3×3 blocks, as they require at least that much space to teleport.

Q: Is it possible to automate the collection of XP orbs?
A: No, XP orbs must be manually collected by the player.

Q: What are some alternatives for killing mobs if I don’t want to hit them myself?
A: Options include using lava blades, fall damage, magma blocks, or automated piston crushers.

Q: How do I stop slimes from spawning in my mob farm?
A: Prevent slime spawns by ensuring the farm isn’t built in a slime chunk or swamp biome. Use chunk finders online to locate slime chunks and avoid building in them.

Q: What is chunk loading, and why is it important for mob farms?
A: Chunk loading ensures that the game actively simulates a certain area of the world. Mob farms must be within loaded chunks for mobs to spawn and for any automated systems to function correctly.

Building a Minecraft mob grinder is a rewarding endeavor that can significantly enhance your gameplay experience. Whether you opt for a simple dark room or a complex Guardian farm, the ability to generate XP and resources automatically will save you time and effort, allowing you to focus on other aspects of the game. With careful planning and construction, you can create an efficient and AFK-friendly grinder that meets your specific needs. Now that you have this Minecraft mob grinder tutorial, go forth and grind!