How to get Iron Nuggets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Flimsy tools not cutting it in Animal Crossing? Iron nuggets can take your landscaping to the next level.

Iron nuggets are an important resource in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. They’re used to upgrade flimsy tools to their permanent metal forms. Iron nuggets are also used in many furniture recipes, including the DIY workbench. And you’ll need 30 iron nuggets to upgrade Tom Nook’s store to Nook’s Cranny. 

No matter what you need them for, farming iron nuggets is straightforward. All you have to do is strike a rock with a shovel or ax until iron nuggets start popping out of it. Each rock can only drop a certain number of iron nuggets. Iron nugget drops refresh each day, so new players who only have access to one part of the island should make collecting this limited resource a priority.

There are a handful of other ways to acquire iron nuggets besides smacking stones. Villager gifts can sometimes include iron nuggets, and balloon packages may also grant a few. 

If you’re really in a bind and have Nook Miles to spend, there’s one more way to get a bunch of iron nuggets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Go to Nook Stop and spend 2,000 Nook Miles on a plane ticket to a deserted island. You can farm the rocks there and bring the iron nugget drops back home. This process can be repeated.

What are iron nuggets in Animal Crossing used for?

Once you get a sizable amount of iron nuggets, you can use them for a variety of purposes. The most important use is to upgrade your flimsy tools into their full-fledged iron counterparts. To get iron tools, you’ll need to pay off your starting tent and start your second home mortgage. Head to the ATM in Nook’s shop and purchase the Pretty Good Tools Recipe.

You should now have the upgraded iron tools available as a crafting recipe. You’ll need the flimsy tools along with iron nuggets to finalize the upgrade. The Pretty Good Tools Recipe grants access to iron shovels, axes, and watering cans. You can put those tools to work on your own island or help a best friend landscape their dream home.

Aside from tools, iron nuggets in Animal Crossing are used in a great many furniture recipes. They can also be used to craft multiple types of DIY Tables. The biggest reason to collect iron nuggets is to prepare for Tom Nook’s store upgrades. You’ll need 30 of each kind of wood plus 30 iron nuggets. Once upgraded, the store will have access to more merchandise and features.