Potato Please Upgrades: What to Buy First
Every Potato Please upgrade price, the best purchase order, and the expensive traps that do not fix your bottleneck.
The best Potato Please upgrade order is Carry Capacity, Steel Knife, Kitchen Table, Crank Peel Machine, then the $280 Auto Peel Machine. After that, the answer depends on your bottleneck: Sack Gantry for machine logistics, Wheelbarrow for sack trips, Overclock for busy barrels, and Crane Autopilot only when the crane is already part of the line.
The terminal is deliberately opaque. It shows a price and a short description, not a throughput number. This page gives the actual 1.0.1 prices and a simple rule for each purchase: if it does not remove a walk, a cut, or a stall, it is not an upgrade yet.
What is the full upgrade price list?
| Upgrade | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Rusty Knife | $0.30 | Starting tool, replace early |
| Steel Knife | $2.70 | Buy in the first shift |
| Kitchen Table | $12 | Buy after the first payment |
| Crank Peel Machine | $20 | Good bridge, not automation |
| Auto Peel Machine | $280 | First must-buy machine |
| Sack Gantry | $280 | Buy before the second machine |
| Wheelbarrow | $210 | Buy when sack trips bottleneck |
| Sack Cableway | $1,250 | Mid-game route upgrade |
| Claw Crane | $2,100 | Skip until the line is stable |
| Crane Autopilot | $1,700 | Buy after the crane |
| Potato Vacuum | $2,800 | Late-game cleanup tool |
| Overclock | $1,400 | Buy when all barrels are busy |
| Carry Capacity | from $250 | Buy before the first door |
Prices are from the 1.0.1 terminal. The Auto Peel Machine repeats at $420 and $630, so the second and third machines are not the same value as the first.
What should you buy first?
Carry Capacity is the correct first purchase. The opening run is limited by trips between the sack, the board, and the chute. A larger carry load removes more time than a sharper knife because you spend most of the first hour walking.
The Steel Knife is the second purchase. At $2.70 it is almost free, and it reduces waste on every potato. The Rusty Knife costs $0.30, which makes it look like a bargain, but the rough cuts cost more than the difference.
The Kitchen Table at $12 is the third purchase. It gives you a larger work surface, a deeper raw-potato slot, and an Auto Launcher that feeds potatoes to the board. It does not peel for you, but it removes the repeated reach into the sack.
| Phase | Buy | Skip |
|---|---|---|
| First shift | Carry Capacity, Steel Knife | Wheelbarrow, Cableway |
| First payment | Kitchen Table, Crank Peel Machine | Claw Crane |
| Machine phase | Auto Peel Machine, Sack Gantry | Second machine before the first is full |
| Storm phase | Flamethrower, Winter Coat | Cosmetic tools |
| Final quota | Overclock, Vacuum | New manual tools |
The Claw Crane is the most common trap. It costs $2,100 and moves sacks, but it does not peel. If your board is the bottleneck, the crane does not increase output. Buy it after the machines are already fed.
When is the Auto Peel Machine worth $280?
The first Auto Peel Machine is worth buying as soon as you can keep it fed. It is the first upgrade that removes you from the peeling loop. The Crank at $20 is a bridge; the Auto at $280 is the real change.
Do not buy the second Auto Peel Machine at $420 until the first one is running at capacity. A machine that is waiting for potatoes is a $420 decoration. The same rule applies to the third at $630.
The Sack Gantry at $280 is the supporting purchase that makes multiple machines work. It sends a full sack to the emptiest peeler, which removes a walk from every cycle. If you have two machines and no gantry, you spend more time carrying sacks than peeling.
When should you buy the cableway and crane?
The Sack Cableway costs $1,250 and moves sacks across the yard. It becomes useful when your machines are spread out and the carry route is longer than the processing time. If you are still on one machine, the cableway is a $1,250 shortcut to a line you have not built.
The Claw Crane costs $2,100 and lifts potato piles. It is useful for clearing blocked piles and moving large volumes, but it does not peel. Buy it when the pile itself is the bottleneck, not when the cutting board is.
The Crane Autopilot costs $1,700 and automates the crane. It is a force multiplier for a crane that is already doing useful work. Buying both at once costs $3,800, which is more than the first three Auto Peel Machines combined. Do not do it before the quota is stable.
After 1.0.1, the crane autopilot re-piles every three minutes to stop the potato arch from collapsing. The horn announces each recount. If you are using the crane, let the autopilot run instead of fighting it manually.
Which upgrades are traps?
The Rusty Knife is a trap only if you keep using it. It is the starting tool, not an investment. The Steel Knife is cheap enough that there is no reason to delay.
The Wheelbarrow is not a trap, but it is often bought too early. At $210 it carries twelve sacks. If you do not have twelve sacks ready, the money is better spent on a machine.
The Potato Vacuum at $2,800 is a late-game tool. It clears spills and carries 1,000 potatoes, but it does not peel. If your line is already automated, the vacuum saves cleanup time. If your line is manual, it is a very expensive scoop.
Overclock at $1,400 is only worth it when every barrel is busy. If a barrel is idle, doubling its speed changes nothing. Buy it after the second or third machine, not before. The money guide → shows how the $1,400 compares with a shift's actual income.
FAQ
What is the best first upgrade in Potato Please?
Carry Capacity. It removes trips, and the opening run is limited by carrying, not cutting. The Steel Knife is the best second purchase.
Is the Claw Crane worth buying?
Only after the peelers are fed and the pile is the bottleneck. The crane does not peel, so it does not help a board-limited line.
Should you buy the second Auto Peel Machine?
Not until the first one is running at capacity. A second machine that waits for potatoes is worse than spending the money on a gantry or a wheelbarrow.
Do upgrade prices change?
Yes. The Auto Peel Machine rises from $280 to $420 and then $630. Carry Capacity also increases with each level. The prices above are the first-purchase values in 1.0.1.
Official source: Potato Please on Steam ↗
Community source: 100% completion playthrough, 3h36m ↗
The 1.0.1 hotfix notes ↗ confirm the crane autopilot behaviour. The Steam discussions hub ↗ is the place to check if a later patch changes the terminal prices.
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