Automate Review

Automate watches chests and machines that touch each other and moves items between them.

It does not change prices, recipes or machine speed. What it removes is the loop of walking to each machine twice a day, which on a large farm is the single biggest recurring chore in the game.

Verdict

Machines pull from adjacent chests, so kegs and preserves jars stop being a daily errand. It is the mod that most reliably changes how a late-game farm feels, and the one that starts the is-this-cheating argument.

Full review updated 2026-11-02 · about 5 minute read.

Six-criteria score

Each criterion is scored from 1 to 10 and weighted into the total: the six weights add up to 100%. The total decides the tier, and every number below can be recomputed from the published subscores.

Criterion	Weight	Score	Weighted contribution
Content value	20%	9 / 10	1.8
Compatibility and dependencies	20%	10 / 10	2.0
Maintenance and freshness	20%	9 / 10	1.8
Save and multiplayer safety	15%	8 / 10	1.2
Performance	15%	8 / 10	1.2
Ease of use	10%	9 / 10	0.9
Weighted total	100%	8.9 / 10	Tier A

Dependencies

Compatibility status: Compatible. Updated March 2026 and pinned to a recent SMAPI build, so it is one of the safer automation mods.

Dependency	Type	Source
SMAPI	Loader	Nexus Requirements

Pros and cons

Pros

Machines pull input from adjacent chests automatically.
Works with every machine type, including crab pots.
Updated March 2026 and pinned to a recent SMAPI build.

Cons

Removes a large part of the daily machine routine, which some players consider cheating.
Multiplayer requires the host; farmhand behaviour is feature-gated.

Best for

Farms with more than a few dozen machines, and players who want to spend evenings on content instead of refilling.

Skip if

You enjoy the manual loop, or you are chasing an untouched-economy challenge.