Golden tools are the most robust tools available in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Although they are still susceptible to breaking, these beautiful and sturdy tools will certainly last you a while.
You can craft a golden axe, net, slingshot, watering can, shovel and fishing rod in Animal Crossing: New Horizons – but first you need to unlock the golden tool's DIY recipe, and they're not so easy to come by.
We've put together this handy guide on how to craft golden tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, including ingredients lists, how to unlock each tool's DIY recipe and tips on making your tools last longer.
How to get golden nuggets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
For each golden tool recipe, you'll need a gold nugget. So while its a enticing prospect to sell them at Nook's Cranny, it's probably a good idea to save up some for storage.
A bit like iron nuggets, gold nuggets appear randomly when you hit your shovel against a rock. However, golden nuggets are much rarer than iron nuggets and finding some is really down to luck.
If you don't want to do the dirty work yourself, you can also ask a generous friend to send you some.
How to craft golden tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Golden Axe
To unlock the Golden Axe DIY recipe, you need to break 100 axes (of any type) and you will be rewarded with the recipe.
Here's the ingredients you'll need for a Golden Axe:
- 1x gold nugget
- 1x axe
Golden Watering Can
To unlock the Golden Watering Can DIY recipe you will need to achieve a five-star island rating.
Here's the ingredients you'll need for a Golden Watering Can:
- 1x gold nugget
- 1x watering can
Golden Shovel
To unlock the Golden Shovel DIY recipe, you'll need to find and help Gulliver 30 times. Gulliver is the sailor seagull you will randomly find washed up on the shore of your island some days.
To help Gulliver, wake him up then proceed to find communicator parts buried all over your island, and return them to him. You need to undertake this task 30 different times (on different days) to unlock the Golden Shovel.
Here's the ingredients you'll need for a Golden Shovel:
- 1x gold nugget
- 1x shovel
Golden Fishing Rod
To unlock the Golden Fishing Rod DIY recipe, you need to catch every fish in the game (including the rare ones) and fill out the fish section of your Critterpedia. There are a total of 80 fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and several of the rare fish only appear during certain times of the year - so this one could take a while.
Here's the ingredients you'll need for a Golden Fishing Rod:
- 1x gold nugget
- 1x fishing rod
Golden Net
Similarly to the Golden Fishing Rod, to unlock the Golden Net DIY recipe you'll need to catch every bug in the game - there are 80 in total and you can track them in your Critterpedia. Much like fish, some bugs only appear at certain times of the year, so it could take you a while to catch them all.
Here's the ingredients you'll need for a Golden Net:
- 1x gold nugget
- 1x net
Golden Slingshot
To unlock the Golden Slingshot DIY recipe, you need to shoot down 300 balloon presents using a slingshot. You know you'll have reached your goal as you'll get the 'It's Raining Treasure' Nook Miles card and a golden balloon present should appear, containing the recipe.
Here's the ingredients you'll need for a Golden Slingshot:
- 1x gold nugget
- 1x slingshot
How to make golden tools last longer in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Golden tools may be sturdy, but they're not unbreakable. And while you can't technically repair tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you can use a customization kit on a tool to make it good as new.
Customization kits can be bought from Nook's Cranny for 600 bells.
