Upgrades
Peeler ladder, shovel, capacity, machines, vacuum, and what Cash vs Gems buy.
About upgrades
Cash buys peelers, shovel, capacity, and machines inside a run, then resets. Upgrade weak tools before leaning on them. Gems after escape buy hub perks and classes.
First-session loop is on the beginner guide. Mechanic and sale-value classes are on classes.
Read the bottleneck
Match the slowdown you feel to the next spend.
| What you see | Buy next |
|---|---|
| Peeling feels slow / you still drag every potato | Next knife or peeler unlock on the ladder |
| Trips to the station eat the clock | Shovel scoop plus basket or bag capacity |
| You own a machine but it feels worse than hands | Fund that machine's upgrade tree before switching your loop onto it |
| Vacuum sits idle or feels useless at base | Keep shoveling until you can upgrade the vacuum. Base ~$30 feels weak. |
| Pure time attempt, Cash is tight | Skip sale-value % and rare-color potato chasing. Peel speed only. |
| Run ended; Gems in the lobby | Hub permanent upgrades and class rolls (40 Gems), not in-run Cash tools |
Tools and machines
Jobs differ: knives peel, shovel harvests, vacuum gathers on a timer. Shop prices move; recheck live numbers after patches.
| Tool | Job | Notes | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knife / peeler ladder | Peel | Unlocks in order: Knife → Swiss Knife → Peeler → Triple Peeler → Hand Peeler → Auto Peeler. Better knives remove drag; hold peels on its own. | Buy early. Peel speed limits how fast you clear. |
| Shovel | Harvest only (never peels) | Scoop size can climb from about 5 to 7 potatoes per scoop after upgrades. | Early, with the first knives |
| Basket / bag capacity | Carry | Capacity steps about 50 → 125 → 450 potatoes per trip. | As soon as half-empty walks dominate |
| Peeling machine / multi-peel tier | Bulk peel loaded potatoes | Load potatoes, then press the button. A stronger tier unlocks around ~2,500 peels. Unupgraded loading can feel worse than hands. | Mid-run. Grab it and upgrade right away. |
| Hand Peeler | Late peeler + upgrade tree (cranks) | Has its own upgrade tree. Mechanic halves crank requirements. | After earlier peeler unlocks |
| Auto Peeler | Machine peel without drag | About 12 potatoes per action once upgraded. Expensive and weak at base. Mechanic doubles speed. | Late, only with upgrade Cash reserved |
| Potato vacuum | Bulk gather on a timer | Base buy around $30 feels bad. Cycle about 2 minutes before reuse. Near-max upgrades make it useful. Shovel wins until then. | Only if you can fund upgrades |
| Walk / movement speed | Travel | Optional after scoop and capacity feel fine. | When travel still hurts after peel and carry buys |
| Sale-value upgrades | Money only | Raise sell price (one bump doubled about 1,000 → 2,000). Add no peel speed. | Skip on pure clear-time runs |
Suggested spend order
Peel speed first, money % last on time runs.
- Climb the peeler and knife ladder in unlock order
- Shovel scoop and basket capacity so the station stays fed
- Take the ~2,500-peel machine or multi-peel unlock the moment it appears
- Upgrade peeling machines before making them your main loop
- Vacuum only after shovel is strong and you can pay its tree
- Auto Peeler late, with Cash left for its upgrades
- Movement speed if trips still drag
- Sale-value and cosmetics last (or never on a time run)
- After escape: spend Gems on hub upgrades and classes. Cash does not carry over.
Cash, Gems, Diamonds, Robux
Do not mix what each currency buys.
- Cash: earned in a run from peel and sell. Buys tools and machine upgrades. Resets when the run ends.
- Gems: stay after clears. Hub permanent upgrades (TAB → Upgrades) and 40-Gem class rolls.
- Diamonds: pile finds counted at escape. No shop use yet. Do not buy Gem packs expecting Diamonds.
- Robux: optional auto-peel, Gem packs, and store shortcuts. Not required for a free clear.
Lobby Gem upgrades
Open TAB → Upgrades after a clear. First-step costs shown; each line has five steps. Prices move after patches.
| Upgrade | First step | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand Grab Amount | +0 → +1 potatoes per hand grab | 100 Gems (first step; 5 steps) | Permanent pickup volume. Strong early hub buy. |
| Bag Size | +0 → +5 bag space | 100 Gems (first step; 5 steps) | Permanent carry. Stacks with in-run basket buys. |
| Cash Boost | +0% → +20% cash from selling | 150 Gems (first step; 5 steps) | Money only. Skip on pure clear-time focus if Gems are tight. |
| Gem Boost | +0% → +10% gems earned | 200 Gems (first step; 5 steps) | Helps future rolls and hub trees. Buy when you already clear steadily. |
Upgrades FAQ
What should I buy first?
Next peeler unlock and shovel or capacity. Peel speed limits the mountain clear. Empty trips waste that speed.
Why is my new machine worse than peeling by hand?
New tools often start weak. Upgrade the peeling machine or vacuum before switching your whole loop onto it.
When does the multi-peel / auto-style tool unlock?
A stronger peel tier opens around ~2,500 potatoes peeled. Recheck the live UI after patches.
Is the potato vacuum worth it?
Not at base (around $30 feels bad). It runs on a ~2-minute cycle. Upgrade it or keep shoveling.
Do sale-value upgrades help escape time?
No. They raise Cash per potato, not peel rate. Skip them on time runs. The lobby Cash Boost Gem upgrade is the same idea.
Cash or Gems for upgrades?
In-run tools use Cash. After escape, TAB → Upgrades spends Gems on Hand Grab, Bag Size, Cash Boost, and Gem Boost. Classes also cost 40 Gems per roll.
What should I buy with Gems first?
Hand Grab Amount and Bag Size help every run. Cash Boost and Gem Boost come after you can clear without struggling for peel speed.