Sandustry Machine & Research Tier List
Machines and research nodes ranked by how much they move your factory forward. The Shaker is the heart of everything — everything else exists to feed it or cash out its byproducts.
S-Tier (Core)
Shaker
Process: Wet Sand → Gold + Slag
Category: Processing
The core machine. Run Wet Sand across a diagonal Shaker; about 20-25% falls out as Gold per pass while Slag continues downstream.
Conveyor Belt
Process: Moves dry items
Category: Logistics
Moves sand and items between machines. Keep lines unclogged or piles jam the belt.
Flux Emanator
Process: Voidbloom → Fluxite
Category: Processing
Only one per factory. Feed Voidbloom from above; Fluxite grows below for upgrade currency.
A-Tier (Strong)
Launcher
Process: Throws items across gaps
Category: Logistics
Flings items over cliffs and pits. Hold Shift while placing to skip an outlet.
Density Filter
Process: Sorts by density
Category: Sorting
Separates Sand, Wet Sand, Slag, RedSand, Lava, and Gold using density bands.
Pipe & Pump
Process: Moves water / steam / lava
Category: Fluid
Routes water, steam, and lava. Watch for floods and phase changes (ice melts, water boils).
Kinetic Slag Press
Process: Burnt Slag → extra Gold
Category: Processing
Squeezes extra Gold out of Burnt Slag — often your second-biggest income source.
B-Tier (Situational)
Digger Drone
Process: Relocates sand
Category: Automation
Automates sand and slag relocation when conveyors can't reach deep pits.
Hauler Drone
Process: Carries items
Category: Automation
Moves materials across vertical mines and gaps.
Planter Box
Process: Grows Flowers → Amethelis
Category: Farming
Grows Flowers that drop Amethelis petals for Voidbloom production.
Collector
Process: Picks up nearby items
Category: Utility
Auto-picks up Gold and items, cutting down manual hauling.
Thermal Buffer
Process: Stores heat
Category: Utility
Buffers heat for temperature-sensitive reactions.
The Meta: Refining 1 First
Refining 1 unlocks the Shaker, which turns Wet Sand into Gold and makes every other line possible. Logistics 1 follows to move materials automatically, then Filters and Pipes sort and route. Always unlock the Shaker line before spending Gold on tools or drones.
How Many Tiers Are There? (Research Tree 1-6)
Sandustry's research tree is split into 6 tiers in Early Access (v0.5.3). Each tier groups the unlocks you buy with Gold in the Research tab. Here is the full breakdown so you know exactly what tier 5 and tier 6 - the late-game gates - actually contain.
| Tier | Unlocks | Cost | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Shaker, Logistics (Conveyor Belt & Launcher), Hover, Map, Flare Gun, Filter, Sprint Boost, Wall Light | 20-250 Gold | The Shaker line is the whole economy: Wet Sand in, Gold + Slag out. Unlock it first. |
| Tier 2 | Kinetic Press, Flamethrower, Burner Belt, Thermal Buffer, Sweeper Drones, Flashlight, Conveyor Portal, CryoBlaster | 400-1000 Gold | Your second Gold source: burn Slag into Burnt Residue and press it with the Kinetic Press. Sweeper Drones stop manual hauling. |
| Tier 3 | Fluids (Pipe, Pump, Liquid Vent), Planter Box, Gun, Pyro Dispenser, Clearing Frame, Vacuum, Activity Heatmap, Aerokinetic Fan, Digger Drone | 700-2500 Gold | Fluids open water routing, Planter Boxes grow Flowers for Amethelis, and the Digger Drone automates deep mining. |
| Tier 4 | Advanced Filter, Drying & Condensing (Steam Dryer, Condenser), Rocket Launcher, Logistics Mk.2, Corraller, Hauler Drone, Recon Drone | 1250-3000 Gold | Advanced Filter sorts liquids and gases, Hauler Drone moves materials across vertical mines, Logistics Mk.2 speeds up every belt. |
| Tier 5 | Snowmaker, Florinol Battery, Drill, Smelter, Energy Siphon, Flux Emanator, Copper Mold, Void Rift, Energy Connector, Steam Turbine, Laser, Recall Shard, Locator | 1000-5000 Gold | Energy management and mid-game power: Florinol Battery + Steam Turbine generate power, Flux Emanator converts Voidbloom into Fluxite, Drill/Laser break hard materials. |
| Tier 6 | Synthesizer | 7500 Gold | The endgame gate in Early Access. The Synthesizer uses Energy to convert one material into another - the last research node currently available. |
What About Tier 7?
There is no Tier 7 yet. As of v0.5.4, the Early Access research tree ends at Tier 6 - the six tiers above cover everything currently in the game, and no seventh tier has been added. Most "tier 7" searches come from players planning ahead for the full 1.0 release; if a future update expands the tree, this page will be updated. Until then, treat Tier 6 as the final gate and spend extra Gold on widening your Gold and Burnt Slag production lines instead.