- Furnace basics: Purchased from Jackson, the furnace smelts metal ore into scrap metal and sellable bars
- Power requirement: Needs a battery and power block — check energy before loading ore
- Key advantage: Turns cheap ore from miners into higher-value processed goods
- Best timing: Buy when you have stockpiled ore and surplus credits near the 12,000 property goal
- Pro tip: Smelting diversifies income so your run doesn't devolve into pure water trading
Why the Furnace Matters in Probably Stolen
The furnace is one of the mid-game expansion machines you can buy from Jackson, the station's equipment vendor. In a typical run — especially starts like Sentinel Collapse Disorder, Rock Bottom, and Hard mode — most of your early income comes from filtering and mixing water to 99% purity. The furnace gives you a second production pillar by processing raw metal ore into smelted goods that sell for far more than the raw material.
In practice, ore arrives constantly: mining-trip customers offload ores, and junk-to-scrap conversion modules feed the pipeline. Without a furnace, you end up selling raw ore at a discount. With one, each smelting cycle converts low-value inventory into goods that maintenance workers and material buyers purchase at strong prices.
Video Highlights:
- Buying the furnace from Jackson alongside batteries and power blocks
- Stockpiling metal ore until the smelting setup is ready
- Balancing furnace investment against the 12,000-credit property goal
- Mixing 99% high-quality water to fund machine purchases
Water trading is strong — arguably overpowered — but relying on it exclusively leaves you exposed to bad harvest events and purity variance. A furnace smooths out daily income.
Furnace Setup: What You Need Before Smelting
Before your first smelt, confirm you have every input ready. Running the furnace without power or quality materials wastes a full day of production.
| Requirement | Purpose | Where to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| Furnace unit | Core smelting machine | Jackson's shop |
| Battery | Powers the furnace daily | Jackson / loot crates |
| Power block | Connects battery to devices | Jackson / crates |
| Metal ore | Raw smelting input | Mining-trip customers |
| Quality materials | Better output quality | Depends on ore grade |
A battery drained by multiple devices (fridge, printers, purifiers) can leave your furnace idle. Route a dedicated battery to your biggest spenders and monitor drain daily.
Key setup principles:
- Dedicated power: Don't let the furnace share a battery with four other devices unless the battery is high-grade
- Storage space: Prepare a chest or shelf for both raw ore and finished output — counter space runs out fast
- Input quality matters: Higher-quality ore produces better smelted goods, similar to how wine brewing rewards high-quality water
- Junk conversion: A module converting six junk into four scrap metal pairs well with the furnace, though junk can be rare in some runs
Step-by-Step Smelting Workflow
Stockpile Ore
Buy metal ore from mining customers and maintenance buyers throughout the week. Store it in a dedicated container so smelting batches are large and efficient.
Verify Power and Quality
Check that the furnace has a charged battery installed and that you have the required quality materials on hand. A missing input wastes a production day.
Load and Smelt
Insert the ore and start the cycle. Smelting processes a limited number of items per day, so prioritize your highest-value ore first.
Sell to the Right Buyers
Maintenance workers pay well for materials, but some demand "variety." Materials buyers who accept bulk without variety requests are your best furnace customers.
Reinvest
Route profits into extra batteries, an auto-printer for bottles, and additional machines. Keep enough liquidity for rent and bribes.
Raw ore bought cheaply from miners and sold as smelted materials can double your margin compared to flipping ore directly.
Furnace vs. Other Income Sources
The furnace competes for credits and counter space with several other investments. Here's how it stacks up in a mid-game run:
| Income Source | Startup Cost | Daily Effort | Profit Ceiling | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water mixing (99%) | Low | High, manual mixing | Very high | Purity variance |
| Furnace smelting | Medium | Low once set up | Medium-high | Power drain, input supply |
| Wine brewing (Master vintage) | Medium | Medium | High | Needs grapes, yeast, HQ water |
| Medicine flipping | Low | Low | High | Counterfeit/serial issues |
| Key card reselling | Low | Low | Medium | Security suspicion |
Pure Water Runs
- Highest raw profit per unit
- Heavy daily micromanagement
- Filter costs add up fast
Furnace-First Runs
- Passive-leaning production
- Depends on ore supply from customers
- Great synergy with material buyers
Hybrid Runs
- Water funds the furnace investment
- Smooths out bad-event income dips
- Recommended for Hard mode
If you're chasing the 12,000-credit property purchase, a big machine spree can push the goal back by several in-game days. Buy the furnace when your ore stockpile justifies it — otherwise, keep flipping raw materials and smelt in your next run.
Security and Legality Considerations
Smelting itself is legal, but the furnace often processes stolen or gray-market ore, which raises your suspected crime level. Keep these risk-management habits:
- Monitor your suspected crime level daily — bribes (sometimes 350+ credits) reduce it
- Avoid storing contraband like certain perfumes or unlicensed pills near your legit production line
- Security inspections can occur at any time; keep the car hole clean of evidence
- Evidence locker supply crates are tempting but traceable — buy medicine cards, skip suspicious upgrades
- Immunovax injections and routine compliance reduce investigation progress against you
Just as buyers reject injectors with serial or indicator issues, your own stock gets scrutinized. Verify batch numbers (valid ranges matter) before reselling pharmaceuticals alongside your smelted goods.
Furnace Run Checklist
Furnace Setup Milestones:
- Purchase furnace from Jackson with battery and power block
- Dedicate a storage container to raw ore
- Confirm daily battery drain stays manageable
- Identify at least two reliable material buyers
- Reach 12,000 credits for the property purchase
Once the property is secured, a fully powered furnace line lets you shift from survival trading to bulk production — the ideal foundation for your next challenge run, such as an Aquaphobia (no-water) start.
Furnace FAQ
Q: Where do I buy the furnace in Probably Stolen?
The furnace is purchased from Jackson, the station's equipment vendor. Bring enough credits for the furnace itself plus a battery and power block — the machine won't run without dedicated power.
Q: Is the furnace worth it before reaching 12,000 credits?
It depends on your ore stockpile. If miners regularly sell you metal ore, smelting converts it into higher-value goods and pays for itself. If ore supply is thin, defer the purchase and flip raw materials until the property is secured.
Q: Does the furnace need high-quality materials?
Yes — output quality scales with input quality, similar to wine brewing where high-quality water improves Master vintage results. Feed your best ore into the furnace for maximum resale value.
Q: Can the furnace replace water trading entirely?
On its own, no — 99% purity water remains the strongest income source in most runs. The furnace works best as a complement that keeps income flowing on days when water purity is poor or filters break.