How to Make a Dispenser in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Craft a dispenser from cobblestone, a bow and redstone dust. It has 9 slots. When it gets a redstone signal it waits 4 game ticks and ejects or uses one randomly chosen item. Unlike a dropper it cannot push items into another container.

What you need

7 cobblestone
1 bow
1 redstone dust

Step by step

Craft the dispenser: 7 cobblestone filling the grid except the center (the bow) and the bottom center (the redstone dust).
Place it by using it on a surface next to its spot. It always faces the direction you face when placing it.
Fill its 9 slots. Each activation picks a random occupied slot, chosen when the item is ejected.
Power it. It activates only on the rising edge of a signal, waits 4 game ticks (0.2 seconds), then ejects one item. For more items, use a clock circuit. In Bedrock it activates only on the input redstone tick.
Projectiles and drops: arrows, fire charges and firework rockets launch in the direction it faces. Items with no special function are ejected like a dropper.
Tools and fluids: a water or lava bucket places the fluid, and an empty bucket collects a water source, lava or powder snow. Shears shear bogged, sheep, snow golems and mooshrooms and harvest a full beehive. Flint and steel ignites TNT and extinguished campfires. Bone meal fertilizes the block it faces.
Equipment and entities: armor and elytra equip onto players, armor stands and many mobs, boats and spawn eggs place entities, and shulker boxes are placed as blocks. TNT summons a lit TNT entity.

Java vs Bedrock

In Java, dispensers cannot be moved by pistons and quasi-connectivity applies to them. In Bedrock, a dispenser activates only on the input redstone tick. Dispensers also generate in trial chambers.

Versions: Describes the current Java and Bedrock releases. See the edition note above for differences.

Frequently asked questions

How many slots does a dispenser have?

Does a dispenser pick items in order?

No. It picks a random occupied slot each time.

What is the difference between a dispenser and a dropper?

A dispenser uses or fires items, and a dropper just ejects them. A dropper can also push items into an adjacent container, and a dispenser cannot.

How fast does it respond?

4 game ticks (0.2 seconds) after activation.