Why isn't my machine working?
It probably has no power. Pay the Power Service, or use a machine that runs on an Energy Cell; most machines also only work overnight.
Probably Stolen Machines Guide
Most machines in your shop work overnight and need power. While you pay the Power Service, grid devices run and the store stays lit; if you stop paying, only machines that run on Energy Cells keep working. Load a machine with what it needs before you sleep, and a Turbo Booster can finish its cycle instantly if you can't wait.
Probably Stolen machines: the short answer
For what the game is and every guide we publish, start at the Probably Stolen guide hub.
- Making goods: Furnace, Water Purifier, Moisture Farm, 3D Printer, Hydroponic System, Evaporator.
- Selling: Vending Machines sell at a 10% premium; the Mirage Projector brings customers.
- Upgrading: most machines take modules; see our modules guide.
Probably Stolen machines at a glance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| When they run | Most work overnight. Source: In-game text. |
| Power | The Power Service runs grid devices; Energy Cells keep machines going without it. Source: In-game text. |
| Furnace | Two pieces of Scrap Metal or Metal Ore make one Metal Ingot, overnight. Source: In-game text. |
| Speed-ups | Turbo Boosters finish a machine's cycle instantly. Source: In-game text. |
| Fridge | Chills drinks overnight so they sell for more; wine and unsealed water are unaffected. Source: In-game text. |
| Toolbox | Holds tools you equip with the 1–9 keys. Source: In-game text. |
Every machine and what it does
| Machine | What it does (game description) |
|---|---|
| Furnace | Refines 2 pieces of either metal scrap or ores into a metal ingot. Requires energy; overnight |
| Water Purifier | Purifies the contents of an inserted water container. Requires energy; overnight |
| Moisture Farm | Produces water when provided with a container. Requires energy; overnight |
| 3D Printer | Prints various items using plastic; works overnight |
| Hydroponic System | A compact hydroponic system; needs a dedicated power source and works overnight |
| Evaporator | Slowly evaporates liquids out of a solution overnight |
| AgeWell | Ages items such as wine and cheese by an extra day each cycle |
| Mirage Projector | Charges overnight and makes the storefront more attractive the next day |
| Vending Machine / Vending Fountain | Sells items at +10% additional value, with retail markup if it applies, unaffected by events |
| Alarm System | Greatly reduces the chance of theft at night; needs a dedicated power source |
| Recharger | Slowly recharges an Energy Cell overnight while the Power Service is paid |
| Fridge | Chills stored drinks overnight; chilled goods sell for more |
| Toolbox | Holds tools; press 1–9 to equip one |
| Blender, Heating Plate, Chem Finisher | Chemistry equipment |
Water machines are covered in our water guide, and the chemistry equipment in chemistry tools.
Power, Energy Cells and the PowerBloc
The Power Service "keeps the store lit and grid devices running. If unpaid, only Machines that run on Energy Cells will function. Lights inside the store will dim." A machine short of power shows "Insufficient Power To Charge" or switches to Low Power Mode.
Ways to keep machines powered:
- Recharger: slowly recharges an Energy Cell overnight, as long as the Power Service is paid.
- PowerBloc: restores +2 power each night to adjacent Energy Cells, or to Energy Cells inside adjacent machines (not a Recharger), as long as the Power Service is paid. The effect stacks.
- Hypertech Power Cell: an experimental cell with no stored charge that powers any machine whose draw stays within its output rating, indefinitely; machines that draw more get nothing.
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PowerBloc -
Hypertech Power Cell -
Advanced Turbo Booster
Every machine's modules can lower its power consumption through the Efficiency stat; see our modules guide.
How to use the furnace in Probably Stolen
The Furnace refines two pieces of Scrap Metal or Metal Ore into one Metal Ingot. It needs power and smelts overnight. The game's Metallurgy Manual adds how purity works: the higher an ingot's purity, the more it's worth; Scrap Metal gives lower purity and Metal Ore higher; and Flux Agent added to the furnace improves purity and is used up.
Two furnace modules change what it does: Furnace Module (Blast) uses more materials to make more ingots at slightly lower purity, and Furnace Module (Junk Processing) turns Junk into Scrap Metal. In a Furnace the Quality stat raises maximum purity, while Performance has no effect.
Turbo Boosters: finishing a machine instantly
A Turbo Booster "can immediately power machines that require time to operate"; make sure the machine has all its inputs first. There are three:
- Disposable Turbo Booster: used up when you use it.
- Advanced Turbo Booster: not used up; it recharges over time, and its status shows Ready or Charging.
- Hypertech Turbo Booster: powered by an Energy Cell, it charges every cycle and banks spare charge; once charged, it instantly completes a machine's current cycle. An Advanced Turbo Booster used on it permanently raises its charge speed and power draw.
Shop machines: Mirage Projector, vending machines, alarm and fridge
- Mirage Projector: needs a night to charge, then improves your storefront's attractiveness the next day. What attractiveness does is on our display case guide.
- Vending Machine and Vending Fountain: sell items at +10% additional value at a fixed price regardless of events; certain types of item are more popular in them. You can upgrade them with Electronic Parts for attractiveness and with Metal Ingots for capacity, and each upgrade raises nightly energy use.
- Alarm System: greatly reduces the chance of theft at night; it needs its own power source.
- Fridge: chills stored drinks overnight, and chilled goods sell for more. Wine and unsealed water are unaffected. It has a Chill Zone and a Freeze Zone and can be upgraded for more storage and better efficiency.
The toolbox, the AgeWell and the 3D printer
- Toolbox: holds tools; press 1–9 on the keyboard to equip the stored item. Use Scrap Metal to upgrade it and unlock more slots.
- AgeWell: ages items such as wine and cheese by an extra day each cycle, overnight, when it has power and a finished bottle of wine. How aging fits into winemaking is in our wine guide.
- 3D Printer: prints items from 3D Printing Filament using printer chips; what it can print is on 3D printing in our guns guide.
Version notes and limits
This page doesn't give how much each machine produces, how much power it uses, what upgrades cost or where each machine is sold; the game doesn't print those as text. We will update it if a patch changes machines.
Probably Stolen machines FAQ
How does the furnace work?
Put in two pieces of Scrap Metal or Metal Ore and it smelts one Metal Ingot overnight. Metal Ore gives higher purity, and Flux Agent improves it further.
What does the PowerBloc do?
It restores +2 power each night to adjacent Energy Cells, or cells inside adjacent machines, while the Power Service is paid. Several stack.
What is the Turbo Booster?
A tool that finishes a machine's cycle instantly. The Disposable one is used up; the Advanced one recharges.
Can you upgrade the fridge?
Yes: it can be upgraded for more storage and better efficiency. It chills drinks so they sell for more, but doesn't affect wine.
What does the toolbox do?
It holds your tools so you can equip one with the 1–9 keys, and it can be upgraded with Scrap Metal for more slots.
Sources and version history for this guide: Probably Stolen sources and versions.
Spot an error or a post-patch change? See how we label evidence and handle corrections in the Editorial Policy.