Combiner: aim ingredients at the target

Place the ingredient and aim

During preparation, rotate with Interact. The item on the Combiner is applied to the item on the adjacent tile in front of its blue arrow, when a combination or interaction is valid.

Do not reverse the ingredient and target. Depending on the item’s action, it may be consumed or remain in place; arbitrary objects do not simply move forward.

For example, put a Burger Bun on a Combiner facing a Hob cooking a Patty. Once the Patty finishes, they can combine into a Burger that no longer burns like the uncombined Patty. A Plate on a Combiner can also substitute for some automatic plating uses. Those are recipe-specific examples, not a promise for every dish.

Check why nothing happens

Check the pointed-at tile, ingredient/target compatibility, required processing state, available ingredient and whether an exit is removing unfinished food too early. With multiple ingredient branches, use a finished-state filter at the output.

Follow the source changes

From 1.4.3, Combiners no longer perform the old Sink, Milk Steamer and Ice Dispenser fill interactions. Use a Portioner to take from the source onto an item on itself.

The Automation Wiki still contains an old Combiner water diagram. A newer edit date does not override the specific patch-history rule and documented replacement.

Bin interaction and upgrades

From 1.5, a Combiner holding discardable waste can face a Bin to put it inside. A full Bin still needs emptying, followed by final bag disposal; this appliance alone does not complete the garbage route.

Combiner and Portioner blueprints cycle into one another. Combiner applies its item to the front; Portioner generally receives from the front. The newer direct-source ability does not make them interchangeable for every loose ingredient.