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The Cram-o-matic is in the Master Dojo on the Isle of Armor. After introducing yourself to the dojo characters, give Hyde 500 Watts to activate it. Each use then trades four items for one output at no additional Watt cost. Its recipes range from predictable combinations to random Apricorn Ball attempts, so check what a recipe can produce before spending items.
Where to find and unlock the Cram-o-matic
You need access to the Isle of Armor expansion. The official Pokémon Sword and Shield expansion features page lists the Cram-o-matic among the Isle of Armor features. The Expansion Pass must match your game: Pokémon’s purchase guidance says each pass is compatible only with the game version of the same name, so Sword owners need the Sword Expansion Pass and Shield owners need the Shield Expansion Pass.
- Travel to the Isle of Armor and enter the Master Dojo.
- Introduce yourself to the dojo characters, then find Hyde and the machine in the right-most room.
- Give Hyde 500 Watts to power the Cram-o-matic. Once activated, using it does not cost additional Watts.
How to use it
- Interact with the Cram-o-matic and select four items.
- Confirm the exchange only when you are ready to spend those ingredients. The machine consumes all four and returns one new item; this is not a preview that you can undo by saving and reloading.
- If you want a recipe clue, talk to Hyde and pay 100 Watts for a hint.
The official Pokémon feature page describes the exchange simply: “If you feed it four items, it will combine them and give you a new item in exchange.” It names Poké Balls and PP Ups among possible outputs, but the result depends on the inputs.
Three ways recipes work
| Recipe approach | How it works | How predictable it is |
|---|---|---|
| Simple combinations | Some recipes use three or more copies of an item in specific slots to produce a set result. | Can be guaranteed when the specified items and slots are used. |
| Apricorn combinations | Four colored Apricorns produce a Poké Ball from a pool influenced by the colors. | Random; a particular rare Ball is not guaranteed. |
| General recipes | The first item determines the output category, while the values of all four inputs affect which item in that category you get. | Repeat the same combination for the same result, according to the cited guides. |
Simple combinations: use the exact slots
Slot order can matter. Gamer Guides gives three Bottle Caps in slots one, three, and four as an example that produces a Gold Bottle Cap. Treat examples like this as recipes, not as a general rule that any three matching items will work.
#1 Best Overall
- Catch, battle, and trade Pokémon on an all-new adventure in the Galar region
- Choose from three new partner Pokémon and encounter never-before-seen Pokémon
- Unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta!
- Team up with other Trainers to participate in Max Raid Battles***!
- Battle wild Dynamax Pokémon in Max Raid Battles and try catching them***
Apricorns: color influences the pool, not a guarantee
Putting in four Apricorns gives a Poké Ball, but the specific Ball is random. Serebii’s reference table includes ordinary and Apricorn Balls associated with colors and describes a 0.1% chance tier for special Balls. That probability is a game-mechanics figure reported by Serebii, not an official Pokémon-published statistic. Do not spend Apricorns expecting four of one color to guarantee a Love Ball or another rare result.
General recipes: choose a category, then tune the value
For a targeted general recipe, put an item associated with the desired output category in the first slot. Then choose the other three inputs to move the combined value toward the target output. The remaining inputs contribute value but do not set the category. Gamer Guides and Serebii describe repeated identical inputs as producing the same result, which makes a known recipe repeatable—but every attempt still consumes its ingredients.
Rank #2
- New entries in the main series of Pokémon RPGs arrive on Nintendo Switch simultaneously in late 2019
- The Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games take place in the newly discovered Galar Region
- Galar is an expansive region with diverse environments - an idyllic countryside, contemporary cities, thick forest and craggy, snow-covered mountains
- Fans will have the opportunity to visit Gyms in the Galar region in their quest to become Champion
- Newly discovered partner Pokémon join in this new iteration of the games - Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble
For detailed combinations and ball odds, consult the Serebii Cram-o-matic reference table or the Gamer Guides Cram-o-matic guide. Confirm the exact item order and slots for a recipe before committing four items.
Quick Recap
Best Value
![Pokémon Sword - Nintendo Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Hn46gyJvL._SL160_.jpg)
- Catch, battle, and trade Pokémon on an all-new adventure in the Galar region
- Choose from three new partner Pokémon and encounter never-before-seen Pokémon
- Unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta!
- Team up with other Trainers to participate in Max Raid Battles
- Battle wild Dynamax Pokémon in Max Raid Battles and try catching them
Rank #4
![Pokémon Shield - Nintendo Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+7bdACo1L._SL160_.jpg)
- Catch, battle, and trade Pokémon on an all-new adventure in the Galar region
- Choose from three new partner Pokémon and encounter never-before-seen Pokémon
- Unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta!
- Team up with other Trainers to participate in Max Raid Battles***!
- Battle wild Dynamax Pokémon in Max Raid Battles and try catching them***
Rank #3
![Nintendo Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass (Retail Version) - [Switch Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51l34qxMYhL._SL160_.jpg)
- Continue your Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield adventure in The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, two new areas to explore that will be added to the Galar region as part of the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass or Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass
- Redeem your download code in the Nintendo eShop for either the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass. Upon redeeming the code, you will be prompted to select one Expansion Pass. Only redeemable for one Expansion Pass.
- You'll also see some familiar Pokémon that didn't appear in the Galar region before, a total of over 200 Pokémon
- Part 1: The Isle of Armor is available now; Part 2: The Crown Tundra is scheduled for release during the fall of 2020
- If you purchase the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass, you'll receive two codes redeemable to get two special uniform sets of in-game apparel as a bonus
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
