OSRS Best Furnace to Bank Locations for Efficient Smithing

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), Smithing is a key skill for crafting armor, weapons, and jewelry, but efficiency is everything. The time spent running between a furnace and a bank can make or break your experience rates and profitability. Choosing the best furnace-to-bank location is crucial for maximizing your Smithing grind, whether you’re smelting ores into bars or crafting items like cannonballs. This guide explores the top furnace locations in OSRS, ranked by proximity to banks, accessibility, and additional perks, to help you optimize your Smithing training in 2025.

The distance between a furnace and a bank directly impacts your Smithing efficiency. Shorter distances mean less time running and more time smelting or crafting, which boosts experience per hour (XP/h) and bars produced. For Ironman accounts or players making ranged ammunition, a nearby bank is even more critical to streamline the process. Factors like quest requirements, membership status, and additional benefits (e.g., Varrock Diary perks) also play a role in choosing the ideal furnace.

Top Furnace-to-Bank Locations in OSRS

Below, we rank the best furnace locations based on bank proximity, ease of access, and unique advantages. Each location is evaluated for both free-to-play (F2P) and pay-to-play (P2P) players, with details on requirements and benefits.

Shilo Village Furnace – The Closest for P2P

The Shilo Village furnace is the closest to a bank in OSRS, located just 10 tiles away, making it the top choice for members seeking maximum efficiency. This furnace requires completion of the Shilo Village quest, an intermediate quest that’s relatively straightforward. However, there’s a catch: banking costs 20 GP per use unless you’ve completed the Elite Karamja Diary, which waives the fee. For players smelting high volumes, this small cost can add up, but the time saved is worth it for most.

• Distance to Bank: 10 tiles
• Requirements: Shilo Village quest
• Pros: Shortest bank distance, fast XP rates
• Cons: 20 GP banking fee (without Elite Karamja Diary), P2P only

Tip: Store GP in the nearby coffer to maintain a full inventory of ores, and use the Karamja Gloves 3 teleport for quick access.

Prifddinas Furnace – Ideal for High-Level Players

The furnace in Prifddinas, located in the Trahaearn district, is 11 tiles from a bank and offers unique advantages for high-level players. It’s the closest furnace to an anvil, making it perfect for smelting bars and immediately smithing them into items. Access requires completion of the Song of the Elves quest, which has steep requirements, including 70 Smithing, Mining, and other skills. This makes it less accessible for newer players but a top pick for those with the prerequisites.

• Distance to Bank: 11 tiles
• Requirements: Song of the Elves quest
• Pros: Close to anvil, high-level area with teleport options
• Cons: High quest requirements, P2P only

Tip: Use a Crystal Teleport Seed or Prifddinas portal in your Player-Owned House for fast travel.

Edgeville Furnace – Best for F2P and Varrock Diary Perks

The Edgeville furnace is a favorite for both F2P and P2P players, located 15 tiles from the bank. It’s accessible to all players since 2018, with no diary requirements, but completing the Varrock Easy Diary unlocks Varrock Armour 1, which gives a 10% chance to smelt two bars at once (up to steel bars). This perk makes Edgeville particularly attractive for players smelting lower-tier bars, as it saves resources and boosts efficiency.

• Distance to Bank: 15 tiles
• Requirements: None (Varrock Easy Diary for perks)
• Pros: F2P-friendly, Varrock Armour perk, close to Grand Exchange
• Cons: Slightly farther than Shilo or Prifddinas

Tip: Use Varrock Teleport or the Chronicle for quick access, especially for F2P players.

Neitiznot Furnace – Mobile-Friendly and AFK

The Neitiznot furnace, also 15 tiles from a bank, is a strong contender for P2P players, especially those on mobile. By positioning the camera correctly, you can click both the furnace and bank without rotating, making it ideal for AFK smelting. Access requires starting The Fremennik Isles quest, which is less demanding than Prifddinas but still requires some progress in the Fremennik questline.

• Distance to Bank: 15 tiles
• Requirements: Start The Fremennik Isles quest
• Pros: Mobile-friendly, AFK potential, nearby mining sites
• Cons: P2P only, tied with Edgeville for distance

Tip: Use the Enchanted Lyre or Fairy Ring (DKS) for quick travel to Neitiznot.

Blast Furnace – A Unique Smelting Option

While not a traditional furnace, the Blast Furnace in Keldagrim deserves mention for its efficiency and profitability. This members-only minigame requires starting The Giant Dwarf quest and is located near a bank chest. The Blast Furnace uses half the coal of regular furnaces, making it ideal for smelting high-tier bars like runite. It’s particularly profitable for Ironman accounts or players making bars in bulk, though it requires coordination on non-themed worlds or a 72,000 GP/hour fee on themed worlds.

• Distance to Bank: Adjacent to bank chest
• Requirements: Start The Giant Dwarf quest, 60 Smithing (or 2,500 GP/10 min for lower levels)
• Pros: Half coal usage, high XP and GP rates, bulk smelting
• Cons: P2P only, fee for low Smithing levels, minigame coordination

Tip: Equip Ice Gloves to speed up bar collection, and use the Fairy Ring (DKR) or mine cart from the Grand Exchange for access.

Comparing Furnace-to-Bank Distances

To help you choose the best furnace, here’s a table comparing the top locations by distance, requirements, and key features:

Location	Distance to Bank (Tiles)	Requirements	F2P/P2P	Unique Perks
Shilo Village	10	Shilo Village quest	P2P	Shortest distance, Karamja Diary waives bank fee
Prifddinas	11	Song of the Elves quest	P2P	Closest to anvil, teleport options
Edgeville	15	None (Varrock Easy Diary for perks)	F2P & P2P	Varrock Armour double-smelt chance
Neitiznot	15	Start The Fremennik Isles quest	P2P	Mobile-friendly, AFK smelting
Blast Furnace	Adjacent	Start The Giant Dwarf quest	P2P	Half coal, bulk smelting

Tips for Optimizing Your Smithing Grind

Beyond choosing the right furnace, these tips can further boost your efficiency:

Use Teleportation for Quick Access

Leverage teleports like Karamja Gloves, Varrock Teleport, or Fairy Rings to minimize travel time to your chosen furnace. For Blast Furnace, the mine cart from the Grand Exchange is a fast option.

Equip Weight-Reducing Gear

Wearing items like the Graceful outfit or Boots of Lightness reduces run energy depletion, allowing you to maintain speed between the bank and furnace.

Consider Goldsmith Gauntlets for Gold Bars

When smelting gold bars at the Blast Furnace, equip Goldsmith Gauntlets to boost XP rates to up to 380,000 XP/h, the highest in the game.

Plan for Quest and Diary Rewards

Completing quests like Shilo Village or diaries like Varrock Easy can unlock furnaces or perks that save time and resources.

Conclusion

Choosing the best furnace-to-bank location in OSRS depends on your membership status, quest progress, and goals. For P2P players, Shilo Village and Prifddinas offer the shortest distances, while Edgeville is the go-to for F2P and players with Varrock Diary perks. Neitiznot shines for mobile and AFK smelting, and the Blast Furnace is unmatched for bulk smelting and profitability. By selecting the right furnace and optimizing your setup with teleports and gear, you’ll maximize your Smithing efficiency and make the most of your OSRS grind. Start smelting smarter today!