Minecraft wiki entry for Tips_and_tricks, associated text: When working with the many kinds of stone, a stonecutter is very useful. Not only does it let you make various decorative blocks individually (without needing to craft 3 or 4 blocks at a time), but it makes stone stairs cheaper: The stonecutter can make 1 stair per block, while the crafting table needs 6 blocks to make only 4 stairs.