Minecraft wiki entry for Dispenser, associated text: The effects of being activated vary with the type of ejected item. Most items are thrown in the direction the dispenser is facing as if a player had used the Drop Item control. (Unlike a dropper, a dispenser can't feed another container.) Other items behave differently when dispensed, as described in the table below. In general, a dispenser cannot place blocks into the world; the exceptions are shulker boxes and certain cases where the placed block will do something unusual. There are also a couple of special cases where an empty bottle or bucket can collect liquids from the world. When dispensing an item that has durability would cause the item to be used, such as with flint and steel and shears, the item's durability decreases.