The Hydration Cell is a refillable IndustrialCraft 2 (IC2) tool that stores highly refined water for tending IC2 crops. The Hydration Cell is produced in an IC2 Extractor from a Water Cell, turning ordinary water into a concentrated hydration charge with 50 uses of durability. The Hydration Cell does not stack, and each right-click drains only part of its internal water instead of emptying the whole container at once.

To use the Hydration Cell, hold right-click while pointing at planted IC2 crops; the Hydration Cell raises the crop's hidden hydration value, which speeds growth and protects the nutrition score so seeds keep planting reliably. In modern IC2 Experimental the Crop-Matron no longer accepts Hydration Cells because the cell is too fragile, so water is pumped in or added as Universal Fluid Cells of water instead; in IC2 Classic the Crop-Matron's center column still uses them. The Hydration Cell never replaces a real water source block — keep water within four blocks of your crops for steady hydration, and use the Hydration Cell for growth bursts on demand.