Best sewing machines according to redditors
We found 79 Reddit comments discussing the best sewing machines. We ranked the 49 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 79 Reddit comments discussing the best sewing machines. We ranked the 49 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
They do have a blue version although it's not necessarily a dark blue. There is also a teal one. Technically there also a couple purple options in a different machine line but they are the little mini machines that are more kids toy instead of decent sewing machine. (I would totally have a purple one if those were decent models for what I want to make.)
Where do you buy your fabric? And where do you get outlines/guides for how to sew your desired piece? Is it all trial by fire?
Also, I think I’m going to get her the Janome 3160QCD
Edit: Although, after some more research, it seems like that might be too complex for a beginner! Idk! Too many options!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AAZU1KE/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_FbeRzb6CX33MN
this?
Sewing friends! Which one would you pick!?
this one
OOOORR
[This one] (http://www.amazon.com/Brother-Computerized-130-Stitch-Quilting-Machine/dp/B00FMYYGA4%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAIQPEDDM7HYZ53GMQ%26tag%3Dhappy09-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00FMYYGA4)
Dont worry about the price difference! I GOTS A GIFT CARD FROM AN AWESOME AUNTIE!!
Now you start with the BrotherXL2600
One day you shall progress to this Singer Machine!
Just to jump in: I've just purchased the Coffee Gator one to arrive tomorrow, will let you know how it is!
I can tell you what to avoid, this Godmorn one - the temperature display/control was wildly inaccurate and just seemed to do whatever it wanted. Arrived today from Amazon and going straight back!
While those prices probably reflect the cost of a tune up and rewiring, it's a tad high for that age machine. In your situation I think a new, inexpensive model will suit better. I like this brand and this is their beginner model: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076XL78BF/ref=sxts_kp_tr_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8778bc68-27e7-403f-8460-de48b6e788fb&pd_rd_wg=eHqW2&pf_rd_r=8DJN2F1C6E2Z5WG1GFKW&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B076XL78BF&pd_rd_w=dTV7S&pf_rd_i=janome+sewing+machine&pd_rd_r=2c0b2cd4-73f9-4474-ad5c-4737f25e4db5&ie=UTF8&qid=1537446828&sr=2
You might as well throw in the REX 607Z on your list, it's basically the same machine both the Sailrite LSZ and Reliable Barracuda are based upon. You can find them new on Ebay for $350, and that includes shipping. No, I do not have any experience with it or any of the other machines on your list, it's just something I ran across in my research.
The issue with any one of these portable walking foot machines is going to be the motor and drivetrain, there's just no way any machine mounted drive motor rated at 1/10 HP is going to offer the same amount of sheer grunt that a proper table mounted industrial walking foot machine with a 1.5 HP motor can provide. This is a trade off in order to make the machine portable, and you'll have to consider this fully.
Just to confuse you a bit, here's my real life example. I bought off Craigslist a Singer 111W152 for $100, this is a straight stitch only walking foot industrial machine mounted on a table. I replaced the ancient clutch motor with a REX servo motor, added a new drive belt and thread tensioner, and bought some feet and needles, so that was about another $200. Even with driving 3 hours to get it, I still ended up a walking foot machine that will sew through a stack of a dozen layers of VX21. Yes, it doesn't do zig-zag stitches, and it's a bit weird in operation but it works fine for what I want it for. Don't overlook the used market.
I would look into Janome, Bernette (which is a less expensive version of Bernina...so nice!), and possible Eversewn. They all have good quality machines that can be used for clothing, quilting etc. Definitely get something that includes a walking/evenfeed foot and a 1/4 in foot. The machine I linked to has both included. I have a Janome similar to this one from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Janome-Fully-Featured-Computerized-Buttonholes-Accessories/dp/B01M1IV5PE
I have two inexpensive machines. My first was a a Janome 2212. It pieces just fine and I can squish a queen sized quilt through the harp without too much effort.
Then I found a Singer 301 on Craigslist, table and all, for $175. I use it for piecing and now use the Janome just for quilting.
I've had both for several years and they do all that I need and I have no complaints.
Thanks everyone for your help. I ended up passing on this machine despite being tempted. I bought second hand this Janome 2216 for 60 from a machine service person. I hope that was a better bargain in the end.
Whoa! Mind = blown. I have a pretty similar setup. The Singer Heavy Duty 4423 was my first. I have a walking foot, too... basically the cheapo version of the Sailrite Fabricator. The machine I use 90% of the time though is a high speed straight stitch machine. Mine's a Babylock that I got a deal on a floor model of, but this Brother one is identical and significantly cheaper if you have to buy new.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0149GG9V4/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_VqqUDbPN7V4YK
All 3 of my machines are mechanical. I've tried some fancy ones and they feel like alien technology. Do you use a lot of the special stitches on the Singer? If you're straight stitching 90% of the time and love the beautiful straight seams on a higher end machine it's probably not worth it to drop the money on something with features you'll barely use, but to put it into something that does the thing you do the most exceptionally well. I keep the Singer around for the occasional zigzag or overcast and it can handle that role. I definitely felt like I was beating the hell out of it when it was the main machine. If I get more into making clothes, I do have my eye on that same Juki though!
What kind of quilting do you do? If you don't do a lot of applique, I'd consider getting this or this. Both are straight stitch only, but have generous harp space and will do a lot of piecing and quilting. Modern Singers have a pretty dubious reputation and both of these brands are generally better thought of.
The other thing I'd suggest is looking around for a used machine. I currently have 2 vintage machines, a Singer 15-91 (another straight stitch only), Singer Rocketeer (does a variety of stitches). If you're mechanically minded there are quite a number of them around and a lot of information about restoring them. If you aren't, there are a number of people who restore and then sell them. Might be worth considering since these machines are practically indestructible and you can do all their maintenance yourself.
I also have a used Janome Horizon MC 7000, which I found on Craigslist for $800. It was scary to buy something that expensive, but the lady selling it taught me how to use it (which helped show me it wasn't a lemon) and there are a couple quilt shops that service Janomes around me. Because I bought used I was able to get a >$2500 machine for a fraction of the cost.
Just some things to think about! Best of luck!
Machine Manufacturer and Model Number: Brother Nouvelle 1500s
Year purchased: 2013
Condition: Factory refurbished
Price paid (optional if you want to share): $550?
Link: Amazon currently has a newer version available, it looks like, but I have the one that is currently more expensive shown here.
How long have you used the machine: since 2013
Things you love:
Things you hate: I don't really like the automatic thread cutter feature. I don't use it much, but when I do I inevitably end up having to rethread the needle, and who likes doing that? Not me, that's who.
There are features that I admittedly do NOT use - I don't use the needle threader and I don't use the knee lever thing.
Any continuous problems? I feel like I have to rethread it a lot, but that could just be me being unaware of some sort of feature or something.
Would you buy this machine again if it broke down today? Absolutely.
Additional thoughts or special info: This machine is hefty. It is 24 pounds. I would not want to travel with it, nor would I recommend this as a primary machine as it is ONLY straight stitch and if you ever do anything else, well, you're SOL. That said I definitely like the machine and feel it was a very good investment. I am able to do much bigger projects with it than I could before and it has been a great second machine for me.
Here is another review of this machine.
I have my great grandma's old singer that looks just like this, and just because I had no self control when they came out, I bought the Singer 160th Anniversary Edition, which is now discontinued and is just a regular machine that vaguely resembles the oldies. You can still find them new for sale.
It is mostly plastic on the outside, it's beautiful to look at, it does a great job and it has lots of different stitches, although not as many as other machines that cost the same at the time.
Pretty "slick" work there. Next time you might want to think about more taper at the end. I use that small taper a lot. Example only here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SSQ2Y6Q?psc=1 Nice job.
Your first sewing machine should be a no-frills workhorse, IMO. I would recommend getting a mechanical sewing machine (don't accidentally buy a serger/overlocker!) with a metal inner frame and, ideally, with as few plastic inner workings as reasonably possible.
Mechanical sewing machines don't have as many features as computerized sewing machines, but they're rugged and repairable, and their design is well vetted and won't go out of date anytime soon. Avoid sewing machines that offer an unusually large number of features for the price. That's a sign that the manufacturer likely had to sacrifice some build quality to meet that price point.
Seek out a reputable brand (Elna, Janome, Pfaff, Bernina, etc.). If you're buying a new machine, be aware that some brands have allowed their quality to drop in recent years (such as Singer), which can cause them to be quite finicky and high maintenance, so do your research. I would also recommend avoiding brands that are uncommon where you live, because it makes them harder to repair and accessories harder to find.
Personally, I'm a big fan of Janome. So if I were looking for a new machine around $200, I'd add this or this to my list of considerations.
Just be aware that even the best sewing machine in the world needs to be clean if it is to perform well, so make sure to follow your manual's maintenance regime, and keep a dust cover on your machine if you aren't using it for a while.
I bought this one when we first moved to Japan two years ago and it's been a great workhorse! It's a popular model on Amazon and so much more affordable than picking up something in store. I've made two sets of yochien bags, a tonne of clothes, clothes repairs etc. and have no complaints at all. I haven't had to replace the original needle yet and it's yet to give me any mechanical problems.
While I agree that the kiddy battery-operated little machines are a waste of money, I've never had issues with cheaper regular-sizes ones. Considering the price, they're amazing value!
So a couple months back I bought a sewing machine off woot.com. I bought a Brother RXR1355 for something super cheap. Anyways, they shipped the sewing machine out, but accidentally doubled up my order. So now I have two of these machines. I waited awhile in case they asked me to return it. A few weeks went by and they never requested for it. So I email them and told them they doubled up my order and they said I can ship it back to them or I can keep it and they won't charge me. So... I'm gonna keep it. Maybe flip it on Craigslist. Someone would probably be looking for one for Christmas.
Just wanted to share. Lol.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L4JS2Q1
Price History
CamelCamelCamel │ Keepa
_
Never fear, PriceKnight is here!
^(Info) ^| ^(Developer) ^| ^(Inquiries) ^| ^(Support Me!) ^| **[^(Report Bug)](/message/compose?to=The_White_Light&subject=Bug+Report&message=%2Fr%2Famazondealsus%2Fcomments%2Fbox8dy%2Felectric_portable_mini_handheld_sewing_machine80%2Fenlwes7%2F%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0APlease+explain+here+what+you+expected+to+happen%2Fwhat+went+wrong.)**
Example one: the Singer 193 and its sibling models. I know that they exist, it looks like they're straight stitch machines, and from this potato-quality manual cover I know which is which (and that they're probably two pairs of similar machines in old-style and new-style bodies, but very counter-intuitively named). And that's it. I've seen one in my regional classifieds twice, and can't help wondering if it's the same machine (although given my location it may be two separate imports from Australia).
Example two: the Singer website has this manual for a Singer 115 from the 50s or 60s which bears absolutely no relationship to the Singer model everyone knows as a 115, which was made until the 20s. It's also a cast iron straight stitch machine, but it has an oscillating hook mechanism and a stitch length dial just like a 15, but the tension on the side like every machine except the 15 and the (actual) 115. And a plastic knob for dropping feed dogs.
My theory is that this is some regional factory carelessly reusing an old model number, but I haven't been able to find any shred of information about this machine.Holy shit, while I was looking stuff up for this comment I found this listing, which shows this exact machine and confirms that it also comes from the Monza factory in Italy. So I learned something today. :)These are obscure to me, but for all I know you can't throw a brick in Italy without hitting one.
You could try it with one of these (might be able to find a used one on Facebook marketplace Craigslist
https://www.amazon.com/ETE-ETMATE-Machine-Cobbler-Repair/dp/B07L85FQDD/ref=sxin_3_ac_m_rm?ac_md=1-1-Y29iYmxlciBzZXdpbmcgbWFjaGluZQ%3D%3D-ac_d_rm&keywords=leather+sewing+machine&pd_rd_i=B07L85FQDD&pd_rd_r=c7806251-6615-4dc9-b404-f06965fad74f&pd_rd_w=0PZYc&pd_rd_wg=Dyfsx&pf_rd_p=d1a6ea92-24ed-409e-8e33-97dc5a8de815&pf_rd_r=3234JKVGZ1XS57NQJZM4&qid=1566844099&s=gateway&sprefix=leather+sewing+
There’s a few YouTube tutorials on using them. Great for thicker material.
A few folks on YouTube have been going nuts about the hand cranked $120 leather sewing machine. Here's one version of it, there are a bunch of clones with varying prices.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R4522WY/
These Brother 1500's are pretty popular if you don't need any deco stitches. I'm no sure if you'd be able to run a 220v machine up to normal speed here in the US unless it had a voltage switch like some industrial machines.
The cheaper machines that I've been able to find are:
[Janome Sew d'Lite 525](https://www.amazon.co.jp/JANOME-%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%91%E3%82%AF%E3%83%88%E9%9B%BB%E5%8B%95%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3-%E3%80%90sew-D%60Lite%E3%80%91-JA525/dp/B0013D1R82/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1481108420&sr=1-5&keywords=%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3
) for about $70
[Janome JA777](https://www.amazon.co.jp/JANOME-%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%8E%E3%83%A1-JA777-%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%91%E3%82%AF%E3%83%88%E9%9B%BB%E5%8B%95%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3-%E3%83%95%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%82%B9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%83%E3%83%81%E4%BB%98%E3%81%8D/dp/B011NDEFWG/ref=sr_1_19?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1481108420&sr=1-19&keywords=%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3
) for about $100
[Singer Amity SN20A](https://www.amazon.co.jp/SINGER-%E9%9B%BB%E5%8B%95%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3-Amity-%E3%83%95%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC%E4%BB%98%E3%81%8D-SN20A/dp/B00LGM3QMK/ref=sr_1_39?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1481108494&sr=1-39&keywords=%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3
) for around $110
[Janome JN508DX](https://www.amazon.co.jp/JANOME-%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%8E%E3%83%A1-JN508DX-%E9%9B%BB%E5%8B%95%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3-%E3%80%8C%E4%B8%A1%E6%89%8B%E3%81%8C%E4%BD%BF%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B%E3%83%95%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%97%E3%80%8D/dp/B00CHGX9IA/ref=sr_1_42?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1481108494&sr=1-42&keywords=%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3
) for about $120
[Singer Tradition SN-520](https://www.amazon.co.jp/SINGER-%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AC%E3%83%BC-SN-520-%E9%9B%BB%E5%8B%95%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3-Tradition/dp/B0022VFLUO/ref=sr_1_46?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1481108494&sr=1-46&keywords=%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3
) for about $130 - although there's only one left
Singer Tradition II SN-521 for about $135
Any thoughts? Is it worth it to get a more expensive machine?
Janome reviews from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Janome-Computerized-Extension-Instructional-Buttonhole/dp/B074KFDZV9
Babylock review: https://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/bl-jubilant.php
Speaking from experience I'd look into a used industrial walking foot machine. It will handle everything you want to sew and then some and you can usually get them for $500-800. It will last your entire life if you keep it oiled and clean.
You can try a lesser machine but you'll be disappointed in any home machine if you want to sew lots of thick stuff. I do highly recommend a vintage European machine, or vintage singer as a suplimentary machine and for general use on other fabrics tho. You can usually find them for less than $100.
Source: I sew a lot of really heavy raw denim...with thick leather patches. I've made 32oz jeans on my walking foot machine, I've done 2 leather motorcycle seats with it...it will sew thru anything. It's my main machine for my denim
Edit: you can even find new walking foot machines for less than $1000.
If you want to stay even cheaper take a look at the rex zigzag walking foot machine
...it's like $350. I've taken a look in person and this machine is a mini industrial, all metal workhorse. These are designed for sailmakers and boat upholsterers so it is a portable industrial they can take to the boat and use. It only has a smaller motor, but you could upgrade that later for $100 if you want. You may have to tune it out if the box tho, the price you pay for low price. Once tuned(if needed) it should do very nicely. If I didn't already have a walking foot machine I'd probably take a chance on this one...especially with Amazon primes return policy.
I have a Brother LX2375. It's incredibly easy to work with, and very very user friendly! It's the first machine I've ever owned, and it's great for just getting into sewing and more.
So far I've made big and small projects with it, and it works like a dream. <3
This is my first commissioned quilt. I know some people were wanting to see how these rings would turn out so I'm going to link them here so they can see it. /u/SandyQuilter and /u/thatbitchattheIRS
Can you believe I'm making this on a brother LX2375??
EDIT: forgot to mention this is only the top. So it's a WIP
Try one of these . I use them for finishing veg tan leather belts and they burnish the edge really well. They are also fairly cheap unless you buy the nicer wood quality ones. I think the best wood for them are Koa or something?