Gerbie

I have never owned an embroidery machine and I know zilch about them, but I am in the market for one now. My DH wants to buy me one for Christmas this year, and I have done some research, but now sure which brand and model to purchase, I do not want to get the most expensive, because I am not planning to start a business, but he has indicted that he is willing to purchase one in the price range up to $1,400-$1,500. I really want one with a hoop large enough to do embroidery on quilting blocks in the future, so I think I really need one with a hoop larger than a 4x4. I already have my preferred Bernina and FW sewing machines, so I'm not really looking for a sewing/embroidery combination, I don't think. Here are a list of some I have checked out and would like to know if anyone on the board owns one of these makes/models and what you think of them, problems if any, likes and dislikes and suggestions please. Some of these are combos Singer EM200 Super Embroidery machine, Brother SE1800 Sewing-Quilting-Embroidery with deluxe starter set, SingerSE300 Legacy Embroidery, Brother PE770, Singer Futura XL-400 with multihoop capability, Singer SEQS-6000 Fuura Quartet. I am not so much against a Janome brand, but I don't like their machine setup with the embroidery section on the right hand side of the needle which may not work with embroidery work on quilts. I also live at least 85+ miles from a major city to get service if needed and to really test one out- this city only carries Janome and Brother machines . Please send pm messages you do not wish your comment to be published and I will provide my email address. I am not trying to promote or demean any brand. Thanks for your help here- sorry for the long thread but DH is getting anxious for me to decide,so quick responses are appreciated.

Sewnoma

I have the Brother PE770, which is roughly 1/3rd your budget. I rarely embroider so it's the perfect machine for me. It comes with a 4x4 and a 5x7 hoop, and there's some way you can buy a larger hoop to do continuous designs but I haven't tried that.

My main complaint about the machine is the screen. It's a tiny screen without very good resolution, so it's REALLY hard to tell what part of the image its showing you it will embroider next. If I ever buy another embroidery machine, I will look for one with a better screen.

mea12

I second Sewnoma's thoughts. The 770 is dandy except for that screen...its hard to tell what section is pictured for emb thread changes. Its otherwise great but so you know, the SE1800 has the very same screen...and that machine is the same as the Simplicity SB8000 that I have now. I do very little embroidery so I can put up with it while also having use of the nice sewing side of that machine which is actually very nice. To complicate matters, 5x7 embroidery field is going the way of the 4x4 field and is now considered the minimum size. I'm noticing more often designs I'd like to buy but the sizes available start larger than 5x7. If embroidery is your main interest, the 770 fits your budget best and it does embroider beautifully ..the better screens will exceed your budget. Janomes 500E is worth a look also.

PaperPrincess

I have all Vikings, but I do have a comment on the Janome se up. My first machine was a small Brother, embroidery only with a 4X4 hoop. As soon as I started using it, I knew that I wanted a larger hoop. The thing that I LOVED about that machine was that the hoop attached on the right side of the needle. If you are planning on doing any garments or bags I found it so much easier to have the hoop on the right so that the bulk of the item was neither squashed into the harp of the machine or laying on top of the embroidery arm mechanism with the possibility of it catching on it. I never got the hang of quilting my quilts in the hoop. I did borders, where I wasn't trying to get the quilt into the harp and I did several QAYG, where I quilted the blocks individually then joined. See if there is an 'endless' hoop available for the machine you are considering. This makes quilting borders really easy. Having said this there are lots of videos out there with tips on doing this successfully.
I applaud your husband's enthusiasm, but don't rush into a decision!

Dolphyngyrl

I would look at the brother 1400e or the Janome 500 both are good models with decent hoop sizes but beware it is addicting and hoop envy is a real thing a few years ago I mostly did 5x7 and 4x4 but now find myself doing a lot of 8x8 and 8 and 7x12. I would say to try to get at least a 6x10. Brothers will be the most user friendly. Also keep in mind that many singers are tied to the computer and their software to run.

Cari-in-Oly

I own 2 Brother and 3 Janome embroidery machines and here are my thoughts. I actually like the Janome hooping system better than Brother. The hoops are easier to attach to the machine, and the carriage arm being on the right doesn't make hooping a quilt harder. In fact, not having the arm underneath the bulk of the quilt like it would be if the arm was on the left is better I think. The Janome 500e and the 400e both have a large color screen, and I find the Janomes are easier to operate than Brother machines. The 500e has an 8x11" max embroidery field where the 400e has a max 8x8, that's the only difference between the two machines, with about a $500 price difference. They both have a very large extension table too, which is another plus.
I'd stay away from the Singer machine, it's not getting very good reviews.

Cari

Gay

I agree with others about the hoop and screen sizes. You will want to make blocks from 12-20" if you are keen, and the less rehooping you can do, the better.

Perhaps your local dealer knows of someone who has upgraded their machine and is looking to sell an older one, you can pick them up quite often, and they are like cars - take them out of the showroom and the price drops drastically. Many ladies upgrade as soon as a new model comes out.

I bought 2 of my Brothers as used machines, and haven't looked back, and also have a Brother 4000 new. The reason I mention your local dealer is they would offer you lessons and classes moreso than if you had another brand of machine, and can tell you how many hours work it has done and any service info as well.

I also have the Hoop-It-All setup for my 4000, which would be worth looking into, but they are not made for all machines. This is a hoop with a 14 1/2" sewing area, and I can turn it to use on 4 sides, and not just 2 like the normal hoops. just a bit of extra info.

joyce blint

Do not rule out a Viking Designer I. I bought mine used from a dealer with a year's warrenty. I've had it 6+ years and have had no problems and just love it. (I wouldn't buy used from anyone other than a dealer)

shasta5718

My son has singers and seems to have more trouble with them and you need a computer to use them. I have babylock which is much like the brother as they are the same company and they are user friendly and have a lot less problems.

gshalom

i had the brother 1400 and liked it a lot but traded it in for the janome 500 E.....like that too and just finished a full size quilt...embroidered the blocks with virtually no problem (needle fell out in the middle of one block but that was operator error).....both are fine choices but i prefer the janome since it came with more hoops and can connect directly to a computer or a usb stick....don't remember whether the brother could connect to the computer.....if you want disney designs, though, you're limited to brother i think.