Making embroideries is an excellent pastime; for some, it could be a wonderful source of income.
The best thing about this activity is you get to exhibit your talent and skill, to be appreciated by everybody, while still earning money.
And an embroidery machine could be of great help for this endeavor, significantly if the embroidery machine can maximize your talent. But embroidery machines differ, and some are better than others.
In looking for the best embroidery machines for beginners, we need to consider the features, the performance, and the accessories it offers and see what fits you.
Related: Want to know the benefits of embroidery machines over hand embroidery?
Embroidery Machine For Beginners: Our Top Picks
1. Brother SE400: Best for Beginners
If there is the ultimate embroidery machine for beginners that can help an upstart deal with the intricacies of embroidery by having enough features, this got to be the one.
It has just enough qualities that a skilled sewist but a novice in embroidery machines can optimize and enjoy.
It is a computerized embroidery machine with 70 decorative designs and 67 built-in stitches, with superior advanced technology that makes embroidery fun and more manageable.
It comes with some accessories, of which the six presser feet might be the best.
It has an embroidery area of 4×4 inches and a speed of up to 850 stitches per minute and 710 stitches per minute for sewing.
Pros
- The simple features are ideal for a beginner.
- It is a combo machine, excellent in both embroidery and sewing.
- It comes with many accessories.
- It has excellent speed control that is beneficial to novices.
- The automatic needle threader is excellent.
Cons
- Some issues with the bobbin system.
Verdict: It does not offer many embroidery designs, but it provides just enough to warm the sewist to the wonders of a computerized embroidery machine.
With sewing capabilities, first-time users of embroidery machines can feel comfortable doing some sewing as he masters the combo machine.
Many sewists love Brother SE400 because it makes it easy for the novice.
The easy-to-use features allow the user to master the intricacies of computerized embroidery, preparing him for more advanced embroidery machines, which have many options for designs and stitches.
2. Brother PE800: Most User-Friendly
If you want one that is only for embroidery purposes and has features that will suit both beginners and advanced users alike, this other Brother embroidery machine is the best.
It has the right speed, more embroidery options, and provides excellent, quality stitching.
The designs include florals, quilts, and eleven fonts in three languages; the LCD screen is of great help, especially for editing designs and customizing them.
The automatic features like thread tension and needle threader are all impressive.
It has many accessories like bobbins and a bobbin cover, an embroidery hoop, a seam ripper, a screwdriver, and others.
It also sports a 5×7 inches working area, which is pretty decent for those engaging in embroidery as a hobby.
Pros
- The machine is user-friendly and easy to use.
- It has a decent speed of 650 stitches per minute.
- It has excellent automatic features.
- It has many embroidery design options.
- You can easily edit and customize the embroidery designs.
- It gives high-quality stitching.
- It is solid, sturdy, and durable.
Cons
- It is pretty expensive for what it offers.
Verdict: Brother PE800 is easy to operate, the main reason why most sewists love it.
The price may turn others off, but for everything it does and gives, there is no question about the machine’s quality and excellence.
Some consider the price a bit high, and the embroidery area might be small, but this is a top-quality machine that guarantees to maximize your talent and give you a nice piece of embroidery.
3. Janome Memory Craft 400E: Best Heavy Duty
If most Brother sewing machines pride themselves on ease of use and being user-friendly, the Janome memory craft series prides itself on durability and toughness.
This Janome horizon memory craft is no exception, but it provides many things besides durability.
It is a computerized machine with superior advanced technology and automatic features; it has a larger embroidery area and more options for embroidery designs.
It can do up to 860 stitches per minute but can take on various fabric types, even thick and heavy fabrics.
Its high-quality stitches are way better than others, and it can take a lot of work all day and night.
This one is best for beginners who want to take on various sewing projects.
Pros
- It has excellent advanced technology features.
- It has impressive automatic features, which include a jump stitch, thread cutting, and an automatic needle threader.
- It has a wide embroidery area of 7.9×7.9 inches.
- It has excellent speed for embroidery stitches.
- It provides 160 embroidery designs.
- It has excellent editing capabilities, which are best for customizing embroidery designs.
- The machine makes for very smooth stitching.
- It is sturdy and very durable.
Cons
- It is pretty expensive.
- It takes some time to master the machine.
- Best for beginners with considerable embroidery skills.
Verdict: You may need to shell out some money to enjoy all the features and everything it gives, but it is worth it.
The performance, like its speed and stitching, is excellent, and so are the advanced technology and other automatic features.
It is very durable too, but the best thing is, once you become a master embroiderer, you do not need to replace this machine, for it is suitable even for the most advanced users.
4. Brother PE770: Best High-End
If you are a beginner in embroidery machines but want one that is of great power, very durable, has a decent speed but is also easy to use, and provides you with many options, you can never go wrong with this one.
The best thing is that it does its work silently, so you can deal with many sewing projects all day without disturbing anyone.
It has 136 built-in embroidery designs with six lettering fonts, but you can upload designs or customize your own.
It has an excellent working embroidery area of 5×7 inches and can go on up to 650 stitches per minute.
Like any other Brother sewing machine, it has a nice automatic needle threader and thread cutter, an excellent bobbin set, and some nice accessories.
The LCD touchscreen, though relatively small, is easy to use and can guide you very well in operating the machine.
Pros
- It is easy to use and operate.
- It has excellent automatic features.
- The onscreen tutorials are a significant help for any beginner.
- It is a silent operator.
- It provides many options for embroidery designs.
- Very reliable, sturdy, and durable.
- It has an excellent sewing machine-price ratio.
Cons
- It is pretty heavy.
Verdict: It offers toughness without sacrificing options, easy operability, and comes with a reasonable price.
This machine embroidery can take a lot of work without sacrificing quality and efficiency.
The 5×7 inches working area may be small for advanced users and those dealing with large projects, but it is decent enough for beginners.
The onscreen tutorials, too, are of great help in case you have trouble operating it.
5. Brother SE1900: Best Overall
If you are a beginner who wants the best of sewing and embroidery and at the same time has many options, high-quality, and excellent performance, this is it.
The pride of Brother sewing machines, this might be one of the best sewing machines in the market today.
It is the perfect combo machine, with 240 built-in stitches and 138 embroidery designs, but the embroidery stitching is of exceptional quality.
It has excellent features like an automatic needle threader and has outstanding advanced technology, like a wide LCD screen and amazing LED light for greater visibility.
This Brother embroidery machine offers you a wide range of possibilities for sewing and creativity, from importing, customizing, and resizing designs to free-motion sewing.
A beginner can have the best of both worlds with this one.
Pros
- It is effortless to use and operate.
- It provides many stitch options and embroidery designs.
- It has excellent automatic features.
- The LED light is fantastic for greater visibility.
- It has a speed of 850 stitches per minute for sewing and 650 stitches per minute for embroidery.
- This machine is ideal, too, for quilting and free-motion sewing.
Cons
- There could be some problems with needles, especially when sewing at a very high speed.
Verdict: All things considered, Brother SE1900 provides users with many options, but with easy operability and excellent automatic features, you can quickly maximize them.
The advanced technology like LCD screen and lighting make it also a notch above others.
But the performance makes the difference, for it has excellent speed and impressive stitching.
The only thing you need to worry about are the needles; you need to have a lot when using this machine.
Things You Need to Consider
When buying an embroidery sewing machine, you need to remember some things; among these are:
The Machine Type
Are you concentrating only on embroidery? In this case, you may need a pure embroidery machine whose features are only for embroidery and nothing else.
But if you are also doing some sewing, and might take on some projects in the future that need some quilting, then you can go for a combo machine.
Everything, of course, will depend on the type of sewing you have in mind or going to take.
The Purpose
Are you buying one because you are an embroidery enthusiast and want to take on an embroidery project as a pastime, or do you want to have an embroidery business?
Depending on the use or purpose, you may need a particular embroidery machine suited to it.
The Embroidery Area
Are you comfortable doing embroidery in sewing projects, using small designs, or do you want to deal with larger ones with ease, comfort, and convenience?
Depending on the project, you might need a small or more extensive embroidery area.
A 4×4 inch area may be pretty small, but for embroidery purposes, it is enough. It is enough for embroideries on handkerchiefs and baby clothes.
Some embroidery projects, however, might require a larger embroidery area, so you must go for machines with a sizable working area.
Budget
After considering everything, from the purpose to the features, you must balance it with your budget.
Do you want to go for an expensive one that can give you all the features you want, or sacrifice some of them and go for the cheaper alternative?
Balancing them could be tricky. But once you consider everything, you will know how to strike the right balance between what you want and need, the machine’s qualities, and the budget.
Conclusion
An embroidery machine for beginners need not be very sophisticated or advanced, but they need the right features to make the embroidery experience worthwhile.
The best thing is to have one that can ease the sewist’s way to the embroidery machine as he hones and perfect his skills.
But one can learn, enjoy, and earn simultaneously, and as this embroidery machine review shows, what is needed is just striking the right balance.
