Which embroidery machine is best?
Well, is hard to choose the among the best embroidery machines the one model that serves everyone for home use.
It really depends on what is it that you need. So, instead of wondering what is the best embroidery machine, think for what purpose will you be using your new embroidery machine.
One with a small embroidery area to make logos? For general clothing such and hoodies or sweatshirts? For hats? Embroidery Business maybe? Do you want a multi-needle machine? Or maybe you want a machine that best serves beginners? It’s a whole world out there and there’s plenty of great models.
Let’s go over the top of the top, the best embroidery machines that everyone is buying.
The 5 Best Home Embroidery Machine Reviews
Let’s go over the the best embroidery machine reviews now.
5. Brother PE550D Embroidery Machine
- Budget: $
- Our rating:
- Included Feet: Embroidery.
EMBROIDERY
- Built-in Designs: 80 + 45 Disney
- Speed per minute: 400
- On-Screen Editing: Yes
- Area: 4″ x 4″
NO SEWING
- Free Arm: No
The Brother 550D is quite similar, both mechanically and in price, to Brother PE535, so we recommend that you take a good look at the comparison chart provided at the end of this article.
A big difference between this one and the other model is the built-in Disney designs. Brother PE550D is the perfect gift for little beginners who want to let their imagination run wild.
Also, compared to the SE600, some of the advantages of the PE550D are the higher speed of stitches (400 vs. 650 speed per minute) and the built-in Disney design collection.
However, if you don’t own a sewing machine, one downside to this model is that for almost the same price you can currently get the Brother SE600, which is mechanically very similar but offers both sewing and embroidering capabilities.
What you’ll like:
- Low noise levels
- Great machine for small jobs
- Disney designs included
Something to Consider:
- Embroidery Only
- Small embroidery area
4. Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine
Ideal for: Beginners and intermediate. Great machine for small embroidery jobs. Best Brother Embroidery Machine for Beginners.
- Budget: $
- Our rating:
- Included Feet: Embroidery.
EMBROIDERY
- Built-in Designs: 80
- Speed per minute: 400
- On-Screen Editing: Yes
- Area: 4″ x 4″
NO SEWING
- Free Arm: No
Brother PE535 computerized embroidery sewing machine is quite similar, both mechanically and in price, to Brother PE535, so we recommend that you take a good look at the comparison chart provided at the end of this article.
A big difference between this one and the other model is the built-in Disney designs. Brother PE550D is the perfect gift for little beginners who want to let their imagination run wild.
Also, compared to the SE600, some of the advantages of the PE550D are the higher speed of stitches (400 vs. 650 speed per minute) and the built-in Disney design collection.
However, if you don’t own a sewing machine, one downside to this model is that for almost the same price you can currently get the Brother SE600, which is mechanically very similar but offers both sewing and embroidery capabilities.
What you’ll like:
- You can edit your embroidery designs directly on the machine’s LCD screen
- This is and affordable, entry-level embroidery machine with only embroidery features, so no sewing
- Great machine for small projects as it comes with a small embroidery hoop
Something to Consider:
- It comes with a maximum 4” x 4” embroidery area
- It doesn’t offer sewing features, it’s an embroidery-only machine
3. Brother SE600 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
Ideal for: Beginners to Intermediate users. First-time users who want to start embroidering while having sewing capabilities. #1 for beginners of all ages. Best Embroidery Machine for the Money.
- Budget: $$
- Our rating:
- Included Feet: Buttonhole, Zipper, Overcasting, Blindstich, Monogramming, Zigzag, Embroidery, Button Sewing.
EMBROIDERY
- Built-in Designs: 80
- Speed per minute: 400
- On-Screen Editing: Yes
- Area: 4″ x 4″
SEWING
- Free Arm: Yes
- Speed per minute: 710
- Decorative Stitches: 103
The Brother SE600 sewing and embroidery machine comes with a 4″ x 4″ embroidery area and the ability to re-hoop on the same piece in case you want to embroider a larger design. It also includes 80 Embroidery Designs, 103 Built-In Sewing Stitches and, a large Color Touch LCD screen, where you can easily change specific embroidery thread colors and then preview before stitching.
Other features include an automatic needle threader, which is super useful when trying to embroider in a wide range of colors or if you have tired eyes; six embroidery lettering fonts that allow you to customize your designs with different sizes; and a free arm for cuffs and sleeves which is considered a must.
In addition, this Brother model features auto-size buttonholes and comes with a USB so that you can import your designs.
The Brother SE600 is excellent for first-time users to sew and embroider since it’s super easy to learn how to use its features. I can’t think of a better machine for a beginner and a cheaper price for the value of the product.
What you’ll like:
- Create your own decorative stitches
- Low budget price
- Low learning curve
- Free Arm
Something to Consider:
- Small embroidery hoop
Read a full review of the Brother SE600 embroidery machine including how it compares to its line-up (Brother SE630, Brother SE625, etc.).
2. Brother PE800 Embroidery Only Machine
Ideal for: Beginner to advanced users. Professional sewers who want a second machine dedicated to embroidering duties. Best “embroidery only” Brother machine.
- Budget: $$
- Our rating:
- Included Feet: Embroidery.
EMBROIDERY
- Built-in Designs: 138
- Speed per minute: 850
- On-Screen Editing: Yes
- Area: 5″ x 7″
NO SEWING
- Free Arm: No
Brother’s PE800 machine is the brand’s latest embroidery-only unit, and it is an ideal entry point for inexperienced users who want to try to start embroidering their own clothes.
Thanks to the Touch LCD Screen you’ll be able to rotate, increase and decrease the size, and mirror-image your design. These abilities can save you a lot of time, as even if you decide to make last-minute design changes, you won’t have to waste time by going back to edit on your computer. It also includes an automatic needle threader that will become the best friend of those with tired eyes when embroidering a multi-colored design on garments like hoodies and t-shirts.
Brother PE800 is great no matter the design size you want to embroider because it works with small – 1 “x 2,5” -, medium – 4 “x 4” – and large hoops – 5 “x 7” and 5 “x 12” -. Lastly, if you already own the Brother PE770 machine, you’re in luck! As you can reuse the hoops you already have on this newer model. This is because most hoops that are accepted by either machine should be mutually compatible.
What you’ll like:
- Good quality-price ratio.
- Low learning curve.
Something to Consider:
- Embroidery only.
Read the Brother PE800’s full review.
1. Brother SE1900 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
Ideal for: Beginner and intermediate users. Machine offers pro-quality designed for home use. The best Brother embroidery machine for home.
- Budget: $$$
- Our rating:
- Included Feet: Buttonhole, Overcasting, Monogramming, Zipper, Zigzag, Stitch Guide, Adjustable Zipper/Piping, Non-Stick, Open Toe, Embroidery, Blindstich.
EMBROIDERY
- Built-in Designs: 138
- Speed per minute: 650
- On-Screen Editing: No
- Area: 5″ x 7″
SEWING
- Free Arm: Yes
- Speed per minute: 800
- Decorative Stitches: 240
The Brother SE1900 is a multipurpose sewing and embroidery machine that is an excellent value for the money.
The package only includes a 5″ x 7″ hoop but if you’re thinking of embroidering larger or endless designs, you can always buy an extra 12″ x 5″ multi-positional hoop and re-hoop it as many times as you need. Just be careful with the alignment when you do that.
For a model designed for home use, the quality of both sewing and embroidery is quite impressive. In fact, even if it’s lacking a free arm, over 90 percent of users gave this machine the maximum rate possible.
Of course, if you already own a sewing machine, you should definitely check the above-reviewed machine, the new embroidery only Brother PE800, and save some money.
What you’ll like:
- Free motion quilting
- Good quality-price ratio
Something to Consider:
- The maximum embroidery area is 5″ x 7″
- No free arm
You may want to read a full review of Brother SE1900 sewing and embroidery machine.
Home Embroidery Machine Comparison Chart
A great strategy, to begin with, is to compare the embroidery and sewing features of the best embroidery machines we have seen above, so you can decide whether any of them is a good choice for your personal needs.
| Price | Machine | Features | Other Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for Beginners | Brother SE600 | SEWING – 710 spm* – 103 Stitches – 10 Buttonholes – 7 mm Stitch Width EMBROIDERY – 650 spm* – 138 Designs – 11 Fonts – 4″ x 4″ Area** | – Color Touch LCD -On-Screen Editing – Free Arm – Automatic Needle Threader – 11.82 lbs – 21.2″ x15.5″ x16.5″ – Needle to Arm: 163mm/ 6.4″ | Check Price |
| Best from Brother | Brother PE800 | NO SEWING EMBROIDERY – 850 spm* – 138 Designs – 11 Fonts – 5″ x 7″ Area** | – On-Screen Editing – 13.74 lbs – 21.8″ x19″ x19.1″ – 210mm/ 8.3″ Arm Length | Check Price |
| Best for Advanced Users | Janome 9850 | SEWING – 1000 spm* – 200 Stitches – 6 Buttonholes – 9 mm Stitch Width EMBROIDERY – 800 spm* – 175 Designs – 2 Fonts – 6.7″ x 7.9″ Area** | – Large Color Touch LCD – On-Screen Editing – Free Arm – Automatic Needle Threader – Automatic Thread Cutter – Jump Thread Trimming – Extra-High Presser Foot Lifter – Carrying Handle – 3MB Built-In Memory – 22.09 lbs – 18.7″ x8.8″ x12.4″ – Needle to Arm: 200mm/ 8″ | Check Price |
| Best Overall | Brother SE1900 | SEWING – 850 spm* – 240 Stitches – 10 Buttonholes – 7 mm Stitch Width EMBROIDERY – 400 spm* – 80 Designs – 11 Fonts – 5″ x 7″ Area** | – Color Touch LCD – Free Arm – Automatic Needle Threader – Automatic Thread Cutter – 22.05 lbs – 17.6″ x9.5″ x11.8″ – Needle to Arm: 163mm/ 6.4″ | Check Price |
| Best for Hats | Janome MB-4S | NO SEWING EMBROIDERY – 800 spm* – 50 Designs – 10 Fonts – 9.46″ x 7.9″ Area** | – Color Remote Screen – On-Screen Editing – Bobbin Winding Motor – Jump Thread Trimming – Automatic Thread Cutter – 45.2 lbs – 17.7″ x 25.6″ x 26.8″ | Check Price |
| Best for Home Business | Janome 14000 | EMBROIDERY – 1000 spm* – 350 Designs – 11 Fonts – 9.1″ x 11.8″ Area** SEWING – 1000 spm* – 400 Stitches – 13 Buttonholes – 9 mm Stitch Width | – On-Screen Editing – Jump Thread Trimming – Automatic Thread Cutter – Bobbin Winding – Twin Needle Guard – Extra-High Presser Foot Lifter – Free Arm – Needle to Arm 10″ – 25.6″ x 12.6″ x 10.2″ – 30.4 lbs | Check Price |
*Speed Per Minute: referring to the number of stitches a machine can perform in a minute.
**Area: referring to the maximum embroidery area that an embroidery machine can reach.
Types of Embroidery Sewing Machines
There are several types of embroidery sewing machines.
Mechanical Embroidery Machine
A mechanical embroidery sewing machine is and oldy but a goody. These sewing machines are always a good option if you know how to use them and you want to put in the time. This is the simplest home embroidery machine that you will find in the market and use a rotating wheel to function. Even though big brands like Brother or Singer still manufacture these, the reality is that they are very limited in features. You will also need to change bobbins if you want to combine different colors. A big perk is that you will stay within a low budget.
Hat Embroidery Machine
After reading this article on embroidery machine for hats, you’ve probably realized that specialized machines fr caps do exist. These professional multi needle embroidery machine, like the Janome Memory Craft MB-4S are very advanced, perfect for embroidery business, and easily distinguished for having a sewing surface adapted to embroider on hats and t-shirts.
Decorative Embroidery Machine
A bit ahead of the mechanical machines, an automatic embroidery sewing machine will require you to be the creative mind while they do the actual work. With a wide range of different features depending on the model and the brand, these machines have become the most typical buy for private users since for little money you get outstanding results in machine embroidery projects.
Computerized Embroidery Machine
Prepare yourself some tea, put your mind to rest, and enjoy the views for these machines will do all the work for you. Meet the best embroidery machine out in the market. Using very sophisticated technology these automatic embroidery machines are very much into fashion right now. They allow you to recreate any design you want out there on the fabric of your choice and hands-on free. These embroidery machines also have the broadest range of features including multiple needle positions, an automatic needle threader, over a hundred stitching functions, different stitch patterns, a screen display for both width and length of the thread among many others. All of which makes these the best embroidery machines for small business, home embroidery business, or home use.
Same if they are single-needle or multi-needle, these embroidery machines can even read memory sticks through USB, so you don´t need to do much more than uploading your picture, setting up the threads and features, and put it to embroider for you. These types of machines will embroider anything you want them to do letters, words and names, monograms, logos, and all sorts of designs. And you will be able to do it on any clothes, fabrics, quilts, and even leather if not done too often. The single-needle machine is the perfect kind of embroidery machine for beginners. The price goes up a bit from several hundred to a few thousand. But if you have a budget, you will probably find an inexpensive one that does the trick. A higher price but oh so worthy!
Professional Embroidery Machine
These industrial embroidery machines are manufactured for more substantial businesses of which its production needs to be made in big spaces like those of fabrics. Thanks to that, professional machines can be as noisy as they go without bothering any neighbors. And this is my way of telling you that unless you are expanding your small business soon, you don´t need to invest in one of these to embroider your logo.
CNC Embroidery Machine
CNC, from Computer Numerical Control, refers to basically all kinds of robotic embroidery machines. From the home use computerized embroidery machines to very advanced professional ones. If it works by itself after programmed instructions, then it is probably considered a CNC embroidery machine.
Monogram vs. Embroidery
Even if these two terms sound entirely different, in reality, both of them are used interchangeably. While embroidery covers any craft design made out of threads stitched into a piece of fabric, a monogram is just a motif of two or more initials put together to show ownership of something or to add decoration to a piece of garment or accessory. You could embroider a monogram with a regular sewing machine. However, if you are looking for an embroidery machine for monogramming, you must know that it will also be able to embroider many other things. Besides, any embroidery machine will be capable of monogramming anything you´d like.
What is an Embroidery Machine?
If you are not sure of what an embroidery machine is, you might not know what embroidery looks like. Remember those movies featuring women from other centuries in which they spent their time decorating fabrics or other materials? Those women where embroidering. And they used to make all these beautiful crafts that nowadays most of us can only dream of doing, right? Well, what if I tell you that there is a machine that reproduces whichever motive you´d like to embroider on any fabric? And without wasting that much time? Since the advancements in the computerized machine in the last decade, embroidery machines have become available for private use. And with it, a wide range of brands and different models with different features. Therefore, different prices for every pocket.
Read more about the embroidery category:
Best Embroidery Machine for Hats
Best Sewing and Embroidery Machine Combo
Best Embroidery Machine for Small Business
Brother PE800 Embroidery Machine Review
FAQs
What is the cheapest embroidery machine?
Some of the cheapest embroidery machines that you will find on the market today and that have very reasonable quality for the price are the Brother SE600, the PE535, and the PE550D. You will find here an article with their reviews and some other options here.
What is the best embroidery machine on the market?
Personally, if you are considering buying an Embroidery Only machine, I couldn’t think of a better home machine than the newest Brother PE800. However, if you are more inclined to destine your Personally, if you are considering buying an Embroidery Only machine, I couldn’t think of a better home machine than the newest Brother PE800. However, if you are more inclined to destine your budget to a Sewing and Embroidery Combination Machine, in this article, I will recommend you three different options depending on your budget.
What is a Combination or Combo Machine?
A Combination or Combo Machine is the one that can both sew straight and embroider on 2D designs like those from companies’ logos or Disney t-shirts. It is what we also call a Sewing and Embroidery Machine.
Is a sewing machine and embroidery machine the same thing?
No, it is not. A sewing machine will mostly do straight stitches while and computerized embroidery machine will stitch 2D designs. Nowadays, every sewing machine will include some decorative stitches that some people consider embroideries. Nevertheless, a true embroidery machine will be able to stitch flat designs such as those from logos, monogrammed names or caps, and t-shirts.
What is the Best Brother Embroidery Only Machine?
If you are thinking of an Embroidery Only Machine, I cannot recommend the Brother PE800 enough. It has every necessary feature for a home embroidery machine, and it works like no other for a very reasonable price. You may want to read all about it.
If you are considering buying a combination machine, you may read this article from the very beginning. If you do, you’ll learn how to choose your new machine depending on your budget and the different features that each model includes. Different models could do the trick for you, so choose wisely.
In a low budget range, we believe that Brother PE535, Brother PE550D, and Brother SE600 could not offer better quality or features. If your budget is a bit higher, and you are looking for a combination machine to both sew and perform embroidery, a good option could be Brother SE1900. You can read the article where we review all these Brother Embroidery Machines in case you are interested.