If you’re a sewist who wants to explore the exciting world of machine embroidery, the Brother LB5000 sewing and embroidery m achine might be just the one you’re looking for.
But this machine isn’t right for everyone. I’ve scoured the internet, read through hundreds of reviews, and am bringing you the low-down on this sewing and embroidery machine.
Brother LB5000 Review
Let’s kick off this LB5000 review with the basic stats – what features do you get when you purchase this sewing and embroidery machine?
- Size: 54” x 21.18” x 15.51”
- Weight: 26 lbs
- Built-in Stitches: 103
- Built-in Embroidery Designs: 80 designs, 9 fonts
- Max Embroidery Area: 4” x 4”
- Automatic Needle Threader: yes
- Display Type: LCD, touchscreen
- Display Size: 2” x 1.8”
- Presser Feet Included: 8
About the embroidery features
If you’re just getting started with machine embroidery and want a great starter machine – the LB5000 may be the perfect fit. It performs well as an embroidery machine for small projects.
Overall, the Brother LB5000 sewing and embroidery machine is a great value – you get a well-made, easy to use, entry level embroidery machine for a fraction of the cost of a typical fancy embroidery machine.
Pros
There are a lot of pros to the LB5000 as an embroidery machine. Here are the top perks that I came across repeatedly in my research on this machine.
- The LB5000 is relatively easy to use. The instructions are helpful, the touchscreen is intuitive, and there are useful tutorials online.
- The stitch quality for embroidery is great.
- The machine comes with a variety of built-in designs and several fonts to make getting started easy.
- The LB5000 comes in 2 versions – the LB5000S (StarWars-themed) and the LB5000M (Marvel-themed). These 2 models come with built-in embroidery designs of StarWars or Marvel characters, which is a lot of fun if you’re a fan of either!
- You can easily upload custom designs through a USB drive.
- It’s easy to switch between sewing and embroidery mode – a must for a combo machine!
- The LB5000 comes at a very affordable price for an embroidery-capable machine.
- If you need extra help learning how to embroider (or sew) on the LB5000, there are Facebook groups specifically for Brother machine users where you can ask your questions.
Cons
Of course (and sadly!), no machine has it all – there are some drawbacks to the embroidery features of the LB5000. It’s up to you to decide of these potential negatives will be an issue for your specific needs.
- The biggest complaint I came across was the maximum embroidery size. Some LB5000 users found the 4” x 4” area to be limiting, especially once they got more comfortable with machine embroidery. While you can make larger designs, it has to be done in sections, which is difficult for a beginner.
- The Brother LB5000 doesn’t come with embroidery software. This means that if you want to create any custom embroidery designs, you’ll need to find your own software. There are free embroidery software options out there, but they aren’t as intuitive or feature-rich as paid software.
- This machine won’t be your best choice if speed is a concern. As a single-needle machine, you’ll need to switch out the threads during the embroidery process for multi-color designs. This can be a bit of a pain but isn’t usually a big deal unless you plan to run an embroidery business and need to crank out projects quickly.
About the sewing features
Combo machines are often “OK” at both things, but not “good” at either – but the LB5000 actually performs quite well for regular sewing as well as embroidery.
If you want a machine that can take on all the sewing projects you’ve been dreaming up, with the added bonus of embroidery capabilities, the LB5000 is a great option.
Pros
There are a lot of great features of the LB5000 for standard sewing. Here are just a few of the reasons that this is an awesome sewing machine!
- The stitch quality of the LB5000 sewing and embroidery machine is quite good. It’s got a great straight stitch and zigzag stitch, the workhorses of the sewing process.
- The LB5000 is easy to use. The manual is useful and thorough, and the LCD screen even has a few tutorials to take you through simple procedures, such as how to load a bobbin.
- This machine sews quietly. This is a huge plus if you live in an apartment or tend to sew at night when others in your household are sleeping.
- It’s very easy to thread with the automatic needle threader.
- It has a great selection of stitches – all the basics you’ll need for sewing, plus some fun decorative stitches.
Cons
Really, the Brother LB5000 is an awesome sewing machine. There aren’t a ton of cons to using this machine for sewing, but here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re thinking about purchasing the LB5000 for sewing.
- The LB5000 isn’t great at sewing through very thick fabrics. In my research, I came across several reviews indicating that thick denim was difficult to sew on this machine. But if you’re not someone who sews thick fabrics often, this machine will perform just fine for you!
- This machine is packed with high-tech features – which is great if you’re savvy at navigating touchscreens and computers. However, if your friends and family affectionately refer to you as “technologically-challenged,” mastering the LB5000 may involve a steep learning curve.
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The Brother LB5000 Compared to its Main Competitors
Brother LB5000 vs SE600
If the LB5000 sounds like the perfect machine for you, but you’re just not a fan of StarWars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you have 2 options. The LB5000 works just fine without the themed StarWars or Marvel faceplates – so you could just remove the faceplates. Or you could purchase the SE600 instead!
The SE600 is almost identical to the LB5000 in size, look, and features. The only real difference is that it is not a themed machine, so it doesn’t have the StarWars or Marvel faceplates or designs. The SE600 still comes with 80 awesome built-in embroidery designs.
Brother LB5000S vs SE600
The functionality of the Brother LB5000S and the Brother SE600 are the same. The only difference is that the LB5000S comes with StarWars themed faceplates and embroidery designs.
Brother LB5000M vs SE600
Similarly, the only difference between the SE600 and the LB5000M is that the LB5000M has cool Marvel faceplates and themed embroidery designs.
Brother LB5000 vs SE625
The Brother LB5000 and the Brother SE625 are very similar machines. Both have a maximum embroidery area of 4”x4” and have the same features for regular sewing and embroidery.
The SE625, just like the SE600, does not come with StarWars or Marvel themed faceplates and designs like the LB5000.
The only other difference is that the SE625 comes with a CD containing additional embroidery designs. The SE625 comes with 208 embroidery designs, while the LB5000 and SE600 only come with 80. However, custom designs can be imported into all of these machines via a USB cable, so unless you love the designs that come with the SE625, this may not be a major selling point for you.
Brother LB5000 vs SE1900
If you feel that the embroidery features of the LB5000 might be limiting, especially the 4” x 4” maximum embroidery area, you might consider the SE1900 instead.
The SE1900 has a maximum embroidery area of 5” x 7”, so you can embroider larger designs. It also comes with more stitch options (240) and built-in embroidery designs (138).
The SE1900 is all around a more advanced and feature-rich machine. However, it is more expensive than the LB5000, so if you’re unsure that you want to delve into embroidery long-term, the LB5000 may be the better starter machine.
Brother LB5000 vs LB7000
If the Brother LB5000 sounds like the perfect machine and you’re a fan of Project Runway, consider getting the LB7000 instead! The LB7000 has the same sewing and embroidery functionalities as the LB5000, but instead of coming in Marvel or StarWars versions, the LB7000 has a Project Runway design on the front.
Brother LB5000 Comparison Chart
Let’s compare every Brother sewing and embroidery machine from the LB Series, LB5000 vs LB5000M vs LB5000S vs LB7000, so you can quickly decide which features are closer to your needs.
*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.
Brother LB5000M Sewing and Embroidery Reviewed
Ideal for: Beginners of all ages to intermediate users. First-time users with a passion for all things Marvel.
- Budget: $$
- Our rating:
- Included Feet: Buttonhole, Zipper, Overcasting, Blindstich, Monogramming, Zigzag, Embroidery, Button Sewing.
EMBROIDERY
- Built-in Designs: 80 + 10 Marvel
- Speed per minute: 400
- On-Screen Editing: Yes
- Area: 4″ x 4″
SEWING
- Free Arm: Yes
- Decorative Stitches: 103
- Speed per minute: 710
You don’t have to be up on the granular details of phase five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to use this Marvel Special Edition LB5000M from Brother—though mega MCU fans will definitely get a kick out of this machine’s unique styling. And you don’t have to be worried that you’ll be stuck with Hawkeye staring you down as your frustration over a new pattern grows, as the machine comes with four interchangeable faceplates—so you can pick the Marvel hero you prefer to be your embroidery buddy.
Not a Marvel fan? No problem, the machine works perfectly fine with no faceplate at all!
And, of course, this sewing and embroidery machine has more to offer than just a simple cosmetic Marvel-themed makeover, under the hood, it has some of the most advanced features on the market, with the ability to execute over 100 embroidery designs, ten of which are Marvel-themed and exclusive to this model.
What you’ll like:
- This is a great machine to use for those that are new to embroidery, as it is easy to thread and intuitive to use. It has options to allow computer-assisted stitching and embroidering, which can make more advanced work accessible, even to newbies.
- You can create your own decorative stitches.
- Added Sewing Capabilities with a free arm.
- Low budget price for an embroidery machine.
Something to Consider:
- This machine is very similar to other Brother models, so if the Marvel branding isn’t something you are enthralled with, you can find better models at more economical prices, such as the Brother SE600 which we’ve highlighted below.
Brother LB5000S Sewing and Embroidery Machine
Ideal for: Beginners of all ages to Intermediate users. First-time users with a passion for all things Star Wars.
- Budget: $$
- Our rating:
- Included Feet: Buttonhole, Zipper, Overcasting, Blindstich, Monogramming, Zigzag, Embroidery, Button Sewing.
EMBROIDERY
- Built-in Designs: 80 + 10 Star Wars
- Speed per minute: 400
- On-Screen Editing: Yes
- Area: 4″ x 4″
SEWING
- Free Arm: Yes
- Decorative Stitches: 103
- Speed per minute: 710
Embroidery is a difficult hobby to master. You might think that you need to have started embroidering a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away in order to have the needle skills needed to make your own costume pieces, like those you might see cosplayers wearing at a Comic-Con, but, in reality, we all start somewhere on our embroidery journey. And if you picked up on the Star Wars reference above, and you’re new to embroidery, this Star Wars Special Edition sewing and embroidery machine from Brother is a great place to start.
For Star Wars fans the LB5000S might be the ideal starter machine, with four interchangeable faceplates, you can turn R2D2 or Darth Vader into your own sewing-time sensei—watching over you as you work. Just imagine Darth Vader telling you to “use less force, Ruth” as you use your machine to embroider one of the downloadable Star Wars embroidery designs.
What you’ll like:
- With its technical abilities and a wealth of downloadable content available for free, along with the eye-catching Star Wars branding, this Brother branded embroidery machine brings an out-of-this-planet sewing experience to any seamstresses’ fingertips.
- You can create your own decorative stitches.
- Sewing capabilities with a handy free arm.
- Affordable and easy to use for newbies.
- 10 Added Star Wars designs.
Something to Consider:
- While the ability to both sew and embroider is a nice feature to have for a machine at this price point, the embroidery area will be limited to a 4” x 4” inch space (unless you buy this additional hoop).
Conclusion
And that is it for the best review of the LB5000 Sewing and Embroidery Machine.
If you have any questions concerning this machine, or any other, please do leave a comment and happy sewing! 🙂