Best Embroidery Machines

Embroidery is an age-old art form that has existed for many thousands of years, it is a skill that requires years of work and dedication to truly perfect. However, having one of the best embroidery machines to hand will make it considerably easier for you to learn and craft some beautiful embroidery yourself. Regardless of your current skill level, check out my embroidery machine reviews below to find out how you can get a model that is perfectly suited to your needs. Whether you are looking for an embroidery machine for beginners, or even one for experts, there will be an ideal one for you. One thing that it is important to realise before you embark upon embroidery, is that it can be an expensive and frustrating hobby. Embroidery after all is, for many people around the world, a full time job that can be particularly lucrative. To succeed you must have the right tools and dedicate enough time towards it that you progress past a beginner level.

Below you will find my a list of my favorite embroidery machines and further down this page there is a brief review for each of them. This table is designed to enable you to compare my personal recommendations, there are of course many other computerized embroidery machines that may also be suitable for your needs.

Brother SE400

If you checked out my list of the best sewing machines on the homepage of my website then you will not be surprised to see a Brother sewing machine at the top of my list. The Brother SE400 has been specifically designed to be used by beginners for both general sewing and embroidery too. It may seem strange to have the best embroidery machine also being user friendly and ideal for people just starting out.

However, this is what really helped set this gorgeous embroidery machine apart from the rest. Brother’s SE400 is Amazon’s top selling embroidery machine and is listed as being Amazon’s recommended choice of embroidery machine too. Furthermore, there are many thousand positive reviews for this machine and so you really can’t look past it in terms of popularity.

My favorite thing about the SE400 is that you can effortlessly switch from using it as a normal sewing machine to being used as an embroidery machine instead. Many people find themselves in a situation where they need to purchase a second sewing machine for embroidery, but this is not the case here. The fact that you can pick up this model for less than $300 is another outstanding feature that makes it truly desirable, such a high specification embroidery machine for an affordable price. In no way is the SE400 a budget model, in fact, it is regarded as being one of Brother’s flagship models. This versatile machine has a huge range of unique stitch patterns, 67 in total, it also has 70 different embroidery designs as standard and 5 lettering fonts too. Each of these settings can be manually customized on the front panel’s LCD screen using the buttons adjacent to it.

Brother have also ensured that the SE400 can be connected directly to a computer and therefore the internet. In doing so you can download sewing stitch patterns and embroidery designs directly to the machine from various online databases. The 4” by 4” embroidery area is perfectly sized for any pattern you could ever possibly want and the machine also comes with a selection of useful tools that make embroidery so much easier for beginners. Some of these features include a drop-in bobbin, automatic needle threader and an automatic bobbin winder too. The Brother SE400 was also on my list of the best sewing machines for quilting and so you can rest assured that you will not be disappointed by this incredible embroidery machine.

Brother PE770

The Brother PE770 is a 5” by 7” computerized embroidery machine that is specifically designed to be used for embroidery, so no quilting or traditional sewing with this machine whatsoever. It is this that ensures it stands out among a web of combination sewing machines that do a bit of everything. The PE770 does embroidery and it does it exceptionally well, it is to date regarded as being one of the best embroidery machines on Amazon.

There are over 1,000 reviews for this model, averaging an incredible 4.5 stars, this alone is absolutely staggering and shows the prestige of this model. You can currently purchase the Brother PE770 for around $550 and while this is slightly more expensive than many of the other models on my list, there is good reason for why you should pick this ahead of them. Firstly, Brother always ensure that their products have a huge assortment of different functions, this is very useful for embroidery.

The 5” by 7” embroidery area is far bigger than the standard 4” by 4” that you will find on the majority of traditionally sized models. Having an inflated embroidery area lends itself well to working on larger projects, as you would expect. However, it also makes it considerably easier to move the fabric around too, particularly on the more challenging jobs with materials such as leather or denim. Brother have also included a huge library of pre-programmed embroidery designs with the PE770 too, there are 136 as standard and you can download far more from the internet due to its capability to be connected to a computer. Similarly, as with most of Brother’s latest sewing and embroidery machines, the PE770 comes with a USB port and SD card so that you can import designs that way if it suits.

The stitch speed of the Brother PE770 is not going to be a limiting factor of any sort, it can stitch at speeds of up to 650 stitches per minute. People are often concerned that by using machines at this speed the quality of the final product can dip somewhat, however this is certainly not the case here. The PE770 has an exceptional stitch quality at any speed and so you will be impressed even when using it at its maximum. Some additional features that come with this embroidery machine include an automatic needle threader and cutter, these are not essential but they make embroidery that little bit less fiddly. I feel that these should be essential for all sewing machines for this reason alone and it is nice to see the PE770 has this functionality. This was one of my highest rated embroidery machine reviews for so many reasons that it is hard to get down in words, please continue to read more about this fantastic product on my full review using the button below.

Brother PE525

Brother have seemingly done an outstanding job at producing high-level embroidery machines, so much that they have completely dominated my top 10 list. The Brother PE525 is another embroidery only sewing machine that is also an extremely good model for first time users. First let me saw how impressed I was with the actual design of this sewing machine, it looks utterly fabulous. The front panel is covered in a gorgeous purple design that really stands out amongst the crowd.

Secondly, this is a really affordable dedicated embroidery machine, many of the embroidery-only models cost almost twice the price of this wonderful model. You can purchase the Brother PE525 for around $300 right now and for all the additional extras it comes with, you really need to be considering it over its many competitors. This model is very easy to use right out of the box, it comes with a detailed user guide and it is one of the best embroidery machines for beginners wanting to learn the trade.

Brother included a 4” by 4” embroidery area that is perfect for most designs you would ever need, the touch screen LCD was a very nice touch. Most sewing machines and embroidery machines alike don’t come with a touch screen LCD and so this really does stand out there. Furthermore, the settings are easily controlled and aren’t too confusing either. The PE525 has 70 built-in embroidery designs and 5 unique lettering fonts too, this is plenty for beginners and experts too. The additional bonus of having computer connectivity enables users to plug the machine directly into a computer. Doing this opens up a whole world of possibilities, you can download as many different embroidery patterns as your heart desires from websites online.

The overall build quality of all of Brother’s embroidery machines is generally very good, it is for this reason not surprising that they provide a 25-year warranty with all of their products. The company is extremely sure that none of their products will ever break and even if issues do arise, they offer 24-hour technical support on their website and on the phone too. All in all, the Brother PE525 embroidery machine is one of the best I’ve ever personally used and the general consensus within the wider sewing community is that it is a fantastic product too! Check out my full review of this model using the link below to hear more about this stunning embroidery machine.

Singer XL-580

Singer’s Futura range of sewing and embroidery machines are regarded as being some of the best models available currently. Full of high specification machines, Singer have ensured that the Futura range is full of futuristic features that will be admired by seamstresses of all skill levels. The Singer XL-580 is no exception to this, it is a premium sewing machine that is designed for those who take their sewing and embroidery seriously.

Equipped with a 6.75” by 4” endless hoop, the XL-580 is an ideal embroidery machine for those of us who intend on producing large pieces of embroidery, such as table cloths, curtains or draperies of any sort. This machine also does a fantastic job at producing wonderful, stand-out patterns on clothing and I can attest to that myself as I made a wonderful design for one of my dresses with it. The Singer Futura XL-580 comes with 250 unique embroidery designs built-in and 215 sewing stitch patterns too. As you can imagine, this is a huge amount of variety and it really does enable you to be creative with your work.

As with all of the machines in the XL range, the XL-580 comes with a long arm design which is particularly useful for use on larger bits of work such as quilting. The XL-550 is an upgraded version of the famed XL-550 from years past. Singer have kept things relatively simple and not changed a huge amount, but where they have made changes they have typically been huge improvements to say the least. I love the fact that this model comes with 50 endless designs, many of the other embroidery machines available on the market today come with 10 or so and it just isn’t enough for the creative among us. Singer have also included various additional features on this premium model including an automatic needle threader, electronic thread trimmer, automatic bobbin winder and 6 different one-step buttonholes too.

Furthermore, the Singer XL-580 comes with the latest SwiftSmart threading system that does an exemplary job at guiding the thread from the spool to the needle via a single slit in the front panel. It also comes with a simplistic drop-in bobbin system, a knee lifter and software that enables users to design their own embroidery patterns on a computer before importing them directly onto the machine. This is without doubt one of the best embroidery machines around today and while it certainly isn’t a cheap or budget model, it is perfectly suited for seamstresses of all experience levels.

Singer XL-420

The Singer XL-420 is the second Singer sewing machine on my list of the best embroidery machines, which is something the brand should be exceptionally proud of – given the serious competition. There are so many things that I absolutely love about this combination machine (used for sewing and embroidery) that I found it incredibly hard to narrow them down to a select few key features.

Part of the Futura range of sewing machines, the XL-420 is a high-specification computerized model that can be purchased for around $590 to $600, depending on where you shop online. Amazon typically offer the best price, but you can also often find deals elsewhere too. The most striking feature that the Futura XL-420 has is the 10” by 6” embroidery area it boasts, this is considerably larger than what you will get with any of the other machines on my list. Now, it’s important to note that this alone doesn’t make this product one of the best around. Ultimately, the size of your embroidery area only really impacts those of us who want to work on large pieces of fabric and even then it is somewhat of a convenience. However, the Singer Futura XL-420 has a whole host of other components that help it to out compete many of the other often more expensive models.

Firstly, Singer have provided a piece of software with this embroidery machine that enables users to edit and create novel embroidery patterns on a computer. These can then be transferred to the XL-420 and used directly on any of your projects, a truly remarkable addition that isn’t found on many other home embroidery machines. It comes with 125 unique embroidery designs as standard and 5 monogramming fonts too. Users can add further designs by connecting the machine to their computer or by transferring patterns over to the machine via USB. The SwiftSmart threading mechanism and the drop and sew bobbin capability makes the XL-420 a particularly easy machine for beginners to get to grips with. When you add the fact that this model is also a traditional sewing machine when it needs to be and it also comes with 30 different built-in stitch patterns too, you have yourself one of the best embroidery machines to date.

As with any machine within Singer’s Futura lineup, the XL-420 is truly revolutionary in many aspects and it really has helped to set the bar high for future embroidery machines. I personally used the XL-420 to work on some of my largest embroidery pieces to date, some of which included curtains, throws and my current kitchen’s table cloth too. While this product is clearly a mid-range priced model, it has some of the highest specification features that are only really found on the more premium priced models. This wonderful piece of kit does the basics well and has so many additional extras that it is truly versatile too. Singer have included a 10-year warranty with this model and so you won’t ever need to worry about your expensive investment breaking.

Singer 9985

The Singer 9985 is part of Singer’s Quantum Stylist range, it is a stunning sewing machine that has a huge number of unique functions that are exceptionally useful for seamstresses of all experience levels. As it stands you can purchase Singer’s latest embroidery machine for around $500 and you will get an awful lot for this money too. Let me start off by telling you that Singer included 960 different stitch patterns with this computerized sewing machine.

In addition to this there is also 13 unique one-step buttonhole styles, 5 different alphabets and a selection of embroidery designs available too. Singer have clearly spent a lot of time trying to build a well rounded sewing machine that is capable of performing exceptionally well at traditional sewing and embroidery too.

Equipped with a gorgeous color LCD screen on its front panel, the Singer 9985 really does stand out among a crowd of premium sewing machines. While it is fairly common for modern sewing machines to have an LCD screen, few of them are of the quality that the 9985 offers and fewer still have even a hint of color. One of my favorite additions to the 9985 was the built-in sewing assistance guides, these are particularly useful for novice seamstresses. This model’s easy threading system ensures beginners will have no difficulty in getting the machine started whatsoever. The automatic thread cutter ensures that both the upper and lower threads are always trimmed finely when you have finished any job. The 9985 comes with a top loading drop-in bobbin and a clear cover so you can always see how much thread is remaining.

Some of my other favorite features include the sensitive adjustable presser foot that is one of the most refined I have ever used, the stitch memory that enables you to edit up to 60 characters in the 9985’s memory and the electronic auto pilot mechanism too. My overall impression of the Singer 9985 was that it was a huge upgrade on the 9980 and while it has so many features, it’s not going to overwhelm beginner seamstresses at all. I would recommend this to anybody looking to get into sewing or embroidery as a hobby or even as a trade.

Singer 9960

With thousands of 5 star reviews on Amazon to date, the Singer 9960 is Singer’s best-selling sewing machine to date. The 9960 is a truly well-rounded model that is capable of sewing, quilting and also detailed embroidery too. Amazon are selling this particular model for approximately $300 and for this price you really can’t find much that is better. My favorite thing about this premium computerized sewing machine is the extension table that comes with it as standard.

While this may come across as “just” an additional extra, it really does make the difference when it comes to embroidery on large projects. When you add this to the fact that the 9960 has over 600 built-in stitches, you start to realize what an outstanding machine this is. In Singer’s own words, the 9960 Quantum Stylist was designed to have “everything you need and more”. There are 13 one-step buttonholes, an automatic buttonholer and 5 unique alpha-numeric fonts too.

In order to truly be one of the best embroidery machines, you need to have a large sewing area and that is exactly what the 9960 has. Singer have ensured that you will always have room for your bulkier projects, such as quilting or working on any draperies you may have. The LCD screen is high-quality and clearly shows all of the relevant settings for the machine, each of the buttons surrounding it can slightly tweak these options too. Much alike its predecessors, the 9960 also has an automatic thread cutter that will trim both the upper and lower threads constantly. The automatic needle threader also works exceptionally well and together with the bobbin winder there is little fiddly jobs that remain to be done.

While I personally prefer the Singer 9985 for embroidery, the 9960 is definitely one of Singer’s best embroidery machines to date. Everything about this sewing machine was added with purpose and given the extremely low price, it’s hard to beat in almost every department. I’ve personally used this exact model for countless sewing and embroidery projects in the past and will continue to do so in the future. This is currently my daughter’s machine of choice when it comes to embroidery and I can definitely see why. A truly fabulous piece of kit from Singer and one that is likely to stick around for quite some time.

Brother LB6800PRW

Yet another Brother combination sewing & embroidery machine that makes it onto my top 10 list. The Brother LB6800PRW is, as the name suggests, part of Brother’s revolutionary “Project Runway” range of computerized sewing machines. This mid-range sewing machine was developed by Brother to be capable of performing to exceptionally high standards for those of us who like to vary between sewing jobs and embroidery jobs.

 The LB6800PRW really does provide seamstresses with the best of both worlds and this is exactly what you want. As with many of Brother’s models, this well designed machine comes with a large number of sewing stitch patterns (68, to be exact). To add to this, there is 98 sewing stitch functions that enable users to produce wonderful pieces of decorative embroidery too.

This model has a relatively standard 4” by 4” sewing surface that enables most embroidery patterns to be created. The embroidery library comes with 70 different built-in designs, each one entirely unique. Likewise, there are 120 frame pattern variants and 5 alpha-numeric fonts too. If that isn’t enough by itself, users can simply plug the sewing machine directly into a computer and download additional patterns online. I feel that the LB6800PRW is one of the best embroidery machines for beginners and of all my embroidery machine reviews, this is likely to be one of the most well-rounded too.

Some of the additional features on offer with Brother’s LB6800PRW include a brilliant bobbin winding mechanism, a quick loading drop-in bobbin that is jam resistant, a very clear LCD touch screen, pre-loaded visual tutorials, pattern customization features, a bright LED lit work space and to top everything off, a branded Project Runway rolling bag too. I’ve always been an admirer of the Project Runway range and for good reason, each and every sewing machine within it has been produced to industry leading standards. That is, ultimately, why Brother as a brand is out in front in recent years.

Singer 9980

While the Singer 9980 was, in my honest opinion, bettered by the more recent 9985, I was still hugely impressed by it to say the least. This gorgeous light blue sewing machine is another model that belongs within the recent Quantum Stylist range. If you are interested in purchasing one today, they usually cost around $400 on Amazon and for this money you get a huge array of useful features.

Firstly, Singer have equipped this premium sewing machine with 820 different stitch patterns that can be easily selected using the computerized LCD display on the front panel. Of these 820 built-in stitch designs, 10 are classed as being basic, 21 are stretch, 776 are classed as decorative and to top all of this off there are 13 one-step buttonholes too. If you’re interested in including text on any of your projects then you will be pleased to hear that there are 5 different alphanumeric variants available on this model.

One thing that I love about the Quantum Stylist range of sewing machines is their capacity to make producing striking pieces of work, such as embroidery, incredibly easy. These products are highly customizable and yet they are easy to use for beginners too. Not only that, but they also come with a huge and diverse set of extra features too. Singer’s 9980 comes with an automatic needle threader and top loading drop-in bobbin to make things less tedious when working on a big job. The presser foot sensor is a great addition as it constantly ensures that your pressure foot is correctly seated, this will also drastically reduce mistakes when producing pieces of embroidery. Furthermore, the capacity to use mirror imaging to vary the amount of stitch designs is a welcome extra too.

There really is little that this machine can’t do and it’s easy to see why so many people across the world hold this machine at the highest regard. It’s relatively affordable and yet it competes with some of the best sewing and embroidery machines around. I really enjoy using this model and so would highly recommend it to anybody looking for a competent machine for embroidery.

Singer 9970

The machine coming at the end of my list, which is by no means a bad achievement given the competition, is the Singer 9970. This combination sewing and embroidery machine is computerized, comes with 600 built-in stitches and 13 unique one-step buttonholes to enable the creative seamstresses to perform the most complex designs.

Having so many different stitch variants could be seen as being quite confusing for beginners, however Singer have done a fantastic job of ensuring that this is not the case. The 9970 has a fairly straight forward LCD screen with buttons that enable users to rapidly change any of the many settings the machine has.

As with any model in the 9900 series that Singer has been producing in recent years, there is the capability to edit every one of the 600 stitches to really get creative with your designs. To ensure that the machine is efficient for all users, Singer included a one touch automatic thread cutter, needle threader and bobbin winding mechanism too. Automation is seen as the standard of all computerized sewing machines and so it is not surprising to see Singer include it on their latest models.

The capacity for the 9970 to function using electronic auto pilot makes handling the machine during difficult jobs so much easier and this is something that I feel all machines should have as standard. The 9970 comes with a selection of extra presser feet, 5 monogramming fonts and an extension table too which helps with sizeable projects. All of these features together led to me concluding that this is one of the best embroidery machines to date. There are a few things that I preferred in Singer’s 9985, 9980 and in fact 9960, but the 9970 is a very good sewing machine that will be suitable to the majority of people out there.

There are a variety of different embroidery models that can be purchased today, they really do come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Not only that, but there is a huge number of ways that these embroidery machines can be further customized and so it’s really difficult for people to find a model that they are personally well suited to using. Firstly, if you are a beginner, you need to set yourself a budget before deciding which model is going to be ideal for a first time user. It’s probably not the best to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a machine if you’ve never used one before, this would be counter-productive. I personally feel that it would beneficial to spend a small amount at first and then when you are ready to take the next step, purchase another more expensive machine to replace it.

Once you have decided upon a budget for your new embroidery machine, you should next decide what type of machine you want to purchase. There are embroidery machines designed for home use and other models that are designed to be used commercially. Being a beginner, I would probably recommend that you choose a machine designed to be used at home. This is what most beginner seamstresses will begin to sew using and they are in my opinion the best machines to learn the trade with and develop your skills. Such machines are typically traditional sewing machines that can have additional extras added to them to turn into embroidery machines. While a dedicated embroidery machine will perform much better than a normal sewing machine, that doesn’t mean you should pass up the opportunity to purchase one of these. In fact, some of the best embroidery machines are actually combination machines that do well at both sewing jobs and embroidery jobs too.

Commercial embroidery machines were historically only really used in the workplace, however in modern years we have seen a growing trend of skilled seamstresses taking these into the home too. These commercial machines are capable of turning over huge volumes of work in a short space of time, they are great for producing anything in bulk, whether you’re keen to produce clothing, draperies or anything in between. I honestly think that beginners should steer clear of these commercial models as they will stunt your progression due to their complexity.

This is not to say that as a beginner you should pick a sewing machine that has only a few extra features as standard, I think that is a mistake too. You should always pick a sewing machine that challenges you and has scope for you to progress, the last thing that you want to do is get stuck doing the same easy bits of work over and over again. Some of the key features to look for in an embroidery machine are having a large number of embroidery designs, if the machine doesn’t have this then you won’t be able to get creative with your work. Some machines have the capacity to download additional stitch or embroidery patterns online, this would also work really well. Another key thing to look for is a large embroidery area, the larger the embroidery area is, the better the machine will be able to handle large sewing jobs. I think that the standard 4” by 4” layout is probably too small, I personally like to go for 6” by 6” or greater, but this is just my recommendation and others may disagree.

Above all, pick an embroidery machine that you can have fun with, the best embroidery machines will all be extremely pleasurable to use and so this is crucial. A model that pushes you, helps you improve your skill level and allows you to work efficiently is the best for you. Try not to spend loads of money on embroidery, it is not something that should be expensive to do and so don’t let it become that.