Do you spend your free time scrolling through pages and pages of Pinterest and Tumblr for craft projects, Halloween or cosplay ideas, and DIY 8-foot squid pillows?
Do you marathon Project Runway while you hand-stitch the holes in your pockets and hem your pants so they fit?
Do you dream of being a fashion designer or running your own Etsy business with your creations?
Are you ready to upgrade to your first sewing machine?
Well, look no further – we’ve got a list of great beginner sewing machines that should help you out.
How We Chose Our Ratings
We primarily considered price, type, and available features when rating the sewing machines.
It’s important that a beginner’s sewing machine doesn’t break the bank. You wouldn’t want to spend a great deal of money on something if you only intended for it to be used for the occasional fix-it, or if you decide you’re not as interested in sewing crafts and clothes as you thought you’d be.
Of course, even if you’re a dedicated novice and fully intend to get tons of use out of a machine, you still wouldn’t want the price tag to make you cry.
The value of the other choices on a sewing machine depends on what someone intends to use it for, so we made sure to include machines suited to different purposes as well as all-around solid performers.
Top 10 Best Beginner Sewing Machines
Here’s a list of our favorite beginner sewing machines:
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No products found.Reviewers consistently rank the Brother cs6000i at the top of their best beginner sewing machine lists, and we have to agree.
First of all, it’s a good price – the quality of this machine is undoubtedly worth the $150 you’ll pay for it.
Its versatility is stunning – the Brother cs6000i has 60 built-in stitches, with 27 specifically for sewing clothing, 7 for quilting, 7 auto-buttonhole styles, 20 decorative stitches, and 6 heirloom stitches. All you have to do is push a button to select your stitch on the LCD screen.
Image Source: amazon.com
It has 9 presser feet: a walking foot, spring action quilting foot, overcasting foot, monogramming foot, zipper foot, zigzag foot, blind stitch foot, buttonhole foot, and a button fitting foot.
The machine also boasts an oversized table to handle your larger projects, a hard case for safekeeping and portability, an automatic needle threader, top-loading bobbin, and a free-arm for maneuverability. It has helpful and easy-to-use manuals, a diagram right on the machine to help with threading, a light for your work area, and variable stitch speed easily adjusted by a turning knob.
It’s easy to use and can handle quilting and embroidery just fine – although if you plan to focus on quilting or embroidery you might be better off with a machine that caters more to those aspects of sewing. The Brother cs6000i is more of an all-around performer.
It does a little bit of everything and is a great sewing machine to start with until you learn your tastes and preferences. It’s a good option for all skill levels, really – as you gain more sewing experience and find that you’re not a beginner anymore, the cs6000i still won’t let you down.
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No products found.The Singer 7258 is probably the closest competition to the Brother cs6000i, falling in the same price range (about $150) with even more stitching options.
Push a button to pick between an impressive 100 different built-in stitching modes on the LED screen: 9 basic, 8 stretch, 76 decorative, and 7 automatic buttonholes. Stitch length and width are pre-optimized, but if you ever need to adjust them you can.
It comes with 10 presser feet: an all-purpose foot, buttonhole foot, blind hem foot, darning/freehand embroidery foot, gathering foot, satin stitch foot, overcasting foot, narrow rolled hem foot, quarter inch foot, and zipper foot.
It has a top-loading bobbin system, lit workstation, automatic needle threader, automatic thread tension, and will automatically stop turning the bobbin when it’s full. You can program the needle to stop in the up or down position and easily control the speed up to 750 stitches per minute.
The Singer 7258’s not as easy to use as the Brother cs6000i and has a small sewing table, but it does allow more opportunity for growth in your sewing skills as it’s a bit more complex. The more confidence you gain in your sewing, the more you can take advantage of the advanced options.
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No products found.The Brother SE400’s expensive, but it’s also a dream for aspiring embroiderers.
It has 67 built-in stitches, 70 embroidery designs, 5 lettering fonts, and 120 frame pattern combinations. It has a 4’’ x 4’’ embroidery area, touchscreen LCD, automatic needle threader, 7-point feed dogs for easy fabric feeding, lit workspace, drop-in top bobbin, and 7 different accessory feet (buttonhole, overcasting, zipper, button fitting, monogramming, blind stitch, and embroidery). It’s a phenomenal machine for sewing, quilting, and embroidery alike.
The Brother SE400’s computer connectivity is our favorite of its features. You can import as many embroidery designs as your heart desires onto your sewing machine by buying them from sites like iBroidery.com. Anything you want to embroider, you can. You can also update your machine through the connection.
It’ll run you about $300, so you’ll want to be sure the Brother SE400’s features are worth the price to you. Although easy to use, it might look a little overwhelming to some beginners. In any case, if you want to become an embroidery extraordinaire, starting on this machine will put you well on your way to that goal.
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No products found.If you need a tough, practical, workhorse of a sewing machine, get the Singer 4423.
For $140, you’ll get a durable and speedy machine that can easily handle any fabric you throw at it – heavy fabrics like denim and canvas won’t scare off your Singer 4423.
It comes with 23 built-in stitches: 6 basic, 6 stretch, 10 decorative, and 1 buttonhole. Its 4 included presser feet are all-purpose, buttonhole, zipper, and button sewing. It also comes with presser foot pressure control, automatic needle threader, and drop-in top bobbin.
The Singer 4423’s speed is impressive – it can really fly at a maximum of 1,100 stitches per minute. Its motor is 60% stronger than average and allows for the speed and heavy-duty fabric seams.
It’s mechanical and doesn’t have as many stitch options, feet, or fancy features, but it’s an excellent and reliable performer on the basics.
Get ready to experiment, try new things, or prep your Etsy costume-making business. The Singer 4423’s got you covered.
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No products found.The Janome Graceful Gray is the budget buy of our best beginner’s list.
It’s a mechanical, compact, lightweight (5 pounds), portable, and well-built sewing machine that will cost you about $70 – an excellent choice for travel, dorm rooms, sewing circles, or teaching children the basics of sewing with their tiny hands.
Features include 10 built-in stitches, free arm maneuverability, threading diagram, top drop-in bobbin, and a presser foot with a finger guard.
The only complaint was that reviewers wish it had a light.
Whether you want it to learn and master the basics or to keep around the house for quick fix-it moments, the Janome Graceful Gray won’t let you down.
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No products found.The Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 is the luxury pick of the list. It has tons of fun features but it’s also expensive at about $300.
It’s got a whopping 600 built-in stitch options including clusters for basic, decorative, stretch, quilting, home décor, crafting, and buttonhole stitches. You can also mirror image or elongate your stitches. You can select your stitch on the main panel, and the 8 most common have their own buttons on the front. It also has 18 presser feet, an automatic needle threader, drop-in top bobbin, an extension table for more work space, and operates at a maximum speed of 850 stitches per minute.
The Singer 9960’s wide range of stitch selections is both its sell point and its downfall – while it’s amazing to have so much to choose from, it’ll also drive away overwhelmed sewists who think it’s just too excessive.
There are so many options that some (beginners or experts) would never need to use all of them, and there’s no point in spending so much extra on a machine with lots of features if the only ones you really use can all be found on cheaper devices (that also weigh less).
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No products found.This one’s for the fashionista – the Brother Project Runway CS5055PRW is ideal for aspiring designers, cosplayers, or avid Halloween costume contest winners. It’s a beginner-friendly machine with advanced clothing design options.
It has 50 built-in stitches with 87 stitch functions for garment construction, quilting, decorative, heirloom, and buttonhole stitching – it’s all about the details.
The machine also has automatic needle threading, top drop-in bobbin, and 6 different feet (overcasting, monogramming, zipper, blind stitch, buttonhole, and button sewing).
Notably, it has a vertical spool pin for more consistent feeding, and a drop feed system for free-motion quilting. This light, portable, beginner-friendly machine will cost you from about $160 to $180.
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No products found.The Singer 2277 Tradition is another solid easy-to-use option for a basic-level sewing machine, boasting 23 built-in stitches (6 essential, 11 decorative, 5 stretch, and 1 automatic buttonhole) and 4 different presser feet (all-purpose, buttonhole, button sewing, and zipper). Select the stitch you want with a handy turning knob.
It also has an automatic needle threader, adjustable stitch length and width, automatic presser foot pressure and height control.
The Singer 2277 is a simpler, mechanical version of the 7258 and will serve beginners well at $120.
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No products found.The Singer 1304 is a choice similar to the Janome Graceful Gray but is 2 pounds heavier, and more expensive at about $102.
It’s good for people who need a lightweight and portable machine for travel, or those who have a kid interested in learning how to sew. It has the basics – 6 built-in stitches (straight, satin, zigzag, blind hem, scallop, and 4-step buttonhole), 3 presser feet (all-purpose, buttonhole, and zipper), automatic bobbin winder, a free arm, and a preset length and width to avoid hassle.
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No products found.The Janome 2212 is a dependable mechanical sewing machine with straightforward, no-hassle options. However, at about $170, it’s a bit pricey for a machine meant to get back to the basics.
While it probably makes up for it in quality and reliability, it’s still hard to justify the price without any additional outstanding features.
It has 12 built-in stitches selected by dial, a four-step buttonhole, adjustable stitch length and width, extra high presser foot lift, drop feed for free motion sewing and quilting, and a free arm.
Comparison table
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60 built-in stitches, with 27 specifically for sewing clothing, 7 for quilting, 7 auto-buttonhole styles, 20 decorative stitches, and 6 heirloom stitches, LCD screen. |
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100 different built-in stitching modes on the LED screen: 9 basic, 8 stretch, 76 decorative, and 7 automatic buttonholes |
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It has 67 built-in stitches, 70 embroidery designs, 5 lettering fonts, and 120 frame pattern combinations. It has a 4’’ x 4’’ embroidery area, touchscreen LCD, automatic needle threader, 7-point feed dogs for easy fabric feeding, lit workspace, drop-in top bobbin, and 7 different accessory feet (buttonhole, overcasting, zipper, button fitting, monogramming, blind stitch, and embroidery). |
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It comes with 23 built-in stitches: 6 basic, 6 stretch, 10 decorative, and 1 buttonhole. Its 4 included presser feet are all-purpose, buttonhole, zipper, and button sewing. It also comes with presser foot pressure control, automatic needle threader, and drop-in top bobbin. |
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Features include 10 built-in stitches, free arm maneuverability, threading diagram, top drop-in bobbin, and a presser foot with a finger guard. |
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It’s got a whopping 600 built-in stitch options including clusters for basic, decorative, stretch, quilting, home décor, crafting, and buttonhole stitches. You can also mirror image or elongate your stitches. You can select your stitch on the main panel, and the 8 most common have their own buttons on the front. It also has 18 presser feet, an automatic needle threader, drop-in top bobbin, an extension table for more work space, and operates at a maximum speed of 850 stitches per minute. |
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It has 50 built-in stitches with 87 stitch functions for garment construction, quilting, decorative, heirloom, and buttonhole stitching – it’s all about the details. |
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boasting 23 built-in stitches (6 essential, 11 decorative, 5 stretch, and 1 automatic buttonhole) and 4 different presser feet |
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It has the basics – 6 built-in stitches (straight, satin, zigzag, blind hem, scallop, and 4-step buttonhole), 3 presser feet (all-purpose, buttonhole, and zipper), automatic bobbin winder, a free arm, and a preset length and width to avoid hassle. |
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It has 12 built-in stitches selected by dial, a four-step buttonhole, adjustable stitch length and width, extra high presser foot lift, drop feed for free motion sewing and quilting, and a free arm. |
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Buyer’s Guide
Ask yourself these questions as you hunt for the best beginner sewing machine for you:
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These questions matter because different sewing machines are designed for different purposes.
Make sure the sewing machine you choose matches up with what you want to use it for. If you intend to quilt or do some other specialized craft, pick something heavy-duty with the extra features and accessories you’ll need.
If you’re just looking for something cheap, simple, and functional for the occasional repair, go for the more basic, easy-to-use machines.
Can you adjust the machine’s stitch length and width? It’s good to have a machine that has this feature since different fabrics or parts of a project may require looser or tighter stitches depending on what you’re doing and how the fabric reacts.
What’s your budget? There’s a difference between wanting the best beginner sewing machine versus the most affordable beginner sewing machine. You’ll have to pick the best option to suit your needs and budget by prioritizing the features you need and compromising with features you want, but can’t quite afford the whole machine for.
Mechanical or computerized? Computerized machines will come with handy features like LCD screens and USB ports so you can download or program the stitch patterns you use frequently or are just trying out. However, they’re also more expensive, can suffer from any of the problems computers may face, and take longer to learn how to use than a mechanical option. Meanwhile, mechanical machines will do the job, are more portable, and the maintenance of them costs less – but you’ll have to do without all the fun computerized benefits.