Top 5 compared
The best sewing machines
Hem pants, make pillow covers or start your first quilt at home, faster and neater than sewing by hand.
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The top 5 at a glance
A sewing machine stitches with two threads: one runs from the spool on top through the needle, the other from a small bobbin underneath. Janome’s name means “snake’s eye” in Japanese, after the round bobbin that replaced the long shuttle in its early machines. Mechanical machines usually pick stitches with a dial, computerized ones from a screen, and heavy-duty ones add a sturdier frame and motor for thick fabric.
All but the Janome thread the needle automatically and take a bobbin that drops in from the top, which makes everyday sewing easier. Machines that embroider as well as sew are a different kind, with a list of their own to come, so they aren’t here.
What matters
- Straight, zigzag, stretch and a buttonhole cover most sewing.
- A one-step buttonhole, rather than one sewn in four stages.
- A free arm for sleeves, cuffs and pant legs.
- A presser foot that lifts high enough for thick seams.
#1Brother XM2701 Sewing Machine (27 stitches)
$100–$150
Light enough to lift onto the kitchen table, it has 27 stitches and a one-step buttonhole sized to the button, and an automatic needle threader and a jam-resistant drop-in bobbin take the hassle out of threading up. A free arm and six presser feet cover hems, zippers and sleeves.
What owners say: Most owners have it set up in under half an hour with the instructions and videos, and say it sews well from the first seam, even through several layers; a few report skipped stitches.
A closer look: Wind the bobbin on the machine, drop it in at the top and let the threader handle the tricky part at the needle. Practice straight and zigzag seams on plain cotton first; the free arm comes into its own once there are pant hems and cuffs to take up.
- Jam-resistant bobbin
- Free arm for hems, cuffs
- Weighs 12.6 lb
- 25-year limited warranty
Best for: Mending and simple alterations
- Built-in stitches
- 27
- Buttonhole
- 1-step
- Needle threader
- Yes
- Bobbin
- Drop-in (top)
- In the box
- 6 feet, twin needle
#2Brother XR9550 Computerized Sewing and Quilting Machine
$200–$300
Push-button stitch choice on an LCD screen, with 110 utility, decorative and heirloom stitches plus 55 letters and numbers, eight one-step buttonhole styles and drop feed for free-motion quilting. The wide table in the box takes the weight of a quilt, and a hard case keeps the dust off.
What owners say: Quilters like it for piecing and find it smooth, quick to learn and steady in its stitching, letters and numbers included; a few complain of thread breaking.
A closer look: Fit the wide table before starting on a quilt so the layers lie flat instead of dragging off the edge. For free-motion work, drop the feed dogs and guide the fabric by hand, and use the monogramming foot for names on bags and blankets.
- LCD screen, push-button choice
- Drop feed for free-motion quilting
- Monogramming foot included
- 7mm stitch width
- Weighs 10.1 lb
Best for: Quilting and decorative stitching
- Built-in stitches
- 165
- Buttonhole
- 1-step, 8 styles
- Needle threader
- Yes
- Bobbin
- Drop-in (top)
- In the box
- 8 feet, wide table, hard case
#3Brother CS5055 Computerized Sewing Machine (60 stitches)
$100–$150
Computerized sewing, with 60 stitches chosen on an LCD screen, seven styles of one-step buttonhole sized to the button, an automatic needle threader and a drop-in bobbin. A metal frame and a fixed needle bar keep the stitching clean, and a wider gap between the needle and the arm leaves room for bigger projects.
What owners say: Beginners find it simple to get going on, owners say, light to lift and good through several layers, and one has a ten-year-old using it; a few had theirs fail within a couple of months.
A closer look: Sixty stitches sounds like a lot, but the first dozen utility ones do most jobs: straight, zigzag, stretch and the buttonholes, each chosen by its number on the screen. The bright LED over the needle makes dark fabric easier to follow in the evening, and the wider gap between needle and arm leaves room to turn a jacket or a pillow cover as you sew.
- LED-lit work area
- Metal frame keeps stitching clean
- Wide needle-to-arm workspace
- LCD screen, stitch by number
- 25-year limited warranty
Best for: Bigger projects, from jackets to pillow covers
- Built-in stitches
- 60
- Buttonhole
- 1-step, 7 styles
- Needle threader
- Yes
- Bobbin
- Drop-in (top)
- In the box
- 7 feet, 4 bobbins, needles
#4SINGER Heavy Duty 4423 Sewing Machine (Meltwater Blue)
$200–$300
A heavy-duty metal frame, a stainless steel bedplate and a motor SINGER rates at 50% more power than its standard machines, so denim, canvas and stacked layers feed through at up to 1,100 stitches a minute. An extra-high presser foot lift makes room for thick seams.
What owners say: Jeans, corduroy and thick layers are what owners bring it for, and it handles them; reliability splits opinion, with some reporting broken needles.
A closer look: For denim and canvas, fit a heavier needle, lengthen the stitch and let the machine pull the fabric through rather than tugging it. The adjustable presser foot pressure works the other way too: dial it down for silk and thin cotton so they don’t pucker.
- 1,100 stitches a minute
- Metal frame, steel bedplate
- Extra-high presser foot lift
- Adjustable presser foot pressure
- Clear bobbin cover
Best for: Jeans, canvas and heavy seams
- Built-in stitches
- 23
- Buttonhole
- 1-step
- Needle threader
- Yes
- Bobbin
- Drop-in (top)
- In the box
- 4 feet, dust cover
#5Janome Arctic Crystal Sewing Machine
$100–$150
Janome’s beginner machine in a cheerful turquoise, with 15 stitches, adjustable width and length, a four-step buttonhole and a three-piece feed dog that moves cotton, knits and layered pieces along evenly. An interior metal frame keeps it steady, and at about 13 lb it goes to classes without a fuss.
What owners say: Owners praise its looks as much as its sewing, saying it runs smoothly on a range of fabrics and suits a beginner; a few had theirs quit early on.
A closer look: Cover the feed dogs with the darning plate and try free-motion stitching once straight seams feel easy. A four-step buttonhole means sewing each side and bar tack in turn, so mark the button length on the fabric first and practice one on a scrap before the real thing.
- Adjustable stitch width and length
- Feeds knits and layers evenly
- Interior metal frame
- Snap-on presser feet
- Extra-high foot lift
Best for: First projects and sewing classes
- Built-in stitches
- 15
- Buttonhole
- 4-step
- Needle threader
- No
- Bobbin
- Front-loading (vertical)
- In the box
- 4 feet, darning plate
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Brother XM2701 | #2Brother XR9550 | #3Brother CS5055 | #4SINGER 4423 | #5Janome Arctic Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for quilting | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Price | $100–$150 | $200–$300 | $100–$150 | $200–$300 | $100–$150 |
| Built-in stitches | 27 | 165 | 60 | 23 | 15 |
| Buttonhole | 1-step | 1-step, 8 styles | 1-step, 7 styles | 1-step | 4-step |
| Needle threader | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Bobbin | Drop-in (top) | Drop-in (top) | Drop-in (top) | Drop-in (top) | Front-loading (vertical) |
| In the box | 6 feet, twin needle | 8 feet, wide table, hard case | 7 feet, 4 bobbins, needles | 4 feet, dust cover | 4 feet, darning plate |
| Best for | Mending and simple alterations | Quilting and decorative stitching | Bigger projects, from jackets to pillow covers | Jeans, canvas and heavy seams | First projects and sewing classes |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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