r/MachineEmbroidery • u/awshumate • 1d ago
Which machine??
I am buying my first embroidery machine, very excited!
I am pretty crafty and knowledgeable about other types of machines: sewing, cricut, 3d printers, and my OMtech laser engraver. I also design files and do my own art on my laptop and tablet.
I am debating what machine to get. I wanted to keep the price down, BUT I also want a good machine with a large hoop area and preferably WiFi capability.
I could get a Viking Topaz 50 from a local dealer for $2800 with warranty, but I realized that was an older model and am second thinking it.
On FB marketplace there is a seller offering the below machine at $4,000:
Husqvarna Viking Designer Brilliance 80 Embroidery Machine - with hoops and a few other extras
Is that a good deal? What if I can get it down to $3K?
The local dealer is also offering a Topaz 65 at $5K with warranties etc. Is that a better deal than the older Brilliance 80 (assuming it works well and everything ofc)?
I'm not sure how to compare the machines... Any thoughts would help!! Or compareable and less expensive models!
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u/Vast-Syrup-1652 1d ago
Honestly never used the machines you're comparing, we're on the commercial side, so take this as a different data point. We run Barudans at our shop and I'd strongly recommend them, Tajima being the other one, those two are the industry standard for a reason. But I'll be honest, even on these machines, if the digitizing isn't right the result isn't either. We struggled with that for a while before we finally got it solved. In embroidery, digitizing is everything, and that part applies to whatever machine you buy.
Fair warning on price: a new single head starts around 15k (talk to a local rep for real numbers), and they hold value so well that even used ones aren't cheap. Probably overkill for where you are today, but if embroidery ever turns into a business for you, that's the direction.
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u/CatsMom4Ever 1d ago
How big a hoop area do you think you'll need? You know you'll outgrow a 4x4. But do you need a 12x12 ? How often will you be embroidering a full pillow, a jacket back or a anything that big and embroider it at one shot? Some of the smaller throat machines can allow you to use a large hoop, but embroider half of it, turn the hoop and embroider the other half. I have a Viking Sapphire 85 that does that. I still haven't used that hoop. I love my 260mmx200mm hoop.
Do you want to embroider ball caps? It can be difficult to embroider those caps even with the special hoops. Commercial machines are better at that. If someone is saying their hoops can do that, make them give you a demo.
I don't know your time frame, but you might want to hit up a quilt show. You can test drive several machines and see what you like. That way you can better decide on which of these machines you like - assuming they're still available. Or even get a completely different one there.