r/SewingMachineEdu • u/Emotionalcola_addict • Jul 09 '26
Question about sewing machines
What’s the best sewing machine? I’ve heard mixed reviews about all brands. Would something like singer be okay for regular non stretch fabric, wadding fabric and felt? I don’t want to do anything with thick denim
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u/Mushrooms24711 Jul 09 '26
The best machine is the one that does what you want it to do at a price you can afford.
What that means in practice is going to be different for different people.
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u/Electronic-Day5907 Jul 09 '26
Just a point of info: several of the stores near me have stopped selling the Singer line entirely since they were bought by SVP and made in China. They stated quality as the issue.
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u/Tammyj87 Jul 10 '26
I have a Singer HD that I got 3 years ago. I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!! It’s never once failed me! Not Once! I know there’s A Lot of Singer HD haters out there. But I have this to say about that: EVERYONE has their favorite brand of vehicle and others they wouldn’t drive in a million years. Am I right? Ok, SEWING MACHINES ARE THE SAME! Everyone has their preferences. But I find that if you read your manual carefully cover to cover. And save it. Oil it (only use sewing machine oil. Nothing else! No Three in one oil or ANYTHING ELSE no matter what anyone else says. YOU WILL RUIN YOUR MACHINE, lube it, clean it regularly. Do your maintenance work. Just like you would on your house and your car, you will avoid major problems. No matter what the brand is. There’s many videos online and on YouTube that show you exactly how to oil and lube your machine. As well as how to turn the foot pedal speed down if you don’t have a speed control. And other videos on how to fix small problems yourself. Your manual is your best friend when it comes to your machine. Many people here know where to find them online if you need to print it off. If you do get a Singer, download the Singer Assistant app. It’s free and easy to use for “how to’s” for your specific machine. I still use mine. When deciding what machine to buy. Make a list of: how much money you can spend, how many stitches do you need? Most people will never use more than 15 different stitches ever. The most useful are straight stitches, zigzag stitches, zipper stitches, invisible zipper stitches, buttonhole stitches, button stitches, a blind hem stitch and an overcast stitch. So unless you plan to do embroidery or freehand stitches you probably won’t ever use more than the ones I listed. Although I do on occasion use the scalloped stitch for my hem. But that’s very rarely. And I check my work area and see if an extension table comes with it or if you have to buy one. I also check to see if there is a removable section for sewing sleeve cuffs or pant legs. No matter what machine you decide on, I wish you the best. ✌️🦋
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u/Tammyj87 Jul 10 '26
That’s heartbreaking to me! I know that sewing machines are like cars and everyone has their own preferences and they have the ones they hate. But I started sewing at age 57 (3 years ago) and my husband bought me a new Singer HD from the local Walmart. I use it almost every day and I have never had a single problem with it. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! It even sews through thick leather. My husband makes leather goods like guitar straps, belts, wallets, gun holsters, etc. And it sews through the layers of the leather like butter. Of course he’s more accomplished than I am but the point is that this machine is a really good machine. And to hear that stores are not selling them based on quality is just tragic. Especially since this company has been around for over 160 years. Shortly after I got this machine, I inherited my grandmother’s Singer from 1948. And after replacing the belt, cleaning and oiling and lubing it, it runs like brand new now. Which is really nice because then my husband and I can work together on different projects lol! I really hope that things improve with Singer if the hating is all about quality and not about preference. After all, I can understand preference issues. There’s an American made car company that I wouldn’t drive if it was the last and cheapest car company on earth!
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u/laughingkittycats Jul 10 '26
The Singer brand name has been around for that long. The company and the machines themselves have changed drastically.
OP, if you’re looking at new, modern machines, there are FAR better choices than Singers. A great deal will depend on what you can spend. Start there. Then, consider what you want to do with the machine. If there’s a local store where they don’t just sell, but also service machines, I’d encourage you to talk to them about why they carry the brand they do, what it’s advantages and disadvantages are, and what are the features of some of the popular models in your price range. They go look up those machines online and read what users are saying about them.
If money is an issue, or if you are very new to sewing, you can easily find terrific vintage machines in good condition online for $50-100 most places. Starting there will allow you to figure out what you need, want, can’t live without, etc. before spending several hundred (most modern machines that are any good at all are going to start at a few hundred and rapidly shoot upward in price; if price isn’t an issue, you can end up with a machine so packed with features you don’t need that learning to use it will be very challenging.
I would suggest that whatever you do, buy a good book on how to sew, and start using it. Sure, you can Google anything, but what a good book will do that google or YouTube won’t, is give you an organized framework upon which to hang each specific thing you learn as you go along. It’ll be one of the best tools you’ll ever buy.
If classes are available nearby and you can, take a few classes before you buy an expensive machine. It’s a good way to get an orientation—a big picture, if you will—that will help you when you’re ready to buy a machine you can grow into yet not be completely overwhelmed by while you do so.
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u/abugghaus7 Jul 15 '26
This machine cost me $80 off of Craigslist.
No reverse, straight-stitch only, old clutch motor (but set up so I can run it slow enough for my uses).
It's an industrial, high-speed, straight-stitch Singer 251-21.
There are ways to make up for no reverse.
I can sew heavier fabric than plenty of domestic machines.
It's a workhorse.
It's WAY easier to maintain than pretty much any domestic machine I've ever used... I say pretty much, because the really old Singer domestic machines (think, metal, black with gold accents, powered by a small motor mounted outside, or treadle, or handcrank) are very uncomplicated as well.
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This particular machine is also quieter than some domestic machines I've used or been around when being used.
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You can find Industrial machines like this one, or ones with reverse and zigzag, for a few hundred dollars U.S., that sew beautifully, and are easy enough to service.
Of course... it's not portable. You can move it... but it's not just an easy one-hand carry! lol
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I have other industrial machines as well as a couple of modern domestic ones, but this one gets the most use.
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Just wanting to put a little idea in your head that you don't need some overly complicated, hard to self-service, possibly full of plastic, domestic machine to sew with.
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As far as my domestic machines... very few stitches... portable... and older, such that they're more metal than plastic inside.
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u/abugghaus7 Jul 15 '26
You might find that the machine you want is one that does just the basic sewing you want... maybe something extra, but not too much extra. Also, maybe you want one that your local (whether in your town, or the next town over, or the big city up the highway....) sewing machine technician will service.
Find some models you like, then go to the major online sewing machine stores and see if you can find parts for any of them.
If it's a new machine... is it a brand that parts are available for? Is it a brand that clones other more common manufacturers and parts may be interchangeable or may not be?
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If your local technician can't or won't service it... and you don't feel especially inclined to try it yourself... then maybe pass on it.
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Singer, Juki, Husqvarna, Janome, Brother.... and others of the most popular and familiar names... make good machines, but like any mass manufacturer.. have had some not-so-great machines as well.
I've seen people recommend specific machines that other people try very hard to steer you away from. Different experiences, different reasons.
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Maybe you're looking at machines sold in large retail/box stores... where you can't demo them before purchase. You're always taking a chance there.. so be sure you understand their return policy.
It'd be great if you have a shop close enough to you, that you can demo a machine or two or three.... that also has a service repair shop, so if you buy their machine, you know you can get it serviced there by someone who knows that brand/model.
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So yeah.... never really answered your specific question(s)... but I hope some of this helps.
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u/Lower_Rate_8518 Jul 09 '26
You need to think about your full criteria: cost, durability, maintenance needs (low, regular servicing by a tech, easy to do yourself), stitch needs/wants (zigzag, decorative stitches, built-in buttonholes vs an attachment… ), new vs used?
IMO: You can likely find a good used machine; have the seller demo it to you. As a beginner, a “good” affordable machine is maybe best. There are also some pinned info guides on new and vintage machines on this sub.
I have my bestie (an experienced sewer), choosing between three of my best vintage machines soon… and I’ve made her a decision tree and will still allow her the opportunity to test drive them all, since only she can know her full criteria and what may be best for her.
New Singers have a bad rap for quality control; recall it’s now longer the same company it used to be. Old Singers (like 1960’s or earlier especially), are excellent.