Top 12 Best Sewing Machines under $100, $200, $300 to $500

In the old time, already existed a large quantity of textile produced manually by a group of people worked under candle lights.

The birth of the sewing machine was some time in 1755. The gadget got boomed and commercialized within a hundred years around the world.

Obviously, it benefits the prospect of making quick sewing clothing to supply the market.

In association with the modern assembly line, sewing machines aid to produce hundreds of item units in hours.

This evolution has changed the whole garment industry, so has the way the housewives add wardrobe items to their daily family fashion.

Sewing machines function on a brilliant concept using the needles as the decisive role but with the support of motors and other tiny components.

Who said the machine is only the tool of the trade? There are items available for household and even kids.

To get you closer to the world of the sewing machine, we are the people in the field will introduce this life-changing gadget in detail and walk you through the best sewing machine designed for each category that can make use of this creation.

How A Sewing Machine Works?

Every sewing machine has been designed to do initially the same job. It is to link a thread from the top of the machine and a thread from the bottom to make a knot. That is called a stitch which formed in between two layers of fabric.

Any sewing machine you buy whether it is mechanical, electronic, or computerized will work in the same manner.

Every machine has two tensions. One at the top and the other one is at the bottom of the device.

Sound confusing? Here is how you load a sewing machine.

The Top

When you operate a sewing machine, you will let the thread sit on the spool holder found on the top.

On the majority of the machines, you come around one little knot through the first tension then pull the thread down the front. Most machines will have arrows to show the direction of the thread. Or you can find instruction in the manual if it’s your first time.

There is a part called a take-up lever whose one end has a hook or an eye, the other leads down to the needle. You will need to thread your thread through one eye of that take-up lever, then come back down.

On the top of the needle, you may have one or two hooks to attach the thread through.

At the moment the tensions aren’t engaged, you can pull the thread freely.

When you put the foot down, it will become firmer, so you know that the tensions are set.

In modern machines, there is a needle threader which puts a tiny hook through the eye of the needle. When you draw the thread across, and underneath the hook, it grabs hold of your thread, pulls out a little loop in the back of the needle, now you can just pull the thread through.

Now, the top is all done, you are ready to load the bottom thread.

The Bottom

Some sewing machines have a thread that drops in on the top of a Perspex lid and sees the thread inside. The other machines have bobbin goes underneath that accommodates bobbin cases.

There are tensions in the box as well. Some bobbins are metal; some are plastic.

You will take the thread coming off the top of the bobbin and pop it inside the bobbin case.

The tension here is the little slit that goes down the side; pull the thread around until it comes through the hole at the top and gets the tension engaged.

The bobbin should be able to be supported from the thread without coming through; but when you pull the thread, it goes free.

You can see there is a little lever at the top that sits in the upright position. When popping into the position, you will hear a click.

The next thing you need to do is to take that bottom thread through the feed dogs which are the teeth below the needles where it draws the fabric through and out to the top.

So, hold on to your top thread, wind the handwheel at the side of your machine towards you. Circulate that once, and then, when you pull that top thread, your thread will go through, also pick the bottom thread to the top.

From here, you are ready to sew.

The Sew

Now, the tension is not as it may sound. The tightness of the stitch on your fabric is the rate at which the thread form the top and bottom of the machine actually come through.

So, if you have lots of loops of thread piercing the top of your fabric, it is probably the problem with the bottom bobbin. In this case, you will need to unthread everything from the top to the bottom.

Best Sewing Machine Brands

Our team has all the passionate people who devote our time to try and find sewing machines of all type to take into consideration.

The brands that came to our test range from the ones from your grandmother time to the machines that serve project-oriented stylists who keep their heads on the high-end fashion.

Up to now, we are confident to list the top 5 brands that deliver the best sewing machines to the market that satisfy us and other customers in line.

These brands are the most popular ones based on our preferences, but we hope you’ll find them reliable.

Browse these profiles to skim the information you want. We’ve also got you a comparison table of all products we’re going to mention. Skim it out if you’re tight on time.

Singer

This leading brand of sewing machines has proven themselves to be the big brother.

They offer a huge variety of models for different groups of users.

You can ask your senior relatives about Singer and how legendary it was since its first founded in 1851.

Speaking about Singer, we can’t help talking about the Singer 7258 100-stitch computerized sewing machine that blends 7 automatic buttonholes.

The machine packs of free accessories for a cost that is reasonable for a certain group of customers around the industry.

The unit has an attractive white construction with menthol accents showcase at the side where the control panel is located.

You can make use of the arrows keys to switching among 100 stitches that are positioned underneath the indicator screen.

At the top, you can instantly spot the bobbin system which lets you load your bobbins with no hassle while the versatile clear cover allows you to look through to the bobbin supply.

Moreover, the built-in needle threader works fast. The LED illuminates the sewing surface. According to the manufacturer, the LED bulb can light up to 100,000 hours.

Did we forget about the stitch selection of this machine? This unit arrives with a collection of 100 stitches. But of course, you can adjust the stitch settings anytime and customize the machine however you want.

We’ve got to say this machine is worth the value it cost more than anything we’ve seen on the market.

After all, it’s a Singer, and we can already count on the quality!

Brother

Brother International is another giant leading the sewing machine market. They share 29% of the sold machines online and offline.

The products range from basic to the top-notch ones take advantage of high-end technology yet are still friendly to regular users.

The Brother CX155LA Limited Edition model is one machine that makes Brother proud.

With this motorized device, you can enjoy sewing, quilting and adding basic personalization to your creations.

The model comes with the large table that is perfect for home décor and other advanced projects. It includes 100 unique built-in stitches for generating a custom touch.

There are 8 styles of one-step buttonholes automatically sized to fit your buttons. Plus, you will get 55 alphanumeric stitches for basic monogramming. For fine finishing, it includes the blind stitch and overcasting feet.

For the quilting feature, the machine packs a spring action quilting foot, a walking foot, a ¼ piecing foot, and a quilt guide. This advantage allows quilters to perform free motion quilting.

Surprisingly, there are 10 quick change feet for a tremendous value in total. More importantly, the quick change lever makes it incredibly easy to swap feet.

Well, we don’t see why an entry-level could say no to this sewing machine. For us, this is the best Brother sewing machine in our opinion.

Janome America

If you look for something innovative in a sewing machine, Janome has their best to offer.

As a young guy in the game, Janome distinguished themselves with the extraordinary machines manufactured with ultimate creativeness to add more versatility, flexibility and appealing outer look to attract anyone who crosses.

The best of Janome American can count the 2212 model to be one of the standing out machine. If you’re looking for an ultimate in reliability, Janome is the name.

The first thing to come to the glance is the visible stitch guide on the front. To use it, you simply turn the dial to the letter for the stitch that you want; you can also take control of the stitch length with the next dial which is just a matter of turning the wheel to get the configuration you want.

This 2212 has a 4-step buttonhole, extra high lift to get a thick layer of fabric under your presser foot.

People who had used Janome sewing machine would not want to sacrifice their comfort with it to a different brand and you will know why if you get yourself one to try now.

Juki

The world-class Japanese company has a history dated back in 1938. We all know the quality of the products made in Japan. They are durable and reliable industrial or commercial sewing machines that give perfect stitches.

We’ve got this Single Needle lockstitch Juki TL-2010Q a few months ago. Now, we are ready to give our verdict.

This machine is super high-power in giving fast stitches. While the other manure computerized machines go about 800 or 850 stitches per minute, this baby stitches 1500 units per minute.

The machine comes with plenty of complementary accessories to make use but note that this machine is a basic workhorse, it doesn’t do any zigzag or any decorative stitches apart from straight stitches.

If you only look for a needle that stays up-and-down stationery, the Juki has its best to offer.

Best Sewing Machine Reviews You Can Buy in 2020

No matter what level of sewing you are at, or how many money you have to invest in a sewing machine, we have done everything for you.

Please check out our reviews right here where you can find your category to browse and pick the best machine for you in no time.

For Beginners

For an entry-level sewing machine, it took us some time to consider all the machine available, and it did give us a headache picking out one. Nonetheless, we’ve got it.

When it comes to the sewing machine for beginners, we selected based on the basic criteria that we think best fit any newcomer.

So, you want to sew clothes? The first big thing you should have is a zigzag stitch and some other stitch options like a stretch stitch when you’re sewing with knits. Also, you will need a smaller free arm.

We vote for the Janome DC2012 because it is just the thing you are looking for.

The fully computerized machine provides 50 stitch patterns and 3 buttonhole style which meet adequate sewing requirements for a first-timer.

The DC2012 features an exclusive Superior Feed System to ensure the unsurpassed quality of your stitching. You can expect the control slider and one-handed needle threader are crafted to bring all the convenience when using.

Another suggestion for this group is the Brother SE400 which will take care of all your basic sewing needs. It gives you a 4-inch square embroidery attachment.

The computerized design comes with 70 installed embroidery styles; more than that, you can download more style from to the machine via a USB connection.

There is a one-touch automatic needle threading system, and the LCD touch screen is backlit makes it easy to read and utilize.

With the Brother SE400, you can have a professional high-end machine without breaking your budget.

For Quilting

Quilting on a sewing machine is no longer a foreign term. A lot of machines have been born versatile to attach multiple features; quilting is one of them.

The first standing out machine of our pick is the Singer 8500Q.

This portable machine elevates your quilting skill with its Long Arm Design and an extra-large extension table for a 25-inch sewing space allowing you to manage quilts with ease.

As you use the Drop feed feature to thread paint, your creation is shone under 6 StayBright LED lights. The included Knee Lifter is essential for hand-free pivoting and fabric release.

Embellish your projects with precise circles 10-inch to 15-inch in diameter with the circular stitch capability.

We appreciate the warranty time Singer offers which is up to 25 years. The machine is pleased to serve avid quilters and waiting to come home with you.

We believe Singer has more to offer for quilting, but we’d like to jump to a different brand to make our list abundant. We believe we can count on the Brother PQ1500SL.

Although it is not a longarm machine, quilters dream of this Brother sewing tool. It is a good choice for home projects or small business.

There is ample throat space to accommodate almost any size quilting project, including queen-sized quilts.

In the competition with Singer, Brother offer warranty likewise. You will have 25 years using the machine under the guarantee of the brand. What could be better?

For Leather

We know sewing with leather would be an attraction once you advanced to the sewing world. That is why we can’t skip suggesting the best sewing machine for leather.

That leads us to the Singer 9960 Portable sewing machine that offers 600 stitches in Electronic Auto Pilot Mode or auto needle threader.

On the specs view, the 13 automatic one-step buttonholes and 5 font option makes this machine one of the smoothest, most clever machine to sew leather.

In the same category, the Juki DDL-8700 has kept up with the race. There must be a reason for this model to be one of the best sewing machines preferred by manufacturers and repairer in the leather industry.

On our side, we fall in love with the maximum of 5500 stitches per minute makes the machine more powerful than anything we came across.

Anyhow, the largest length of the stitch is 5 mm. This is a nice number for a home-based business to craft leather wallets, belts or hats. We ensure that you won’t go wrong with this.

For Kids

Alright! Give your children a hobby to burn their energy should be encouraged. It is so nice to get your kids involved in projects like sewing. And know that sewing will keep your little ones busy all around.

Kids and their extraordinary creativeness will take sewing to a new level. Equip them with the Brother LS2125i.

This is a full size and lightweight machine which is extremely easy to function. It has 10 built-in stitches including one hem, zigzag, and stretch stitches. It also features automatic 4-step buttonholes to fit your personalized buttons.

Or you can pick the Sew Cool Machine if your kids are form 6 years old. Though the unit has a toy-like look, it is a powerful machine to teach your young folks their first sewing lessons.

With this machine, your toddlers can have fun making purses, pencil cases, pouches or superhero capes.

What You Want To Look For in A Sewing Machine?

There are more factors to consider when buying a sewing machine.

Here they are:

Your Level

Your skill does matter, doesn’t it? You don’t want too much fancy function from a machine when you’re not even at that level.

To take advantage of all of them, master your position first.

It is best to opt to an entry-level machine and master the basics before you can jump higher.

Computerization

It is pretty much that you will lean on a computerized machine. We know its conveniences are attractive but for senior sewers, this type can be complicated to operate.

Besides, people who yearn for more non-industrial homemade garments will prefer a non-computerized sewing machine.

Probably, it belongs to the mean of preference.

Performance

Particular types of items will have specific machines to pair with; you should identify this first. Or you can pick a versatile machine that costs a bit more to widen your project line.

Consider whether you want only plain stitches and buttonholes, or you will advance to embroidery and interchangeable pressure feet.

We leave that to your decision.

Repair Policy and Warranty

Every brand has their term of use and warranty that covers the damage.

For the repairing, when you send the unit to the outlet, ask for the turnaround time.

To be legitimate for warranty, keep the box, recipe and everything you received in the first place. Collate them when needed.

Budget

You know it. The best sewing machine is the one that fits your wallet. Look at the price before you go to the features and make a comparison between machines.

You can also search for coupons or check clearance sales announcement. We are sure there are good deals available.

Conclusion

You can rest a peace in mind that all of our reviews are from our own experience using the machine and telling you only honest opinions.

To make things more transparent on the products, we always keep ourselves updated with the market to spot out the good and the bad. That is why our list evolves with only quality sewing machines.

In the end, we hope this post brings valuable information to help you sort out the best sewing machine you want and will soon find how authentic we are.

Don’t mind leaving us any query regarding the topic; we are more than happy to help.

Let us hear from you. Happy sewing!