One of the first features to look for in a sewing machine is the brand, and Brother is one of the most recommended choices. However, when you’re just getting into sewing, you may not know which Brother sewing machine to choose. Don’t worry. We’ll help you out. We’re going to find the best Brother sewing machines for beginners.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices
Brother produces dozens of high-quality sewing machines. They have options to suit any type of sewing project, including quilting, seaming, and embroidery.
You can also find models with digital displays, automatic needle threader, automatic buttonholer, or computerized features that allow you to download additional stitches.
The 6 Best Brother Sewing Machines for Beginners
If you don’t know where to start, take a closer look at the Sewing Life list of the best Brother sewing machines for beginners.
Brother SE600 Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine
The best overall Brother sewing machine is the SE600. It offers everything that you need in a quality sewing machine, along with several useful extra features.
Here is a closer look at the basic details of the Brother SE600:
- Large touchscreen display
- 4 x 4-inch embroidery field
- Includes 103 built-in stitches
- Download and install embroidery designs
- Automatic needle threader
- Differential feed
- Free Arm
- Seven sewing feet
While this sewing machine includes a lot of features intended for embroidering, you can use it as a standard sewing machine.
It features a long work table and throat, providing enough room to work with quilts, clothing, and curtains. It can handle almost any project.
Pros and Cons of the Brother SE600 Sewing Machine
If you’ve never used a sewing machine before, you’ll appreciate the simple touchscreen interface. Like most electronics, you can simply press a button on the screen to choose your settings. This makes it incredibly easy to get into sewing.
You also get all the standard features needed for a quality sewing machine, including a free arm, automatic needle threader, and a differential feed.
For those who enjoy adding embroidered designs to clothing, pillow covers, and other sewing projects, you’ll love the digital embroidery features.
The 4 x 4 embroidery field and LCD touchscreen allow you to easily select a design and add beautifully-detailed embroidery to any material. You can even create your own designs and import the design files through the USB port.
The only real disadvantage is the cost. The next option costs about one-fourth the price of the Brother SE600. However, the higher price tag is due to the computerized components and embroidery function.
Brother XM2701 Lightweight Sewing Machine
The Brother XM2701 is the best economical choice, which means that it’s the least expensive Brother sewing machine that we found that we still like. While it’s less expensive, it provides a great entry point for beginners and includes these features:
- Free Arm
- 27 built-in stitches
- Jam resistant drop-in top bobbin
- LED work area
- Six different sewing feet
You also get an instructional DVD to help you figure out the various controls and how to thread the machine.
Pros and Cons of the Brother XM2701 Sewing Machine
The top reason to choose this machine is the price. It’s the least expensive Brother sewing machine that provides a suitable option for beginners.
It’s also a reliable machine and one of the best selling Brother products. It includes many of the features that you want from a basic sewing machine, including the free arm and jam-resistant drop-in top bobbin.
The LED work area is also a nice feature, as the LED lighting is much brighter compared to the typical bulb used in older sewing machines.
The controls are all manual. You turn knobs to adjust the tension and the stitch. You can also add different feet, including buttonhole, zipper, blind stitch, narrow hemmer, zig-zag, and button sewing feet.
The disadvantages include the lack of features. You don’t get a wide variety of stitches. You just get the basic options found on most non-computerized sewing machines.
The Brother XM2701 is also relatively small, which makes it portable, but limits your workspace. This isn’t the best option for working with quilts or other large projects. However, it’s the best option when you don’t want to spend much money.
Also, see our full review of the Brother XM2701.
Brother CS6000i Sewing and Quilting Machine
A sewing and quilting machine is just a standard sewing machine with a few extra features. With the Brother CS6000i, you get a larger work table for keeping the quilt straight, adjustable sewing speed, and a quilting foot.
Besides these extra features, it works just like a standard sewing machine. It’s also equipped with the following:
- Adjustable stitch speed
- Maximum sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute
- Free Arm
- Wide table
- Automatic needle threader
- Small LCD display
The small LCD display allows you to see the stitch that you’ve selected using the up or down buttons. It’s a simple way to select stitches, which is great for beginners.
Pros and Cons of the Brother CS6000i Sewing Machine
This sewing machine is best suited for quilters. It’s got the larger work table that you need. However, you can also use it for standard sewing projects.
It’s also available at a decent price. In fact, it’s within the same price range as some of the other quality Brother sewing machines. You’re getting a reliable sewing machine that also provides a suitable work surface for quilting.
However, this machine doesn’t have a lot of different stitches and it isn’t the most powerful sewing machine for quilting.
It can complete 850 stitches per minute while many other machines offer 1,300 or more stitches per minute. This affects the thickness of the material that you can work with. While you can still work with thick fabrics, you may need to work slowly to prevent the thread from getting bunched up.
Overall, this machine offers great value. It’s the best economical choice for quilters and a suitable option for anyone else that wants an affordable sewing machine.
Also, see our full review of the Brother CS6000i.
Brother PQ1500SL Quilting and Sewing Machine
The Brother PQ1500SL is a big step up from the CS6000i. Both options include a larger work table for working with quilts, automatic needle threader, and a quilting foot.
However, the PQ1500SL is much more powerful and offers even more space. You also get the following features:
- 1,500 stitches per minute
- Multiple settings
- Comes with a knee lifter
- Includes long extension table
- Simple manual controls
The 1,500 stitches per minute allow you to work with thicker materials and reduces the risk of bunching or gathering material. This is a workhorse of a sewing machine that should provide many years of use.
Pros and Cons of the Brother PQ1500SL Sewing Machine
After looking at the various sewing machines with LCD displays and built-in stitches, this sewing machine may appear outdated.
It includes manual controls for adjusting the tension or stitch width. However, some people prefer manual control. You don’t have to worry about technology failing on you.
This is also a dependable machine. You’re less likely to deal with failing components.
The Brother PQL1500SL also includes several convenient features, including the knee lifter. This allows for hands-free operation, which is useful when holding a long piece of fabric.
Some people may not like the price. It’s the most expensive Brother sewing machine that we’re recommending, which may put it out of reach for some beginners.
In the end, this is one of our favorite sewing machines for working with quilts. However, it’s also great for other projects. Having a larger work table is wonderful whether you’re sewing pants, curtains, slipcovers, or anything that is more than a few feet long.
Brother XR9550PRW Project Runway Limited Edition Sewing Machine
The Brother XR9550PRW is a versatile machine that is available at a reasonable price. It’s one of the best overall values for a Brother sewing machine, thanks to these features and technical specs:
- Backlit LCD display
- 165 built-in stitches
- Eight buttonhole styles
- Automatic needle threader
- Comes with many accessories
With the Brother XR9950PRW, you get almost everything needed to start sewing your own clothing. You get four bobbins, three spool caps, seam ripper, eyelet punch, cleaning brush, and needle set. You just need to buy some thread and fabric to get going.
Pros and Cons of the Brother XR9550PRW Sewing Machine
There are several useful features included in this machine. One advantage is the variety of built-in stitches. You get 165 unique stitches for all types of projects. These stitches include decorative, heirloom, utility, and alphanumeric stitches.
This is one of the easiest computerized sewing machines to operate. The LCD screen displays the number of the currently selected stitch. There is also a large panel on the front of the sewing machine that displays all the stitches and their corresponding number for entering it into the system.
You also get eight styles of one-step, auto-size buttonholes. These buttonholes are easy to change out and ensure that you can attach almost any type of button to your garments.
You also get a protective case for storing the machine and eight different quick-change presser feet.
There are no major drawbacks to choosing the Brother XR9550PRW. It may not offer hundreds of stitches or a large work area. However, you get a wonderful value with this easy-to-use computerized sewing machine.
Brother 1034DX 3-4 Thread Serger with Differential Feed
Brother also produces several serger sewing machines and the 1034DX 3-4 Thread Serger is the one that offers the best value. It’s not the most expensive or versatile, but it’s perfect for those that are buying their first serger. Here are is a closer look at the main features:
- three, four thread capability
- 22 built-in stitches
- Differential feed
- Color-coded threading
- Comes with two snap-on feet
- Dust cover
You also get an accessory bag that includes a few of the essential tools for using a sewing machine. You get tweezers, a cleaning brush, a trim trap, and a hex wrench.
The sewing machine also comes with an instructional CD to help you understand the controls. If you’ve never used a serger sewing machine before, the CD covers everything that you need to know to get started.
Pros and Cons of the Brother 1034DX 3-4 Thread Serger
The Brother 1034DX 3-4 Thread Serger Sewing Machine is the most recommended and best-selling serger sewing machine and one of the best Brother appliances.
It includes a nice selection of built-in stitches and the basic features needed in a serger sewing machine. You can adjust the differential feed based on the type of fabric that you’re working with, which helps improve the stitch quality. You can also adjust the stitch width.
Another useful feature is that this machine accepts standard sewing needles. You don’t need special serger sewing needles to start using this machine. However, it’s equipped with a serger needle set.
While it may not offer the most variety of stitches or a computer interface such as some of the high-end serger machines, it is the best entry-level serger manufactured by Brother. If you want to stop your hems from fraying, this is one of the most affordable solutions.
How to Choose the Right Brother Sewing Machine
Brother is one of the top sewing machine manufacturers. They produce a wide assortment of quality machines, including the six discussed above.
When choosing your first Brother sewing machine, you should think about how you intend to use the machine. Consider the types of sewing projects you’ll work on.
If you don’t plan to quilt, you don’t need one of the Brother sewing machines with an extended work table. If you don’t plan to use embroidery in your projects, you shouldn’t spend extra money on a machine that can embroider.
In the end, the Brother XR9550PRW and the Brother XM2701 offer the best value for your money. They don’t have a lot of extra features, but they are quality sewing machines from a trusted company.
For those that want the highest-end option with all the bells and whistles, the Brother SE600 is a fantastic machine. It includes the embroidery field and the ability to download and install new designs and stitches.
With the SE600, you may not need another sewing machine for a long time. It can handle a wide range of projects and it’s often on sale for a decent price.
No matter which option you choose, you can trust that you’re getting a dependable sewing machine that should offer many years of use.
